Big AL – NCAA
Las Vegas streets and supermarket parking lots were uncharacteristically deserted Friday night as Sin City residents stayed home in droves or attended parties to cheer on their beloved Sweet 16 Rebels.
UNLV’s (impossible) dream of a berth in the NCAA Elite Eight Tournament was rudely interrupted 76-72 by Oregon in the Midwest Region semifinals in St. Louis, an accurate Los Vegan/Los Angeleno forecast. and Professional Handicappers League member Big Al McMordie.
“I don’t think so,” former attorney McMordie said Thursday when asked if he thought “our” rebels could do it.
“That’s why I gave my clients Oregon minus 2 1/2.”
McMordie, who splits his time between the two western cities, and his PHL teammate/friend Scott Spreizter watched a bubble burst Thursday night when their future “big money” teams play in Texas A. &
Matt 50/1 went down the tubes.
“That’s where the hearts are,” he said.
Unsurprisingly, the Las Vegas sportsbooks were packed with locals, including rabid Rebel fans, juggling their own hearts and heads; the bookies, many of whom openly stated that they were “home runs” of the night, followed suit.
Feeling is always a good comfort, but for players a winning ticket and beating the house trumps!
The Ducks, comfortably ahead for much of the second half until the closing minutes, ended up with a cover (in many cases), thanks to a pair of last-second free throws.
The overall spread was Oregon minus 2 1/2 for the week, but the number slid to 3 for the start.
BoDog.com and CalNeva had it at 4.
Also winning on Friday were No. 2 seed Georgetown in East Rutherford and top seeds North Carolina in East Rutherford and defending national champion Florida in St. Louis.
The 7 1/2 to 8 point favorite, Hoyas outscored Vanderbilt 66-65 as the Tar Heels covered 8 to 9 with a 74-64 win over USC and the Gators got quite a scare from the stubborn Butler, winning 65-57. not cover 10.
Therefore, it is still possible for all four No. 1 seeds to advance to the Final Four.
BoDog.com on Friday night had top-seeded Kansas as a 2 1/2-point pick over No. 2 UCLA in San Jose in a Saturday event, though both were available.
The same goes for No. 1-ranked Ohio State and the top seed, which BoDog.com favored 2 1/2 over Memphis in San Antonio.
The totals were 129 for the Jayhawks-Bruins and 135 for the Buckeyes-Tigers.
The March to Atlanta continues Sunday in St. Louis with Florida-Oregon and in East Rutherford with Georgetown-North Carolina.
Olympic opened the Tar Heels as 3 1/2 point options and others followed.
McMordie says he’s been “swimming” so much in the hoop that he’s still not up to speed on his baseball handicap, but vows to hit the books, so to speak, when he returns from a trip to Europe next week.
“Ask me about the Spurs,” he added.