March 6, 2023 • 27 mins
Another weekend where men's college hoops provided plenty of drama! Ranked teams across the country experienced the madness before most conference tournaments begin.
On this #BforW podcast: Joe Tansey & Sean Brace discuss:
- big items from the weekend
- Bama losing its edge?
- Which Mid-majors should we take notice
- Monday night action
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Brace for Winnings is a production of iHeartRadio. Brace for
Winnings presented by Draft King sports Book, your one stop
podcast for all things happening on the hard one. Now
here's your host, Sean Brace. All right, let's go. The
madness is upon us, folks. What a weekend it was
in college troops with a crazy couple of weeks to
(00:25):
be honest with you, in college hoops, and it's, as
I just said, only getting started here. We got a
major conference tournament play kicking off this week and selection
Sunday on Sunday. But as I said, with some great,
great action over the weekend, a lot of really good
basketball games, both on the professional and on the collegiate
(00:46):
level over the weekend. Brace for Winnings the podcast presented
by Draft King sports Book. You got Sean Brace, and
you got the man himself. When it comes to college hoops,
he is swinging for the fences of cashing in a
lot of these futures. It's Joe Tanzy Joe. Another great
week can for you? Opened up last week, I believe
(01:06):
with a hit on Kansas being the regular season Big
twelve champion, and then you called the ACC champion with
the Hurricanes victory over Pitt Nice weekend by you, sir.
It's a very nervous Saturday night. I mean that, Look,
I had confidence because the game was in Coral Gables,
(01:27):
Miami's it had a week to fester on that m
Florida State loss and Pitt's kind of been trending downwards.
But I mean it was two point game. It was
Miami had the lead a little bit in the second half,
but Lake game execution a little bit lacking matter. We
got the W. So yeah, Miami, the ac turn acc
(01:50):
regular season win their future cash as well as on Sunday,
Kennesau State and the Atlantic Sun Cash set a plus
three hundred beat Liberty. So a nice weekend for futures.
I kind of took it, took the weekend off for
betting on single games because look, I was gonna spot
on with this. Alabama lost, Kansas lost. But in the
(02:14):
in the grand scheme of things, do those losses matter?
I don't think so. Yeah, I don't think they're because
they're hangover losses. It is what they are. So I mean, look,
I'm gonna keep banging the drum for UCLA. I'm gonna
keep saying it and keep saying it, keep saying it.
But to beat Arizona and keep this winning run going,
(02:37):
I still think you clas I'm getting to that. Take
that within the best team in the country, Yeah, it's
hard to Are you number one day one and everybody
else seemed to lose. Saturday was just a straight up
massacre for all top twenty five teams. It felt like
unless you were the higher seed going into the lower
seed in the top twenty five, then you came out
(02:59):
on top. But ultimately, if you were ranked, and we've
seen this the last couple of weeks, if you were
a ranked team last couple of weekends, it just wasn't
working out for you. But it's hey, look, it's a
long season and it's a regular season game. So if
you're going to lose, get it out of the the way
right now because next week it's all cutthrow from here
on out. So uh, with that being said, before we
(03:19):
dive deeper into the games, like with the Kennesaw State
over Liberty, which was a fantastic game. Uh, Drake punched
her ticket UNC that was a great UNC. Ashville that
was a great game as well. Watched two games that
featured them over the over the past week. Pretty cool. Uh,
you know, just it just what it is. It's that
time of year, right, you know for people like me,
(03:40):
I tune in. I don't get a chance to watch
many unc Asheville games over the season, but then all
of a sudden, I do, and I see this dude
Pember who's tearing a big, tall white boy down low.
You know, I gravitate, you know, I gravitate to that,
to to those types of teams and those spots and
at this time of year every year. But uh, speaker,
look when you when Ashville plays a one seed, you're like, oh,
(04:04):
can Drew Pember keep Asheville within what twenty five points
of a one seed? Like that? You have that little
nugget of knowledge that it could go a long way
in betting those games. And that's why Joe Tanzi is here.
Absolutely the things that he was thinking about me. I
can't really say that that thought process went through my mind.
But that's why you're here, Joe on brads for a winning.
(04:26):
Nice work by you talk to me a little bit
more about these top twenty five teams, because you just
stole the question right out of my mouth. They don't matter,
It doesn't matter that they lost these games. Like if
if Houston lost last night to Memphis, they were never
losing an overall number one seed, correct, that would have
mattered from a I think a national psyche perspective, I
(04:46):
think that I think that's the one result from these
these number one seeds that probably would have mattered the
most because Memphis is the number two team in the
AC and that's it's very clear, and I've could have
been squatting on to take the last few weeks that
Memphis kind of like last year, can be frisky as
(05:07):
a seven to ten seed wherever they land up in
the second round if they make it. Now, look they
got to make it, but their guard plays fantastic. They
cause a lot of turnovers and that's the way they're
going to win games. And if they can reach havoc
in the backcourt against the team that that's not on
their game, it can do a lot of damage. Now, look,
(05:29):
I'm I still think Kansas should be the number one
overall seed because just look at the resume. It's what
fourteen I don't know what the number is now, but
a few weeks it was fourteen Q one wins and
Houston's just beaten, beaten up on, you know, the the AC,
which is probably worse than the West Coast Conference was
when Gonzago was was running train on it. So like
(05:52):
I don't fair, Houston's very good. I need to keep
telling this saying this, Houston is very good. But had
they lost to Memphis at Memphis, that would have been
the result that set the alarm bells off because it's
there one true test in the AAC. They passed it.
(06:12):
Probably have to play him again in the tournament final,
but that's the one result. I think that if it
would have happened, we would have dug into it a
lot deeper just because there's no depth where in the SEC. Look,
we know Texas A and m's the second best team,
and we know they were gunning for Alabama and we
know that like that was that was the game they
(06:35):
had circled and Alabama it was meaningless to them. Texas
beating Kansas first of all, not a surprising result because
the Big Twelve has been a juggernaut this year, but
Kansas already had the Big twelve regular season title wrapped up.
What was the motivation to go in there, especially with
their resume perdue winning at home. They've been vulnerable on
(06:59):
the roads, so that's not really a big concern there.
And and then Ucla just just racking up wins over Arizona.
Like if Arizona had beaten Ucla, you could be like, oh, okay,
but I think they know they suffered an injury Dylan Clark,
So we'll have to see what the progression is of
that this beak in Las Vegas. But I think if
if Houston had lost to Memphis, that would have been
(07:21):
the one where just peaks our interest a little bit bigger. Okay,
is Houston not the team we think they are? You
know what, I think there'd be a little different opinions
on Houston. But I think we have a clear cut
top five and it's just a matter of that fourth
number one overall seed who gets it, And I think
(07:42):
it's Kansas Spama in Houston. I think you're going to
see a battle between Ucla in preview. I think that's
your conversation for the fourth one seed all week and
both look, the Big Ten's gonna get a ton of
teams in, but that conference is weak. There's a reason
why to you know, Northwestern could have been the two
seeds of the nine seed in the Big Ten tournament,
(08:02):
depending on that that game against Rutgers last night. UCLA
and the PAC twelve is very top heavy, and the
PAC twelve tournament historically has been one verse two in
the last decade, that's been the predominant final matchup. So
you probably don't see UCLA Arizona or u u C
l a usc because the PAC twelve is top heavy
and very week beneath it. So so you'll be you'll
(08:24):
be hearing a lot about UCLA versus per Due all week.
And I think even barring you know, even with an
upset to Alabama or Arkansas, don't foresee happening before the
semi finals in their respect of the tournaments. I think
those three are set and it's just a matter of
and then it comes down to, well this UCLA one
the number one seed in the West because they get
(08:46):
to stay closer the home. That's the whole argument in
favor of UCLA. So it's gonna be interesting, But I
think that's your at the top, that's your conversation. Yeah,
and you know, just staying with some of those top teams. Alabama,
it's one thing that we discus us a few weeks ago.
I know that much. And look, they lived by the
(09:08):
long ball. You know, it's a very athletic team. But
at the end of the day, when those threes don't fall,
we see it happen, you know, time and time again.
When that's your bread and butter, that's your go to
and they don't fall, you're in trouble. But you know,
look that could go for any team out there that's
hitting their shots. But they were seven to thirty six
from three point range. I think it's fair to say
(09:28):
that they haven't looked the same since the Brandon Miller
situation came out, came to light where he was more
involved than what was originally thought. Back you know, we
learned of the overall it's homicide murder back in January,
not knowing whether or not Brandon Miller is involved. I
think it's fair to say that this team has been
affected by the Brandon Miller situation. Your thoughts on that, Yeah,
(09:53):
but they still won. They didn't play like the dominant basketball,
but they're still winning games. They still found a way
to grind up that South Carolina when they still found
a way to be Auburn. And you can excuse the
road loss to A and M because it didn't mean
a thing to them. If it affects them in the
SEC Tournament or if they don't show up as we
(10:15):
expect them to, then I think it's concerning. But yeah,
they didn't play well but still winning, and I think
that may end up helping them in March in the
next few weeks. Like they were playing a lot of
close games. They're blown a lot of teams out at
home and getting getting some tests on the road, but
being able to grind out that win over South Carolina,
(10:35):
grinding up to win over Auburn. I think when we
look back on it, those actually might be beneficial wins
to them. Interesting all right, well, I wanted to hear
your take on that one. Of course, one of the
more glaring losses over the weekend, but didn't mean anything.
So for Alabama, you're looking forward to the SEC Tournament
to see how they look and whether or not they
could win it or get to a championship game. Is
there another team that is on your radar that you
(10:58):
really look We've watched a ton of basketball over the
last few months. We've seen a lot of regular season action,
but now as we get closer to tournament, time. This
is you know, look, you want to be playing your
best basketball. Of course we all believe that, but is
there another team out there that you're looking at? You know,
I need to see something from them and their conference
tourament this week before I go firing a believing that
(11:20):
they can make a run, possibly at a final four
spot in this upcom of tournament. Well, the answer to
that is Tennessee. And it's not because of you know,
any doubts you know about their um, maybe they're playing
in recent weeks. It's just how are they going to
deal with this kai Zieglerer injury? Like I think out
of the if you look at the you know, leonardis
bracket of these these top three seeds, like we already
(11:42):
know Rick Barnes and March isn't anywhere close to a guarantee.
But now you have Tennessee with with this injury. It's
in one of their top guards. It's very significant. So
how Tennessee performs in the SEC tournament really is going
to stand out to me because if not, look, they
(12:03):
might rob the Sea line. Who knows what we're gonna
end up, but I would love to see Tennessee kind
of respond the five seeds in the SEC. So they're
gonna be out on on floor on Thursday. UM, get you.
They should beat South Carolina or Ole miss So then
you move head to the quarters. Missouri is a very
tough team. Yeah, they shoot the ball after their best.
(12:24):
They could they could run with Alabama. Um their top
twenty five points per game. So how you defend them
on the perimeter, it's gonna be massive, and that's a
huge test for Tennessee. So I would circle that game.
It's the second SEC quarterfinal on Friday. As long as
Tennessee avoids an upset. Tennessee gets upset on Thursday, sound
all the alarm bells because that's all you need right there.
(12:48):
Losing on Saturday and then losing to a double digit
seed in the first in their first game the Tournamentum,
but if they passed some of these tests, maybe we
can kind of believe. Okay, Tennessee's got this figured out.
It's gonna it takes a team time to figure out
how to deal with with an injury anyway, So you
can excuse losing the Auburn. But what happens if it
(13:12):
becomes a trend and it really hurts them, then just
Tennessee automatically slide into the most popular team to be
upset next week. A lot to be determined before them,
but Tennessee is definitely under the microscope. All right, before
we get on over to the small guys, with all
love and respect, I want to talk about two big
teams real quick, and from the Big East, and we
(13:32):
always fluctuate back to that. Of course, you were involved
with the Villanova and Yukon game on Saturday. Yukon rolled
into the Wells Fargo Center and it did work. Let's
just put it that way. Marquette, though, is a team
that I love. I love Marquette also a three seed
with Tennessee and Leonard's bracket here and a victory over
Saint John's, and I think they're on a wind streak,
(13:54):
probably six or seven games. A team has a cooking
right now. If you had to pick one that'd possibly
make a little bit more of a run here. How
about this from the Big Geast, Big East tournment coming
our way this week, Yukon or Marquette man bias aside
with the Yukon in the garden, probably Marquette Marquetes played
(14:15):
really in basketball, and think about this way too, you're
looking for kind of ways to find some extra motivation.
Both of these teams are already in the tournament. Well, Marquette,
they've been a part of the Big East for a
long time now, they haven't won the Big East tournament
and I think this is their first outright when the
(14:38):
Big East regular season title as well, who's to say
they're not motivated to be like, hey, let's prove, let's
prove we're the dominant team throughout the season. I think
Marquette Yukon is going to be a fantastic semi final
if we get it. Hey, like, Marquette's building something special now.
You can make the argument they win regular season title
(14:59):
when the conference tournament, are they peaking too soon? Obviously
you can made an argument with a lot of teams.
But yeah, I would love to see it a different face,
Like we're used to Yukon in the guarden. That's what
we're used to, and your heart kind of goes to that.
But Marquete's proven the best team in the Big East. Um.
(15:21):
I would circle m Xavier as well because I believe
Fremantle is on his way back or was reported to
be UM in the mix. Oh no, he's they're being
shut down for the rest of the year. Okay, So
there was reports coming out over the last week that
Freemantle might have been returning for Xavier, but that's been
(15:44):
shot down today. So forget what I just said about
the Davier. But yeah, Marquette is probably the team I
would I would back the most in the Big East.
I'm going a lot of chalk in these conference tournaments.
Well that right now on DraftKings sports Book, everything available.
A lot of these tournaments will get started on Wednesday,
a couple start tomorrow, a couple of them already off
(16:05):
at running. But once again for the Big East, right now,
Yukon is your odds on favorite Undraft Kings sports book
at plus two hundred two to one, Marquette three to one,
Crayton three to one as well Xavier plus five fifty
Nova ten to one. Yeah, that kind of put a
little I took a little air out of the balloon
for Villanova, but hey, look, you know that's why you
play the games. If they did beat Yukon, it would
(16:26):
have been fun to hear some of the conversations leading
up to that Big East tournament, but did not take
place on Saturday, night. And that's just how good Yukon
can be when they play their best basketball, right, Like,
that's the team that we were talking about a couple
months ago possibly being good enough to cut down the nets.
And then they went on a little tough stretch. But
it's a long season, tough to win on the road,
(16:47):
but they did that on Saturday night. All right, Joe,
let's go ahead and talk a little bit about the
small guys here if you don't mind, and some of
the teams that punched their ticket to the Big Dance
and for the first time Kinnesauce State, what was your
thoughts on that we talked about that conference tournament versus
then versus lib. I think that's exactly what you projected
those two teams being in a final, and we talked
(17:07):
about the home floor coming into play, and you have
to believe that that was the right thought process. Correct
it was, But don't don't trust them whatsoever. The NCAA Tournamentum,
they can't shoot free throws to save their lives. And
look look, even in the quarterfinal game they played at home,
they could not put it away because of their free
(17:30):
frost shooting. So the great story first time ever in
the NCAA Tournament. I'll take a plus three hundred cash
on a ticket any day of the week. But in
terms of if you look at the teams that have
already clinched, you have Southeast Missouri out of the Ohio Valley,
if unc Ashville we've mentioned them earlier, Drake and Kennesaul State,
(17:52):
and then FDU is in as well because they made
the Northeast Conference semifinal um or they won their semifinal
game and they're facing Merrimack in the title game. In
Merrimax is an eligible tournament because of their transition from
Division two, which is a rule that should be done
(18:12):
away with. But that's a conversation for a no other day.
Out of these five teams that have advanced already, I mean, look,
we're gonna talk about Drew Pember being one of those
mid major guys you could potentially fall in love with.
Maybe he covers for it helps you cover with Asheville.
But Drake is the team that added the five that
have already qualified. Look, it's the Missouri Valley. We're all
(18:35):
familiar with all those cinderellas that have come out of that.
You know, Craton back in the day, Southern annoy made
a run which state like you name it. The Cinderella
comes from that, and you're gonna hear about them being
a frisky twelve thirteen. So they're right in that sweet
spot of being the underdog that a lot of people
will go after. They played great defense. Tucker Devrees is
(18:57):
their start and they held proudly the fifty one points
in that championship game when their defense is on. Their
defense is one of the best. So that's a team
that could frustrate and offer a strong Power Conference offense.
I don't see much from the other five. I think
two of them are going to end up being in
(19:18):
the first four because of the weekends at their conference
and where they were. But yeah, it's he got some
good stories over the weekend. The sun Belt is just
all over the place, because that's I think tonight the
eight seed or nine seeds. South Alabama is in the
title game, the one seed and the big Sky Eastern
(19:40):
Washington got dumped out last night, So you're gonna see
some some unexpected teams take these automatic bids. But then conversely,
it ends up being kind of a weaker bottom half
of the field. If these upsets keep going because these
guys are gonna be sixteen seed, there would be fifteen seeds,
(20:00):
and it makes the despair between them and the top
two seeds even bigger. Whereas I'm not saying Eastern Washington
walks into a tournament game and wins it, but we
saw him a few years ago be competitive, I believe
with Kansas for a while. So when you lose the
(20:21):
number one kind of top tier mid major teams and
they go directly into the n IT T, yeah, it
kind of dilutes the the amount of upsets you could
you could have. But I'm all four upsets included stories
and conference tournaments because it'd be really boring full the
number one seasons one. Absolutely hopefully we have some of
that anarchy all throughout the course of this week into
(20:42):
selection Sunday. We'll talk about tonight's game in just a second,
but one more on Drake. This is the second and
three seasons that they have locked in a bid for
the Big Torney here, and their first since two thousand
and twenty one with the victory over Bradley yesterday seventy
seven to fifty one. So over to tonight's games, Joe,
(21:02):
what's the most import important game. Let's just start there.
From an importance factor, somebody that's tuning in wants to
learn something, a little something before we got to fill
out our brackets. What's the most important game this evening? Well,
in terms of importance, the SoCon and the Sun Belt
give out their autobits tonight you have South Alabama against
Louisiana in the Sun Belt. South Alabama has emerged it
(21:25):
going three straight. If you're looking for individuals, if they
end up getting this far, they're big man Kevin Samuel.
He's seven foot and he just clubs the paint. I
watched them in their their first round game against app State.
He had twelve and fifteen and six blocks. So this
is a guy that could reach havoc in the right
(21:45):
matchup if South Alabama were to get in, probably as
a sixteen or fifteen seed, maybe for half, but one
of the more intriguing individuals that have developed from less
the first week of conference championships and then Chattanooga Furman's
rematch just last year in a SoCon. I'm on Firman
(22:06):
from the our Futures article we posted on Foxphlgama dot
com last week. So I'm gonna sit back and watch
that one. A lot of people are on South Alabama
in the Sun Belt game because of they've gotten hot
at the right time. I'm gonna stay away from that
because I watched the Sun Belt, but I watched this
mainly the top teams and they're all gone. So all
(22:29):
of that research over the last two weeks kind of
got torn up by South Alabama and then Marshall lost
earlier in that tournament as well in Texas State. So
those are the two games in terms of auto bids.
But the big marquee games tonight in the West Coast
Conference you have BYUG Saint Mary's and Gonzaga San Francisco.
Think last time I checked the Gonzaga San Francisco over
(22:50):
unders one sixty one and a half correct. So that's
so if you want late night game where a lot
of points will be scored, um that is at eleven
thirty on ESPN two. I was probably one of the
five six goes on the East Coast that stayed up
and watched San Francisco and Santa Clara in the last
(23:12):
thround of the West Coast Conference on Saturday. I think
that game ended at like three three thirty am because
the West Coast Conference wants to be on TV, and
the only way to again TV that that late on
Saturday is playing it twelve thirty one am. San Francisco.
(23:33):
Their star player, Shabaz, is one of the most electric
players that the mini made level Khalil Shabaz average is
seventeen point five points per game. Literally, just the second
half of the Santa Claar game, you know, they were behind,
trying to leave him on a comeback and they forced
overtime and he's pulling up with no fear from like
(23:53):
twenty five feet. He defender in his face whatever. The
guy just makes shots. So I mean, that's the one
guy to watch out for for San Francisco. If you
think they're going to cover tonight, I think it's gonna
be pretty close. But also San Francisco has been at
this for in the West Coast Tournament now for two
(24:14):
games now. They got the day off on Sunday, so
that that's important. I think everybody sees they went to
double overtime on Saturday and they're going right back in.
They did have yesterday off. If this game takes place yesterday,
Gonzaga first half seems like the most obvious spot in
the world. But they did have time to rest. This
game's of eleven thirty, so it's you know, forty eight
(24:35):
hours since the last game tipped off. That Look, they
did put up eighty one and seventy five on them
on San Francisco did on Gonzaga in the regular season.
This is a team that as we learned from last year,
you know, Todd Golden got hired at Florida. They like
to play at a pretty nice pace. We know Gonzaga
likes to score. That's always been evident with them. UM.
(24:58):
I know the number is scary, but man, if you're
get a better game game at eleven thirty on the
Monday of Championship Week and Bill Walton's not there to
call it because he's in Vegas waiting for the Pac twelve,
and you need something to bet on the number suggested
to I'm not just throwing it out there just because, Um,
I like the over one sixty one Saga San Francisco.
(25:20):
That's my only that's my only single game bet of
the night. The rest is kind of like, you really
have to know these mid major teams. Um, but yeah,
can Zaga San Francisco actually should be a really good
game um, and if you stay up and watch it,
Khalil Shabaz will impress you. I mean, the guy is
just a shot maker. Well, I have a Wings game,
so I won't be home until probably about ten thirty
(25:41):
juices are rolling, so I'll be up and uh, I
won't get to bed. They'll probably about two pm two
am this tonight. And look that that game might not
even start eleven thirty's game goes. That game's not starting
at eleven thirty either, Yeah, exactly right. Last time out
for Gonzaga they beat Chicago State one o four to
sixty five. Previous to that, they took on Saint Mary's
(26:04):
the final score seventy seven at sixty eight. And previous
to one before that was Gonzaga over San Diego ninety
seven to seventy two. So there's a reason why one
sixty one is happening on draftkick. And look, even if
even if Gonzaga ends up winning this game by twenty points,
they're most likely gonna have to do it by scoring
eighty ninety so that it gets you more than halfway
(26:25):
to the over anyway, So you're basically our baseline here.
San Francisco needs to score seventy points. I think they
can do it, and that's kind of where I look
at this. Yeah, we're gonna need some extra points from Gonzaga,
but if San Francisco hits the seventy point mark fairly
certainly we're gonna get this over all. Right, there's a
(26:47):
couple plays for it tonight, and outlook on a couple
big time conference tournaments coming our way this week, and
even a quick glimpse into the field of sixty eight.
A lot to discuss. We will do so until we
crowd a champion in Houston. On a Brace for Winnings
presented by Draft king Sports Book, be sure to use
promo code BRACE let them know that you're listening to
(27:09):
us right here on Brace four Winnings for Joe Tanzi,
I'm Sean Brace everybody, good luck and all your players.
We'll talk to you tomorrow. Brace for Winnings presented by
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here's your host, Sean Brace. All right, let's go. The
madness is upon us, folks. What a weekend it was
in college troops with a crazy couple of weeks to
(00:25):
be honest with you, in college hoops, and it's, as
I just said, only getting started here. We got a
major conference tournament play kicking off this week and selection
Sunday on Sunday. But as I said, with some great,
great action over the weekend, a lot of really good
basketball games, both on the professional and on the collegiate
(00:46):
level over the weekend. Brace for Winnings the podcast presented
by Draft King sports Book. You got Sean Brace, and
you got the man himself. When it comes to college hoops,
he is swinging for the fences of cashing in a
lot of these futures. It's Joe Tanzy Joe. Another great
week can for you? Opened up last week, I believe
(01:06):
with a hit on Kansas being the regular season Big
twelve champion, and then you called the ACC champion with
the Hurricanes victory over Pitt Nice weekend by you, sir.
It's a very nervous Saturday night. I mean that, Look,
I had confidence because the game was in Coral Gables,
(01:27):
Miami's it had a week to fester on that m
Florida State loss and Pitt's kind of been trending downwards.
But I mean it was two point game. It was
Miami had the lead a little bit in the second half,
but Lake game execution a little bit lacking matter. We
got the W. So yeah, Miami, the ac turn acc
(01:50):
regular season win their future cash as well as on Sunday,
Kennesau State and the Atlantic Sun Cash set a plus
three hundred beat Liberty. So a nice weekend for futures.
I kind of took it, took the weekend off for
betting on single games because look, I was gonna spot
on with this. Alabama lost, Kansas lost. But in the
(02:14):
in the grand scheme of things, do those losses matter?
I don't think so. Yeah, I don't think they're because
they're hangover losses. It is what they are. So I mean, look,
I'm gonna keep banging the drum for UCLA. I'm gonna
keep saying it and keep saying it, keep saying it.
But to beat Arizona and keep this winning run going,
(02:37):
I still think you clas I'm getting to that. Take
that within the best team in the country, Yeah, it's
hard to Are you number one day one and everybody
else seemed to lose. Saturday was just a straight up
massacre for all top twenty five teams. It felt like
unless you were the higher seed going into the lower
seed in the top twenty five, then you came out
(02:59):
on top. But ultimately, if you were ranked, and we've
seen this the last couple of weeks, if you were
a ranked team last couple of weekends, it just wasn't
working out for you. But it's hey, look, it's a
long season and it's a regular season game. So if
you're going to lose, get it out of the the way
right now because next week it's all cutthrow from here
on out. So uh, with that being said, before we
(03:19):
dive deeper into the games, like with the Kennesaw State
over Liberty, which was a fantastic game. Uh, Drake punched
her ticket UNC that was a great UNC. Ashville that
was a great game as well. Watched two games that
featured them over the over the past week. Pretty cool. Uh,
you know, just it just what it is. It's that
time of year, right, you know for people like me,
(03:40):
I tune in. I don't get a chance to watch
many unc Asheville games over the season, but then all
of a sudden, I do, and I see this dude
Pember who's tearing a big, tall white boy down low.
You know, I gravitate, you know, I gravitate to that,
to to those types of teams and those spots and
at this time of year every year. But uh, speaker,
look when you when Ashville plays a one seed, you're like, oh,
(04:04):
can Drew Pember keep Asheville within what twenty five points
of a one seed? Like that? You have that little
nugget of knowledge that it could go a long way
in betting those games. And that's why Joe Tanzi is here.
Absolutely the things that he was thinking about me. I
can't really say that that thought process went through my mind.
But that's why you're here, Joe on brads for a winning.
(04:26):
Nice work by you talk to me a little bit
more about these top twenty five teams, because you just
stole the question right out of my mouth. They don't matter,
It doesn't matter that they lost these games. Like if
if Houston lost last night to Memphis, they were never
losing an overall number one seed, correct, that would have
mattered from a I think a national psyche perspective, I
(04:46):
think that I think that's the one result from these
these number one seeds that probably would have mattered the
most because Memphis is the number two team in the
AC and that's it's very clear, and I've could have
been squatting on to take the last few weeks that
Memphis kind of like last year, can be frisky as
(05:07):
a seven to ten seed wherever they land up in
the second round if they make it. Now, look they
got to make it, but their guard plays fantastic. They
cause a lot of turnovers and that's the way they're
going to win games. And if they can reach havoc
in the backcourt against the team that that's not on
their game, it can do a lot of damage. Now, look,
(05:29):
I'm I still think Kansas should be the number one
overall seed because just look at the resume. It's what
fourteen I don't know what the number is now, but
a few weeks it was fourteen Q one wins and
Houston's just beaten, beaten up on, you know, the the AC,
which is probably worse than the West Coast Conference was
when Gonzago was was running train on it. So like
(05:52):
I don't fair, Houston's very good. I need to keep
telling this saying this, Houston is very good. But had
they lost to Memphis at Memphis, that would have been
the result that set the alarm bells off because it's
there one true test in the AAC. They passed it.
(06:12):
Probably have to play him again in the tournament final,
but that's the one result. I think that if it
would have happened, we would have dug into it a
lot deeper just because there's no depth where in the SEC. Look,
we know Texas A and m's the second best team,
and we know they were gunning for Alabama and we
know that like that was that was the game they
(06:35):
had circled and Alabama it was meaningless to them. Texas
beating Kansas first of all, not a surprising result because
the Big Twelve has been a juggernaut this year, but
Kansas already had the Big twelve regular season title wrapped up.
What was the motivation to go in there, especially with
their resume perdue winning at home. They've been vulnerable on
(06:59):
the roads, so that's not really a big concern there.
And and then Ucla just just racking up wins over Arizona.
Like if Arizona had beaten Ucla, you could be like, oh, okay,
but I think they know they suffered an injury Dylan Clark,
So we'll have to see what the progression is of
that this beak in Las Vegas. But I think if
if Houston had lost to Memphis, that would have been
(07:21):
the one where just peaks our interest a little bit bigger. Okay,
is Houston not the team we think they are? You
know what, I think there'd be a little different opinions
on Houston. But I think we have a clear cut
top five and it's just a matter of that fourth
number one overall seed who gets it, And I think
(07:42):
it's Kansas Spama in Houston. I think you're going to
see a battle between Ucla in preview. I think that's
your conversation for the fourth one seed all week and
both look, the Big Ten's gonna get a ton of
teams in, but that conference is weak. There's a reason
why to you know, Northwestern could have been the two
seeds of the nine seed in the Big Ten tournament,
(08:02):
depending on that that game against Rutgers last night. UCLA
and the PAC twelve is very top heavy, and the
PAC twelve tournament historically has been one verse two in
the last decade, that's been the predominant final matchup. So
you probably don't see UCLA Arizona or u u C
l a usc because the PAC twelve is top heavy
and very week beneath it. So so you'll be you'll
(08:24):
be hearing a lot about UCLA versus per Due all week.
And I think even barring you know, even with an
upset to Alabama or Arkansas, don't foresee happening before the
semi finals in their respect of the tournaments. I think
those three are set and it's just a matter of
and then it comes down to, well this UCLA one
the number one seed in the West because they get
(08:46):
to stay closer the home. That's the whole argument in
favor of UCLA. So it's gonna be interesting, But I
think that's your at the top, that's your conversation. Yeah,
and you know, just staying with some of those top teams. Alabama,
it's one thing that we discus us a few weeks ago.
I know that much. And look, they lived by the
(09:08):
long ball. You know, it's a very athletic team. But
at the end of the day, when those threes don't fall,
we see it happen, you know, time and time again.
When that's your bread and butter, that's your go to
and they don't fall, you're in trouble. But you know,
look that could go for any team out there that's
hitting their shots. But they were seven to thirty six
from three point range. I think it's fair to say
(09:28):
that they haven't looked the same since the Brandon Miller
situation came out, came to light where he was more
involved than what was originally thought. Back you know, we
learned of the overall it's homicide murder back in January,
not knowing whether or not Brandon Miller is involved. I
think it's fair to say that this team has been
affected by the Brandon Miller situation. Your thoughts on that, Yeah,
(09:53):
but they still won. They didn't play like the dominant basketball,
but they're still winning games. They still found a way
to grind up that South Carolina when they still found
a way to be Auburn. And you can excuse the
road loss to A and M because it didn't mean
a thing to them. If it affects them in the
SEC Tournament or if they don't show up as we
(10:15):
expect them to, then I think it's concerning. But yeah,
they didn't play well but still winning, and I think
that may end up helping them in March in the
next few weeks. Like they were playing a lot of
close games. They're blown a lot of teams out at
home and getting getting some tests on the road, but
being able to grind out that win over South Carolina,
(10:35):
grinding up to win over Auburn. I think when we
look back on it, those actually might be beneficial wins
to them. Interesting all right, well, I wanted to hear
your take on that one. Of course, one of the
more glaring losses over the weekend, but didn't mean anything.
So for Alabama, you're looking forward to the SEC Tournament
to see how they look and whether or not they
could win it or get to a championship game. Is
there another team that is on your radar that you
(10:58):
really look We've watched a ton of basketball over the
last few months. We've seen a lot of regular season action,
but now as we get closer to tournament, time. This
is you know, look, you want to be playing your
best basketball. Of course we all believe that, but is
there another team out there that you're looking at? You know,
I need to see something from them and their conference
tourament this week before I go firing a believing that
(11:20):
they can make a run, possibly at a final four
spot in this upcom of tournament. Well, the answer to
that is Tennessee. And it's not because of you know,
any doubts you know about their um, maybe they're playing
in recent weeks. It's just how are they going to
deal with this kai Zieglerer injury? Like I think out
of the if you look at the you know, leonardis
bracket of these these top three seeds, like we already
(11:42):
know Rick Barnes and March isn't anywhere close to a guarantee.
But now you have Tennessee with with this injury. It's
in one of their top guards. It's very significant. So
how Tennessee performs in the SEC tournament really is going
to stand out to me because if not, look, they
(12:03):
might rob the Sea line. Who knows what we're gonna
end up, but I would love to see Tennessee kind
of respond the five seeds in the SEC. So they're
gonna be out on on floor on Thursday. UM, get you.
They should beat South Carolina or Ole miss So then
you move head to the quarters. Missouri is a very
tough team. Yeah, they shoot the ball after their best.
(12:24):
They could they could run with Alabama. Um their top
twenty five points per game. So how you defend them
on the perimeter, it's gonna be massive, and that's a
huge test for Tennessee. So I would circle that game.
It's the second SEC quarterfinal on Friday. As long as
Tennessee avoids an upset. Tennessee gets upset on Thursday, sound
all the alarm bells because that's all you need right there.
(12:48):
Losing on Saturday and then losing to a double digit
seed in the first in their first game the Tournamentum,
but if they passed some of these tests, maybe we
can kind of believe. Okay, Tennessee's got this figured out.
It's gonna it takes a team time to figure out
how to deal with with an injury anyway, So you
can excuse losing the Auburn. But what happens if it
(13:12):
becomes a trend and it really hurts them, then just
Tennessee automatically slide into the most popular team to be
upset next week. A lot to be determined before them,
but Tennessee is definitely under the microscope. All right, before
we get on over to the small guys, with all
love and respect, I want to talk about two big
teams real quick, and from the Big East, and we
(13:32):
always fluctuate back to that. Of course, you were involved
with the Villanova and Yukon game on Saturday. Yukon rolled
into the Wells Fargo Center and it did work. Let's
just put it that way. Marquette, though, is a team
that I love. I love Marquette also a three seed
with Tennessee and Leonard's bracket here and a victory over
Saint John's, and I think they're on a wind streak,
(13:54):
probably six or seven games. A team has a cooking
right now. If you had to pick one that'd possibly
make a little bit more of a run here. How
about this from the Big Geast, Big East tournment coming
our way this week, Yukon or Marquette man bias aside
with the Yukon in the garden, probably Marquette Marquetes played
(14:15):
really in basketball, and think about this way too, you're
looking for kind of ways to find some extra motivation.
Both of these teams are already in the tournament. Well, Marquette,
they've been a part of the Big East for a
long time now, they haven't won the Big East tournament
and I think this is their first outright when the
(14:38):
Big East regular season title as well, who's to say
they're not motivated to be like, hey, let's prove, let's
prove we're the dominant team throughout the season. I think
Marquette Yukon is going to be a fantastic semi final
if we get it. Hey, like, Marquette's building something special now.
You can make the argument they win regular season title
(14:59):
when the conference tournament, are they peaking too soon? Obviously
you can made an argument with a lot of teams.
But yeah, I would love to see it a different face,
Like we're used to Yukon in the guarden. That's what
we're used to, and your heart kind of goes to that.
But Marquete's proven the best team in the Big East. Um.
(15:21):
I would circle m Xavier as well because I believe
Fremantle is on his way back or was reported to
be UM in the mix. Oh no, he's they're being
shut down for the rest of the year. Okay, So
there was reports coming out over the last week that
Freemantle might have been returning for Xavier, but that's been
(15:44):
shot down today. So forget what I just said about
the Davier. But yeah, Marquette is probably the team I
would I would back the most in the Big East.
I'm going a lot of chalk in these conference tournaments.
Well that right now on DraftKings sports Book, everything available.
A lot of these tournaments will get started on Wednesday,
a couple start tomorrow, a couple of them already off
(16:05):
at running. But once again for the Big East, right now,
Yukon is your odds on favorite Undraft Kings sports book
at plus two hundred two to one, Marquette three to one,
Crayton three to one as well Xavier plus five fifty
Nova ten to one. Yeah, that kind of put a
little I took a little air out of the balloon
for Villanova, but hey, look, you know that's why you
play the games. If they did beat Yukon, it would
(16:26):
have been fun to hear some of the conversations leading
up to that Big East tournament, but did not take
place on Saturday, night. And that's just how good Yukon
can be when they play their best basketball, right, Like,
that's the team that we were talking about a couple
months ago possibly being good enough to cut down the nets.
And then they went on a little tough stretch. But
it's a long season, tough to win on the road,
(16:47):
but they did that on Saturday night. All right, Joe,
let's go ahead and talk a little bit about the
small guys here if you don't mind, and some of
the teams that punched their ticket to the Big Dance
and for the first time Kinnesauce State, what was your
thoughts on that we talked about that conference tournament versus
then versus lib. I think that's exactly what you projected
those two teams being in a final, and we talked
(17:07):
about the home floor coming into play, and you have
to believe that that was the right thought process. Correct
it was, But don't don't trust them whatsoever. The NCAA Tournamentum,
they can't shoot free throws to save their lives. And
look look, even in the quarterfinal game they played at home,
they could not put it away because of their free
(17:30):
frost shooting. So the great story first time ever in
the NCAA Tournament. I'll take a plus three hundred cash
on a ticket any day of the week. But in
terms of if you look at the teams that have
already clinched, you have Southeast Missouri out of the Ohio Valley,
if unc Ashville we've mentioned them earlier, Drake and Kennesaul State,
(17:52):
and then FDU is in as well because they made
the Northeast Conference semifinal um or they won their semifinal
game and they're facing Merrimack in the title game. In
Merrimax is an eligible tournament because of their transition from
Division two, which is a rule that should be done
(18:12):
away with. But that's a conversation for a no other day.
Out of these five teams that have advanced already, I mean, look,
we're gonna talk about Drew Pember being one of those
mid major guys you could potentially fall in love with.
Maybe he covers for it helps you cover with Asheville.
But Drake is the team that added the five that
have already qualified. Look, it's the Missouri Valley. We're all
(18:35):
familiar with all those cinderellas that have come out of that.
You know, Craton back in the day, Southern annoy made
a run which state like you name it. The Cinderella
comes from that, and you're gonna hear about them being
a frisky twelve thirteen. So they're right in that sweet
spot of being the underdog that a lot of people
will go after. They played great defense. Tucker Devrees is
(18:57):
their start and they held proudly the fifty one points
in that championship game when their defense is on. Their
defense is one of the best. So that's a team
that could frustrate and offer a strong Power Conference offense.
I don't see much from the other five. I think
two of them are going to end up being in
(19:18):
the first four because of the weekends at their conference
and where they were. But yeah, it's he got some
good stories over the weekend. The sun Belt is just
all over the place, because that's I think tonight the
eight seed or nine seeds. South Alabama is in the
title game, the one seed and the big Sky Eastern
(19:40):
Washington got dumped out last night, So you're gonna see
some some unexpected teams take these automatic bids. But then conversely,
it ends up being kind of a weaker bottom half
of the field. If these upsets keep going because these
guys are gonna be sixteen seed, there would be fifteen seeds,
(20:00):
and it makes the despair between them and the top
two seeds even bigger. Whereas I'm not saying Eastern Washington
walks into a tournament game and wins it, but we
saw him a few years ago be competitive, I believe
with Kansas for a while. So when you lose the
(20:21):
number one kind of top tier mid major teams and
they go directly into the n IT T, yeah, it
kind of dilutes the the amount of upsets you could
you could have. But I'm all four upsets included stories
and conference tournaments because it'd be really boring full the
number one seasons one. Absolutely hopefully we have some of
that anarchy all throughout the course of this week into
(20:42):
selection Sunday. We'll talk about tonight's game in just a second,
but one more on Drake. This is the second and
three seasons that they have locked in a bid for
the Big Torney here, and their first since two thousand
and twenty one with the victory over Bradley yesterday seventy
seven to fifty one. So over to tonight's games, Joe,
(21:02):
what's the most import important game. Let's just start there.
From an importance factor, somebody that's tuning in wants to
learn something, a little something before we got to fill
out our brackets. What's the most important game this evening? Well,
in terms of importance, the SoCon and the Sun Belt
give out their autobits tonight you have South Alabama against
Louisiana in the Sun Belt. South Alabama has emerged it
(21:25):
going three straight. If you're looking for individuals, if they
end up getting this far, they're big man Kevin Samuel.
He's seven foot and he just clubs the paint. I
watched them in their their first round game against app State.
He had twelve and fifteen and six blocks. So this
is a guy that could reach havoc in the right
(21:45):
matchup if South Alabama were to get in, probably as
a sixteen or fifteen seed, maybe for half, but one
of the more intriguing individuals that have developed from less
the first week of conference championships and then Chattanooga Furman's
rematch just last year in a SoCon. I'm on Firman
(22:06):
from the our Futures article we posted on Foxphlgama dot
com last week. So I'm gonna sit back and watch
that one. A lot of people are on South Alabama
in the Sun Belt game because of they've gotten hot
at the right time. I'm gonna stay away from that
because I watched the Sun Belt, but I watched this
mainly the top teams and they're all gone. So all
(22:29):
of that research over the last two weeks kind of
got torn up by South Alabama and then Marshall lost
earlier in that tournament as well in Texas State. So
those are the two games in terms of auto bids.
But the big marquee games tonight in the West Coast
Conference you have BYUG Saint Mary's and Gonzaga San Francisco.
Think last time I checked the Gonzaga San Francisco over
(22:50):
unders one sixty one and a half correct. So that's
so if you want late night game where a lot
of points will be scored, um that is at eleven
thirty on ESPN two. I was probably one of the
five six goes on the East Coast that stayed up
and watched San Francisco and Santa Clara in the last
(23:12):
thround of the West Coast Conference on Saturday. I think
that game ended at like three three thirty am because
the West Coast Conference wants to be on TV, and
the only way to again TV that that late on
Saturday is playing it twelve thirty one am. San Francisco.
(23:33):
Their star player, Shabaz, is one of the most electric
players that the mini made level Khalil Shabaz average is
seventeen point five points per game. Literally, just the second
half of the Santa Claar game, you know, they were behind,
trying to leave him on a comeback and they forced
overtime and he's pulling up with no fear from like
(23:53):
twenty five feet. He defender in his face whatever. The
guy just makes shots. So I mean, that's the one
guy to watch out for for San Francisco. If you
think they're going to cover tonight, I think it's gonna
be pretty close. But also San Francisco has been at
this for in the West Coast Tournament now for two
(24:14):
games now. They got the day off on Sunday, so
that that's important. I think everybody sees they went to
double overtime on Saturday and they're going right back in.
They did have yesterday off. If this game takes place yesterday,
Gonzaga first half seems like the most obvious spot in
the world. But they did have time to rest. This
game's of eleven thirty, so it's you know, forty eight
(24:35):
hours since the last game tipped off. That Look, they
did put up eighty one and seventy five on them
on San Francisco did on Gonzaga in the regular season.
This is a team that as we learned from last year,
you know, Todd Golden got hired at Florida. They like
to play at a pretty nice pace. We know Gonzaga
likes to score. That's always been evident with them. UM.
(24:58):
I know the number is scary, but man, if you're
get a better game game at eleven thirty on the
Monday of Championship Week and Bill Walton's not there to
call it because he's in Vegas waiting for the Pac twelve,
and you need something to bet on the number suggested
to I'm not just throwing it out there just because, Um,
I like the over one sixty one Saga San Francisco.
(25:20):
That's my only that's my only single game bet of
the night. The rest is kind of like, you really
have to know these mid major teams. Um, but yeah,
can Zaga San Francisco actually should be a really good
game um, and if you stay up and watch it,
Khalil Shabaz will impress you. I mean, the guy is
just a shot maker. Well, I have a Wings game,
so I won't be home until probably about ten thirty
(25:41):
juices are rolling, so I'll be up and uh, I
won't get to bed. They'll probably about two pm two
am this tonight. And look that that game might not
even start eleven thirty's game goes. That game's not starting
at eleven thirty either, Yeah, exactly right. Last time out
for Gonzaga they beat Chicago State one o four to
sixty five. Previous to that, they took on Saint Mary's
(26:04):
the final score seventy seven at sixty eight. And previous
to one before that was Gonzaga over San Diego ninety
seven to seventy two. So there's a reason why one
sixty one is happening on draftkick. And look, even if
even if Gonzaga ends up winning this game by twenty points,
they're most likely gonna have to do it by scoring
eighty ninety so that it gets you more than halfway
(26:25):
to the over anyway, So you're basically our baseline here.
San Francisco needs to score seventy points. I think they
can do it, and that's kind of where I look
at this. Yeah, we're gonna need some extra points from Gonzaga,
but if San Francisco hits the seventy point mark fairly
certainly we're gonna get this over all. Right, there's a
(26:47):
couple plays for it tonight, and outlook on a couple
big time conference tournaments coming our way this week, and
even a quick glimpse into the field of sixty eight.
A lot to discuss. We will do so until we
crowd a champion in Houston. On a Brace for Winnings
presented by Draft king Sports Book, be sure to use
promo code BRACE let them know that you're listening to
(27:09):
us right here on Brace four Winnings for Joe Tanzi,
I'm Sean Brace everybody, good luck and all your players.
We'll talk to you tomorrow. Brace for Winnings presented by
Draft Kings Sportsbook, your one stop podcast for all things
happening on the hardwood. Brace for Winnings is a production
of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Host
Sean Brace
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