CBB Conference Tournament Monday & More!! – Summary

Host & Introduction

[Griffin Warner] (0:14 - 0:56) welcomes listeners to the latest episode of Need for Seeds College Basketball Podcast under the Pregame.com Podcast Network. He notes their record of 27-21 (56.25%) for the season and aims to improve as they prepare for March Madness. He is joined by Big East Ben.

[Big East Ben] (0:57 - 1:02) expresses excitement, acknowledging that some consider this week even better than the actual NCAA tournament.

ACC Tournament Discussion

[Griffin Warner] (1:38 - 3:24) outlines key teams and odds:

• Duke (-350) as the favorite.
• Louisville (+550) as the #2 seed.
• Clemson (+575), Wake Forest (75-1), and UNC (28-1) as dark horses.
• SMU (50-1) is another potential underdog.

[Big East Ben] (3:24 - 4:02) notes that defending champion NC State didn’t qualify. Despite this, they are still listed at 200-1, but he questions why anyone would bet on them.

[Big East Ben] (4:08 - 5:11) highlights Clemson as a strong contender:

• Defeated Duke on their home court.
• Led by Chase Hunter (electric scorer).
• Victor Larkin and Sheflin provide interior strength.
• Questions why Clemson has worse odds than Louisville despite being a better team.

[Griffin Warner] (5:11 - 6:06) agrees, noting Clemson’s deep NCAA tournament run last year and their tough path ahead, including a likely matchup with Duke in Charlotte.

Big East Tournament Insights

[Big East Ben] (6:07 - 8:36) laments Marquette’s struggles:

• Cam Jones (30+ points) played well, but Stevie Mitchell (0-7 FG) struggled.
• Missed free throws cost them against St. John’s.
• Chase Ross’ defensive lapses contributed to the loss.
• Expresses frustration over Marquette’s reluctance to recruit from the transfer portal.

[Griffin Warner] (8:37 - 9:31) examines Marquette’s tough path as the #5 seed, having to face Xavier and potentially St. John’s for revenge.

[Big East Ben] (9:33 - 10:13) critiques Marquette’s season, questioning their ability to contend in the tournament.

[Tournament Odds] (10:14 - 11:54):

• UConn (4-1), Marquette (4-1), Creighton (4-1) tied as favorites.
• St. John's (+140) and Xavier (+700) are notable dark horses.

[Big East Ben] (11:54 - 12:01) selects Xavier (7-1) as a dark horse, noting:

• Hottest team in the Big East with seven straight wins.
• Took St. John’s to OT at MSG.
• Strong coaching under Sean Miller.

Big Ten Tournament Breakdown

[Griffin Warner] (13:37 - 14:10) lists favorites:

• Michigan State (+250), Maryland (+425), Wisconsin (5-1), Illinois (6-1), Purdue (+650), Michigan (10-1).
• Notes Michigan’s odd placement with long 10-1 odds despite a double-bye.

[Big East Ben] (14:11 - 19:42) discusses:

• Michigan State’s limitations in three-point shooting.
• Oregon or Indiana as potential early-round threats.
• Indiana (50-1) as his dark horse pick.

[Griffin Warner] (19:43 - 20:43) suggests UCLA (6-1) as a solid pick, citing their easier path and strong defense against three-point teams.

Big 12 Tournament Analysis

[Tournament Favorites] (21:02 - 22:38):

• Houston (-105), Texas Tech (+350), Arizona (8-1), Iowa State (+550), BYU (11-1), Kansas (10-1).
• Kansas at 10-1 is a "joke" considering their struggles.

[Big East Ben] (23:30 - 23:54) selects Texas Tech (+350) as his best bet. [Griffin Warner] (24:36 - 26:26) prefers Arizona (8-1) for its easier path and ability to avoid Houston.

SEC Tournament Overview

[Favorites & Odds] (26:27 - 26:57):

• Auburn (+160), Alabama (+425), Tennessee (+525), Florida (+240).
• Kentucky (18-1) and Missouri (20-1) as potential dark horses.

[Big East Ben] (27:38 - 28:14) selects Florida (+240) as his best bet. [Griffin Warner] (28:59 - 29:17) agrees on Missouri (20-1) as a potential Cinderella team.

Smaller Conference Tournaments (Rapid-Fire Picks)

• Big Sky: Montana State.
• WCC: St. Mary’s (+125).
• America East: Bryant.
• American: UAB.
• Mountain West: Big East Ben → Utah State, Griffin Warner → Colorado State.
• Ivy League: Both choose Cornell.
• Big West: Big East Ben → CSUN (12-1), Griffin Warner → UC Irvine.
• Conference USA: Big East Ben → Jacksonville State, Griffin Warner → Kennesaw State.
• WAC: Big East Ben → Seattle, Griffin Warner → Grand Canyon.

Best Bets

• Big East Ben: Xavier (7-1)
• Griffin Warner: Arizona (8-1)

Both analysts highlight these as their favorite value picks for the conference tournaments.

Final Thoughts

[Griffin Warner] (35:39 - 36:48) recaps the podcast’s 56% win rate (27-21) and previews future episodes.

[Big East Ben] (36:49 - 37:12) jokes about repeating his 11-0 record from last year’s NCAA tournament picks.