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UMBC would pay out an unthinkable $500,000 for every $100 bet at some books if they are to go on to win the NCAA Men's College Basketball Championship even after beating number one seed Virginia.
UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski says his basketball team sent a powerful message with its historic win Friday over No. 1 seed Virginia.
“They showed the country that you don’t write someone off,” Hrabowski told the Baltimore Sun.
This was the first time that a number 16 seed has ever beaten a number 1 seed in NCAA College Basketball history.
Now the Retrievers go onto face the KSU Wildcats Sunday as a +10 underdog. The College Basketball Betting Power Ratings indicate the line should be Kansas State -13.
The defensive-minded Kansas State went 22-11, but that was considered an overachievement this season considering they were expected to finish in 8th place. The Wildcats still finished two games under the .500 mark Against The Spread.
The Wildcats beat Creighton 69-59 Friday night.
Defense again helped guide KSU to victory in that game. Kansas State (23-11) advanced to the round of 32 for the first time since 2012 despite playing without leading scorer Dean Wade, who is still recovering from a stress fracture in his left foot.
But it was Friday night's final game of the first round that shattered all brackets and suddenly made UMBC relevant in the world of NCAA College Basketball.
This, after all, is a program that had lost 23 straight games to Vermont leading up to the America East Conference championship and haven't played in the Big Dance since 2008. They almost didn't make it this time as Vermont had dominated in their respective conference and UMBC required a buzzer beater in order to advance. Hence, a win over mighty UVA seemed unthinkable and many were still trying to wrap their heads around that improbable victory hours later.
"Historic game,” UMBC coach Ryan Odom said following the win. “Unbelievable. So proud of these kids.”
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
