NCAA TOURNAMENT FANTASY CHALLENGE
Three Las Vegas Review-Journal sports department members and three professional handicappers have been given $2,000 fantasy bankrolls to bet during the NCAA Tournament -- two picks per day of either sides, totals or one of each. Below are their bets for today, with a brief explanation of their picks:
Adam Hill, Review-Journal
Bankroll: $2,739 Friday: Won $320 Today: Betting $440
Today's plays
Bet 1: $220 on Kentucky -3½ over West Virginia
Comment: West Virginia turned the ball over way too much without Truck Bryant on Thursday. Kentucky will do a better job of exploiting that.
Bet 2: $220 on Butler-Kansas State under 134
Comment: The Bulldogs will do all they can to slow the pace. The Wildcats might struggle to speed it up after a double-overtime game Thursday.
Mal Van Valkenburg, Review-Journal
Bankroll: $1,860 Friday: Won $70 Today: Betting $880
Today's plays
Bet 1: $440 on Kentucky -3½ over West Virginia
Comment: The Wildcats have the edge with John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins because they have too much offense for the Mountaineers.
Bet 2: $440 on Kansas State -4 over Butler
Comment: Butler does not match up well against the Wildcats, and Jacob Pullen should have another big game.
Matt Youmans, Review-Journal
Bankroll: $2,656 Friday: Won $320 Today: Betting $440
Today's plays
Bet 1: $220 on Kentucky -3½ over West Virginia
Comment: Without their starting point guard, the Mountaineers face a tall task against John Wall and the Wildcats.
Bet 2: $220 on Kansas State -4 over Butler
Comment: The Bulldogs are capable of pulling this off, but Wildcats guards Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente are just too tough.
John Kelly, EOG.com
Bankroll: $3,925 Friday: Lost $25 Today: Betting $814
Today's plays
Bet 1: $407 on Kentucky -3½ over West Virginia
Comment: Wildcats guard John Wall should dominate a West Virginia team missing its starting point guard.
Bet 2: $407 on Butler-Kansas State under 134
Comment: Expect a deliberate pace as both teams defend every second of the shot clock and excel at transition defense.
Bruce Marshall, The Gold Sheet
Bankroll: $3,112 Friday: Won $600 Today: Betting $770
Today's plays
Bet 1: $440 on Kentucky -3½ over West Virginia
Comment: The Wildcats' size and firepower are too much for West Virginia. Kentucky can play some defense, too; just ask Wake Forest and Cornell.
Bet 2: $330 on Kentucky-West Virginia under 134
Comment: West Virginia's offense hasn't hit on all cylinders in the postseason. It's even more compromised now minus injured point guard Truck Bryant.
Paul Stone, VegasSportsAuthority.com
Bankroll: $965 Friday: Lost $440 Today: Betting $330
Today's plays
Bet 1: $165 on Kentucky-West Virginia under 134
Comment: The Mountaineers' best hope is to grind this to a crawl and keep athletic Kentucky from running up and down the floor.
Bet 2: $165 on Butler-Kansas State under 134
Comment: Butler plays outstanding defense and will hold Wildcats guards Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente below their scoring averages.
