CBB Sweet 16 Preview + Best Bets !!

Griffin Warner and Big East Ben break down all 8 games for the Sweet 16. The guys also give out best bets.

📌 Key Points

📈 Big East Ben’s Bracket: Ranks 252nd on ESPN (top 0.1%) with 15/16 correct picks—only missed Arkansas (1:13).

🧠 BYU Analysis: Shot 12/26 from 3, 15/16 FT vs. Wisconsin; strong frontcourt (Keita, Traore), but undersized vs. Alabama’s bigs like Cliff Amore (7:01).

📉 Mark Sears Critique: Called inefficient and “garbage time” scorer—despite being Alabama’s spearhead (8:05).

🩼 Grant Nelson Injury Watch: Improved in Round 2 but not 100% yet (8:45).

🔥 Maryland’s Consistency: Largest loss all season is only 5 points; strong against spreads (16:21).

🎯 Duke vs Arizona Mismatch: Ben criticizes Tommy Lloyd's in-game decisions vs Oregon (20:13). Griffin calls it a huge coaching mismatch favoring Duke's Jon Scheyer (21:44).

💪 Texas Tech Praise: Ben touts JT Toppin’s dominance and Tech’s tactical shift against Drake (26:13).

🔒 Michigan State Defense: #1 in 3PT defense; strong rebounding; Ben picks Sparty as his best bet (29:25).

🔄 Tennessee vs Kentucky: Despite Kentucky sweeping regular season series, Ben says Otega Oweh replaces Jackson Robinson’s impact; both hosts pick Kentucky (+4) (33:19).

📊 Stat Breakdown:

• BYU: 12/26 3PT, 15/16 FT vs Wisconsin.
• St. John’s: 2/22 3PT vs Arkansas.
• Arkansas: 2/19 3PT (26:04).
• Michigan State: Top 20 in rebounding & FT shooting (29:25).
• Mississippi: 317th in foul avoidance (29:25).
• 📘 Summary (Game-by-Game + Analysis)

[0:14] Podcast Intro & Bracket Banter

Ben ranks #252/25M on ESPN. Missed only Arkansas for Sweet 16. Griffin is second in their group of 40.

[6:51] BYU vs Alabama

BYU (+5.5) is hot—shooting well and strong frontcourt. Alabama underwhelmed vs. St. Mary’s. Sears deemed inefficient. Both hosts lean BYU.

[10:05] Maryland vs Florida

Queen (Maryland) is impactful. Florida’s guard play strong but foul-prone. Both take Maryland (+6.5). Game could hinge on rebounding and tempo.

[18:42] Arizona vs Duke

Arizona criticized for Tommy Lloyd’s passive coaching. Duke gets favorable whistles. Arizona has 3 NBA-level guards; Duke has coaching edge. Both like Arizona (+9.5).

[25:25] Arkansas vs Texas Tech

Texas Tech praised for JT Toppin and tactical shift. Arkansas lucked out vs weak St. John's. Ben picks Tech (-5.5); Griffin stays loyal to Arkansas (+5.5).

[29:25] Mississippi vs Michigan State

Ben's best bet is Michigan State (-3.5), citing elite defense, rebounding, and foul shooting. Griffin hesitant, takes Mississippi (+3.5) for variance value.

[31:07] Tennessee vs Kentucky

Kentucky swept regular season. Otega Oweh emerged as star. Both lean Kentucky (+4). Tennessee’s defense slipping (112 rating last 5 vs 99 season avg).

[34:15] Michigan vs Auburn

Griffin dislikes Auburn. Thinks Michigan could win outright. Picks Michigan (+8.5).

[34:16] Purdue vs Houston

Ben picks OVER (132.5), citing offensive growth. Griffin skeptical of Purdue’s scoring depth. Both imply Houston dominance possible.

[35:36] Best Bets Recap

Ben’s best bet: Michigan State -3.5

Griffin’s best bet: BYU +5.5

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices