The Favorites Sports Betting PodcastThe second weekend of March Madness is here, with the Sweet Sixteen tipping off tonight. Joining his Action Network colleagues Chad Millman and Simon Hunter is college basketball betting expert Stuckey, fresh off recording his own podcast Big Bets On Campus. Together the trio discusses best bets for Thursday and Friday, how the parity of elite programs is impacting college hoops, how to approach the Elite 8, and so much more.
For those looking to join Chad, Simon and Stuckey for our FREE podcast live event in beautiful Chicago this Saturday for the Elite 8, don't forget to RSVP now by clicking here. #Volume #herd
Welcome to the Favorites, the podcast presented by BET three sixty five. We are part of the Volume Podcast Network. I am Chad Mellman of the Action Network. I'm live from my Tommy John home studio, and I'm joined as always by my co host, my companion, Mike cam Padre my BFF Professional Better Simon Hunter.
Hello, Simon, Chad.
How are we doing?
Brother? We're back in the.
Swing four days of college basketball. You and I have an incredibly special guest coming on the show. He is the og Action. He is the heartbeat of the Action Network. The first person I ever had dinner with before we even started the company. I had dinner with this guy. He's going to be joining us in Chicago this weekend for our live show, the most Obsessive College Basketball Better. I've ever met a man who has so loved college basketball for so long that his one name, Moniker, is derived from his then favorite college basketball player. The co host of our Big Bets on Campus podcast, The Hat says it all. A man who needs only one name. Welcome back, Stucky.
Going on, Cheb. Thanks for the intro. I'm excited to get back to some basketball action after this couple day lull, but I'm also very very excited for Chicago on Saturday. I love it. It's your bottom dollar. You have some longtime Action followers and followers of myself that I'm friendly with that I'm going to see, and then I'm most excited besides seeing you guys, of course, which is always nice, but I'm most excited to meet new followers and meet new subscribers and listeners to the podcast. Always have such a good time at these events, and in the past we've done them, you know, in Vegas and in the New York City area, where we also have uh, pretty loyal followers, but we've never done anything in Chicago, and I I love Chicago and the people from there, so I'm just so excited to meet some of the people that I haven't had a chance to in in the past.
H Stucky, my Dad's going to be there, and oh really, yeah, well I'm from Chicago. I don't know who else from my family will show up. Remains to be seen. I've gotten non committals from a few people, but I know I know that my dad will be there. And for those people who aren't aware at this point of what Stucky is talking about, another reminder that everybody can officially RSVP for our free Favorites live show event in Chicago. This will be for the Elite eight March Madness Games Sunday, March twenty ninth. Sorry, Saturday, March twenty ninth. That Joson Weed great great spot. Every time I've told someone we're doing an event at Joson Weed who's from Chicago and doesn't live there anymore, they're like, oh man, I love Joson Weed. Free event, free drinks, free live show was Stucky three man Weave Simon myself Matt Mitchell has an entire.
SUV full of swag to give away.
Just RSVP to reserve your spot by clicking the link in this episode's description, or you can just Google.
Favorites Live Event Chicago. Be sure to RSVP.
Must RSVP to get in, but then you get in, you get free drinks, free event, free chatting with the crew, plus a mini live show where Stock is gonna regale us with stories and ideas on what to do with Elite eight. As a reminder of this favorite podcast is presented by BET three sixty five, which is now live in my native state of Illinois.
New BET three sixty five.
Customers, including those in Illinois, get one hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets when you bet five dollars, sign up using promo code favorites, deposit ten dollars, place a bet for five dollars to get one hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets. Those bonus bets can be used on spreads, totals, player props, futures, and more.
Whatever the moment. It's never ordinary.
Bet three sixty five, especially in Illinois, must be twenty one or older in president Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Louisiana, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or eighteen or older in Kentucky. Gambling problem called one eight hundred gambler or one eight hundred bets off in Iowa terms, conditioned restrictions apply. I will say these events are always amazing. Whether we've done them outside New York, Vegas, Philly in the winter, they're great. I hope a lot of people are able to make it and hang out with us.
All right.
One thing I want to say, though, is tiny at these events, Like people that you guys that know me, know that I will try to talk to as many people as I can, and I can well talk to anyone about anything at any time. But if you see me and you've been a follower, or you just want to ask questions or anything, please don't hesitate to come up to me or anyone. You will never bother me. So whether you want to tell me your story, ask a question, or just share your thoughts or talk some ball, don't hesitate to come up to me. I'm the easiest person to approach.
What is this are you, Timothy shallow May? We're at an event for our company. Were the whole Some people tell me like they were.
I'm telling you people don't tweets from people like, oh, you look like you were busy. I didn't want to live up to you. And this is like after I leave the city, right, It's like I kind of wanted to go up to you, but you were talking to someone else. It's like, no, just not bother bother away.
Father, Stucky, don't come up to me. I'm a little bit more refined and precious. I'm not as interested in talking to people, but definitely talk to Stucky. You can talk to my dad, you can talk to Simon Uh, definitely stuck.
You'll be there for the duration. Just talk to Stucky. This is a Stucky moment.
Speaking of Stucky, right, I'm enamored of the Maryland game. I thought the the the Yukon Florida game was outstanding. I actually loved the Duke game even though it was a blowout, because I just love watching Duke.
I think they're so good and I want to see excellence.
So many criticisms of this tournament right now, What have you learned from this tournament?
What are your biggest takeaways so far?
Yeah, I mean, I'm I'm learning a lot just in college basketball in general the past couple of years, college football too, Like even this past year, like I've I've started to redoing everything that I've ever done in college basketball. College basketball is always my best sport. I kind of just was coasting for a while doing what I have always done. And it's a new world. And you know now with college football it's also a new world. I spend so much time. I used to never spend any time in college football. Just used to before action. I used to just lose money be in college football. I loved it, played football. It would just donate because in the summer, I would spend all my time preparing for college basketball. There's so many teams, it's so much work, and then you know October November, so I was just donating. I was spending my time doing football, NFL and college basketball. Well, now with college football, I spend so much time there. I'm already behind in college basketball. It's harder, the market's more efficient, and it's just this new world. Like you have teams that hit completely hit the reset button. In the past, it was and there's a lot of similarities of college football too. In the past. It's like we got they're replacing these two starters right, a lot easier to project from a year to year basis on what a team is going to be. Now it's completely different. The portal, it's crazy. We already have over one thousand. We have a thousand, more than a thousand players already in the portal. But I think what we're starting to see is just the separation from the top and the bottom is growing. And I think that's going to happen in college football as well. I do think that there's gonna eventually be more parody at the top. So like your top twenty and this is true in college football as well. You're going to have more stronger teams in that mix. But the gap between the top and the bottom is just going to continue to grow. And we've seen this the past two years whereund just might be chalkier moving forward. I do think it's eventually, you know, over time, there's going to be exceptions that the tournament will be better from the second and third weekends as a result. But I mean, we have four leagues that's it represented this year. That's the fewest ever, and we only have one from the ACC which is Duke. So I do think that this is still small Sampit size. This is still a new world. But I do think that this what we've seen so far as a microcosm of what we can expect to see in the college sports landscape moving forward and just have to adjust and get used to it. But I think it's just a growing gap.
And everyone's about what have you done lately?
Right?
We just had sixteen seeds lose not even two three years ago, So it's just funny how quickly before like it's so boring. Now it's like it's just year to year, right, But I do think it's interesting to see what and I always going to do with college sports, And yeah, you online have been trolling these Michigan State fans and Tom Mizzo fans. Is that just you don't trust his team and you're just taking shots to them because it's funny or are you just like I hate bet this team. No matter what, I'm gonna fade them in this upcoming round.
No, I just haven't fun with Michigan State fans. There's also what I always forget on Twitter. A lot of times when I'm tweeting about certain teams that I don't like, I'm usually trolling like a couple of friends, like personal friends. But I've always had fun with Michigan State fans, usually in college football. But no, I don't trust I don't think Michigan State has national title upside, mainly because I just don't trust their offense, Like they don't have the perimeter shooting. Their half court offense can get very stagnant. Now, Jayce Richardson, if he's on, he's a freshman. He had a tough game last game, but he stepped up in the final two minutes. If he's on, that really raises their ceiling. They do have a high floor like is it was a great coach. They do play tremendous defense, and they're great on the glass. No, I don't hate any team. I used to hate Duke because my dad liked Duke growing up. That's kind of it dwindled over the years, and I don't This Duke team isn't that hateable, which is kind of disappointing. And I like Shire, which is also disappointing. I wish there was I wish I hated Duke more, but no, I don't. I don't hate any team. So I actually kind of like Michigan State this week against Old miss but I'm you know, it's the Sweet sixteen. You're not going to find a ton of edge or value. I'm mainly looking at matchups at this time of the year to try and find any edge or what to bet. But I do show a little value in Michigan State. The problem is, I don't know if I should bet at pregame because Michigan State's games are they go according almost to a script. Every time. They're like, they'll be down at the half, they'll have a sluggish first half, and one of their biggest strengths is their death and they will wear teams down. We saw it all throughout the conference play. In the second half, they will just overwhelm teams with their depth, their athleticism, their rebounding, and they just go on runs in the second half. So there's a good chance that they come out slow, they're down, and then I think Michigan State's gonna be worth a look from a live betting perspective. That's probably my favorite live betting look of the first round, like it, excuse me, of the tournament so far. And I made the mistake. I bet in New Mexico plus seven and a half on Sunday, and I didn't listen to myself. I didn't have any first half. I didn't bet Michigan State live and it was just one of their games. Again, even go back to the first round against Bryant. I mean, it was close game in the first half and then their depth just overran Briant in the second half. So if I had to bet the game pre game, I would bet Michigan State, but I'm gonna look for a better opportunity live. I don't like Michigan State. Sure could they win it all? Yeah, I mean it's one basketball game throughout I think they're gonna need the They're gonna need the other seed kind of break their way, Like you want to root if you're Michigan Zape and you want to root for Michigan so you don't have to play Auburn. But I think that they're just their ceiling in a half court on offense might limit them compared to a Duke for example, and some of the in f Florida, so that that's where I think it's going to hold them back. But I had a ton of respect for azz Oh. I love Michigan State fans. Part of what when I get to have that interaction people is they have loyal sometimes bordering on psychotic fan basis, which I love in Michigan State fits the build there for sure.
I agree with you about Duke. I know Simon has always been a Duke fan. I have found Duke to be so much more likable since the very end of the Coach k era and with the John Shire era. I love him as a coach. I think he's relatable. I love the way he interacts with his players. I like watching this team. I set it off the top. I think this team super fun to watch play basketball because they're so good and they're competitive, and Cooper Flag is just a straight baller. But they got so many other guys who can play at such an elite level. I don't even care that like they have an advantage because they get every single elite recruit looking at their school and they're loaded with nal money. As we look at the weekend Thursday Friday, knowing that a lot of people, you know, the early games are not going to be something they can activate against off of this show. Give me your roundup for Thursday and Friday.
Which yeah, I mean quickly on the early games. I do think BYU has a little bit of value. That's that's the number that I show the most value on. Their offense is electric. I mean the total one seventy five and it's on pace to be a high since nineteen ninety five. In the tournament, their offense is electric. Now their defense, Alabama's defense has issues, but so does BYU's. They're just they lack athleticism in certain positions. So what do they do. They pack it in kind, They'll play some zone. They dare you to shoot the three. So it's scary. They're going up against Alabama. Who's gonna who shoots a lot of threes and can get hot. Not as good as the shooting team as they were last year, but they can still go nuclear. They've be shooting thirty eight percent in tever of first So it's a scary one because BYU if Alabama will have days where they just go sixteen to thirty eight, sixteen to thirty five from three, and then YU might not be able to keep up. But you gotta remember these games are in weird venues right well, the Kentucky Tennessee or dou who used to That's that's in Indianapolis in a cut in half football stadium. So are the it's the shooting going to be just a little off. And in that case, BYU, hey, you're encouraging Alabama to fire away from three. That might work in your favor. So I think BYU has some value Maryland as well. A little worry about Maryland's depth. They got to stay out of foul trouble, sure, because I mean, Florida is so deep they can come at you in waves. I don't think Maryland could do some of the things that Yukon did from an offensive perspective, but I do show a little value in that number, although like if they're you play it up and down fast game against Florida and let them get in transition, which meryln will do. Maryland's transition he's really good, but that's gonna be an up tempo game. That's dangerous. One of the things you kind of going for. They do a lot of off ball stuff which can give Florida problems, and they slow the game down to a halt. Maryland's starting five to crab five. They could play with anyone but got and that like the extended TV timeouts this time of year, like they help, but they got to stay out of foul trouble. Usually do a good job in that department, but Blarida's got a ton of size, will come at you in a fast paced game. But yeah, if I had a bet aside in that game as of right now, I would look at Maryland duke Arizona. I just I don't know how Arizona's going to consistently score in that game. The wild Card's Caleb Love If he has games, he's capable of it, and he's done it on the stage and he was tremendous against the Oregon. They need him in the half court and Kenny duplicate what he just did against the elite Duke defense. I don't know, but they're going to need him because what is Arizona want to do. They want to get out in transition and they want to score at the rim. Both are essentially impossible against Duke, who's like fifth percent tile and rim defense allowed, fifth percent tile and transition allowed and then above ninety inefficiency. So you can't score at the riom on Duke, he can't score in transitions's got to score in the half court. They couldn't in the first meeting these teams played. It was a super low scoring game. These teams are, They're both a lot different than they were back in November. But I find it hard prior unless k Love has a really good game here, I find it hard for that Arizona's going to be able to keep up. Duke could also get an elite Brown back, who I think is actually a key piece for Duke's upside, Like, Dude could still win the national title without him, but when they go up against the team you know, some of the other elite teams down the line. Malik Brown gives them so much defensive versatility with his switching and so they might have him, and then it's gonna be even tougher for Arizona. So Duke to me, it feels like Yukon like last year. It's like, I don't bet against them. They're probably going to cover, so I would not bet Arizona. I don't mind the under. It's scary, but Duke, who you know, can put up ninety, but that's probably my favorite under of the first two rounds. And then Arkansas Texas Tech, I have no idea. I have a Texas Tech future. Bet them, they're in the region. On our podcast, we have them to win the final four. I think they're a top five team and fully healthy. But McMillan, who's their best shooter. Their offense with him is absolutely electric. It's almost unstoppable. He's got a no obleaque injury. We don't know if he's gonna play. He didn't play over the in the first weekend. And then you have Arkansas, who they might get one of their best players back and to do thero They just got Boogie Flann back. They've had all these moving pieces all so it's they're very hard to rate right now. They just got two of them. They're gonna get two their better players back from injury. How does it all work together. It's gonna come down in Texas Tech shooting. If Texas Tech is on from three, I don't think Arkansas can match them with their scoring and a half court. But if they're off, that's going to allow Arkansas to get out and transition where they can score with anybody. And that team's just super deep. Now that they have some guys back, they've good good enough depth, they're super athletic, they're super long. If they could turn that game into a brawl, Arkansas is definitely dangerous, and they're they're playing with house money. That's usually a role that Calipari can fulfill. So I have no idea there. It depends on injuries and McMillan's status, but I'll be rooting for Texas Tech.
I would say about Texas Tech shooting or anybody shooting a lot of you guys notice this. The mic on these rims is so high pitched. When someone misses a shot, they don't just miss a shot, it sounds like they're breaking the basket like it sounds like these are the worst shooting teams, laying the biggest bricks in the history of college basketball. Because the sound, someone is either going to win an Emmy for this or they're going to have to completely adjust it for next year because it feels like it is the loudest, rim rattling shot in the history of college basketball.
Yeah. Well, I always say that CBS's broadcasts of college basketball has always been better than ESPN's from a like an audio perspective, And people always say why, And I think it's just their mics like that they capture the crowd, especially in like road true home road games in my conference by and then the rim like they just the ball go with like a swish, sounds better. I don't know what it is, but the CBS one always is. The college basketball broadcast has always sounded better to me just from an audio perspective, like to take the announcers out of it, right, would you agree?
Stucky, You're spot on.
This is how deep you are into college basketball opinions on the broadcast audio from network to network. That's why we have you on this show, Simon. Before we witness any legendary buzzer beaters, Cinderella stories, or diaper dandies, this NCAA tournament, it all starts with both of us staying cool, calm and collected this march, and the best way to do that staying truly comfortable, the kind of flexible, breathable comfort only possible through our sponsor, Tommy John. Before the confetti of a better life can fall, before the first chords of a one shining moment montage can play, we must strive for best in class underwear and the best casual essentials money can buy. So box out underperforming undergarments and crash the boards of comfort with Tommy John Simon, Why wen you be wearing more Tommy John in twenty twenty.
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Give me your takes.
Yeah already. Whenever All Miss Michigan State, I show a little value Michigan State. I think it's sparty or nothing. But wait, wait to get that live. The difference in that game, I think is going to be rebounding. Ole Miss a very poor rebounding team. Michigan State is elite their top twenty offensive and defensive rebounding now almost does some things that can trouble Michigan State. They're very good transition defense, keep you out of transition. Part of that is why they're not great rebounding. They get back. They also force you to like work in isolation and shoot threes in the half court. Those aren't two really strong areas of Michigan State. It's not a great shooting team. They almost never operate in isolation. So there's some things that could be working in Ole missus favor. But at the end of the day, I think it's the rebounding for Michigan State and then their depth that I think will eventually win that game. But prefer to probably wait to see if Michigan State is down at some point in the first half, which they usually are, or even down at the end of the first half, and look for them live or in the second half. Kentucky Tennessee. The disclosure of the Kentucky fan for my wife.
You're based in Lexington. For people who I am.
Based in Lexington and we're finally to the second weekend.
You're based in Lexington.
If anyone ever sees you walking down the street and Fanny years on Twitter, by all means, feel free to say hello, because you were a very proachable celebrity.
Most yeah, no one hesitates in Lexington. But the I will say that Kentucky swept the regular season, so they won both meetings against Tennessee. But those are basically due to shooting variants. Kentucky's defense has issues, and you know they struggle defending off ball stuff pick and roll. But what they did in the first two meetings against Tennessee is they said, Tennessee, I dare you to beat us by shooting the ball, and Tennessee just couldn't. They went. Tennessee shot seventeen to sixty four from three in those two meetings and Kentucky was lights out from three, so those games basically were decided by three point variants. You're playing in a half cut off Lucas Oil Stadium. I would assume, given some of Kentucky's defense deficiencies, that that's going to be the plan again, like make Tennessee beat us by being jump shooters. We Kentucky can battle on the defensive glass against Tennessee, who's good on the offensive glass. But I think it's going to be a plan again. And hey, in neutral court, if Tennessee's missing this Kentucky offense can play with anyone. They're playing really well. They've had injuries. They got Lamont Butler back, and when they had a bunch of injuries throughout the year, they were a bunch of other guys were able to step up. And now they're they have more reliable depth and hopes and excellent coach. I just fear that the Tennessee defense is so good and the Tennessee's not going to shoot like it did in the first two meetings. Slightly in to Tennessee. We'll be rooting for Kentucky. Michigan Auburn is an interesting game. This Michigan team, they just find ways to if the game is close in the second half, they're super comfortable there. You have to give Dusty May a ton of credit for what he's done all year. You could say to the close game King, they've won close games all year. But there's something to be said about their execution in these final ten five three two minutes of games, and they I think they've benefited from getting out of the Big Ten. They play a very unique style. They have two seven footers that are run, pick and roll and the big you know, the Big Ten. They kind of got used to that, right and there's a lot of bigs in the Big Ten, but you saw that and it's you became familiar with it, and the teams adjusted. But it's such a unique scheme that I think they've benefited from getting out of conference play. With that said, Auburn is as well positioned as anybody to vend their two bigs with Brooman Caldwell, and if they neutralize each other, it's sort of like Creighton Auburn. Just the perimeter is just such an advantage for Auburn that I think eventually that's what will overwhelm Michigan. There. Michigan's gonna have to get help from the role players, which they haven't really gotten consistently. They did against Texas A and M right Gale somehow went knots LJKSM was big if they can carry that over and Auburn is just a little lack the days of goal again, because I here's the thing with Auburn, they haven't been great for the past three weeks, but they also were probably coasting. Now there were talks of like there's locker room issues. So I don't really know because they were already locked into the one seed, the number one overall seed, but they definitely looked like they weren't all the way engaged even in the first round, even in the first half against Crayton. Now Crave went nine of fourteen from three in the first half against them. Part of that was just their perimeter dem was pretty lax. They look like they locked in in the second half. Will they be locked in from the jump here? I don't know. It's hard for me to gauge. I'm kind of close to the number here, but I do think Auburn will advance. But you don't want to play with fire against this Michigan team and being a close game late because they'll steal it. They've shown they can do that all year. And then lastly, you're perdue of Houston's uglyest game of the tournament, as you could probably guess by the total of one thirty two and a half, and it will be played in that half cutoff football stadium. It's in uh It's in Indy though, so the one seed has a bit of a disadvantage there taking on Purdue in Indianapolis. It's gonna be tough for Purdue here. Purdue is good. They're gonna overwhelm Bradsmith, who's one of the best point guards in college basketball. They're gonna overwhelm TKR. It's a great big TKR. He's gonna need to be a facilitator. He's gonna have to make some plays on the short role. But this Houston d is incredible. They're long. Can the Purdue role players step up because they're gonna be at an overall athletic disadvantage, a talent disadvantage, and the Purdue defense has issues defending at the rim. What Painter has done is he's packed it in and he said, I dare teams to beat beat as shooting and No one's been able to do that in the tournament so far, but they've played a couple of mid majors. Houston doesn't love the shoot threes. They like to shoot mid majors play volleyball on the offensive class, but they're the number one three point shooting team in the country by percentage. If they make a couple, I think this Perdue defense is a house of cards and it all falls apart. But Purdue is going to try to grind this game down to a halt. That's all Houston wants to do. So this is so like, do I really want to lay eight in a game that could be like fifty five fifty with two to go? Probably not, But I would lean Houston eventually unpacking that Purdue defense. Who they're three hundred and fiftieth in the country in rim defense. If you can just make some shots and unpack them, you can score at the rim. They can get off its the rebounds and score. So eventually Houston I think will overwhelm Perdue unless the Purdue role players just have a really really good game, and I don't think that they're that trustworthy. And I don't hate the under there either, even though it is a super low number. Purdue is going to try to grind that game down, and that's all Houston does anyway, so that one should be a grinder.
Now, I got to ask a bias question before we let's stuck get out of here, Chad, I gotta know you're locked in this season. To me, I've watched really Duke all season. They've just to me, been the best team of every week. This seem like they get better. Like all the guys' weaknesses to start the year, at this point of the year, a lot of them have been addressed. A really complete team at this point. Who is your model or where guys you're talking to are saying, this is the one team that can stop them in this tournament. This is the best team left matchup wise against this Duke team, Because right now across the board, it feels like, you know, people are talking about Florida and stuff like that, but you saw in that Connecticut game Florida got tight, and it's like, I'm interested in your perspective, but what team left will give Duke their biggest issues?
Yeah, I mean from a I mean Florida and Auburn are right there, but I think from a from a matchup perspective, I think the two teams they're both on Duke's side that just stylistically could cause issues are Houston and Tennessee. And the reason for that both play super slow, both have elite defenses. They're going to limit the possessions, right, So Duke is so good, you don't want to get into a game where you're playing up and down against them where their talent will probably eventually win out. So I think the best way to beat this Duke team is you want to limit the number of possessions playing. So that's Houston Houston's three sixtieth and adjusted tempo and Tennessee's three hundred and forty sixth. And you have to be a team that can make threes. You gotta trade threes for twos at times against Duke. I already mentioned Houston number one in the country in three point percentage. Tennessee is capable. They're not an elite shooting team, but they have some capable shooters. So I think those are the two teams. Just stylistically, it's like, hey, let's just slow this game down because Duke's not fast either, and just lower possession game physicality at certain positions might be something that can give Duke issues, and that's what Tennessee and Houston have. We saw that against Clemson. I that's the last time that Duke has lost since December. So I think those are the two teams because of how they play, because of their defenses, and then because of their ability to hit some outside shots that they might give Duke the most interesting game, even though it's gonna be tough to score on Duke's defense. No matter what, those are the two most intriguing matchups to me. Now, the way that it's going to play out is one of those teams is gonna get knocked out. If they both win, they'll play each other, but that could be a really intriguing final four matchup.
I love that we are ending this Duke heavy because, look, I love the team. To me, they're the most exciting team. I have the same feeling stuck that you do. There's something you kind of ask about the way they're playing and dominating that you just sort of you lose in the noise of the tournament, like if you're not really paying attention, all of a sudden it becomes clear who the best team is. And I think they're sort of separating a little bit before we get out of here, We're going to bring in Evan Abrams, director of Research, because he's actually dug up something fun on the Duke Blue Devils.
Evan Abrams, what do you got.
The last word with Evan Abrams.
We're finished talking and just to talk about the market for a second check because you guys have been talking about it all eight games. You've either seen the team who's favored get more of a favorite or stay still. So everyone after the first two we rounds of the tournament kind of just going on chalk here.
But let's keep with Duke.
So people have been kind of saying that they're an inevitable champion at this point. I mean Florida has, you know, zero to two against the spread, Like there's different cracks and other teams, so I kind of dug this, which is kind of interesting. So obviously, recently Duke has been playing fantastic. They're scored one point five points per possession in around a thirty two versus Baylor, which is the highest points per possession for any team in the tournament since twenty sixteen. Now through two games, Duke has a point margin of plus sixty seven that is tied for the seventh highest since nineteen eighty five, when you know the tournament expanded. So of those seven teams with Duke on that list, all seven made the Elite eight. So they all advanced through this weekend. Five made the Final four, two made the title game, and actually none won at all. And I found that kind of and I found that interesting, so I looked one step further. So honestly, Duke has been winning by a lot. So Duke has won twenty one games this year by twenty plus points, second most by a D one team since two thousand. The only team with Moore twenty sixteen to seventeen Gonzaga, who had twenty three. Now, the only Duke team that's ever had more was the ninety eight ninety nine Duke team with twenty four. Now that becomes interesting when I give you this other stat. So during the regular season, Duke has also been incredibly dominant twenty eight and three straight up, outscoring their opponents by six hundred and eighty five points, which is tenth most all time. So of those other nine teams above Duke on that regular season list, nine made the Elite eight. All nine six made the final four five made the title game and actually two to one at all nineteen sixty eight UCLA, nineteen seventy two UCLA. Here's the best part of those two lists. I gave you the list of the regular season and the list the first two rounds of the tournament. Only one other team is on that on both lists with Duke. That is nineteen eight, nineteen ninety eight, nineteen ninety nine Duke, so twenty five Duke, ninety nine Duke.
Only two teams on those same lists.
Obviously, that ninety nine Duke team went to the title game, played Yukon and ended up losing. So I think the question of inevitable for Duke, especially when looking just at history right like you're looking at metrics, ken Pom and on these other areas. Duke's pretty much one of the best teams we've ever seen, but his story when you're this good still kind of a crapshoot. I mean, you might get there, but they don't always win.
But the best team on Kempom is that ninety nine Duke team by far. Yeah, yeah, shatter than this year's team. And yeah they lost to Yukon, is like ten point I think they're ten point Favorites and the title. But so it all comes full circle to Yukon Chadam back to your point with Cooper Flag healthy for a full game, they've covered ten straight. Even though everyone knows they're this good, that's just that's the same vibes.
Which is why we're going to bet on futures for the remaining of the tournament on Tennessee or Houston, based on Stuck saying those are the teams they can knack off. Duke Stuck, thanks for coming on the show, buddy. We're excited to see you on Saturday. We're excited to be able to have full access to you. I am not going to stand in the way of anybody who's trying to talk to Stucky, so much is standing the way to me though, I don't like that, looking.
Forward to it. Futures. By the way, if I were to bet one now, he'll be Texas Tech, just because the upside if they get healthy and they're on the other side of the brack.
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