Feel like I have to take this as it's the last 5.5 on our board with star Mikel Brown Jr. ruled out for Louisville. Not a shock, but it dropped the number at most books. I worked in Tampa for many years so I know a little about USF. Commuter school that usually never lives up to its promise but hit a grand slam luring coach Bryan Hodgson from Arky State. He already has turned down Syracuse. What year is this? Someone turned down Syracuse for USF, whose claim to hoops fame in my lifetime is probably Chucky Atkins. The Bulls have one loss in their past 15. I was doing well on college hoops until about mid-February and then the wheels fell off.

I love the Bulls in this game and will also be picking them outright in my brackets. Heck, there is a +1200 number on USF to make the Sweet 16 on DK that I would also play as well. The Bulls have won 11 straight games and 17 of 19, with both losses coming by exactly one point. Meanwhile, Louisville is only 4-4 in their last eight games and I think they might have peaked too early in the season. I expect this to be the first surprise of a mostly chalky NCAA Tournament.

USF is an up-tempo team that plays an attacking style and is simply carrying great vibes into the NCAA Tournament after going 15-3 in conference play and losing just one game in regulation since Jan. 1. Bryan Hodgson has done a terrific job coming over from Arkansas State to flip the switch for the Bulls and recently-crowned AAC Player of the Year Izaiyah Nelson is a big reason why this group won’t be intimidated by Louisville’s power conference bona fides. Mikel Brown’s status, as always, is up in the air but Louisville in general hasn’t been dominant against the best teams on its schedule.