The Latest: Vegas bettors going heavily for Dayton

The Latest: Vegas bettors going heavily for Dayton

Published Mar. 18, 2016 12:59 p.m. ET

The Latest on the second full day of the men's NCAA Tournament, including games being played in St. Louis; Spokane, Washington; New York; and Oklahoma City (All times EDT):

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11:54 a.m.

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Bettors at a chain of Las Vegas sports books seem particularly enamored with Dayton on the second day of the NCAA Tournament.

The game between Dayton and Syracuse was the most heavily bet game of the day early Friday at the William Hill sports books. The game was drawing 17 percent of all money, topping the Hawaii-California game (10 percent) as the biggest draw of the day.

Dayton was favored by 54 percent of bettors as a one-point underdog. But 77 percent of the total money bet on the game was on the Flyers, meaning the bigger bettors liked Dayton most of all.

Bettors also believed Oklahoma would open its bid for a national title with a big game. The Sooners were 15-point favorites over Cal State Bakersfield, but 83 percent of the tickets written were on Oklahoma, and 93 percent of the money favored the Sooners to cover the big spread.

- Tim Dahlberg reporting from Las Vegas

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11:15 a.m.

Some small-school nets are getting a chance to shine on college basketball's biggest stage.

The ones sent to St. Louis for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament were found to be longer than regulation Friday, setting off a frantic search across the city for replacements.

Missouri Valley associate commissioner Jack Watkins, tournament director for the site, told The Associated Press that regulation nets were found at Fontbonne University.

The Division III school is located about 15 minutes west of the Scottrade Center.

The nets were strung up after Wisconsin completed an early walk-through, only 15 minutes before the Badgers and Syracuse began warming up.

- Dave Skretta reporting from St. Louis.

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