NCAA Basketball Odds News and Rumors From The Floor

Posted by Daniel Strum on Thursday,October 29, 2015 12:19, EDT in

One of the annual traditions at Michigan State is the yearly dramatic entrance that head coach Tom Izzo makes to kick off the Midnight Madness practice session as college hoops lines fans can recall each year. For the 2015-16 campaign, Izzo was the star in “Mission: Izzpossible.”

He even had a fake Tom Cruise come out onto the gym floor to greet the players. Once again, Michigan State is among the favorites to take the Big Ten title, and the Spartans start their season against Florida Atlantic on November 13.

NCAA Basketball Odds News and Rumors From The Floor

A lasting image from last year’s NCAA Tournament happens when Georgia State head coach Ron Hunter tumbled off his stool, just after his son R.J. Knocked down a last-second three-point shot to carry his team over Baylor in a huge first-round upset. Now, this moment has taken the form of a bobblehead that has come out to honor that scene. You can buy one for $25 from the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame, and it shows Hunter taking his tumble. Why was he on a stool? Hunter had torn his Achilles tendon when he was celebrating his team’s conference title the previous week.

Louisville Crumbling After Sex Scandal

The Louisville basketball community has had a rough few weeks. There’s an ongoing sex scandal that has shaken the entire campus, but particularly the men’s basketball program. To support the school in his hometown, Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest boxers in sports history, has sent out a message to the Cardinals faithful. Thursday night he sent out a message saying that he would always support the school.

Even so, the madam at the center of the Louisville scandal allegations, said on television Friday that she published her expose book to make money. However, she also said that she went to the NCAA first, but they would not do anything. Powell was on “The View” on ABC with her daughters, and she was asked why she waited so long to reveal the allegations that she had provided women for Louisville players and recruits. She said that the NCAA didn’t want to hear about anything involving a basketball team, so she headed out to find a publisher.

College Basketball Straying Away From Fantasy Sports Companies

In an effort to stay away from the stigma of sports gambling, the NCAA has clarified that its relationship with such daily fantasy sports companies as FanDuel and DraftKings needs to remain at arm’s length – at last. Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said that the five major conference leadrs have asked FanDuel and DraftKings to cease from offering games that include college players. The NCAA has also notified its players that if they gamble on college games, which includes joining in daily fantasy sports contests, is against association rules and could end up costing players a year of their eligibility. The NCAA has also asked ESPN to stop providing “cover alerts,” which were basically reminders that betting is taking place on college football games. FanDuel and Draftkings will also be prohibited from placing any advertisements during the college basketball tournaments this season.