It’s win or go home for four more college hoops teams tonight.
There’s also a plenty of NBA action, some NHL, and…baseball?
Crunchtime For Grambling, Montana State
What Happened: Two spots in the field of 64 remain for four teams after Wagner and Colorado State punched their tickets to the Big Dance last night.
Why It Matters: Who gets to serve as cannon fodder for no. 1 Purdue? Well, no. 16 Grambling was the SWAC’s best team in the regular season and captured the conference title, while no. 16 Montana State’s surprise win in the Big Sky tourney clinched its third consecutive tournament bid. This one feels destined to be a low-scoring affair, and with Grambling’s end-to-end success this season, getting 4+ points feels generous.
No. 10s Colorado and Boise State will duke it out for the final spot in the tournament. ESPN’s BPI sees these squads as roughly similar, although KenPom views the Buffaloes as a top-25 team.
Having won eight of its last nine prior to tonight, Colorado has momentum on their side, not to mention a lineup boasting impressive size and more athleticism than Boise is used to facing. If you can get Colorado giving under four points, grab it.
How We’re Feeling Today
OVERWHELMED. Look at all the sports on today!
For those early risers (or those who know how to keep a party going,) MLB officially kicked off in Seoul early today, and we’ve got two win-or-go-home games in college hoops. Throw in regular season games in the NBA and NHL as both playoffs approach, and it’s official: today is a good day to be a sports fan.
The Look Ahead
Paul George POINTS + ASSISTS – The Clippers star has bested his P + A line for tonight, 27.5, in three straight games. LA also hasn’t played since Sunday, meaning George should be well-rested and ready to take on a pretty soft Portland defense.
Bobby McMann SOG – Fresh off a two-year contract extension, McMann continues to drive play for the Maple Leafs. He’s bested tonight’s 2.5 line for shots in nine of his last 12 and faces a mediocre Caps team tonight.
Georges Niang POINTS – Niang is certainly no superstar, but he’s run with an expanded role in Cleveland’s rotation over the last two weeks. When you see a line of 11.5 points at plus money, then realize he’s scored 13 or more in six of his last seven, you can see why we’re contemplating this one.
