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This time each year, various sportsbooks begin to roll out exotic futures tied to college basketball. The Gaming Juice’s junior circuit junkie, Brad Evans, will occasionally unearth bets he believes present excellent value.
The pick — Michigan State to earn No. 1 seed in NCAA Tournament (+1500, FanDuel)
The Sparty party is on the verge of achieving all-time rager status. Think “Animal House” meets “The Hangover” meets “Old School.”
For Green and White fans, waking up in a pool of your own vomit never sounded so good.
As Jeff Goodman recently remarked on The Field of 68 podcast, living legend Tom Izzo is arguably in the midst of his single greatest coaching season ever. Yes, even better than in 2000 when Mateen Cleaves and company won the national championship. Izzo has developed a team with middling preseason Big Ten predictions into a national March powerhouse.
What else is new?
[ Bracket Big Board: Brad Evans' latest NCAA Tournament projections ]
With regular-season games at Iowa and against Michigan and the conference tournament in Indianapolis remaining, the Hall of Famer may have a trick or three still left up his sleeve. If the deceptions are pulled off, Izzo could improbably elevate the Spartans to the top NCAA Tournament line.
At +1500 to earn a No. 1 seed, Michigan State is worth a sprinkle. Almost unfathomable not long ago, the Spartans have a comparable resume to SEC giants Tennessee, Alabama and Florida. Frankly, if they go from Big Ten regular-season champs to the league’s tourney title game, they could grab the coveted final spot atop one of the bracket regions on Selection Sunday.
No, a tray of healthy Jell-O shots didn’t influence that last sentence.
Magic Johnson U has already built a robust profile. Currently, it’s No. 11 in the NET, sporting a strong strength of schedule (38th), sparkling 7-2 true road record and a terrific 15-5 combined mark against Quadrant 1 and Quadrant 2 competition. MSU’s No. 7 status in wins above bubble — a new metric featured in the Selection Committee process — does trail its SEC competitors slightly, but with numerous quality opportunities ahead, it has the potential to meet or surpass the others.
Destiny is in State’s hands. If Jase Richardson continues to flourish offensively and the Spartans collectively exercise their trademark defense (No. 5 in adjusted D efficiency), they’ll potentially have their name immediately called by CBS’ Adam Zucker.
If the SEC cannibalization writes another fateful chapter in Nashville with the Volunteers, Crimson Tide and Gators exiting their conference tourney before the final and State triumphantly cuts down the nets at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, backers will likely roll in riches.
Party on, Sparty.