CBB Conference Tournament Monday & More!! – Expanded 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 highlights their season record of 27-21 (56.25%), describing it as profitable, with room for improvement. Co-host Big East Ben joins the discussion.

[Big East Ben] (0:57 - 1:02) shares excitement, acknowledging that some consider this conference tournament week better than March Madness itself.

 ACC Tournament Discussion

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

• Duke (-350) as the overwhelming favorite.
• Louisville (+550) and Clemson (+575) as potential contenders.
• Wake Forest (75-1) and UNC (28-1) as long-shot dark horses.
• SMU (50-1) with some value.

[Big East Ben] (3:24 - 4:02) notes that NC State, last year’s champion, failed to qualify. Oddly, they are still listed at 200-1, despite being eliminated.

[Big East Ben] (4:08 - 5:11) highlights Clemson as a serious dark horse:

• Already defeated Duke at Cameron Indoor.
• Chase Hunter is an elite scoring threat.
• Victor Larkin & Sheflin provide size and stability inside.
• Believes Clemson is undervalued compared to Louisville.

[Griffin Warner] (5:11 - 6:06) agrees, but warns that Clemson’s road is difficult due to a likely matchup against Duke in Charlotte.

 Big East Tournament Breakdown

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

• Cam Jones (30+ points) played well, but Stevie Mitchell struggled (0-7 FG).
• Costly missed free throws and defensive lapses led to a loss vs. St. John’s.
• Criticizes Marquette’s lack of aggression in the transfer portal.

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

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

• UConn, Marquette, and Creighton (all 4-1) as co-favorites.
• St. John’s (+140) and Xavier (+700) as dark horses.

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

• Hottest team in the Big East (7 straight wins).
• Strong coaching from Sean Miller.
• Nearly upset St. John’s earlier in the season.

 Big Ten Tournament Analysis

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

• Michigan State (+250), Maryland (+425), Wisconsin (5-1), Purdue (+650), Michigan (10-1).
• Questions Michigan’s long 10-1 odds despite receiving a double bye.

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

• Michigan State’s three-point shooting struggles.
• Oregon and Indiana as potential bracket busters.
• Indiana (50-1) as his dark horse pick.

[Griffin Warner] (19:43 - 20:43) suggests UCLA (6-1), citing their easier path and defensive strength against perimeter teams.

 Big 12 Tournament Preview

[Tournament Favorites & Odds] (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" given their struggles.

[Big East Ben] (23:30 - 23:54) selects Texas Tech (+350) as his best bet, citing:

• JT Toppin’s strong play.
• Houston’s questionable dominance (key wins came against injured opponents).

[Griffin Warner] (24:36 - 26:26) prefers Arizona (8-1) due to their more favorable path.

 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 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 Cinderella team, but notes their difficult path.

 Smaller Conference Tournament Picks (Rapid Fire)

• Big Sky: Montana State.
• WCC: St. Mary’s (+125).
• America East: Bryant.
• American Athletic Conference: UAB.
• Mountain West:
  • Big East Ben → Utah State.
  • Griffin Warner → Colorado State.
• Ivy League: Both pick 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 & Final Thoughts

Best Bets:

• Big East Ben: Xavier (+700).
• Griffin Warner: Arizona (+800).

[Griffin Warner] (35:39 - 36:48) reminds listeners of their season record (27-21, 56%), with more episodes to come, including a nightly NCAA Tournament show.

[Big East Ben] (36:49 - 37:12) jokes about repeating his 11-0 NCAA Tournament record from last year, setting high expectations for 2024.

 Key Takeaways

• Clemson (+575) is undervalued in the ACC.
• Xavier (+700) is the hottest team in the Big East.
• Indiana (50-1) is a long-shot bet in the Big Ten.
• Arizona (+800) has a favorable Big 12 path.
• Florida (+240) and Missouri (+2000) are SEC sleepers.
• Smaller conference picks include Cornell (Ivy), UC Irvine (Big West), and Utah State (MWC).

? Stay tuned for more college basketball betting insights as March Madness approaches!