Written by :
Published on :
The first two games of the Friday March 27 Sweet 16 slate begin shortly after 7 pm ET with St. John's vs. Duke starting at 7:15 pm and Alabama vs. Michigan at 7:35 pm.
Duke was coming in as the -6.5 favorite while Michigan featured a spread of -9.5.
While the action on the Crimson Tide vs. Wolverines game was mostly balanced, between 70% and 75% of spread action came in on the underdog Red Storm in their game against Duke. We're a bit surprised.
The line moved between the 6.5 and 7 in the St. John's-Duke game.
St. John's vs. Duke
No. 1 Duke plays No. 10 St. John's in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Blue Devils are 20-1 against ACC opponents and 14-1 in non-conference play. Duke is eighth in college basketball with 37.5 rebounds led by Cameron Boozer averaging 10.3.
The Red Storm are 21-2 in Big East play. St. John's scores 81.1 points and has outscored opponents by 11.7 points per game.
Duke averages 81.9 points, 12.5 more per game than the 69.4 St. John's gives up. St. John's averages 7.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.9 fewer makes per game than Duke allows.
Boozer (pictured below) is scoring 22.4 points per game with 10.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists for the Blue Devils.
Boozer recorded 19 points (7-10 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 5-5 FT), 11 rebounds, four assists, one block and three steals across 34 minutes during Saturday's 81-58 win over TCU.
He had a scoring total of over/under 21.5 for this game.
Isaiah Evans is averaging 15.7 points over the past 10 games.
Oziyah Sellers is shooting 35.4% from beyond the arc with 1.4 made 3-pointers per game for the Red Storm, while averaging 10.5 points.
Zuby Ejiofor is shooting 57.7% and averaging 17.2 points over the past 10 games.
Ejiofor comes into Friday night's game with a scoring total of 15.5.
Alabama vs. Michigan
No. 3 Michigan and No. 18 Alabama play in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
The Wolverines have gone 21-2 against Big Ten opponents, with a 12-1 record in non-conference play. Michigan ranks fourth in college basketball with 18.8 assists per game. Elliot Cadeau leads the Wolverines averaging 5.7.
The Crimson Tide are 13-6 against SEC teams. Alabama is fifth in the SEC with 16.4 assists per game led by Labaron Philon (pictured below) averaging 5.0.
Michigan averages 9.2 made 3-pointers per game, 1.1 more made shots than the 8.1 per game Alabama gives up. Alabama scores 22.0 more points per game (91.6) than Michigan allows to opponents (69.6).
Yaxel Lendeborg is scoring 14.7 points per game and averaging 6.9 rebounds for the Wolverines.
He comes into this game with an over/under scoring total above his current average at 16.5.
Trey McKenney is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Philon is scoring 21.6 points per game with 3.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists for the Crimson Tide.
He is listed with a scoring total over/under of 21.5 for this game.
Philon registered 29 points (10-18 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 6-7 FT), eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals across 36 minutes during Friday's 90-70 victory over Hofstra.
Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is averaging 14.5 points over the past 10 games.
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
