OK, folks. Now the March Madness odds really get interesting.Many online betting scribes predicted this exact second-round matchup for the March Madness odds: No. 2 Memphis vs No. 10 Maryland. Before yesterday, though, many people would've suggested the Memphis vs Maryland odds could result in a major sportsbook upset. Now, it seems much less likely.
How could that be? Well, Memphis got a huge scare against CS-Notheridge yesterday, playing dead even before pulling away in the final minutes. While some online betting fans could view the close call as a sign of weakness, it was probably the best thing that could've happened to the Tigers in the March Madness odds. The big fright will have them much more alert and focused versus Maryland.
On one hand, it's hard to expect a repeat performance from Roburt Sallie -- a bench player who dropped 35 points in the greatest March Madness odds performance in the school's history -- but now that the starters laid a bit of an egg, they should step up against Maryland. Robert Dozier played a major roll during the regular season with his blend of scoring and rebounding prowress, so those who bet on basketball should expect a major bounce-back from him.
Maryland certainly won't go quietly in this March Madness odds battle; Greivis Vazquez, as predicted, was a man possessed in the Terrapins' first-round victory over California, scoring 27 points and chipping in a pair of steals. Maryland will once again have to rely on him for a massive performance at the sportsbook, and it's hard to bet against it.
Not to take anything away from Maryland's supporting cast, but it's not nearly as good of a bet to step up against Memphis as it was against California. The Tigers are simply the more talented squad and Maryland should be happy with its first-round win. Bet on the Memphis, which has something to prove, to show a killer instinct and beat Maryland in the March Madness odds .
