College basketball betting: Dalen Cuff’s bets to make for Champ

Dalen Cuff, ESPNMar 13, 2024, 09:11 AM ET The best time of the year has actually arrived … well, almost.I choose the madness of the NCAA tournament where whatever is on the line each time out. However Champ Week has so many fantastic matches, more than 12 hours daily, and hardware is on the line– also phenomenal.Picking winners here

is not easy. Going chalk throughout the board is not clever money. So let’s rip through the huge six leagues and find a few of my preferred areas to cash a couple of winners.Odds courtesy of ESPN BET ACC favorite: Duke Blue Devils +180 Men’s Tournament Challenge Total your bracket by selecting the winner for each game of the 2024 males’s NCAA tournament. Play

Men’s Tournament Challenge Bubble teams abound in the ACC with Virginia, Wake Forest, Pitt and perhaps even Syracuse battling for their competition lives.

There aren’t many Quad 1 wins to improve your résumé in this league, and I believe despite the desperation, Duke and North Carolina +190 are clearly the class of the league. Despite beating Duke two times this season and winning the title outright, the Tar Heels are 2nd choice to the Blue Devils. The old adage of beating a team three times in a season will be in play here, but I don’t sign up for that theory. The Heels are the more veteran, difficult and physical group. Duke has yet to show it can play through and prosper in a physical game. Give me the Heels. Choose: North Carolina Tar Heels

+190 Big East favorite: UConn Huskies -150

Well, about not taking the favorites … there are

exceptions. There is no team I believe is more complete than UConn. It can beat you in many ways in a lot of various types of games. The Huskies have finally been healthy for a stretch and are simply getting better. There’s no value here, so I’m laying up on this league. That stated, Creighton +300 would be the play otherwise. As the No. 2 seed, I like its path with a most likely match against Providence in the quarters. In the semis, Marquette may still be without All-America point player Tyler Kolek, who has actually missed out on the previous few weeks with an oblique injury. I think the Bluejays show up in the last versus UConn, whom they beat by 19 last time out(albeit in the house). Not a big flier, however if you don’t want the favorite, the Bluejays are the play.

Select: Creighton Bluejays +300

Big Ten favorite: Purdue Boilermakers +100 I was amazed the Boilers are even cash. They are constructed to play and win in the Big 10. I’m not a believer in their competition title hopes betting more athletic guards and some groups with stretch-5s that can make future two-time Gamer of the Year Zach Edey guard on the boundary.

Select: As much as I enjoy the Illinois Fighting Illini +825 as a Last 4 choice, Purdue at even cash is the relocation here

Huge 12 preferred:

Houston Cougars -150 Houston is no doubt the group to beat in this league in spite of the Huge 12 being the most challenging conference in the nation. However every group has seen that Houston defense, and the shock and awe you can in some cases experience in the first meeting will be gone. And it’s not like the Cougars ran the table; they lost three games and won two overtime games to kip down a 15-3 record in their inaugural Big 12 season. One of those OT wins was at Baylor. The Bears have a great course to the tile with # 6 seed Kansas likely their quarterfinal matchup. The Jayhawks have massive injury problems to two All-Americans in Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr., who Bill Self already announced will not play in this tournament. The semifinal opponent won’t be simple, but with their really elite offense and shot-making, I like them to make the final. And with a good rate of +675, I’ll chance with Scott Drew and the Bears lowering internet in Kansas City.

Pick: Baylor Bears +675 Pac-12 favorite: Arizona Wildcats -155 There is no group in any league that at its best is so considerably better than the remainder of the teams in the league. The issue is Arizona has a tendency to not play to its prospective or with the seriousness to beat groups it is better than. Just said, the Wildcats can take their foot off the gas and coast. They require to be up for games to carry out. They mauled Colorado twice this season, both times by more than 20 points. The Buffs have high-level talent, were banged up and underachieved all year however have hit their stride, winning 6 straight. I believe Colorado can look like the group we all thought it was as the Felines think they’re drifting to a title.

Choose: Colorado Buffaloes +475

SEC favorite: Tennessee Volunteers +160 The SEC is without a doubt the most amusing league in the country. And even this seasoned commentator would buy a ticket to see this tourney live. Many groups play up-tempo, with top-level athletes and playmakers. It’s also the hardest of the significant conference competitions to anticipate. While Tennessee may have the best possibility to get to a Final 4, I believe the winner is coming out of the bottom of the bracket. Kentucky +350 simply beat the Vols on the road in the season finale. No one in the nation can score like the Cats, and when they defend even a little, they might be the very best team in the nation. That said, the genuine value here is Florida +1800. They would have to win four games in four days as they don’t have a double bye, but I’m all-in on Todd Golden’s team. Their bigs have developed all season, safeguard the rim on D and can score in various methods on the other end. Their guards, particularly Zyon Pullin and Walter Clayton Jr., are so dynamic. They’ve beaten three of the top four seeds and will have no fear here. With that cost, let’s do it.

Pick: Florida Gators +1800 Ivy League favorite: Princeton Tigers +100 Only four of the eight Ivy League teams make the tourney, and 3 could win it. This competition started in 2017 (routine season champ received tourney quote prior) and this is without a doubt the most broad open. I believe Princeton, Yale +185 or Cornell +350 could duplicate what Princeton did in 2015 in getting to the Sweet 16. So this two-day, three-game tourney is going to be exceptional. Yale has won this tournament multiple times, as has Princeton, but the worth play is Cornell. It beat both Princeton and Yale in the house. It controlled the majority of the game versus Yale in New Sanctuary but fell apart late, and Princeton won by three in New Jersey. The Big Red press, play fast and run deep into their bench, where everyone takes and makes threes. It’s a special style that’s hard to handle in league, and I think could be even harder if they get to dance.

Pick: Cornell Big Red +350

Atlantic 10 preferred: Dayton Flyers +150 I covered the A-10 all year, calling the Friday night plan. Regardless of being the No. 3 seed, Dayton is the very best team in the league without question. There are concerns, though. Point guard Javon Bennett has an injured hand and might not play. Dayton is bottom 20 in the nation in bench minutes played and has no depth to really change Bennett; that was made use of in a loss at Loyola Chicago previously this month. Finally, Dayton knows it is going to the tournament. Every other team in the A-10 is playing for its tourney lives. Loyola Chicago +550 and Richmond +450 might win this, however the worth is on VCU +900. VCU had essential guys in and out of the lineup all year. It is completely healthy, and regardless of not getting a double bye, the Rams would play 2 games, the tourney has off day Friday, then resume play Saturday. Many A-10 coaches told me that the off day benefits the lower seeds, as they get to rest and basically even the playing field. VCU is elite defensively and can score in diverse methods. We’re rolling with the Rams.

Pick: VCU Rams +900 Mountain West favorite: San Diego State Aztecs +250 There is no competition more large open in the country than the

Mountain West, and the odds show that, as favorite San Diego State is the No. 5 seed. Seven groups might win this tourney. I think the play here is Boise State +525. It is on the opposite side of the bracket from regular-season champ Utah State +400 and SDSU. More significantly, in league play, it is first in offending performance, 2nd in protective effectiveness and top 50 in both nationally. It has big road and home wins, is exceptionally well coached by Leon Rice and can score in various ways. Let’s go Broncos.

Pick: Boise State Broncos +525