The Basketball Tournament (TBT) Quarterfinal Odds and Picks: July 11th
- Quarterfinals of the 2020 edition of The Basketball Tournament continue Saturday at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio
- In the most highly anticipated game of the event thus far, Cinderella squad Herd That takes on tourney favorites Overseas Elite, Boeheim’s Army plays Sideline Cancer in the other quarterfinal contest
- Read below for the game odds and our best TBT betting picks for July 11
The first two TBT quarterfinal games are in the books after Friday’s play from Columbus — and what a pair they were!
Trey Landers put up a game-high 19 points as No. 8 seed Red Scare knocked off No. 16 seed House of ‘Paign 83-76. Trevor Thompson (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Devin Oliver (10 points, 11 rebounds) each posted double-doubles for Red Scare, which led by as many as 22 points and survived a 13-0 House of ‘Paign run during the Elam Ending. The loss for the Illinois alumni team ends a little run at Nationwide that saw them knock off defending champion Carmen’s Crew.
Meanwhile, Dwight Buycks had a team-high 19 points for the No. 4 seed Golden Eagles as they also held off an Elam Ending rally to eliminate No. 12 seed Brotherly Love, 83-76.
The quarters continue Saturday with two more delicious matchups. The headliner is No. 2 seed and overwhelming tourney favorite taking on the lowest seeded team still alive, No. 23 seed Herd That. No. 3 seed Boeheim’s Army plays No. 22 seed Sideline Cancer in the second quarterfinal.
(23) Herd That vs (2) Overseas Elite
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herd That | +7.5 (-112) | +270 | O 158.5 (-112) |
| Overseas Elite | -7.5 (-112) | -380 | U 158.5 (-112) |
*Odds taken July 10. Tip-off is 2pm ET
YMCA vs. NBA
This is the one we’ve been waiting for.
The tourney’s Twitter handle says it all. While there may be a hair of hyperbole thrown in there, the David vs. Goliath matchup pitting the Marshall alumni team against a team comprised of NBA players who have made numerous All-Star squads and NBA playoff runs is beyond intriguing.
The matchup that America's been waiting for goes down tomorrow… pic.twitter.com/s2FVnNybjb
— TBT (@thetournament) July 10, 2020
Herd That has proven it score so far in TBT play. The unit is averaging 91 points per game through its first two contests and that up-and-down style should keep the Elmore Bros. in it with Elite. Along with folk hero and general manager Ot — who has the appearance of a guy on the low blocks at the local Y — Herd That features younger brother Jon Elmore, Chris Cokley and Jacobey Williams. Cokley scored a game-high 32 points in a 102-99 victory over The Money Team to get to this spot.
As for “Iso” Joe Johnson — he of seven NBA All-Star game appearances and Jarrett Jack — he of postseason runs as a member of several NBA teams over his 13-year career in the league — Overseas Elite looked a little sluggish in its first game out of the gate Thursday. Elite got past Armored Athlete 76-70. And while many are rooting for Herd That’s Rocky Balboa run to continue, Overseas Elite simply has more talent. They were my pick to capture their fifth TBT title heading into the event and I’m not about to pick against them here.
The Pick: Overseas Elite -7.5 (-112)
(22) Sideline Cancer vs (3) Boeheim’s Army
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sideline Cancer | +3.5 (-110) | +130 | O 156.5 (-116) |
| Boeheim’s Army | -3.5 (-116) | -166 | U 156.5 (-110) |
*Tip-off at 4pm ET
Sleepers from Syracuse
Boeheim’s Army might be the best team no one in Columbus is talking about. The six-time TBT participant beat Men of Mackey, 76-69 in the Round of 16 to get to Saturday’s quarterfinal.
Eric Devendorf, TBT’s fourth all-time leading scorer, led the way for the Syracuse alumni team with 20 points, while Malachi Richardson scored 10 of his 15 points from the free throw line against the Purdue alumni group.
Eric Devendorf is still SO TOUGH to guard in the lane 🍊@ED23HOOPS @BoeheimsArmy pic.twitter.com/XPllKUS9Bu
— TBT (@thetournament) July 7, 2020
“I’m just a competitive dude,” said Devendorf when asked how he continues to play at such a high level every summer despite no longer playing professionally. “A passionate guy. Every time we get out on that floor, I’m trying to win. I’m just a competitive guy, and I love to play.”
Sideline Cancer got to this point thanks to a 76-66 win over Challenge ALS in the Round of 16. Marcus Keene put up a team-high 16 points in the victory. And while the No. 22 seed has shown moxie (Sideline Cancer got past Team Hines 93-91 thanks to Keene’s game-winning jumper in the Round of 24), I think this is where their Cinderella run ends.
The pedigree of Devendorf and Richardson are hard to ignore. And while I love the stories of Herd That and Sideline Cancer Saturday, the reality is the team’s they’re playing are just better.
The Pick: Boeheim’s Army -3.5 (-116)
Blair Johnson is a veteran journalist and seasoned sports content creator. He has been writing and producing content as long as he can remember, with such familiar names as CNN, NFL Media and Yahoo. Blair currently lives and works in the greater Los Angeles area.
