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Mercer wasn’t even listed separately with odds to win the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship but instead part of the “field” option at Sportsbook.com.
But little number 14 seed Mercer managed a huge upset over number 3 Duke, probably the biggest stunner of the 2nd round thus far.
In the end, this one wasn’t even close with the final score 78-71. The Bears were a huge +13 underdog coming into this game with nearly 65% of the backing on the Blue Devils.
Compared to many of the best-known metrics out there, BPI had given the best chance to beat Duke in this game... (12.6%). KenPom.com gave Mercer an 11% chance... Nate Silver's 538 model gave them 7% chance... Las Vegas odds gave them about a 6% chance... a nd just 3.3% of 11 million fans on ESPN.com's Bracket Challenge had picked them to advance.
Mercer's upset of Duke Friday marks the second straight year that an Atlantic Sun Conference team has won a Men's Basketball Championship game. Florida Gulf Coast advanced to the Sweet 16 as a 15 seed last year. The Bears are set to join the Southern Conference this coming July.
For those of you unfamiliar with Mercer, this is the only private college in Georgia with an NCAA Division I athletic program and fields teams in eight men's and nine women's sports.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
