March Madness a time for underdogs

It seems as if football season just ended, and now we’re deep into March. It’s time for the madness that happens at the culmination of every college basketball season.

Kentucky is 34-0 — with a few close calls along the way — and the clear favorite to win it all. But with no dog in the fight, all I care about is the cover.

Are the Wildcats in my Final Four? Wait and see.

I’m a ’dog player, so here are some I like against the number in NCAA Tournament games today and Friday:

TODAY’S GAMES

■ Wofford (+7½) over Arkansas: While the Razorbacks have made me money this season, I’m not in love with them in this matchup. I could see them looking past the Terriers with North Carolina possibly on deck. Senior guard Karl Cochran is the leading scorer for Wofford, but most people know nothing about him. He had 14 points and seven rebounds in the Terriers’ upset win at North Carolina State in December. He could put a scare into Arkansas.

■ Georgia State (+9) over Baylor: This is a classic case of a dangerous ’dog getting too many points. Georgia State is a much better team than the casual bettor would guess. Keep an eye on Panthers guards R.J. Hunter, Ryan Harrow and Kevin Ware. Hunter averages 19.8 points, and Harrow, a Kentucky transfer, averages 18.7. Ware is a Louisville transfer.

The Bears’ backers might be in for a sweat against the Sun Belt Conference champions. Georgia State’s shooters can beat a zone defense, and Baylor’s offense has been less than exciting for most of the season.

■ Stephen F. Austin (+6½) over Utah: This is my best bet. The Lumberjacks (29-4) rank No. 5 in field-goal percentage (49.1) and No. 1 in assists per game, so it’s not a bad matchup against Utah, which has one of the better defenses in the nation.

Thomas Walkup, the top player in the Southland Conference, will be the determining factor. He posted double-doubles in tournament games last year against Virginia Commonwealth and UCLA. Don’t forget to sprinkle a little on the money line on this one.

FRIDAY’S GAME

■ UC Irvine (+8½) over Louisville: The Anteaters are already getting some attention. This line has dropped from 9 to 8 in several spots, and I can see why. The Cardinals and coach Rick Pitino should be on upset alert.

Pitino booted point guard Chris Jones off the team in February, making a weak offense worse. Louisville plays at a boring tempo, ranking 130th in scoring at 69.2 points per game. In their past three games, the Cardinals scored 60, 59 and 59 points.

My Final Four is rather boring and full of favorites. I hope it’s wrong for entertainment purposes.

■ Kentucky: This is no surprise. John Calipari coached his team to the title game last season and lost. This time, he’s looking for a perfect ending. I’m hoping maybe third-seeded Notre Dame can keep its momentum going from the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament title. Other than that, Kansas has no shot of upsetting the Wildcats, and no other team in the Midwest Region does, either, except for the Fighting Irish.

■ Wisconsin: I guess it’s time to jump on the Badgers’ bandwagon. Wisconsin has the height and athletes to go deep. Frank Kaminsky, a 7-foot senior with a 3-point shot, led this team to the Final Four last year, falling to Kentucky by one point.

■ Gonzaga: I like this well-rounded Zags squad. My main concern is their mediocre strength of schedule. But it’s a team with experienced guards and talented and tough big men. There is a huge case to be made for Duke, but the Blue Devils slipped after a poor showing in the ACC tournament.

■ Virginia: After a disappointing loss to North Carolina, the Cavaliers had a few extra days’ rest to prepare for a relatively easy road into the Elite Eight. Top-seeded Villanova has a tougher road.

Kelly Stewart of Kellyinvegas.com can be reached at Askkelly@reviewjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter: @kellyinvegas.