The Big Ten holds the last championship game before the brackets are released, making the final minutes of the event feel like it stands in the way of what the nation is waiting to see.
Proposal: Move the Big Ten title game — played by teams that won’t see their seed-line move more than an inch or two — up a couple of hours on Selection Sunday, then push back the Ivy League title game — featuring nationally recognized schools in one of the nation’s most entertaining leagues — making the final game of championship week a battle between ancient rivals fighting for their lives.
Tennessee (+4.5) over Florida
The Gators have looked unstoppable since March began, scoring at least 89 points during a five-game win streak.
But the Vols already have shown they can slow the fourth-highest scoring team in the nation, holding Florida to an average of 58.5 points — 26 points below its season average — in a regular-season split.
Tennessee has thrived as an underdog this season — including yesterday’s upset of top-seeded Auburn — going 4-1 against the spread.
Wisconsin (-3.5) over Michigan
I’m not betting against the Badgers for a third straight day.
Entering the Big Ten Tournament with three losses in five games, Wisconsin has found its stride with John Tonje taking the reins.
The senior guard has averaged 29 points while helping the Badgers avenge regular-season losses to UCLA and top-seeded Michigan State.
The Wolverines — who claimed a three-point win over Wisconsin on Dec. 3 — are next.
Cornell (+5.5) over Yale
The Big Red are looking for their first NCAA Tournament berth since their 2010 Sweet 16 run and enter the Ivy League title game on a five-game win streak, averaging 92 points per game in the past three weeks.
Three of the past five meetings between the teams have been decided by four points or less, and Yale’s past five games — excluding a meeting with last-place Columbia — have been decided by an average of five points, including a 92-88 Bulldogs win over Cornell.
Their meetings this season have shown Yale will let the underdog play at its preferred pace.
Betting on College Basketball?
VCU (-7.5) over George Mason
The Rams could make the NCAA Tournament as one of the last at-large teams, but there will be no need to sweat it out.
The top team in the Atlantic 10 has lost just once since the start of February, entering yesterday with the sixth-best average scoring margin (15.3 points) in the nation.
It has been less than a month since VCU — 20-10 against the spread as a favorite — claimed a 16-point win over the Patriots despite shooting under 39 percent from the field, with an opportunistic defense built to torture one of the most turnover-prone teams in the nation.
VCU coach Ryan Odom is making his fifth conference title game appearance in seven seasons, already having led UMBC and Utah State to the Big Dance.
Last year’s title game upset loss against Duquesne will help make sure history doesn’t repeat.
This season: 9-6
2011-24 record: 378-340-12
