The NCAA Tournament starts today!

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Call clickgrainger.com or just stop by. Grainger, for the ones who get it done. Are you ready to talk brackets for the last time? Not the last time, but this time. Lee Sterling from Paramount Sports is joining us here on the Adam Gold Show. We've got brackets everywhere. I am filling out brackets, Lee, based on the best movies filmed in the location of where the schools are. Because I figure, for me, I watch. I'm a college basketball guy. I watch a lot. And I get it wrong more often than I get it right.

So I'm basically just throwing darts. Maybe you can help us just seem smarter. So let's get right to it. Here's the first thing you want to know, Adam.

And I told this to a friend of mine a long time ago. Know the rules. Just like when you take an SAT when you're in school. So there are some brackets where the first round counts for a lot. And if that's the case, let's say it's like the scoring is 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, then you got to be judicious and you can't just predict 15, 20 upsets. But if it's like 1, 2, 10, 20, 30, 40, then you can take some shots. So know the rules just like anything else before you start figuring out the bracket. That's very important. Just like when you play fantasy football, you got to know the rules if you want to have a better chance to win. You got to know the side streets, main roads before you know the side streets. I don't know.

We're throwing out all sorts of rural axioms here. Let's get to the Tar Heels. Lee Sterling is joining us from Paramount Sports. I know they lost their last game, but I'm not that concerned when you look at North Carolina as a number one seed. What do you think?

No, I'm not either. It won't get a little bit tougher if Mississippi state wins the first game against Michigan state. I think Michigan state thought they should have been in the tournament. So I think we might even see a coaching change there down the road. Some of these established coaches, they just have had enough here, Mississippi state, um, could present some problems, uh, the way they play defense. But I just think that North Carolina is too much with RJ Davis. Uh, I think they'll even get by Alabama who just can play one style of play and that's up tempo. So North Carolina, I think got a really good draw and if they can get by Alabama, I mean the bottom part of that bracket might be the weakest part, maybe the most fun as far as seeing upsets. I like a team like New Mexico with that, that plays three guards and has two former NBA players, sons on their team to maybe do some damage. Same with, with Dayton and Arizona. They always find a way to blow it. But North Carolina, I think they win their opening game here, uh, against whoever they play and, and, and then certainly, uh, has a real good chance to make to the final four.

Yeah. We're looking forward to a potential North Carolina versus their former star Caleb love, maybe in, uh, in the elite eight. Let me go to NC state who won five games in five days to win the ACC tournament. Last team to do that in a power league was Connecticut. And then they won six in a row to cut the nets down.

So can we pencil in the wolf pack? Adam golden studio with my man coach pizza route, a capital financial advisory group, financial advice industry can be overwhelming for a lot of people. Is there a way to be sure you're getting the best service when you don't know? Yeah, Adam, it's not just if you gave the money to a planning team and they did good the first year. I mean, anyone could do good for one year, but it's a track record and it's a longterm accounts that are very important. We call that a financial Phillips strategy, Adam, and that gives you lifetime income.

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Adam gold is a paid spokesman investment advisory services offered by capital financial advisory group, North Carolina registered investment advisor for Arizona. Well, at least the cover, I mean, five and a half point underdog. Are you kidding me? Texas tech was six and nine against the spread as a five point favorite or more. They're better on an underdog role. North Carolina state has some trouble when the, their opponents hit the boards, but Texas tech is the exact same spot as far as rebounds per game.

35.1, which is 190th in the country. So these two teams are very similar here, but empty state's red hot here playing with free money. I like him plus the five and a half. I am winning the game outright on these 10, 11, 12, and 13 seats. If you were to play them money line over the last 10 years, you'd be up 15 units. So take them plus the five and a half and also on the money line to take out Texas tech. Yeah. I like state to win the game as well.

I think I have a, a flyer on them to the sweet 16 at plus 500. So, uh, uh, I don't, I don't see anything where I know Kentucky's waiting there. I know it, I get it.

Uh, but, uh, he's not the same Kentucky. I agree. Let's be honest.

I agree. There's a lot of people think that they're going to the final four, but I like, uh, I like the way state's playing right now. I don't like the way Duke is playing right now. Uh, should Duke be worried about Vermont?

I don't think they should be worried about Vermont. I mean, Vermont only played a tier one team in Charleston. They did win the game early in the season back in November, 73, 64, but, um, Vermont's going to try to slow it down here.

I mean, there's no two ways about it here. They have won the fifth, uh, straight American East title and that's impressive. TJ long, nice tournament he had, but problem is Duke is too much. But after that game, I think Duke wins that game and covers, they did them no favors.

You talk about that. The toughest top part of a bracket here. If Duke wins, they're going to probably have to play Wisconsin. And then the winner of possibly Houston and Texas A&M, I'm going to take a flyer here.

You're not going to get J. Bill is predictions for me. I do like Yukon in North Carolina, but I'm going to go with nine seeded Texas A&M to make it to the final four. I think they're going to be, uh, my, my, my dipper dandy here, Texas A&M.

How about this dipper? They beat Iowa State without three starters, lost to Houston by three without two starters, and beat two other number two seed and beat Kentucky twice here. Texas A&M can play with anyone. Yeah, Texas A&M also, unlike most of the teams in the, you know, in their kind of area of the draw, they went outside the league. They played a very, very good non-conference schedule, so they should be honed. And I'm a big Buzz Williams guy, so he's just super fun. And even, and even if they don't win big, he's just fun to watch on the sideline.

No question about that. All right, now, are there certain stats, certain trends you look at? Do conference champions tend to falter in the NCAA tournament? Is there a stat that jumps out to you? We're talking with Lee Sterling of Paramount Sports about the brackets.

Is something that people can look at that maybe help them out? Twelve, five seats. Twelve versus five seats have been the most fun and also probably the most profitable. So if you want to look at maybe some first round upset here, maybe Grand Canyon, I like JMU. On the line, plus 175 Bryce Drew's third appearance. They were there in 2021 and 2023. Also a top 50 team is scoring offense and defense. Look at them. And then maybe also UAB as a 12 seed here, plus six and a half and plus 225 on the money line.

Could be a lower scoring one possession game versus. For the ones who work hard to ensure their crew can always go the extra mile and the ones who get in early. So everyone can go home on time. There's Granger offering professional grade supplies backed by product experts so you can quickly and easily find what you need. Plus, you can count on access to a committed team ready to go the extra mile for you.

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Number 266 in the country here. So they've had UAB blow out wins over Red Hot South Florida, Wichita State and Temple. So I always loved the 12 seeds. And the key is, it's just you got to play the tournament as it comes along. And the best thing about gambling being legal now, sports gambling is in-game betting. You know, teams like Kansas, how can you bet a team, you know, where you don't even know if the top two players on their team are even going to play in the game. So in-game betting has made it so much more fun and so much more fun to follow. Yes, second half lines are going to be interesting for a lot of people. Like, what is that?

Like, no, you read about it. You get at least something before I let you go. Give me your final four. My final four, I'm going to go with UConn, North Carolina, Texas A&M and Tennessee. And I'm going to unfortunately have to call UConn for a second year in a row to cut down the nets.

I saw them play in November in Madison Square Garden. They are scary good on offense. And even when you break them down on defense and get into the lane, they got a 7-2 monster sitting in there waiting for you.

No, no, UConn I think is absolutely, no doubt about it, the best team in the country. This is, I know we're not going to talk about the women's field, but I just want to ask you this question real quick. The fact that South Carolina is minus money right now to win it all says what to you? Says to me, it's a suckers play to play anyone else or the field.

So, when a line looks, you know, that short, it's short for a reason. Holy, I mean, this is like Tiger Woods versus the field in a golf tournament, which used to be able to do it. How can you bet against?

I would never, actually Tiger Woods, the last time I saw that with Tiger Woods, he beat the field and South Carolina is likely to do the same thing. Lee Sterling, Paramount Sports, I appreciate your time, sir. We will do it again. Sounds good.

Take care. Brackets, picking them tomorrow, all based on the best movie in that specific area. And Victoria, have your brackets ready for last time for the ones who work hard to ensure their crew can always go the extra mile and the ones who get in early so everyone can go home on time. There's Granger offering professional grade supplies backed by product experts so you can quickly and easily find what you need. Plus, you can count on access to a committed team ready to go the extra mile for you.

Call clickgranger.com or just stop by. Granger, for the ones who get it done.