March Madness 2015: Final Bracket, NCAA Title Game Odds and Predictions

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Duke and Wisconsin are set to face off for the 2015 NCAA tournament championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on Monday night (9:18 p.m. ET on CBS). Notably absent is Kentucky after its bid for a perfect season ended at the hands of the Badgers in the semifinals.

The two teams met back in early December. The Blue Devils managed to go out on the road and escape from the Kohl Center with an impressive 80-70 victory. A lot has changed since that point, however, and the rematch falls firmly in the toss-up category.

Let"s check out how the March Madness bracket looks now that the final two teams have been decided. That"s followed by the odds and predictions for the championship game.

2015 NCAA Tournament Bracket

March Madness Championship Odds

2015 NCAA Tournament Championship Game April 6 Duke vs. Wisconsin Even 140

Odds via Odds Shark

Predictions for Title Game

Champions: Wisconsin

Clearly, the odds set this up as an extremely evenly matched contest. It"s hard to argue. Both sides came into the tournament as No. 1 seeds in their respective regions, and in the KenPom.com rankings, Wisconsin is third and Duke is fourth.

The formula used by FiveThirtyEight also points toward a close game, with a slight edge to Wisconsin:

ESPN Stats & Info notes its BPI ranking has a little more confidence in the Badgers:

Even without the eye-popping level of talent on Kentucky"s roster, the title game still features its fair share of star power.

The main attraction will be Frank Kaminsky and Jahlil Okafor, probably the top two players in college basketball this season, going head-to-head. Frank the Tank handled the size and athleticism of the Wildcats tremendously in the last round, scoring 20 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

Moreover, these are two players who are going to proverbially jump out of the gym. They are technically strong post players. Okafor is more polished on the interior and Kaminsky can better stretch a defense, but they both win with substance more than flash.

Mike Wise of TheUndefeated.com spotlighted the battle:

The other matchup that will go a long way in deciding the champion is Sam Dekker against Justise Winslow.

Dekker has been on fire for the Badgers, connecting on 15 threes in the tournament. Winslow represents his toughest defensive foe, however. If the Duke freshman can limit those momentum-building shots from his counterpart, Wisconsin will likely struggle to find consistency on offense.

Which team is your pick in the 2015 title game?

Ultimately, no matter how you break things down, all signs point to a game that"s still up for grabs in the final minutes. Wisconsin showed what it"s capable of in crunch time against previously undefeated Kentucky. Duke hasn"t been tested to that extent in any of the previous tournament games.

In these toss-up situations, the safest route is usually siding with the best player on the floor. Not the one with the most natural talent. Not the best long-term NBA prospect. But the most effective college player at this point in his career.

That"s Kaminsky. The Badgers are the pick in what could be an instant classic.

Most Outstanding Player: Frank Kaminsky

If Wisconsin does win the championship, it"s hard to imagine somebody other than Kaminsky or Dekker taking home the MOP award. While it"s certainly been a collective team effort, they have been the driving force behind the run to the final.

Kaminsky"s story is a great one. In an era where one-and-done college players steal the spotlight and the obsession is normally focused on what a player can become rather than what he currently is, he"s gone through college the old-school way.

Who will win the Most Outstanding Player?

The Illinois native started as a little-used freshman averaging less than two points per game. He made slow and steady progress. He opted against entering the draft as the hype began to grow last season, and it paid off with his most complete season to date as a senior.

It"s a story worth pointing out to those thinking about making the jump early when perhaps they aren"t completely ready. Gaining more experience as a prominent player in college can really help the development process.

Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal passed along comments from Kaminsky before the Final Four about his path to this point and what it meant to be named the AP Player of the Year.

"It means a lot," Kaminsky said. "It"s been a long journey. It wasn"t easy at times, but I just believed in the process and believed in myself and had a lot of people who also believed in me. They really pushed me. My teammates really helped me by making me a better player every day in practice. I"ve just got to be thankful to all the people who helped me."

Now he"s one game away from ending his collegiate career on a perfect note. He could head home from Indianapolis with a lot more hardware for his resume.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2420821-march-madness-2015-final-bracket-ncaa-title-game-odds-and-predictions

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Finding common ground as Easter and Passover coincide

President Obama Offers His Warmest Wishes on Passover and Easter

Participants in a Good Friday urban stations of the cross procession listen as the choir of the Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew sing a spiritual at the corner of W. Fifth and N. Monroe Streets in Wilmington. The procession looped through the west center city neighborhood with stops at street corners where violence has occurred.(Photo: WILLIAM BRETZGER/THE NEWS JOURNA)

As Christians celebrate Jesus" resurrection, Jews will be having Seder feasts and recounting their people"s liberation from slavery in Egypt.

Religious leaders say this overlap the second time this century that Good Friday and the first day of Passover have coincided is an opportunity to celebrate religious tolerance in Delaware.

"Especially in our culture today, it seems to be more divided and in conflict," said City Church of Wilmington Pastor Jason Sica. "It is important for people, whether they have religious beliefs or not, to have the right to believe and practice."

In Christian faiths, Good Friday marks the crucifixion and death of Jesus. It is a solemn day that is then followed by Easter Sunday, when Jesus was said in the New Testament of the Bible to rise from the dead.

"I have been asked, "Why is Good Friday called good?" " said Pastor Bill Schlonecker of Bible Fellowship Church of Newark. "The reason is because of what his death accomplished for us as Christians."

Rabbi Yair Robinson, of Congregation Beth Emeth of Wilmington, said Jews often invite non-Jews to their Passover Seders as a way of opening dialogue.

"There is something to be said for not just being religiously tolerant, but religiously vulnerable," Robinson said. "Think back about how vulnerable Jews have been historically and still there is a sense of opening our doors to those in need, even though that means exposing ourselves in many respects."

Passover, which always occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nissan, began at sundown Friday and will continue for a week.

The first two days of Passover are marked by Seders, or family-oriented meals that involve the retelling of the story of the liberation of the Israelites.

Rituals during the meal, such as eating matzo, or unleavened bread, are meant to represent aspects of the story as it was told in the The Book of Exodus.

"It is not just about G*d redeeming us from Egypt, but a reminder of those who are still in bondage and who need redemption themselves and how we can be sympathetic to their needs," Robinson said.

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Rabbi Chuni Vogel prepares the table as he sets up various symbols of Passover at Chabad Lubavitch of Delaware in Wilmington on Friday. Passover, which always occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nissan, began at sundown Friday and will continue for a week.(Photo: SUCHAT PEDERSON/THE NEWS JOURNAL)

Rabbi Chuni Vogel, of Chabad Lubavitch of Delaware, agreed and said it is important to accept differences even within Judaism.

"It is certainly a very important tenant in the Jewish faith to not impose one"s faith on other people and to recognize there are differences," Vogel said.

Holidays amid a national debate

As Easter and Passover align this weekend, a national debate is raging about religious tolerance.

Last week, Indiana Republican Gov. Mike Pence signed a controversial religious freedom law that some say would have allowed religious business owners to deny providing cake, flowers or photography services to same-s*x weddings.

After public officials all over the nation, including New Castle County Executive Tom Gordon, protested the law by banning government travel to Indiana, Pence approved a clarification that prohibited businesses from denying services based on sexual orientation.

Rabbi Michael Beals, of Congregation Beth Shalom, said his faith requires him to have an obligation to be sensitive to the discrimination of gay people and immigrants.

"Because of the Passover experience, the 400-plus years of slavery in Egypt, this forces our hand to not sit idly by," he said.

While coming from a different faith, the Rev. Donald Morton, associate pastor at Tabernacle Full Gospel Baptist Cathedral in Wilmington, said Jesus" resurrection is an opportunity to also advocate for social injustices. He plans to spread the Easter message of revoking the death penalty.

"Jesus is an innocent man from a poor community who is executed, crucified because he doesn"t agree and adapt to the status quo," Morton said.

Schlonecker said while it is important to preach tolerance of all faiths, it shouldn"t negate what Christian"s believe to be the truth.

"For us all there is but one truth," he said, adding that Jesus" message is also one of "inclusion."

Beals said that to be able to have these religious discussions on Passover and Easter in Delaware makes it "a very special place."

Finding common ground

Passover and Easter are not specifically connected since Jews are still waiting for the messiah, while Christians believe Jesus was the messiah.

However, Christianity"s roots come from Judaism. Some Christians say the Last Supper was a Passover meal since Jesus and the 12 disciples were Jews.

"We have a very strong love for the Jewish people and for the people of Israel," said Schlonecker.

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Participants of the Urban Stations of the Cross walk hosted by Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew walk on North Madison Street in Wilmington on Friday. This is the second time this century that Good Friday and the first day of Passover have coincided.(Photo: WILLIAM BRETZGER/THE NEWS JOURNAL)

Father Joseph McQuaide, the vice chancellor of the Diocese of Wilmington and associate pastor at Holy Cross Church in Dover, agreed.

"There is a lot of ritual, mass and so forth, that have their roots from Jewish religion," he said.

Beals said he likes to look for commonalities between faiths. He has found that Passover and Easter are celebrated in the spring since they are both about rebirth.

Parsley and roasted egg are served during the Seder and are meant to symbolize rebirth, Beals said.

Robinson said he looks at Easter as a reason "to be happy for our non-Jewish friends," but does not see a connection to Passover.

Contact Jessica Masulli Reyes at 302-324-2777, jmreyes@delawareonline.com or Twitter @JessicaMasulli.

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Source: http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2015/04/04/finding-common-ground-easter-passover-coincide/25264383/

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Health Column: To squat or not?

Squatty Potty on THE DOCTORS SHOW

Designed by a Utah family in 2010, the Squatty Potty helps you to eliminate faster and more completely by forcing you to squat. (Credit: Grant Parpan)

One of 2014s hottest holiday items wasnt an expensive electronic device or an innovative kitchen gadget. It was a $25 plastic toilet stool called a Squatty Potty and it sold out on shopping websites like Amazon.com before many people even had a chance to add it to their virtual wish lists.

Designed by a Utah family in 2010, the Squatty Potty helps you to eliminate faster and more completely by putting your body into a natural squatting position over your own toilet, according to an online product description.

It reportedly reduces straining and helps prevent and heal hemorrhoids.

The 7- to 9-inch footstools, which purportedly un-kink your r****m, became especially popular after they were featured on The Dr. Oz Show and enthusiastically touted by celebrities like Howard Stern, who often tells his Sirius XM listeners that the Squatty Potty has changed my life.

Thats a ringing endorsement. Still, I called gastroenterologist Dr. Joseph Duva of East End Internal Medicine in Riverhead to find out whether he thinks the contraption is the real deal.

Before laughingly assuring me that yes, he has heard of the product, Dr. Duva gave the Squatty Potty the proverbial thumbs up.

I think its good, he said. I think it can be very effective for some people.

Dr. Duva reminded me that our ancestors squatted for millennia before the modern toilet became widely used in the mid-19th century. He also said the sitting position a toilet forces your body into is not the best angle to allow defecation.

Theres a muscle [the puborectalis] thats supposed to relax when we p**p, he explained, and this can only be achieved by squatting.

OK, that makes sense. But do people really need to spend $25 on a plastic footstool, or will a dollar store find suffice?

Anything that elevates the knees to that angle is going to work, Dr. Duva assured me. According to squattypotty.com, your feet should rest seven inches off the ground when using a standard toilet and nine inches when using a handicapped toilet. In other words, your knees should come up above your hips.

If theres a downside to the Squatty Potty, Dr. Duva said, its that it isnt a cure-all for constipation, because there are different reasons people suffer from the ailment, including digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome.

Still, he said, the product is a natural and more reliable alternative to over-the-counter drugs.

Unlike laxatives and other things that become less effective over time, this is something that will basically always work because its changing your anatomy, he said.

ryoung@timesreview.com

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Source: http://riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com/2015/03/62865/health-column-to-squat-or-not/

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Critics: "Golf Digest" Magazine With t*****s Lexi Thompson Goes Too Far

Player racing Paula Creamer vs Lexi Thompson

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) Sports magazines have leveraged beauty for cover photos for years, but critics say this months Golf Digest has taken it a step too far.

As CBS2s Steve Overmyer reported Friday, the magazine cover features LPGA pro Lexi Thompson t*****s, with a strategically-placed white towel draped over her shoulders.

At first glance, some said it is easy to confuse the publisher of the magazine.

I wasnt sure if it was a Playboy ad, or if it was a Golf Digest ad, said PGA teaching pro Chance Scheffing.

Before the magazine cover, Thompson was most famous for jumping into a pond after a win. Now, she is trying to showcase the fitness level of golfers without leaving a lot to the imagination.

Shes very fit, said Marjorie Jones, a former LPGA tour player who is now a top teaching pro at Chelsea Piers on the West Side. She looks great. Im a little jealous, to be frank. But you know, I got a lot of years on her, and you know, maybe if I looked like that, and I was playing a lot. I might do that too.

This was not the first time that looks have been leveraged to increase the profile of a player or sport. Just last month, Golf Digest featured a shirtless Rory McIlroy.

But some wonder where the line is to be drawn between sexism and the old adage that s*x sells.

I just think that this is a detriment to women, because Id like to be recognized by being a good golfer; not about how my body looks like in the front page of a magazine, said golfer Morella Carta. I think that if we allow this to happen, we will never get to the place where we should be.

Last year, the LPGA blasted Golf Digests fitness issue for using Paulina Gretzky a non-golfer. The LPGA released a statement to CBS2 about the Thompson controversy.

The LPGA is glad to have its top players recognized among golfs greatest stars and we certainly feel theyve earned the opportunity to grace the covers of prominent publications. Our players make the final decisions regarding their personal images and their comfort with positioning. the LPGA said in the statement. Regarding the Golf Digest cover, we dont look at it any differently than that of past issues of ESPN The Magazines The Body Issue which have also showcased the fitness and athleticism of LPGA players.

Jones said: As long as in there they have stuff about how good she is, if thats whats getting people to look, it doesnt bother me that much. Now if it was totally au naturel, that might bother me a little bit more.

Lexi Thompson is 20 years old. Golf Digest said the controversial cover was shot on a closed set with her mother in attendance to approve or discard any of the shots.

Source: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/04/03/critics-golf-digest-magazine-with-t*****s-lexi-thompson-goes-too-far/

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Rachel McAdams Films New Season Of "True Detective" Wearing Alex Mill ...

First Pictures Of Fast & Furious 7 | Paul Walker"s Brothers

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Recently, Rachel McAdams was spotted on set filming the new season of "True Detective" wearing Alex Mill"s $165 Flannel Twill Sport Shirt in Navy/Red from the brand"s Fall/Winter 2014 collection.

The 36-year-old actress paired the casual cool top with a chic oversized navy blazer, skinny jeans, black ankle boots and retro-inspired shades.

Want to get the look? You can copy Rachel"s tomboy style with similar styles below.

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Source: http://www.fashionnstyle.com/articles/54326/20150401/rachel-mcadams-films-new-season-of-true-detective-wearing-alex-mill-flannel-shirt-skimmy-jeans-celebrity-copy-cat-get-the-look.htm

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Game show model"s mistake gives contestant new car

Manuela Arbelaez

By Matt Buynak, WTNH.comPublished: April 3, 2015, 1:54 pmUpdated: April 3, 2015, 1:56 pm

(WTNH) A Price Is Right contestant won a car in one of the easiest ways possible Thursday, on a mistake by one of the shows models.

Manuela Arbelaez rolls out a prop with five price tags, and Andrea has to guess the price of a car. Her first guess is wrong, and Manuela starts removing the tags to show where the winner is, the second from the top. Apparently the game wasnt quite over.

Congratulations, Manuela just gave you a new car! host Drew Carey says.

The model turns red in embarrassment and hides behind the prop, but says she didnt get in any trouble.

Source: http://khon2.com/2015/04/03/game-show-models-mistake-gives-contestant-new-car/

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Conservative News Hosts Bring Up Kelly Clarkson"s Weight For No Apparent ...

American Idol 2015 Top 8 - Kelly Clarkson - At Last - (4/1/15)

Cheap shot.

Fox News" Chris Wallace was a guest on conservative host Mike Gallagher"s radio show Friday when the two began talking about Gallagher"s weight and pizza, Media Matters reported.

Gallagher used the moment to randomly mention Kelly Clarkson, sniping, "Holy cow, did she blow up."

Wallace at first seemed to take the high road to avoid the subject but a bit later he offered, "She could stay off the deep dish pizza for a little while."

Wallace"s comments drew the ire of colleague Greta Van Susteren, who wrote on a blog that Wallace was being "obnoxious" and owed Clarkson an apology.

Clarkson, who gave birth to her daughter in June, coincidentally appeared on "Ellen DeGeneres" Friday and touched on criticism about her weight, Mediaite noted.

"I think what hurts my feelings for people is that Ill have a meet and greet after the show and a girl whos like bigger than me will be in the meet and greet and be like, Wow, if they think youre big I must be so fat to them, Clarkson told the host. And its like, youre just who you are."

Jezebel, noting a previous joke aimed at Clarkson by British journalist Katie Hopkins in February, summed up the chatter between Gallagher and Wallace thusly: "Kelly Clarksons weight continues to be an unnecessary topic of debate for people who have no business commenting on it."

We couldn"t agree more.

Here"s Clarkson"s visit with DeGeneres:

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/03/kelly-clarkson-deep-dish-pizza_n_7000994.html

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