The SEC and Big Ten are at the center of developing a revenue sharing plan with players that would redefine college athletics for the future, CBS Sports has learned.
The still unrefined proposal — currently utilizing the name “Modern Model” — would not only share revenue with players but also perhaps help settle the House v. NCAA lawsuit that goes to trial in January 2025. The antitrust lawsuit is a class-action complaint alleging the NCAA and power conferences have conspired to suppress athletes’ compensation.
The lawsuit continues to be the top hurdle for programs in planning college athletics’ future. Settlement money alone could cost universities between $15 million and $20 million. Athletic directors have been frustrated trying to figure out how to rearrange their budgets or otherwise account for a payment of that size.
ESPN reported Monday night that the Power Four conferences are in “deep discussions” regarding a revenue sharing plan. It is not clear where that revenue would come from or how it would be distributed.
Sources told CBS Sports the revenue-sharing idea emerged from ongoing talks between Power Four administrators. In February, the SEC and Big Ten announced a joint advisory group to address the future of college athletics.
House plaintiffs attorney Jeffrey Kessler had no comment when reached, neither about the plan nor the prospect of settling the lawsuit.
“It’s something that [schools] hope they can take to Kessler and say, ‘Here’s something that we propose as the future model. Will you take this to settle as the future part of your case?'” explained a source familiar with the talks.
The House suit claims college athletes are entitled to a share of television revenue as well as money from their likenesses appearing in video games from the past.
Because it is an antitrust case, damages sought could be tripled. If the case goes to a jury and the NCAA loses, the association could be on the hook for at least $4.2 billion.
USA Today quoted a sports economics expert for the plaintiffs who said 7,000 current and former athletes would be entitled to that money.
“It’s the case that could end the NCAA,” sports law attorney Mit Winter told CBS Sports.
Since at least July 2021, major college athletics has been stuck in neutral as NIL emerged as a largely uncontrolled way to compensate players. Furthermore, multiple lawsuits and court rulings have gone against the NCAA. The landmark Alston v. NCAA ruling basically stripped the NCAA of its ability to even oversee compensation.
The association is facing at least three other major antitrust suits.
The SEC and Big Ten have increasingly taken over the sport as not just leading stakeholders but leaders, period. This was further evidenced by their recent demand to receive a combined 58% of College Football Playoff media revenue rights beginning in 2026. The conferences’ teams have combined to obtain 29 of 40 CFP slots across the first 10 years of the playoff.
The 2024 NFL Draft saw a record-shattering 23 offensive players taken in the first round, including 14 consecutive picks on that side of the ball to start April’s event. Five of the top-10 picks were quarterbacks. Oregon’s Bo Nix made it six total signal-callers off the board within the first 32 selections when the Denver Broncos drafted him 12th overall.
UCLA edge rusher Laitu Latu had to wait almost two hours before the Indianapolis Colts took him off the board at No. 15, breaking the historic streak of assorted quarterbacks, wide receivers and offensive linemen.
While the top of the 2024 crop was filled with players whose main objective is to score the football, the 2025 class is highlighted by an elite group of guys with the sole purpose of stopping them. Add in what looks like a relatively weak group of quarterbacks and — as of this writing — no superstars (think Marvin Harrison Jr. level) at the skill positions, 2025 looks to be top-heavy with defenders.
Several players at every level of defense could develop into Day 1 picks. Call it the year of the defender, a resurgence of the often unheralded unit in football after all the glitz of 2024. Here are some defensive stars that could dominate the 2025 NFL Draft.
James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee Pay attention to Pearce’s name, because you might hear it called first next April. The former unheralded recruit out of Charlotte, North Carolina has quickly emerged as one of the best players in all of college football — regardless of position. He tied for the SEC lead with 10 sacks last season and amassed well over 40 pressures while singlehandedly wrecking opposing backfields. Though his 6-foot-5 and 242-pound frame may look slight against SEC offensive tackles, Pearce has deceptive power and packs a punch at the point of attack. He also jumps out of his stance to race past offensive linemen and has a deep bag of pass-rush tools. If Pearce continues to develop, NFL teams will be tripping over themselves in pursuit of his talent.
Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M Scourton, who ranks as the No. 15 overall player and No. 1 edge rusher in 247Sports’ Transfer Rankings, was a huge get for first-year Texas A&M coach Mike Elko. Scourton led the Big Ten with 10 sacks last season while starring with Purdue. He had two against Michigan, which boasted one of the nation’s best offensive lines throughout its journey to a 15-0 season. Scourton registered at least a half sack in eight of 11 appearances and finished the year with 42 pressures, averaging almost four per game. At 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds, he comes with an NFL-ready frame. A strong season with the Aggies will vault him up NFL Draft boards.
Deone Walker, DL, Kentucky It’s kind of freaky how well Walker moves given his immense frame. A 6-foot-6 and 348-pound behemoth, he’s Kentucky’s best pass rusher despite frequently drawing double teams on the interior. He paced the Wildcats with 7.5 sacks last season and tallied well over 50 pressures. That kind of production from a true nose tackle-type player is almost unheard of, especially when battling in the SEC trenches. He’s obviously an effective gap stuffer and run-stopper on top of his ability to disrupt. Walker is the complete package, and it wouldn’t take him long to acclimate to the professional level.
Mason Graham, DL, Michigan It didn’t take long for Graham to make an impact on Michigan’s coaches. He earned a key rotational role as a freshman in 2022 despite the presence of several veteran players ahead of him and parlayed that into a starting opportunity in 2023. He flourished in the spotlight, finishing the year with 30 generated pressures, 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks while helping the Wolverines their first national title since 1997.
Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss Ole Miss struggled against the run at times last season. In its two losses against Alabama and Georgia, it gave up a combined 431 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. Nolen will go a long way towards fixing that issue. The No. 2 overall prospect in the 2022 class and the No. 3 player in 247Sports’ Transfer Rankings, Nolen is a monster against the run. He moves well laterally and fills gaps with his 6-foot-4 frame, clogging running lanes and preventing running backs from getting space. That translated to 8.5 tackles for loss at Texas A&M in 2023. Nolen has suffered through some injury issues in the past, and he needs to work on consistency before he can hit that next level. But when he’s on, few interior defenders compare.
Harold Perkins, LB, LSU LSU has moved Perkins all over the field during his relatively brief collegiate career. He flourished into a starting role as a freshman, where he played primarily off the edge and registered 7.5 sacks. The staff tinkered with him at inside linebacker early in the 2023 season before moving him back toward the line of scrimmage. Amid the transition, his production dropped off a bit. Now he’s back in the box with the hopes that he can settle in as a playmaker in the middle of the field. Perkins certainly has the athletic traits to flourish as a sideline-to-sideline tackling machine. It’s not a bad idea to just turn him loose and let him go after the ball.
Travis Hunter, ATH, Colorado Hunter is an athlete in the purest sense of the word. He excels at both cornerback and wide receiver and the return game. The jury is still out on where he’ll find a home in the NFL but, at worst, Hunter is a ball of clay that can be molded into just about any role. If teams decide to use him as a defensive back, no one could fault them. Hunter is a sticky corner with excellent ball skills thanks to his offensive experience. Though limited to just nine games due to injury last season, he still managed three interceptions and five pass breakups while playing more snaps than just about any non-quarterback in the country. He can handle that load, though he’ll almost certainly settle into one position in the NFL.
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan A former top-40 prospect out of Grosse Point, Michigan, Johnson started five games for the Wolverines in 2022 as a true freshman before stepping into a more permanent role last season. He was a fixture on the defense that spearheaded Michigan’s run to its national title and earned first-team All-American honors after tallying four interceptions and four pass breakups. On top of that, he was named the Defensive MVP of the College Football Playoff National Championship after logging an interception off of 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. to start the second half. The 6-foot-2 Johnson has excellent length at boundary corner and was clocked at 20 miles per hour during a pick-six return against Minnesota. He’s also a willing tackler, a trait that NFL front offices love from their cornerbacks.
Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame Morrison has been one of Notre Dame’s top defenders from the moment he stepped foot on campus. He immediately nabbed a starting job in 2022 and earned 247Sports Freshman All-American honors after logging six interceptions, which led the Fighting Irish and tied for seventh nationally. He added three more interceptions to his career total in 2023 while also leading his team with 10 pass breakups. Opponents are slowly learning that testing Morrison is not a wise decision, which just makes it easier for him to completely lock down his side of the field.
Malaki Starks, S, Georgia This was Starks’ first career interception, in his very first quarter at the collegiate level:
A TRUE FRESHMAN @StarksMalaki!#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/zg3DFkovcX
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) September 3, 2022 That set the tone for one of the most prolific careers we have seen from a safety in quite some time. Starks finished his first year as a finalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award after pacing the Bulldogs with seven pass breakups and intercepting two passes. In 2023, Starks was a 2023 CBS Sports First Team All-American and a finalist for both the Bronko Nagurski and Jim Thorpe Awards while collecting three interceptions and seven pass breakups. Starks is the ideal modern safety: he can move like a wide receiver in open space, has excellent ball skills and isn’t afraid to get down into the box and play run support.
LOS ANGELES — With an aim to be more visible, more accessible and more personable, UCLA held its spring showcase inside the Rose Bowl for the first time in nearly a decade this past weekend.
It’s an approach the Bruins have carried over to their talent acquisition efforts, too. A program which is coming off a last-place finish in the Big Ten recruiting rankings and signed only 10 high schoolers in the 2024 class has quite literally reopened its doors.
In the two months since Chip Kelly left the building on his way to Ohio State, the Bruins have charted a different blueprint. They have sent out more campus invites and have begun to offer underclassmen again. They packed the sidelines at their inaugural Friday Night Lights event, which head coach DeShaun Foster estimated drew more than 100 recruits, and that newfound buzz continued Saturday when they welcomed a loaded group of prospects back to the Rose Bowl.
“People keep telling us they feel a different energy at UCLA now,” director of player personnel Stacey Ford said. “The plan is to be as open and as inclusive as we can be for the city of Los Angeles. We want to be extremely engaging and want the whole town to see what we’re about.”
That’s a stark contrast from how distant the program felt for recruits over the previous six seasons. Under Kelly, only Clemson was offering fewer scholarships than UCLA among FBS teams, yet perhaps most damaging to his roster construction was how late the Bruins were getting involved in recruitments. By the time UCLA threw its name in the hat for a recruit, it was already three or four steps behind.
In two short months, the pace has seemingly picked up — more than 70 high schoolers in the 2025 class hold UCLA offers and nearly two dozen official visits are on the calendar for the next four weekends, according to the 247Sports database. With plenty of room and time to go, UCLA has four commitments in its 2025 class, which ranks No. 53. Its 2024 cycle slotted No. 90 nationally.
More: Latest look at UCLA’s offensive recruiting targets in 2025 class
In order to pull the necessary strings, the Bruins revamped their recruiting office by hiring Butler Benton (general manager), Chris Carter (assistant general manager) and the aforementioned Ford, who previously spent two years as director of recruiting at Washington State and played his high school ball at Cathedral, just a nine-mile drive south from Pasadena.
The personnel department spearheads a singular push to carry out Foster’s vision for a reimagined UCLA.
“The goal is to change the narrative,” said Carter, who played seven seasons in the NFL after being a fifth-round draft selection in 2011 out of Fresno State. “We want to take UCLA back to what it was before. From a recruiting perspective we want to change the vibe.
“This is LA. We need to get back into the community and we don’t want to waste that resource, but that doesn’t mean we will be handing out offers to just anybody. Some people might not like it, but it’s no different than going to the club. Not everybody gets in. You have to be elite.”
Coveted tackle Darius Afalava is among the players who recently landed an offer from UCLA. The three-star offensive lineman from Lehi (Utah) Skyridge had more than 20 scholarship offers to his name before the Bruins entered the picture four weeks ago and, although he had to wait, said it’s a significant option in his equation.
“It really came out of nowhere,” Afalava said. “This new coaching staff really likes me and I like their intentions. I feel like it’s been even more energetic since they came in. I locked in my official visit for May 10.”
Kelly’s quarterback recruiting in Westwood was particularly puzzling. He inherited former four-star Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who had initially committed to Jim Mora, before seeing the likes of Bryce Young, Jayden Daniels, CJ Stroud and Nico Iamaleava all leave town. The Bruins did finally score a big win by flipping five-star Dante Moore from Oregon, only to lose him to the Ducks after the lone season at UCLA. For as selective and exclusive as the offers were for Kelly, the actual legwork fell short and that’s another aspect the new staff intends to improve on.
Local four-star Madden Iamaleava, the brother of Nico, has the Bruins high on his list heading into the official visits, while a handful of quarterbacks in the 2026 class, including four-star Jaden O’Neal from Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne, have landed offers from UCLA. O’Neal ranks as the No. 6 quarterback in 2026.
“The biggest thing for me is that DeShaun has always reached out and has always had that relationship,” said O’Neal’s quarterback coach, Ortege Jenkins. “The difference now is that the coaches have the ability to offer and ramp up their recruiting. They didn’t have that ability before. Chip was locked on the quarterbacks and maybe that’s why they missed on so many guys.
Jenkins singled out new coaches Eric Bienemy (offensive coordinator) and Ted White (quarterbacks coach). Bienemy of course comes from THE NFL, where he won two Super Bowls with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. An engaging presence, White has coached all over, from the NFL (Texans), to the Big Ten (Maryland), to the HBCU ranks (multiple schools) and even the UFL (the D.C. Defenders in 2020).
“When we went on the tour last month, we loved the energy and transparency of the coaches,” Jenkins said. “They’re going to be more aggressive and for them to open the door makes a big difference. The culture is changing for the better.”
Top247 running back Brian Bonner, a four-star prospect in the 2026 class from nearby Valencia (Calif.), walked into the stadium on Saturday with an offer from the Bruins already in hand and walked out of there knowing he’s a top-of-the-board target for Foster, who has been presenting a personal pitch.
“I stand out to him because I am a taller running back like he was,” said the speedy Bonner, who has posted impressive track times this spring. “I feel like UCLA would be a good spot for me to be at being coached under coach Foster.”
The 44-year-old Foster has yet to coach a game, of course, so there are still many questions left to answer about the on-field product, especially considering the quality and depth of the Big Ten. Yet it’s clear the former Carolina Panthers star running back has, at the very least, provided a reinvigorating jolt to a team that desperately needed some electricity off the field.
“It’s been super awesome to see the energy from the staff and players rise to a whole other level,” said three-star linebacker Weston Port, UCLA’s first commit of the class. “There seems to be a ton of excitement surrounding the new head coaching change in the building. I had the opportunity to go to practice a couple weeks ago and as a recruit I’ve never been to a practice with so much energy and excitement.
“It’s gotten me pumped seeing how the whole staff and team is ready to take the football program to new heights.”
The 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket has officially arrived and the madness already began during the First Four. There’s already been an overtime game, resulting in Grambling advancing to face No. 1 Purdue on Friday. In addition, Virginia’s offense went scoreless over the final 9:30 of the first half in a 67-42 victory for Colorado State. Since the introduction of the First Four round in 2011, every NCAA Tournament outside of 2019 had at least one First Four team win a game in the Round of 64. How should that affect how you build your 2024 March Madness bracket?
Purdue is hoping history doesn’t repeat itself when the Boilermakers lost to Fairleigh Dickinson after the Knights won their 1 vs. 16 game last season. Purdue finds itself in a similar situation, but only two No. 1 seeds have lost to a No. 16 seed in NCAA Tournament history, so you could feel confident that Purdue won’t fall victim to another opening loss. Purdue is now a No. 4 seed or better for the seventh straight season, but has only made it past the Sweet 16 once. Should you have Purdue in the Final Four of your 2024 NCAA bracket? Before filling out your NCAA Tournament bracket 2024, be sure to see the 2024 March Madness bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
SportsLine’s projection model has simulated every game in the tournament 10,000 times. It has absolutely crushed its March Madness picks recently, beating over 92% of all CBS Sports brackets in three of the past five tournaments. In an upset-laden 2023 NCAA Tournament, the model was all over UConn’s shocking Final Four run as a 4-seed. It went an amazing 23-9 in the first round, including an astounding 12-4 in the Midwest and West regions.
It knows how to spot an upset as well. The same model has produced brackets that have nailed 20 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception in 2016.
There’s no reason to rely on luck when there’s proven technology to help you dominate your 2024 March Madness picks. Now, with the 2024 NCAA bracket revealed, the model is simulating the matchups and its results are in. You can only see it over at SportsLine.
Top 2024 March Madness bracket picks One of the Midwest Region picks from the model: No. 3 seed Creighton goes on a surprise run to the Final Four. Creighton has proven capable of knocking off any team in the country, as displayed with a 19-point victory over UConn, the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Creighton has three players averaging more than 17 points per game, giving the Bluejays the offensive versatility that if one player has an off-scoring night, it doesn’t immediately signal the end of their run. Baylor Scheierman, a 6-foot-7 guard, leads the team in scoring (18.4 ppg), rebounds (9.0), and blocks (3.0) while shooting 37.2% on 3-pointers while making 99 triples. He’s tied for the 23rd-most made 3-pointers in college basketball, doing so against some of the top competition in the country.
Creighton is third in the country in effective field goal percentage (57.5%) and fourth in shooting efficiency. The Bluejays average 80.5 points per game, the 23rd-most in the nation, with the 17th-best average scoring margin in college basketball. Creighton is one of the few teams in the country to match an efficient offense with an efficient defense, pairing the fourth-best opponent shooting efficiency with the 13th-best opponent effective field goal percentage in the nation. The Bluejays have all you’d want in a Final Four team for your 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket.
Another surprise: No. 5 Gonzaga gets past No. 4 Kansas in the second round of the Midwest. Kansas is the only school with two Wooden Award finalists, but one of those, Kevin McCullar Jr., has been ruled out for the entire 2024 NCAA Tournament due to a knee injury. Kansas played six games without McCullar this season and averaged 10 fewer points than the 26 games they played with him.
Gonzaga has few questions offensively. The Zags have the 17th-lowest turnover rate in the nation, and those extra possessions on offense allow Graham Ike to dominate in the paint. The Wyoming transfer has effectively replaced Drew Timme and is scoring 16.5 points per game on over 60% shooting. Meanwhile, Creighton transfer Ryan Nembhard had a 30-point game in last year’s tournament and enters this year’s with three straight double-digit assist games. You can see the model’s 2024 NCAA bracket picks here.
How to make 2024 NCAA bracket predictions Who wins every tournament-defining matchup, and which teams will make surprising runs through the 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket? With the model’s track record of calling bracket-busting upsets, you’ll want to see which stunners it’s calling this year before locking in any 2024 NCAA bracket picks.
There are multiple NCAA Tournament Cinderella teams every season, and there are sure to be more in the 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket. Saint Peter’s burst onto the scene two years ago, becoming the only No. 15 seed ever to advance to the Elite Eight. The Peacocks are back in the 2024 March Madness bracket as a No. 15 seed and will enter the Big Dance full of confidence after winning eight of their last 10 games. Saint Peter’s will square off against No. 2 Tennessee in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
The Volunteers haven’t advanced past the Sweet 16 since 2010. Should your 2024 March Madness bracket picks include backing the Peacocks to pull off a stunning upset in the first round, or should you back another double-digit seed like Nevada (10), James Madison (12) or Samford (13) to make a deep run? Before you make your 2024 NCAA Tournament predictions, see the March Madness bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
This model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, has nailed 20 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception in 2016 and nailed UConn’s dramatic Final Four run as a 4-seed last year. It went an amazing 22-10 in the first round, including an astounding 12-4 in the Midwest and West regions.
Last year, SportsLine’s computer simulation nailed massive upsets, including huge wins by No. 13 Furman over No. 4 Virginia and No. 10 Penn State over No. 7 Texas A&M. The model has beaten over 92% of all CBS Sports bracket players in three of the past five tournaments.
Now, SportsLine’s advanced computer model has simulated the entire 2024 NCAA Tournament 10,000 times to come up with the perfect 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket and find out which teams will pull off the biggest upsets. You shouldn’t even think about making a pick without seeing what their model has to say.
Top 2024 March Madness bracket upset picks One Midwest Region surprise the model has identified: No. 11 seed Oregon knocks off No. 6 seed South Carolina. The Ducks reeled off three consecutive victories to be crowned champions of the Pac-12 Tournament. Oregon is led by Jermaine Couisnard, who’s averaging 15.4 points, 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
Center N’Faly Dante is expected to have a big day when the Ducks take the court on Thursday. The 6-foot-11 senior averages 16.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while knocking down 70.2% of his field goal attempts. South Carolina ranks outside the top 200 in defensive rebounds and blocks, which could be an issue against Dante and the Ducks. With the Gamecocks also ranking 64th out of 68 tournament teams in creating turnovers, that presents more possessions for Oregon and more opportunities for Dante to make his presence felt.
Another Midwest Region surprise the model has identified: No. 5 Gonzaga beats No. 4 Kansas to advance to the Sweet 16. The Bulldogs have four players averaging in double-figures, including forward Anton Watson. The 6-foot-8 senior enters March Madness 2024 averaging 14.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while knocking down 57.7% of his field goals.
As a team, the Zags are making 57.2% of their field goals, which ranks eighth in the nation. That’s a big reason why Gonzaga is scoring 84.9 points per game on average, the seventh-most in college basketball. Meanwhile, the Jayhawks are making just 32.9% of their 3-pointers this season, which ranks 237th in the country. Bill Self’s squad will also be without leading scorer Kevin McCullar Jr. due to a knee injury in the NCAA Tournament. See which other 2024 March Madness matchups to target here.
How to make 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket predictions Who wins every tournament-defining matchup? And which teams will make surprising runs through the 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket? With the model’s track record of calling bracket-busting upsets, you’ll want to see which stunners it’s calling this year before locking in any 2024 NCAA bracket picks.
The Creighton Blue Jays had a successful 2023-24 regular season, going 23-8 before falling in their first Big East Tournament game to Providence. Led by dynamic scorers Baylor Scheierman and Trey Alexander, and imposing center Ryan Kalkbrenner, the Blue Jays’ starting lineup matches up favorably to just about any team in the country. They open their 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket on Thursday as a No. 3 seed against No. 14 Akron. Are the Blue Jays capable of making a deep run through the 2024 March Madness bracket?
They’re in the Midwest Region with Purdue and Tennessee, two schools who have reputations for falling short in the Big Dance. Creighton could even be one of the 2024 March Madness sleepers to consider when making your 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket picks. Before making any 2024 March Madness bracket predictions, be sure to check out the 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Their proven projection model has simulated every game in the tournament 10,000 times. It has absolutely crushed its March Madness picks recently, beating over 92 percent of all CBS Sports brackets three of the past five tournaments. In an upset-laden 2023 NCAA Tournament, the model was all over UConn’s shocking Final Four run as a 4-seed. It went an amazing 23-9 in the first round, including an astounding 12-4 in the Midwest and West regions.
It knows how to spot an upset as well. The same model has produced brackets that have nailed 20 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception in 2016.
There’s simply no reason to rely on luck when there’s proven technology to help you dominate your 2024 March Madness pools. Now, with the 2024 NCAA bracket being revealed, the model is simulating the matchups and its results are in. You can only see it over at SportsLine.
2024 March Madness bracket games to watch One of the 2024 March Madness matchups to keep an eye on: No. 4 seed Duke vs. No. 13 seed Vermont in the South Region. Led by center Kyle Filipowski, who averages 17.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, the Blue Devils have the size and experience to favorably compete with any team in the 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket. The Catamounts are making their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance and give up the ninth fewest points in college basketball (63.0 per game).
Also in the South Region, Wisconsin vs. James Madison figures to be yet another pivotal 5 vs. 12 matchup. Despite making a run to the Big Ten Conference Championship Game, the Badgers enter the NCAA Tournament 2024 having lost nine of their last 15 games. The Dukes, on the other hand, have won 13 straight games, eight of which were decided by 10 or more points.
The third matchup to watch in the South Region features No. 3 seed Kentucky vs. No. 14 seed Oakland. Led by guards Antonio Reeves (20.0 points per game), Rob Dillingham (15.4), and Reed Sheppard (12.8), the Wildcats fly up and down the court whenever they have a chance. The Golden Grizzlies are led by forward Trey Townsend, who averages 16.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game for a team that won the Horizon League’s regular season and conference tournament titles. You can see how far all these teams go over at SportsLine.
How to make 2024 NCAA bracket predictions How far will those major programs go? And which Cinderella teams will make surprising runs through the 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket? With the model’s track record of calling bracket-busting upsets, you’ll want to see which stunners it is calling this year before locking in any NCAA bracket picks.
The Duquesne men’s basketball team is set to begin its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 47 seasons. In coordination with the special occasion, the Dukes received some spectacular gifts from Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
During a team meeting on Wednesday, Duquesne received new sneakers from James himself ahead of the team’s matchup against BYU.
Appreciate it King 🙏@DuqMBB x @KingJames pic.twitter.com/yTiQFMBno0
— Duquesne Basketball (@DuqMBB) March 20, 2024 The team was clearly over the moon when the gifts arrived and were truly appreciative of the gesture from James.
James has been a big supporter of the Dukes’ program in recent years, and even congratulated them following Sunday’s victory in the Atlantic 10 tournament. That’s because Duquesne head coach Keith Dambrot was James’ coach when he played at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron before being drafted.
This will be Dambrot’s final collegiate season as he plans to retire following this year’s NCAA Tournament run.
Duquesne has had a very impressive season as they put together a 24-11 (10-8 Atlantic 10) record this season. The Dukes won the Atlantic 10 conference tournament this past weekend to earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
The No. 11 seed Dukes will face off with the No. 6 seed Cougars on Thursday with the game set to tip off at 12:40 p.m. ET.
The North Carolina Tar Heels make their return to the NCAA Tournament after a one-year absence when they square off against the Wagner Seahawks in a first-round matchup on Thursday at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Last season, North Carolina missed the tournament for the first time since 2010 despite entering the year as the preseason No. 1 team. This year, the Tar Heels (27-7) are the No. 1 seed in the West Region after winning the ACC regular season title. Meanwhile, the Seahawks (17-15) are playing in the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in program history and first since 2003.
Tipoff is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET. The Tar Heels are favored by 25.5 points in the latest North Carolina vs. Wagner odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 133.5. Before making any Wagner vs. North Carolina picks, you need to check out the college basketball analysis from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Div. I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the 2024 NCAA tournament on a 148-106 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also has a strong 29-19 (+810) record on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on UNC vs. Wagner. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several college basketball betting lines and trends for Wagner vs. UNC:
North Carolina vs. Wagner spread: Tar Heels -25.5 North Carolina vs. Wagner over/under: 133.5 points North Carolina vs. Wagner money line: Tar Heels -6186, Seahawks +1975 UNC: The Tar Heels are eighth in the nation in rebounds per game (41.2) WAG: The Seahawks rank seventh in the country in scoring defense (62.3 points per game) North Carolina vs. Wagner picks: See picks at SportsLine Why North Carolina can cover North Carolina has a dominant big man in Armando Bacot. The 6-foot-11 Bacot is averaging 14.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He ranks ninth all-time in Div. I history in rebounds (1,681) and fourth in double-doubles (85). Led by Bacot, North Carolina averages 41.2 rebounds per game, which ranks eighth in the country.
In addition, the Tar Heels will face a Wagner team that has struggled offensively all season. The Seahawks rank 343rd out of 351 Div. I teams in both scoring offense (63.8 points per game) and field goal percentage (39.6). See who to back at SportsLine.
Why Wagner can cover Wagner has been playing excellent defense all season. The Seahawks allow just 62.3 points per game, which ranks seventh in the country. They also give up just 29.5% shooting on 3-pointers, which is eighth in the nation.
In addition, Wagner has a do-it-all player in guard Melvin Council Jr. A 6-foot-4 junior guard from Rochester, N.Y., Council averages 14.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Earlier this month, he was named a first-team All-NEC player. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make North Carolina vs. Wagner picks SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 137 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits more than 50% of the time. You can see the picks only at SportsLine.
Long Beach State athletic director Bobby Smitheran on Thursday took partial credit for the team’s Big West Tournament run that culminated with an NCAA Tournament automatic bid last week, saying he fired coach Dan Monson before the conference tournament in an effort to inspire the team. Speaking with reporters ahead of the No. 15 seed LBSU’s first round game vs. No. 2 seed Arizona, which tips at 2:00 p.m. ET on CBS, Smitheran claimed he wanted no credit … before taking credit … for the unexpected late-season rally.
“My belief and hope is that by doing what I did and the timing of it, they would play inspired, and that’s what they did,” said Smitheran. “I’m not trying to pat myself on the back, but it worked.”
Long Beach State parted ways with Monson, its long-time coach of nearly two decades after the regular season but allowed him the courtesy to coach out the postseason. The team then won three games in three days in the Big West Tournament to secure the league’s automatic NCAA Tournament berth.
“I don’t have to answer anything I don’t want to because I’m working for free today,” quipped Monson on Wednesday in his pre-tournament presser. “Did you see the ‘Seinfeld’ [episode] when George was trying to get fired and couldn’t lose his job, still going to work every day? That’s me. I’m a Seinfeld episode going on right now in real life.”
Monson and his LBSU team are 19.5-point underdogs to Arizona on Thursday, but his team has been one of the talks of the town leading into the NCAA Tournament because of the unique circumstance. Smitheran told the AP that the situation has been overblown, though, and even suggested that it was Monson’s idea.
“I think this is really getting lost on people, that we agreed that a change in leadership was necessary,” Smitheran said. “This was something Coach Monson brought to me.”
Long Beach State finished 10-10 in regular-season conference play and lost its final five games before its run through the Big West Tournament. It enters the NCAA Tournament 21-14 and is making its first appearance in the Big Dance since 2012.
