8.5 is insanity

@jpot34

 No I think they set the line to try to get balanced action...which looks like it worked as everyone thinks 8.5 seems high which would tend to lead to bets on illi covering...

@dubz4dummyz

 We agree to disagree.  Right now I see 80% of the money on UCONN. If true, even though it's early, that would blow your hypothesis out of the water. IMHO, no way the money will be on Illinois prior to tip off.

@jpot34

 Thanks for proving my point

Books getting exactly what they wanted with the line of 8.5

Bunch of ppl questioning it. Seems high? 8.5???

Instead of just hammering uconn if it was -4.5

@jpot34

 So based on that we should see a line move to -9 or higher to attract more illi bets...

This is how line making works....

@Eddy_Winslow

 I do believe you are cutting Illinois short. I think you will be surprised at the final buzzer.

@dubz4dummyz

 I didn't prove any point you made.  

So if 80% on uconn at -8.5 already (trust those numbers u see with a grain of salt)....then -4.5 would have been an absolute disaster for the books

Although its just 1 game in the grand scheme of millions of lines they set...

@dubz4dummyz

 I guess, you tell me. Nobody knows what the powers that be are up to till the games over. YES, I do believe these games are not above board. Not much I trust in this world.   

@jpot34

I was saying the line is right as far as vegas purposes are concerned...

If ur saying ur capping the game and -8.5 is whack that ur opinion...I don't really lean either way on it personally

I'm just talking about why vegas set the line where they did. Which was the original topic...

@dubz4dummyz

 All good.

alright eddy who was the best team they faced the last two years mr expert? Kansas who they lost to in the regular season?

they have been playing nothing but scrubs foh

I’ll be on Illinois +8.5, and a little bit on ML.  Illinois is a team I circled very early in the season as a club I felt would win the national title.  They don’t have the rich pedigree of some of these blue bloods.  But they have a team full of experience.  Whole starting lineup is over 22, and 6’6+.  This is a big ass team, with a ton of experience.  They will not be intimidated like a lot of teams facing UConn.  I’ll wear it if they get blown out.  But I fully believe if Illinois doesn’t turn the ball over 12+ times and doesn’t go 45% from the FT line again, that they will give UConn an absolute battle.  Shannon Jr. dropped 29 in 22 minutes last night.  He’ll be the best player on the floor tomorrow.  We’ll see what happens.  Should be fun game.  

@Win4Ever

@Eddy_Winslow

 Crazy right! Now tell me know the team unconn has faced in the tournament the last two years better than Illinois.. you can’t 

I think Illinois will give them a fight and I’ll be on the +8.5 but the UConn coach is kinda cocky and might run up the score if they are up a lot.

@DialedCaper7

 Crazy right! Now tell me know the team unconn has faced in the tournament the last two years better than Illinois.. you can’t

Zags last year about as close as you'll find.  They actually grade out very similar to this year's Illinois team, a little worse off in FT shooting.  Illini won't be covering that 8.5 if they go 52% from the line again.  

UConn also has an elite offense, something ISU does not have anything close to resembling offensively.  This years' Husky team grades out a little more efficient that last years surprisingly.  

Illini misses 14 FTs again it will be ugly. They'll need to play the best game of the year to stay with UCONN, anything less, it won't be pretty.

@mrusso

 Ahhhh, you're cutting my boys short. They don't have to have the best game of the year to play with the Huskies. The Illini will quiet the UCONN hype by giving them a game to think about.

@jpot34

 Not disrespecting Illini, UCONN is just that good. Don't bring your A game, any team, against UCONN and see what happens.

 Purdue x2, Michigan St., Marquette, Tenn..... all teams with top 20 or better defenses that the Illini lost to.  Iowa St was #1 overall defensive efficiency so kudos to Illinois' win over them but Cyclones also have no offense.  

Next up, the Huskies' #6 rated defense and top rated #1 offense.... 

@mrusso

 Sure The Illini will need to play well, but they can cover without playing their best game of the year.

@kcblitzkrieg

 The past does not always translate to the future.

@HabsHater88

 agree-this UConn team will win by DDs and they in a class above the field-it reminds me of the 2009 TarHeels team with Ty Lawson and Hansbrough that won every game in the tourney by double digits...

@docpj72

 Agreed. That Carolina team was an absolute beast and so is this UCONN team!