The No. 11 Dayton Flyers busted a staggering 81% of brackets with a dramatic, final-seconds upset over the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes in the very first game of the tournament, proving once and for all that–even with a billion dollars on the line–picking a perfect March Madness bracket is impossible.
Thankfully, a perfect bracket is hardly necessary to enjoy some thrilling basketball, and this game between the No. 3 Syracuse Orange and and those same Dayton Flyers could be a doozie. Keep reading for our breakdown of the storylines and stats that will define this Round of 32 March Madness game.
[sc:MarchMadness ]No. 3 Syracuse Orange vs. No. 11 Dayton Flyers Betting Preview
Where: Amway Center, Orlando
When: Saturday March 22
Betting on the Syracuse Orange
[sc:finalfour240 ]After winning just two of their last seven games down the stretch, the pundit-vultures had begun to circle the No.3 Syracuse Orange, who had previously gone undefeated for the season, and were ranked No. 1 overall . In their first game of the Big Dance, however, Jim Boeheim’s team quieted those buzzards, for now, winning in double-digits over a No. 14 Western Michigan team that was simply outclassed.
To beat Dayton, the Syracuse will need to stick to their game, and the rest should fall into place. They got the performances they wanted against Western Michigan, with all four of Tyler Ennis, C.J. Fair, Trevor Cooney, and Jerami Grant scoring in double digits. Given that they hold teams to an average of 59.5 points per game on defense, the Orange will roll if those four can all stay on their current pace in this one.
Betting on the Dayton Flyers
Everyone loves a Cinderella, and given the relative fallibility of the No. 3 Syracuse team they were destined to face in this round, some experts loved them too, including SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell who predicted No. 11 Dayton would make the Sweet 16 even before the tournament started. Dayton pulled past the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes on Thursday on the back of a Vee Sanford layup with 3.8 seconds remaining. The Flyers won 60-59.
To win this game, Dayton will have to play excellent perimeter defense. The Buckeyes, led by defensive specialist Aaron Craft, struggled to generate open looks throughout their season’s final game, and the Flyers will need to create a similar situation for Ennis, Fair, and Cooney, all of whom shoot the ball very well.
Prediction
Syracuse may have been as confident as they once were, but their chance to play a lame duck opponent like Western Michigan seems to have been just what the doctor ordered for Ennis and company. Take the Orange on the spread, the Flyer Cinderella run ends on Saturday.
Like the Orange to roll on? Or do you think Dayton could push for the upset? Bet your pick with Top Bet’s college basketball lines.
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