UAB vs North Texas: 2023 NCAA NIT Championship Predictions | College Basketball Odds [Mar 30th]

We are ready to go today to not only talk about what’s going to be happening in Houston, but we’ve got an NIT Championship game tonight. Someone’s UAB Blazers going for the National Invitational Tournament. I am the somewhat capable host TJ Reeves.

The handicappers are back. Corby Craig back. For the first time this week, Kyle Hunter joins us as well. Boys, I know we’re ready. Corby’s been on the launching pad since like 6:00 AM, ready to go about this game.

Kyle, first of all, first time that we’ve had you here this week. How are things with a Final Four in Houston set, with San Diego State, Florida, Atlantic, Miami and Yukon. As we keep joking, just what everybody had in their brackets. How you feeling, Kyle?

Kyle Hunter:

Yeah man, if you had one team in the Final Four, you probably won your bracket, if it was a small one this year. It’s been a wild March Madness. I’m excited for the Final Four, but we’ve got the NIT final here first too.

TJ Reeves:

Yes, absolutely. We’re going to look at the NIT Championship game in Las Vegas. That is Alabama Birmingham, UAB and North Texas coming up tonight, a conference USA consolation prize, if you will. First of all, Corby Craig, I am profoundly disappointed. We don’t have on any green, we don’t have on any gold. We’re going with, what is that, tan? Little beige? I’m not sure what that is.

Colby Craig:

Oh, it’s saddle.

TJ Reeves:

How you doing?

Colby Craig:

It’s called saddle because you’re about to saddle up these North Texas, about to tear it up. Why not?

TJ Reeves:

You’re making a fashion statement on the show. Saddle is the color. Okay, we’ll see how that goes here for a Thursday edition of the program. So thank you for finding us. Again, we get ready for the Final Four in Houston. God willing, guys, I will be there tomorrow in the Lone Star State, in H Town, getting ready for San Diego State, Florida Atlantic, and Miami against Connecticut in the National Semi-final Games.

We’ll come your way at 11:00 AM on BetUs tomorrow with a ton. Not that we won’t have a little bit on it today, but we’ll have a ton on the two Final Four games, obviously, tomorrow. And then we’re also here Monday for the National Championship game. Whoever emerges on Saturday night and plays in the title game, we’re here at 11:00 AM one final time on Monday on Bet US TV.

All right, so NIT championship game to talk about, get some questions and answers ready to go. Make sure if you’re just joining us here to hit the like button, make sure that you’re subscribed. I have the goal that by the time we get to Monday night, can we get to 5,200 subs? Can we get to 5,200 subscribers? I believe we can get there. We can do it with your help. I’m going to keep mentioning that today, tomorrow, for Monday’s show, et cetera. Help us out, share it out.

More and more of you have found us over the course of the last three months. The audience has more than doubled on this program. Thank you and it’s only going to get better as Thursday becomes Friday, and then championship Monday as well.

With that, let’s take a look at the records on the show. Here’s the interesting thing, no games yesterday, so that means the records remain the same. You see what the records are there at the bottom of the screen, including Corby remaining above 500, Kyle above 500 as well. One game to handicap on Thursday in college basketball. It is in Las Vegas, it’s on the neutral floor. These teams have now been out there for three or four days. They both won a semi-final game. It is UAB and North Texas. And boys, what do you say we go ahead and get into that one?

On the neutral floor, coming up in Las Vegas. So some discussion now about this matchup where UAB is the two point favorite against North Texas. The total is 128 and a half. As I said, Corby Craig was ready to talk about this game like 36 hours ago. Now he gets to do it officially on a Thursday show. Give me the opening thoughts, and I know you’re going to have an official play. I don’t think it’s any nuclear secret where you’re going, but give me some of the why. Go ahead.

Colby Craig:

Yeah, so first off, what about that Utah Valley game? Man, that was a good basketball game. But UAB’s looking good, they’re looking in form. Y’all know where I’m going, to UAB minus two. The total was actually surprisingly high. I was hoping this would be a little bit lower. I would bet the over. I bet the over in the last matchup. I actually didn’t bet on the Blazers the last matchup in the Conference USA Tournament. I believe Kyle did. I could be completely wrong on that.

But they won. Kyle shakes his head no, so I am wrong. But they did go well over the total. I think this 128’s a bit crazy. The biggest thing for me, and I’m not going to talk about why UAB’s better, yada, yada, yada. We’ve had this discussion a million times at this point. The main thing for me is, these teams have now faced each other four times this year. This will be the fourth time this year, and eight times in the last 18 months. What kind of scheme plays better to seeing that team over and over? Is it a scheme that is half court and has to force plays and force action? Or is it a team who is running young?

In my head, it makes more sense for you to be able to scheme against a team who wants to set up and see the exact same play over and over. So to get a number that’s the exact same as the last time they played, and they lost by eight in a game. They’re never led, I don’t believe, North Texas. I think that just getting the same line again is a bit strong. I made this three and a half so I don’t really love UAB, by any means in this spot, but I do think that there’s an argument to be said.

You’re seeing Tyler Perry in an offensive set for the fourth time this year, that you know exactly what he’s going to do. What is UAB going to do? They’re going to run six different defenses and one possession. They’re going to full court press, they’re going to run and try to get layups. So you can’t really scheme for that, in my opinion.

And so I think there’s a little bit of value on the side. I don’t love it, but I was hoping this would be closer to peg. I think this is going to be a really good basketball game. UAB hasn’t lost to North Texas, other than the Jelly injury. That doesn’t count. He wasn’t there. But North Texas came to UAB last year and hit a game winning shot, and since then have not lost.

So give me the Blazers, and we should be in March Madness. I’m still an advocate that we should be there. FAU’s is UAB 2.0. So by all means.

TJ Reeves:

The interesting thing, Corby gave his thoughts, Kyle Hunter, is that Conference USA has yet to lose a March postseason game. And I see you nodding, you know this. Obviously, you knew where I was going.

Charlotte won the CBI Tournament, won all the games on the neutral floor in Daytona Beach. Now these two teams won their different games to build up to Las Vegas, and each won a semi-final game. I think we are now up to, let me do the quick math. 4, 4, 4, and I think was the CBI five more tournament wins. So we’re now up to 13 and 0, or maybe 14 and 0 for Conference USA. My point is, Kyle, somebody’s got to take a loss tonight, in this one between UAB and North Texas. Fourth meeting of the year. Give me a little handicapping on the neutral floor in Las Vegas. Obviously, these teams very familiar with each other, UAB and North Texas.

Kyle Hunter:

Yeah, it’s a fourth meeting in one year is pretty unheard of. You don’t see that very often, that’s for sure. Like you said, they won the CBI. They’re going to win the NIT, a team in the Final Four. The winner of the postseason here has been Conference USA. We always talk about which will be the conference that kind of steps up. Definitely C USA.

This game being played at Orleans Arena, gym’s been good for shooters and overs. In fact, overs are 154 and 128. That’s 54.6% overs, averaging going over by 2.22 points. This is a soft rims. They definitely are very helpful for the shooters. This is a low number for almost everybody except for North Texas game. North Texas games are almost graded on a different curve than everybody else. Which team gets their preferred pace?

The first meeting was 61 possessions, the second was 71 with two overtimes, so very slow. The third was 67, which UAB won that game, their preferred pace. Now UAB started ahead 22 to 2 in that game, so that kind of dictated the tempo as well. North Texas can’t really stall when they’re losing by 20 points right away.

And the three games, 115 shot quality, thinks that one should have been 120. The overtime game is obviously a bit skewed because there’s double overtime. Then you’ve got the conference USA tournament game, 145. They think it should have been 155. If I bet a total here, I would’ve bet the over. But like Corby, I was hoping for this to be lower.

And TJ, I can’t take North Texas overs. It’s so hard. It’s almost like friends don’t let friends bet North Texas overs. Why would you do something like that? This is not a fun experience. Ask the people who bet Wisconsin and North Texas over the other night. Just a brutal beat. Got to be one of the worst ones I’ve seen. The size here on this one-

TJ Reeves:

Wisconsin, am I correct, did not score a point in the last 10 minutes of the game? Bagel?

Kyle Hunter:

Nine something, of last 9:07, or something like that, of the game. And three points in the last 13 minutes. Just absolutely unheard of, even for Wisconsin. Just crazy. The side here I think is difficult.

Usmani out for North Texas certainly helps UAB. He had 13 and 15 in the two North Texas wins. I thought UAB got a pretty unfavorable whistle against Utah Valley in that game. Honestly, I think Corby maybe should have covered that game when he had UAB the other game, because even in overtime, remember when KJ Buffen fouled out, that was a really bad call. That kind of changed things from UAB having a decent lead to Utah Valley being right back in it.

And I think that UAB’s wins in the NIT have been more impressive than North Texas’. So if you had gone back and asked me at the beginning of the NIT who I thought I’d be taking here, I probably would’ve taken North Texas. But a straight picking line, I would probably bet UAB here. Given the current line, I don’t know if it’s a great value.

But I think UAB’s a little bit better team in the current spot. I will say too, the final thing is, Jelly Walker’s possession usage has been extremely high against North Texas, in their games so far this year. He had a bad shooting day against Utah Valley. I think Jelly props over might be a good bet and something like this, because I think he’s going to get plenty of shots up in this one. Probably not going to shoot as poorly as he did the other night.

TJ Reeves:

All right, so nothing official from Kyle. Not surprisingly, we locked Corby in, laying the two points in this matchup tonight. And we mentioned, there have been teams even recently play each other four times in a season. I still have the flashback to 1992, my senior year at then Memphis State, where Penny Hardaway and the Tigers lost, not once, not twice, not just three times in the great Midwest Tournament Championship game, but even in the Elite Eight game in Kansas City to the Cincinnati Bearcats, Bob Huggins and Nick Van Exel and company.

So not only four meetings in a season, but four losses that year. A few years later, Michigan State played Wisconsin four times in the 2000 season, including in the Final Four. It was an ugly Final Four game in Indianapolis. Michigan State beat Wisconsin all four times that year as well. In this situation, the record is two and one here for North Texas against UAB in this matchup.

All right, so let’s lock Corby in. He’s on the Blazers tonight in Las Vegas. This one, I’m verifying the game time, correct guys, is 6:30 Pacific Time, 9:30 Eastern Time, 8:30 in the Central Time zone where Corby is. Tonight on ESPN2 for the NIT Championship Game, neutral floor in Las Vegas for that matchup. Did you have anything in closing there, Corby? Anything else to add before we move on to some questions and answers and the stuff about Saturday and the Final Four in Houston?

Colby Craig:

No, I’m just glad it’s North Texas. Wisconsin deserved to win that game. I would be curious what the shock quality result of that Wisconsin North Texas game is. I can’t imagine North Texas wins that game, basically ever. But I’m glad it’s North Texas Conference USA. I think it’s funny everybody has this notion of this Conference USA three tier, we can win it all. Every single one of these teams are leaving next year. I find that funny. So they won’t be in Conference USA, but it is good for the current moment.

TJ Reeves:

And look, there’s something to be said. You guys didn’t say this, but this is the qualifier. These are all teams that weren’t good enough to be in the NCAA tournament that they’re playing against. So you have to take that into consideration, because we kept talking about this at the beginning of the CBI, and at the beginning of this NIT Tournament, who really cares? Some of these programs really care, some do not, to be in the NIT.

And then they play like they do not care, especially once they fall behind. So you just have to be careful in skewing it too much. Still, the record is the record for Conference USA thus far.

All right guys, time for a little Q&A. Again, Kyle here for the first time so far this week. These guys will be back with me tomorrow to make official plays on the game. But we can certainly have futures discussions still, discussion as well on player props or anything else that you like here. I know that mid-major Matt and Mattie Cox were going over some player props, some individual things that they liked yesterday on the show.

So some question and answer time for you folks, to get in here with us while we still have a few minutes left on a Thursday edition of the show. All right, how about this, North Texas in the first half, a first half line look on the Mean Green in the NIT tonight? As a question here.

All right, so a thought on that? Kyle, maybe you’re… You did cover that a little bit though. Any thought on North Texas, maybe even live, if UAB gets up a little bit in the first segment of the game? First half total? Anything interesting there, Kyle Hunter?

Kyle Hunter:

I think first half over would be my lean in this game, over 59. It’s just such a low number. You never know how the end of the game will play out. If it’s really close, sometimes that can’t slow down the pace.

As far as North Texas side, it looks to me like there’s some money coming in on UAB. I think this number will probably go up more, if anything. So if you like UAB, I think I’d bet it now. If you like North Texas, I’d probably wait. It looks to me like the Mean Green are going to be catching a bigger number here in a few minutes.

So I don’t have any strong opinion, obviously. And like I said, I think over is an incredibly difficult play to make in a North Texas game. I just think that UAB is a slightly better team in this. And UAB’s going to do everything they can to try to speed the game up.

TJ Reeves:

Corby, any thought on a first half play on either side? Just real quick.

Colby Craig:

Yeah, one note on the spread real quick. As Kyle brought up, money’s coming in on UAB, so if you like North Texas, it’s happened every game in this tournament for UAB, every sharp has hit UAB. We saw from one and a half at open, in the last matchup versus Utah Valley, it closed at five, which I thought five is too much. I thought Utah Valley was probably the play there.

So if you want North Texas, wait. Probably wait till the last second possible, because money’s been coming in on UAB all year at this point, or all tournament at this point.

As for the total, I’d probably win the first half over. I think that the whole UAB going up 22 to 2, to start the game, wasn’t really a fluke. I think that it was more unintentional game plan to try to force North Texas out theirs. Because if you watch that game, they had a real reason to be running. They don’t really run full court press like they were at the start. So maybe a UAB first to 10, first to 20 type bet, because if they can get that 20, that early lead, they’re going to force North Texas out some red zone.

TJ Reeves:

All right, good enough on the discussion on the NIT. TJ question, Kyle, you have not been with us here as of yet. Miami opened as a five and a half point underdog. I am a bit surprised that that line remains there, that there hasn’t been some money, even some strong money, come in on Miami. Do you think, projecting that some money may come in on Miami, especially Friday night or Saturday morning, and that line may drop to four and a half or four, there may be significant money coming in? Or what is your read on that line staying steady with Connecticut favored over the Hurricanes?

Kyle Hunter:

Yukon was so good against Gonzaga. They ran them off the floor so much. Recency bias is definitely a thing. So I think it’s hard to bet Miami in this spot. We’ll talk about the breakdown of the game, obviously, but I don’t think too many public betters are going to want to bet Miami after what they just saw with Yukon blowing out Gonzaga. I think you could argue that Gonzaga had their will broken about halfway through the second half. And then that was just kind of it.

But Yukon has been so impressive, I don’t think the line is going to go toward Miami very much. I think five would be the lowest it would get, and then people would be wanting to back Yukon in that one. I think if you had taken this number a couple games ago, five and a half would’ve been too high. But based on how Yukon has played in the last couple, I don’t think it can drop much.

TJ Reeves:

All right, so I sometimes come bearing stats. So this is off the Three Dog Thursday Podcast and Show. Obviously, we delve into underdogs. How about this one, one of my handicappers on that show came up with his own original research scanning back to February of 2021, 2 seasons ago, and then coming forward. And he may have missed a single game, but the premise still remains the same.

He calculated 31 times that the Miami Hurricanes have been underdogs since February of 2021. An ACC play, ACC Tournament, NCA Tournament, et cetera. They have covered 26 times in those 31 games, for what it’s worth, including the two most recent ones with outright wins over Houston and Texas. They have 18 outright wins as an underdog going back to February of 2021, for what it’s worth. And we’re looking here at that Midwest bracket.

Nice job, Kevin, with the Midwest bracket. They beat the one seed and they beat the two seed as an underdog. Corby Craig, give me a thought on that. I did not realize that it was that good for Jim Larrañaga and Miami against the number as a doggy. This includes everything, ACC Tournament, NCA Tournament, all of it for the last couple of years. Corby, a thought on hearing that stat, if you would, about the Miami Hurricanes?

Colby Craig:

Yeah, I’m a Debbie Downer on those kind of stats. I think that they’re cool in discussion, but at the same time, those players, and those situations, and the teams that they’re playing aren’t the same. Obviously, it speaks a lot more to the coach than anything. But I take them with a cool conversation piece. It’s like talking about who’s the best of all time. It’s similar discrepancy, of does it actually matter? It’s hearsay, she say, however you want to say that saying.

But yeah, I don’t think it matters too much. 31 games ago, was Isaiah Wong even prevalent on the team? Who was he being matched up against?

TJ Reeves:

Right.

Colby Craig:

I think it’s-

TJ Reeves:

Certainly two seasons ago, it doesn’t matter. It’s different players, transfer portal, whatever. Last year you could make an argument, but I want to say this season they’ve got like six outright wins as an underdog, including these two most recent ones. So Kyle, anything on that real quick, on a Miami trend?

Kyle Hunter:

Yeah, I’m probably somewhere in between on that one. I do think it matters some, because Larrañaga is such a good coach. I wouldn’t want to bet solely based on something like that.

I’m starting to wonder if Larrañaga is maybe be like what Tom Izzo has been propped up to be. Izzo is a tremendous coach. I’m not saying Izzo’s a bad coach. But why doesn’t Larrañaga get the same March love at this point? Because he’s done a tremendous job year after year. I see, I was looking at the query when you were talking about this, TJ, and it is nine and one in the last 10, as a dog. And it looks like it’s seven or eight outright wins.

So yeah, definitely been a really good angle. So if you’d been NCAA Basketball betting this, you would’ve had really good money. I think it’s something to consider because of the coach. I don’t think it matters too much based on the players. I think coaching wise, you can also see this kind of trend in college football. You have some teams that certain coaches have been amazing as an underdog and not very good as a favorite. I think that kind of plays itself to the way that coaches can motivate the team when they’re underdogs.

TJ Reeves:

Kane’s Nation is asking in the chat, weren’t they an underdog to Indiana? Yes, they were in that one as well. So it’s three straight wins in this tournament. When we talk about recency, it’s wins over Indiana, Houston, and then Texas, as an underdog so far in this tournament, for what it’s worth.

By the way, there’s a lot of chat banter back and forth about Yukon being unbeatable. And I love the comment from Graham. It’s not a question, the comment from Graham in the chat is, “People in this chat were touting Houston and Alabama all last Thursday and Friday. There it is, and they didn’t make it to the Final Four.” So again, Yukon has looked impressive. There is no disputing that Yukon has won every game by 15 or more. But it’s what happens next. In another new setting in a football stadium, do they still shoot it the same way?

For example, Kyle, I know you hadn’t been here with us, but let’s bring up this point again. Miami won a game in Kansas City, down by 13 without making a three point shot. That is almost unheard of, again, in the modern college basketball. And what that says is, even if the threes aren’t falling in the football stadium, they can win with some one-on-one hero ball, with getting to the foul line, with executing their offense in the mid-range game without the three pointers.

Kyle, say something more about that, because that’s, that’s even more impressive on that comeback, that they didn’t use threes to do it Sunday against Texas.

Kyle Hunter:

Yeah, TJ, I watched all that game and I’m still not really sure how they came back and won that game. I think you could argue that was just as much about Texas kind of falling apart as it was Miami coming back too.

But yeah, it’s incredibly impressive that they were able to do that. Now what I am dubious of, and we can talk about this more tomorrow, is that Miami seems to play good defense late in the game after they’ve been poor defensively throughout the course of the game. I don’t know if you can always just turn it on defensively, like when you need to come up with a stop even though you’ve been bad defensively in general. So that would worry me a bit.

Yukon is playing on a different level than the teams that they’ve been playing against. And Texas has been playing really good as well, but I think Yukon’s an even more talented team than is Texas. So tough. They’re up against it here, but it’s hard also to just go guns a blazing taking Yukon in a game like this, because the markets as high as they could possibly be on Yukon.

TJ Reeves:

Very interesting on that. All right, Arthur watching us, just a quick comment here, says, “Women’s Final Four, anybody want to give the ladies some love? Clark,” he means Caitlin Clark and Iowa, “she is a fantastic scorer.”

Here’s the thing, South Carolina is undefeated, they’re the defending champs, and I’ve had more than one analyst telling me, the thing about Iowa is they don’t guard anybody. And now they’re about to play a Godzilla in this semi-final game, in Dallas, about three hours, three and a half hours depending on how fast you drive, north of Houston.

So that’s one semi-final. The other one is LSU and Virginia Tech. Kim Mulkey, the former Baylor National Championship coach as the coach at LSU. What is it? Angel Reese is the star player for LSU. I’m dropping some women’s Final Four love on the Bet US College Basketball Show. The ladies deserve some of that love.

And Corby Craig, Caitlin Clark, I don’t care if it’s women’s game, men’s game, rec league, whatever, she’s shooting from 30, 32 feet and bombing them in. She is fun to watch. Quick comment, Corby or Kyle?

Colby Craig:

Yeah, she’s definitely fun to watch. I saw the stat that they had more views in that game that any NBA game all year this year, which is very impressive first off, but also a testament to how bad the NBA has become. Caitlin Clark’s always fun to watch. I will say-

TJ Reeves:

It was the most viewers in any cable primetime window, because they had almost two and a half million viewers for the Iowa win over Louisville. There certainly have been some network games on a ABC that have been higher rated, but I know what you mean on the point.

And she’s a big reason why. She is a brand name, Kyle. There are people that know who she is, and more that know who she is after that game Sunday night. And she’s one of those, that if she’s across mid court, she’s about in range. You better be ready. And South Carolina will be ready. Dawn Staley’s team is a machine. Kyle, a quick thought.

Kyle Hunter:

Yeah, I’ve read about the environment at Iowa for those games. Those home games for the women’s basketball team have been pretty crazy, getting sold out because of Caitlin Clark and company. I would think that would be a super high scoring game. Now the total’s 149 and a half, so the odds makers know it’s going to be pretty high scoring.

But it would surprise me if South Carolina doesn’t score a lot of points in that game. Now the question is how many will Iowa score? I see it’s 80 and a half team total for South Carolina, 68 and a half for Iowa. On the surface it’s a little surprising to see South Carolina favored by 12 against an Iowa team that’s been that good. But South Carolina’s been an absolute machine. So I think it’s probably fair there.

I would probably bet the over if I did that, but I’m going to be fair and say women’s college basketball, I wouldn’t say it was my biggest strong suit.

TJ Reeves:

Right?

Kyle Hunter:

So take that with the grain of salt.

TJ Reeves:

Again, I got a chance to interview one of the top play-by-play and analyst ladies that is in the college game, and she worked some of the early round tournament games on ESPN. And she volunteered, “Iowa, exciting, but they guard no one. They play no defense.” And that is probably going to be trouble against South Carolina and that’s why that line is that significant.

Again, the women’s games are Friday night and Sunday night in the Lone Star State. Will it be LSU and South Carolina in an all SEC Championship game? We’ll see what happens there.

All right, anything else out of the live chat to cover? There’s a lot of people asking about different stuff. Let’s see, Arthur says, “TJ’s stepping up. Thank you guys.” Yes, we gave a little love. We give a little love-

Colby Craig:

I got two things, TJ.

TJ Reeves:

I got the ladies in my household, I got to keep up with the women’s basketball and the women’s Final Four. Yes, Corby, go ahead.

Colby Craig:

So first, if you were to like South Carolina Women’s, bet US Women’s National Championship odds, South Carolina is a -350. So if you’re trying to take the 900 versus Iowa, so it would make lot more to assume that you can roll that over to probably a better number at 350. So honestly that future isn’t bad. If the correct market value is 900 to Iowa, I would say that’s not bad.

Because Iowa and West Virginia, or Virginia Tech are basically the same in odds. So interesting to note 350 seems crazy to think about, but if they’re 900 in the Final Four, then by all means.

Also, I don’t know if we want to do it, but somebody asked about, Kyle and I both got baseball, talk about a quick baseball on the show?

TJ Reeves:

Yes, one more thing before you get to a baseball thing. Just for what it’s worth, if it’s South Carolina and LSU Sunday night, South Carolina beat the breaks off of LSU in the regular season and beat them by 24 points, in the only meeting they had at home. For whatever that’s worth, that’s the one meeting they have. I’m looking in the SEC Tournament, they did not play.

South Carolina won the SEC Tournament by beating Tennessee in the championship game, there for that. And South Carolina, for what it’s worth, has won every game by 30, 31, 16, and 11 in the four tournament games. Again, they are like a new version of Yukon right now.

Lot of quick little women’s insight here for the women’s Final Four for what’s going to happen. And good advice there, Corby, on maybe it’s better on the future’s play to bet South Carolina right now before the Final Four games begin.

Yes, baseball beginning today in just a little while, all over the country. And my market in Tampa Bay, it is the 25th anniversary of the Tampa Bay Ray’s first ever game, March the 30th, 1998. It’s now March the 30th, 2023 and they’re playing the same team, the Detroit Tigers.

But all over, in Atlanta, Cincinnati, LA, New York, Chicago, everywhere, they’ve got baseball starting up. So you guys have some interest in this. Corby, any interest in this? I know we got the MLB Show that’s going to be on daily on Bet Us TV. Anything, Corby?

Colby Craig:

Yeah, I’m on the Bet US Show Monday, Wednesday, Friday, everyday [inaudible 00:28:29] I think it’s at noon eastern. I’m pretty confident, I haven’t been on them yet.

TJ Reeves:

Yes.

Colby Craig:

But yeah, I thought it would just be fun to shoot one play, just because we don’t have that much basketball to talk about. But if you have a Bet US account, I’ve been scrolling through trying to find if there’re just any good numbers. A lot of these have gotten smacked already.

But you can get a Blake Snell strikeout prop, over six and a half -110. The market’s basically -140, so at 110, I like it. There’s a couple locals that have it, but I Bet US 110, that’s a really good number. As for an actual non player pro type bet, I took the Blue Jays to beat the Cardinals today at 106. Trying to pull up what they are right now. Don’t have it in front of me. I’ve pulled up props on accident.

But I like the Blue Jay’s. [inaudible 00:29:15] some Cardinal stock, was a much better player than he’s given credit for. So 106, this is a coin flip. And I don’t think Michael Willis should be a coin flip versus this Blue Jay’s offense by any means.

TJ Reeves:

Yeah, Blue Jay’s in St. Louis, Blake Snell for the Padres against the Rockies later tonight. Kyle, you got anything on baseball? Just real quick before we’re out of here?

Kyle Hunter:

Yeah, it’s great that Corby’s going to be on the Bet US Baseball Show. That should be a great show. So everybody tune into that here as we have a new season starting off.

But I like the, first, for a season win total, I like the Phillies under 88 and a half. I got 89 and a half. I’ve seen 88 and a half still today. I think that’s a good season win total bet with their injuries. And for a game today, I think totals are a little tricky to bet, so I wouldn’t go big heavy on it as we try to figure out how the new rules are going to work. But Arizona and the Dodgers, under seven and a half would be my favorite total here today.

TJ Reeves:

Yankees and Giants coming up in a little while. Orioles Red Sox in a little while. Braves and Nationals. So the baseball going, and again noon, as we do this live, it will be the MLB Show, noon Eastern Time. Coming up in a little while to give you some breakdown, Monday through Friday through BET US TV.

By the way, who’s got the comment? Somebody is asking, Big Ben 255 wants to know, “Corby, if you get the UAB NIT win, are you going Mohawk? Are we going to go quaff change for the UAB victory?”

Colby Craig:

I got to keep something near my ears. I have really big ears. So I try to keep the puff, because now people go, “Man, he’s got puffy hair,” and they don’t look at my ears.

TJ Reeves:

In my case, and I know this is Kyle’s case, I got nothing to Mohawk, brother, down the middle. You at least have some salad to Mohawk if necessary. I’ll agree with that. We shall see.

Colby Craig:

I’ll put some green dye in it for our final show.

TJ Reeves:

I would not be doing my job, we got to leave in a second. You have constantly bragged that you’ve been in communication with Jelly Walker. Are you in communication with Jelly? And has Jelly given you the green light that he’s going to go off tonight? You have not shared that on the show to this point. Are you holding out on us? What’s the Jelly update?

Colby Craig:

Jelly’s been playing pretty bad lately, so he needs to stop texting me and figure out what he’s going to do. No, I will say, there’s not many people funnier in this entire world than KJ Buffen. That kid is a hoot and a half. And they’re in Las Vegas, so he’s had some funny stories on his social feed. He’s just-

TJ Reeves:

All right.

Colby Craig:

He’s one of the easier people to like in the world. So yeah, the Blazer’s locked in, kind of, and hopefully get it done.

TJ Reeves:

So the best bet, and the only bet if we have this graphically, is, again, Corby laying the two with UAB. That’s not surprising. There it is on the show, Blazers in the NIT championship game in Las Vegas.

All right, guys, we will have one more show before the Final Four, and that will be tomorrow. You boys ready to go? NIT Title Game tonight. Check out our sportsbook website. Final Four discussion tomorrow for San Diego State, Florida Atlantic and Miami Yukon for official plays.

Kyle Hunter, great job today. Corby Craig, good stuff. Kevin, everybody at Bet US, great job. Again, the MLB Show will be kicking off first time today, noon. Corby’s got the slugger bat. Don’t damage anything in the house before the show. We’re back tomorrow, Friday at 11:00 AM Eastern Time. Tons on the Final Four semi-finals. You will want to be here. We look forward to it here on the Bet US College Basketball Show.