NCAA Tournament Guess Day 2

I was 100% incorrect with my wild guesses on yesterday's tournament games.  This is because I don't know anything about college basketball.  Still, one would think that I would have at least gone 1-2 as these were essentially random guesses on a 50/50 proposition.  That is just not my luck in the NCAA Tournament though.  I need to face the facts that I don't know anything and I should just walk away.  I might as well be betting on jai lai or European Turf Racing.  Maybe I should take a flier on a La Liga match this weekend, just get in top to my eyeballs betting on Pisa.  I know Pisa has a club because I almost got caught up in a railroad station brawl between Pisa supporters and Milan fans about 15 years ago.  Everyone was very worked up and a couple dudes expended a lot of effort waving giant flags.  I ducked into the wrong coach for my train and had to move to another car in disgrace, losing my costly, costly sunglasses in the process.  What a fiasco.

The move today is one big bet on something there appears to be an advantage and compelling narrative.  I present to you #1 seed Virginia vs #16 seed Gardner Webb.  As you may or may not recall, last year Virginia became the first #1 seed in the history of the tournament to lose to a #16 seed.  This was an embarrassment on a grand scale.  It's like Alabama went out and lost to Coastal Carolina on national TV to start the football season after being discussed as a possible National Champion.  Virginia has had an entire season to think about that loss last year, as well as a week of press asking them "Since you lost to a #16 team last year, does that make you any more focused this year?".

Gardner Webb finished third in the Big South Conference, a group of schools including Radford, High Point and Longwood.  I have no idea where any of these schools are located but my guess is "somewhere near the Carolinas".  Gardner Webb's two big rebounders are 6-5 and 6-6.  They are probably pretty good mid major players.  Virginia has a roster with 8 players 6-8 or taller.  They are unquestionably one of the best five teams in the country AND they are motivated.

The last thing anyone on that Virginia sideline wants to do is go in at halftime with Gardner Webb in a position to possibly win.  "Oh fuck.  Here we go again..."  I think Virginia will got out and kick the living shit out of Gardner Webb in the first half in a merciless manner.  I am looking for them to keep the foot on the gas.  That is why I am taking a firm position on Virginia First Half -11.  I believe this to be the bet of the entire tournament.  An outmanned Gardner Webb, just happy to be there, is going to have to absorb everything a vastly more talented and motivated Virginia roster can dish out.

This should make this afternoon interesting to say the least...