Archive for the ‘Free Sports Picks’ Category
How They Got Here: The boys from Rocky Top kept themselves out of trouble with a respectable SEC record in spite of the fact that G Tyler Smith was kicked off the team after just a dozen games this year. It was a topsy-turvy road, but the Vols made it as a solid at-large selection. How They Got Here: They were a bubblicious team all year long, but when the dust finally settled, the Aztecs played their way into the NCAA Tournament the hard way. They won three games in three days, including one against New Mexico and one against the hosts of the MWC Tournament to claim an automatic bid to the tourney. How They Got Here: A perfect record at home this year certainly helped the case for the Musketeers to make the tournament, and some major non-conference wins were like icing on the cake. The X-Men were one of the top three teams in the A-10 all year, and all three squads knew the whole season that they were dancing. How They Got Here: The Gophers didn’t truly play their way into the tournament, but for all intents and purposes, that’s what happened for a team that was only 18-12 at the outset of the conference tournaments last week. Minnesota won three games in three days, and in spite of the fact that it was blown away by Ohio State in the Big Ten Final, it was still good enough to go dancing. How They Got Here: After losing six Big East games by five points or less, it’s a wonder how the Golden Eagles kept their season together. Still, tenacity from HC Buzz Williams and a group that never gave up on itself persevered into the dance out of the toughest conference in America. How They Got Here: The Huskies needed every last one of those wins that they got in the Pac-10 Tournament to go dancing, because a loss to Cal in the finale would’ve probably sent them to the NIT. U-Dub wasn’t exactly a deserving team in the field of 65 all year long, but ultimately, the conference title earned them their spot on the dance floor. How They Got Here: A week before the Big East Tournament started, the Irish were still in a heck of a lot of trouble. They ran through the end of their schedule by switching to this so called, “Burn” offense, which takes the air out of the ball and deadens the game. Since then, HC Mike Brey’s club has only been beaten once. How They Got Here: The Monarchs were probably forgotten and disrespected after winning the Colonial’s automatic bid. They were good enough to be an at-large team all season long out of the CAA, but apparently, at least in the eyes of the Selection Committee, a loss to Northeastern in the league final would’ve left the Monarchs home.
Tennessee Volunteers
(25-8, #6 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: F Wayne Chism is most likely the man that will come up large for HC Bruce Pearl. Chism, who has plenty of tourney experience, can be a force in the paint. He had a relatively disappointing year at 12.5 PPG and 7.1 RPG, but he’s still a double-double threat every day.
Expectations: The Tennessee faithful probably think higher of this team that it actually is, but the Vols should be happy just getting to the second week of this tournament. They’ll probably fall short of that goal though in a very tough Midwest Bracket.
San Diego State Aztecs
(25-8, #11 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: F Billy White can catch fire in any game that he plays. Just ask the Lobos, who watched him score 28 points against them in the MWC semifinals. White is wildly inconsistent, but when he’s on, he can obliterate his scoring average of 10.6 PPG.
Expectations: The Aztecs would love to get out of Round 1 of this tournament to prove that the MWC deserves some more respect on an annual basis. It wouldn’t be devastating if it doesn’t, but look for San Diego State to march on to this weekend before getting tripped up.
Xavier Musketeers
(24-8, #6 West Region)
Player to Watch: When you’re talking about elite scorers that may stick around for awhile in this tournament, you have to bring Xavier’s G Jordan Crawford into the discussion. He’s averaging 19.7 PPG this year for a team that is averaging 80.0 PPG.
Expectations: That offense should carry X at least into the weekend, but the expectations at this school are becoming higher and higher as the years wear on. This has been an Elite 8 team in years past, and anything less than that will ultimately be at least a tad disappointing.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
(21-13, #11 West Region)
Player to Watch: This is one of the best shot blocking teams in the country, and F Damian Johnson leads the bunch with 65 blocks on the year. He’s also good for double digits in scoring (10.0 per game) and can grab six to eight boards if you need him to.
Expectations: Survive as long as you can, Minnesota. If that means a first round upset, no one in Golden Gopher nation should be hanging their heads after that great run through the Big Ten tourney.
Marquette Golden Eagles
(22-11, #6 East Region)
Player to Watch: F Lazar Hayward is a tough nosed warrior in the post for the Eagles. He is averaging 18.1 PPG and 7.7 RPG on the season and has clearly bodied with the best in the country.
Expectations: After a year of a ton of close calls, the Golden Eagles are due for some luck. Does that mean a deep run into the dance? Quite possibly. However, if this team’s luck continues, it’ll be the team that goes down in Round 1 on that heartbreaking 40-foot miracle shot at the buzzer.
Washington Huskies
(24-9, #11 East Region)
Player to Watch: This is as dangerous of an 11 seed as there has ever been in this tournament thanks to F Quincy Pondexter. He’s a double-double waiting to happen every single night, and his 19.8 points per game makes him a complete duel threat.
Expectations: Based on the beginning of the year expectations, this is a team that should be at least in the Sweet 16. Now, seeing how weak the Pac-10 was, a win over Marquette would thrill U-Dub Country.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
(23-11, #6 South Region)
Player to Watch: Talk about the most valuable sixth man in America. F Luke Harangody, an All-American, is going to come off of the bench like he did for the entire end of the season after returning from injury. He can still go for a double-double in seemingly no time, and even though he can’t play a full 40 minutes anymore, his impact on any game can be huge, as there is rarely anyone on the court that can body with him.
Expectations: Step one was getting to the dance. Now Brey has to prove that he can win when he gets there. The Irish badly need to survive into the weekend.
Old Dominion Monarchs
(26-8, #11 South Region)
Player to Watch: Everything that F Kent Bazemore does is important for the Monarchs. He’s not a prolific scorer at just 8.4 PPG, but he pulls down 4.2 boards, dishes out 3.3 assists, and picks up 1.9 steals per game. Whomever he is defending is going to have a real pest on his hands all night long.
Expectations: For the rest of the CAA’s sake, ODU had better beat Notre Dame. This is a conference that is craving respect. It seems as though we’ve all forgotten that George Mason was in the Final Four just a few years ago from this league. A win will be another reminder of how good this conference can be.
Tags: Bracketology, March Madness, Marquette Golden Eagles, Minnesota Golden Gophers, NCAA Tournament, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Old Dominion Monarchs, San Diego State Aztecs, Tennessee Volunteers, Washington Huskies, Xavier Musketeers
How They Got Here: Getting to the dance was never the problem for the Hoyas. Getting seeded properly in it was. Catching fire in the Big East Tournament probably moved G’Town from a #6 all the way up to a #3. How They Got Here: No one can say that the Bobcats didn’t earn their spot into this tournament. They knocked off both Kent State and Akron, the two powerhouses in the MAC to come out of the #9 seed to win their conference tournament and snare an automatic ticket to the dance. How They Got Here: Had the Panthers just been a bubble team this year, the Panthers faithful would’ve probably been happy considering the fact that the whole team from last year’s Elite 8 squad is pretty much gone. But HC Jamie Dixon reloaded his gun quickly and has the boys from Steeltown ready to roll once again as a #3 seed in the dance after a great regular season. How They Got Here: The Golden Grizzlies captured the Summit League regular season and tournament championships to move on to March Madness. How They Got Here: Good for the Selection Committee for getting this one right. The Lobos were deserving of a high seed in the NCAA Tournament in spite of the fact that they were knocked out of the MWC Tournament by San Diego State in the quarterfinals. How They Got Here: There wasn’t a more dramatic entrance into the field of 65 than the one that Montana made, coming back from down 20 points at halftime to win the Big Sky crown and the league’s automatic ticket to the dance. How They Got Here: Largely accepted as one of the most talented teams in the country, Baylor is a raw squad that doesn’t have much postseason experience. However, thanks to a great season in conference and a decent run to the semifinals of the Big XII Tournament, the Bears captured a fantastic seed for their troubles. How They Got Here: The duel with Stephen F. Austin was a good one in the Southland Conference, but only one of the two teams could go dancing. The Bearkats were the team that survived the duel at the end of the day, and with that victory came the golden ticket to the grandest tournament of them all.
Georgetown Hoyas
(23-10, #3 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: If there was one man that made himself a lot of money last week, it was C Greg Monroe, who played like a man on a mission at Madison Square Garden. The big fella can do everything you’d ever want from a big guy, including pass the ball and handle it. Fatigue may become a problem, as he is rarely subbed out, but when he’s on the court, Monroe is a true monster that is difficult to contain.
Expectations: HC John Thompson III has his work cut out for him in this bracket. The Hoyas are expected to get to at least the Sweet 16, but the road is going to be very, very difficult in the hardest region.
Ohio Bobcats
(21-14, #14 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: G Armon Bassett wears #0, quite possibly representing the quantity of minutes which he’ll spend on the bench this week. Bassett has gone for at least 25 points in four straight games, and he’ll need to be huge again to have any chance of dismissing the Hoyas early.
Expectations: Ohio has already exceeded all of its expectations, so anything better than a 30-point thumping at the hands of G’Town should be considered a supreme success.
Pittsburgh Panthers
(24-8, #3 West Region)
Player to Watch: G Ashton Gibbs is one of the holdovers from that Elite 8 team, and he, to no one’s surprise, led the team in scoring this year at 15.9 PPG. He’s a 41% shooter from long range and can swing the tide of a game in a hurry.
Expectations: Expectations are relatively low for this team considering the fact that they’re a #3 seed, but Dixon feels like this team is capable of making it to the Final Four. The reality will probably have the Panthers getting bounced early next weekend.
Oakland Golden Grizzlies
(26-8, #14 West Region)
Player to Watch: F Keith Benson is a true bruiser in the post, and he’s the only hope for the Grizzlies to upset the Panthers in Round 1. Benson averaged a double-double per game at 17.0 points and 10.5 boards, and he’s one of the best players in the entire Summit League.
Expectations: Oakland had a good year, but it was just run off the court every time that it played someone with a name this year. It’s hard to expect anything less than a double digit defeat, though in terms of the makeup of the roster, it’s believable to think that the Golden Grizzlies could pull the upset even though the odds are stacked against them.
New Mexico Lobos
(29-4, #3 East Region)
Player to Watch: There isn’t much of anything that F Darington Hobson can’t do for this team. Hobson leads HC Steve Alford’s team in scoring (16.2 PPG), rebounding (9.2 RPG), and assists (4.6 per game), and he’s going to be called on for some big minutes as this tournament progresses.
Expectations: Big things are expected out of the Mountain West this year, and New Mexico is leading the charge into the dance for it. The Lobos have Final Four talent on their roster, and though they’ll fall short of that goal, the Elite 8 is a realistic possibility.
Montana Grizzlies
(22-9, #14 East Region)
Player to Watch: That was all thanks to G Anthony Johnson, who went off for a whopping 42 points in the Big Sky Final, raising his scoring average up to 19.6 points per game.
Expectations: The Lobos had better not take this team lightly, or they absolutely will get upset. Not only do the Grizz have a player that can take over a game, but they also play some pretty solid defense as well. They’re only allowing 61.2 points per game this year. So even though Montana has no real aspirations in this tournament, it can be a real hassle for a few teams if they’re not careful.
Baylor Bears
(25-7, #3 South Region)
Player to Watch: Nobody has to tell G LaceDarius Dunn to shoot the ball twice. Dunn nailed over 100 triples this year, making him one of just a handful of guys that can say that. He averaged 19.4 PPG this year for the Bears, and is clearly the man that will be charged with moving the Big XII team on in this tournament.
Expectations: Baylor was flying under the radar for most of this year, but three wins against Texas were really motivating in moving this team up this high in the bracket. Are expectations too high now? This doesn’t feel like much more than maybe a Sweet 16 team, but it’s talented enough to go the Final Four.
Sam Houston State Bearkats
(25-7, #14 South Region)
Player to Watch: F Gilberto Clavell has double-double abilities at 16.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, but he’s often inconsistent, especially on the glass. He’ll need at least 20, one would like to think, for SHSU to move on to the second round of this tournament.
Expectations: Sam Houston State is definitely going to try to run with the Bears, but who knows how well it’s going to work. The Bearkats average 79.9 PPG. The general feeling about this one is that this is either going to be a fairly close game the whole way, or SHSU is going to get its doors blown off very, very early.
How They Got Here: The Cowboys made their way into the tournament for certain after proving that they could be an elite team by knocking off Kansas in Stillwater a few weeks ago. They were a solid Big XII team all season long and have been rewarded with a respectable seed in March Madness. How They Got Here: The Jackets were a fringe bubble team that played their way into the field of 65 by winning three games in the three days before losing to Duke in the ACC Tournament. The winning streak may have also saved HC Paul Hewitt’s job. How They Got Here: Did the Cougs get shafted with a #7 seeding? It feels like it, especially considering that 29-5 record came with a great showing during the season in the powerful MWC. BYU was a Top 25 team for a good chunk of the year as well, so a slot in the dance was never in doubt. How They Got Here: The Gators may not be this great deserving team to get in the field, but they’ve proven that they can play with other tournament teams of their own caliber this year. Arguably, they were one of the final at-large teams to make the field of 65. How They Got Here: The Tigers were probably only a couple of losses away from not making this tournament, but thanks to an early season schedule that featured a few very intriguing wins, the Selection Committee rewarded them with a relatively high seed. How They Got Here: The old “40 minutes of hell” is back and will be what makes or breaks Mizzou once again in this tournament. Since F Justin Safford was lost for the season though, this team has stumbled to just a 1-3 record. How They Got Here: Remember when this team went down to Gainesville and knocked off the Gators this year and what a surprise that was? Doesn’t look like such a surprise now, does it! Richmond, the A-10 runners up, played fantastic ball all year long and were rewarded for a 26 win season with a nice ranking for a mid-major. How They Got Here: The Gaels were considered a bubble team all year long, and the question was always whether or not the Committee would put them into the field without a win over Gonzaga. They got their win, and because it came against the Zags in the WCC Final, all of the second guessing about their at-large status was removed, as they nabbed the automatic bid.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
(22-10, #7 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: This may be a star-studded bracket, but the stud of all studs may be Okie State’s G James Anderson. He scores more than Evan Turner (22.6 PPG), and he doesn’t turn the ball over nearly as much as Greg Monroe (2.3 times per game). He’s the difference maker for the Pokes if they’re going to go far in this tournament.
Expectations: There aren’t a ton of expectations for this team, but it is certainly one that can go a long way in this tourney if Anderson catches fire. Look for the Cowboys to make it out of Round 1 alive and then cause a lot of havoc down the road.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
(22-12, #10 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: Where have you gone F Gani Lawal? He was the one member of this team that was totally MIA in the ACC Tournament, especially in the finale against the Dookies when he scored just six points and brought in five boards. Lawal needs to make an impact for the Jackets to advance.
Expectations: Hewitt may still need a win in the first round of this tourney to feel safe about his future in Atlanta. However, Okie State just provides too much balance on the outside for this youthful team to counter.
BYU Cougars
(29-5, #7 West Region)
Player to Watch: F Jimmer Fredette has scored more points from the foul line (35) in his L/2 games than any Gator did in the SEC Tournament. That doesn’t include the other37 points he scored in those two games from the floor!
Expectations: This is a team that hasn’t been out of the first round of any national tournament since the 2002 NIT. The Cougs are starved for a trip to the second weekend of the dance, and this year, they have the talented that the reality should at least have a shot of matching the expectation.
Florida Gators
(21-12, #10 West Region)
Player to Watch: The leading scorer in Florida’s loss to Mississippi State in the SEC Tournament was G Kenny Boynton, who put up 23 in defeat. He’s averaging 13.4 points per game this season, and he’s the man that can take over the game in a heartbeat with his long range shooting abilities. He’s streaky though, at just 37.0% shooting from the floor at 28.5% from downtown.
Expectations: It’s hard to think that Florida is playing in its first NCAA Tournament since winning the whole thing a few years ago. HC Billy Donovan shouldn’t be held to any expectations with this team, as it is far too young to survive for long in March.
Clemson Tigers
(21-10, #7 East Region)
Player to Watch: F Trevor Booker terrorized opposing big men in the ACC this year, but he sort of lost his mojo there at the end of the season. He’ll need to rebound from scoring just 23 points in his L/2 games to help Clemson advance in the dance.
Expectations: HC Oliver Purnell still isn’t under a ton of pressure to perform well in the tournament at Clemson so long as he continues to get the Tigers there. That being said, a first round exit won’t sit well. Getting through to Round 2 is a reasonable goal.
Missouri Tigers
(22-10, #10 East Region)
Player to Watch: G Zaire Taylor will probably play extended minutes for the Tigers in this postseason like he did last year because he’s a pain in the neck defender. Taylor led the team in steals with 58 this year, and he’ll look to cause plenty of havoc in the full court press all tournament long.
Expectations: Preparing for this team is a nightmare. Clemson may have the goods to knock the ‘Zou out, but if it can survive Round 1, this team could get on a roll and really do some damage like it did last year when it made it to the Elite 8.
Richmond Spiders
(26-8, #7 South Region)
Player to Watch: The best three point shooting threat on this team is G David Gonzalvez, who shot 36.6% from long range on the season. He’s the Spiders’ second leading scorer at 14.5 PPG, and he’s got the ability to go for 20+ on any team in the nation.
Expectations: Richmond would hate to bow out early in the tournament after such a great season. It’s not expected and probably won’t happen, but wouldn’t be a major disappointment back in Virginia if it was to happen that way.
St. Mary’s Gaels
(26-5, #10 South Region)
Player to Watch: The country is going to get a great look at C Omar Samhan in this tournament. At over 20 points and ten boards per game, Samhan is a brute force in the paint that no one will be able to match up with on Richmond.
Expectations: St. Mary’s is probably content just to be here after the near miss of last season with G Paddy Mills in the lineup. Unless Samhan goes incredibly nuts against Richmond, this team is probably one and done.
How They Got Here: All together now: Thank you Evan Turner. With the All-American and AP Player of the Year in the lineup, the Buckeyes were virtually unstoppable this year, and they must feel as though they were deserving of a #1 seed after winning the Big Ten Tournament with ease over Minnesota on Sunday. How They Got Here: The Gauchos won the Big West Tournament behind 20 points from G Orlando Johnson. Now, they’re looking to prove that they belong in with the big boys after a 20-win season. How They Got Here: Saying that you’ve got seven losses isn’t anything truly special nowadays. But when three of those seven came against the #1 team in the country, now we’re talking! The Wildcats were a very deserving #2 seed, as they were the second best team in the Big XII all year long. How They Got Here: Winning the Sun Belt wasn’t enough to keep the Mean Green in a realistic position to win a first round NCAA Tournament game, but at least they’re dancing. UNT is one of the hottest ATS teams in the country at 17-5-1 ATS in its L/23 games. How They Got Here: Thanks to the play of F Da’Sean Butler, the Mountaineers were clearly the top #2 seed in the draw after winning the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden last week. HC Bob Huggins’ team was solid all year long and very deserving of this distinction. How They Got Here: The Bears won the MEAC with ease this year, and unlike most MEAC teams before them that had to play as either #16 seeds or in the play-in game, MSU is going to have a shot against an at least remotely reasonable foe. How They Got Here: HC Jay Wright’s club earned this #2 seed based on early season performances and its solid history in the NCAA Tournament. A first game exit from the Big East Tournament maybe should’ve left this team as a #3. How They Got Here: Robert Morris won the NEC Championship over Quinnipiac in a brutally close game that sent the Colonials dancing. Winning three games in six days was a welcome change for a squad that had lost two of its L/3 prior to the conference tournament.
Ohio State Buckeyes
(27-7, #2 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: The aforementioned Turner is a guard that can simply do it all. He scores, he passes, he rebounds, he blocks shots, and he probably will sell popcorn at halftime if you ask him to. He scored 62 combined points in his L/2 Big Ten Tourney games and played well over 85 minutes in them.
Expectations: Anything less than a trip to the Final Four will be very disappointing for HC Thad Motta’s team, but it’s just unrealistic to think this team can fire back and go far in this tournament after playing so hard in the Big Ten Tournament with a team that just isn’t that deep.
Santa Barbara Gauchos
(20-9, #15 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: F James Nunnally is a star in the making for UCSB. He scored 14.8 PPG and brought down 5.5 RPG this year, and he’s clearly going to be the cornerstone of this team for a couple more seasons.
Expectations: The Gauchos aren’t quite there yet, but they’re a young team that is lucky to be gaining this experience. Anything they learn from the Buckeyes will go a long way towards helping them reach this point again next year with largely the same group of guys on the court.
Kansas State Wildcats
(26-7, #2 West Region)
Player to Watch: G Jacob Pullen can bring the house down with three pointer after three pointer, and he’s become a real fan favorite in Manhattan. He led KSU in scoring this year with 18.9 PPG.
Expectations: You’ve got to go back eons to find the last time that the Wildcats made the Sweet 16. This is the year that they’re expected to get over the hump, as their draw isn’t all that difficult. As long as nothing unforeseen happens, a trip into the second weekend of the tourney is a realistic goal.
North Texas Mean Green
(24-8, #15 West Region)
Player to Watch: F Eric Tramiel had two absolutely monster games for the Mean Green in the Sun Belt Tournament. He went for 22 and 17 in the quarterfinals against Louisiana-Monroe, and followed that up two nights later with 20 and 10 against Troy in the finale.
Expectations: There’s absolutely no pressure on the Mean Green in this one because they’re just expected to get slaughtered by yet another great Big XII team. Anything more than that is a bonus. A shocking victory would merely be icing on the cake.
West Virginia Mountaineers
(27-6, #2 East Region)
Player to Watch: Even though the ‘Neers weren’t even scoring 60 points most nights at MSG, Butler was still scoring his 20+ points. The rest of the team is going to have to step up around him at some point to pick up the slack.
Expectations: Huggy Bear thinks that this team can win the National Championship. It’s a reasonable goal, but it’s not going to happen. Running into a brick “Wall” of Kentucky in the Elite 8 will be this team’s undoing if it doesn’t happen earlier than that.
Morgan State Bears
(27-9, #15 East Region)
Player to Watch: G Reggie Holmes is one of the best pure scorers in America that you probably know nothing about. He averaged 21.7 PPG this season, and he’s leading an offense that is scoring a hefty 76.8 PPG.
Expectations: The MEAC is still in search of some respect in the college basketball world, and a good showing against the Mountaineers would go a long way in helping that cause. However, it’s just not going to be enough. WVU is just too strong for the Bears to compete.
Villanova Wildcats
(24-7, #2 South Region)
Player to Watch: G Scottie Reynolds was the player that made the run down the lane and buried the Panthers in last year’s Elite 8, and he’s back again to try to help bring the Cats back to the Final Four. He led the team in scoring at 18.5 PPG this year.
Expectations: Wright is going to take plenty of criticism if Villanova doesn’t have a good showing in this tournament. He’d better be right that his team was just stuck in the Big East rut at the end of the season and be set to make a march towards the Final Four once again.
Robert Morris Colonials
(23-11, #15 South Region)
Player to Watch: On a day where the rest of his team really faltered offensively, G Karon Abraham stepped up and scored 16 points in the NEC finale for his seventh straight double digit point scoring effort.
Expectations: Just like most #15 seeds, the Colonials are certainly just happy to be in this tournament, especially after not winning the NEC regular season crown. The hope is that Robert Morris can catch Villanova napping. The expectation is a blowout.
Tags: Bracketology, Kansas State Wildcats, March Madness, Morgan State Bears, NCAA Tournament, North Texas Mean Green, Ohio State Buckeyes, Robert Morris Colonials, UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, Villanova Wildcats, West Virginia Mountaineers
How They Got Here: The Spartans made a name for themselves last year by running all the way to the NCAA Championship Game before getting crushed by North Carolina. This year wasn’t as successfully, but MSU was never in doubt on an at-large bid, unlike the Heels, who played their first NIT game on Tuesday night. How They Got Here: The Aggies got here by taking a spot to the tournament away from a team like Virginia Tech. They upset Utah State in the WAC Final a day after bouncing the hosts of the tournament, Nevada. Needless to say, the road wasn’t an easy one. How They Got Here: Any time you can win 20 straight games in conference play over the course of the season, you’ve done something right. That’s what Butler did, and that’s why they were rewarded with a #5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. How They Got Here: Apparently, the Miners were given one of the last two tickets to the dance after they lost in the C-USA title game to Houston last Saturday. They dominated their conference all season long, and to many, it was surprising how bad of a seeding this team was given. How They Got Here: Let’s face it. The Owls got here by playing some of the hardest-nosed defense in the land. That’s how they won 29 games, that’s how they won the A-10 Championship, and that’s how they’re going to live and die in the dance. How They Got Here: The Big Red never really had their NCAA Tournament bid in doubt this year, as they led the Ivy League wire to wire and was even ranked in the Top 25 for a few weeks as well. They’re the only team in this tournament that became popular with a loss, as that close defeat at Allen Fieldhouse put Cornell on the map. How They Got Here: The Aggies played tremendous basketball at times in the Big XII this season, and even though they never did beat Kansas in three tries, they still proved that they can battle with anyone in the country, making them very deserving of this #5 seed. How They Got Here: Utah State had one of the nation’s longest winning streaks going before getting knocked off by New Mexico State in the WAC Championship. It’s surprising to see that this team, along with UTEP, were considered the final two teams in the field after being locks just a few weeks before.
Michigan State Spartans
(24-8, #5 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: F Raymar Morgan really was never the same from his falling off point in last year’s tournament. Yes, 11.5 PPG this year was okay, but more was expected from the veteran. He may be able to answer the bell in the dance this year.
Expectations: Considering that MSU largely has the same team this year that it did a year ago in the NCAA Tournament, HC Tom Izzo is expected to work miracles with this team. It just doesn’t look like it’s possible this year though. Just getting to the second week would be great.
New Mexico State Aggies
(22-11, #12 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: G Jahmar Young is averaging over 20 PPG this year, and he’s going to be difficult for anyone on MSU’s roster to body well with. He’s tallied at least nine points in every game this season.
Expectations: Pistol Pete just has to be happy to be dancing. Considering the fact that this team is a huge underdog to Michigan State in Round 1, there isn’t much in the way of expectations, but a team that’s playing this loosey-goosey is very dangerous.
Butler Bulldogs
(28-4, #5 West Region)
Player to Watch: The Bulldogs will rotate a trillion guys if they can every single night, but F Gordon Hayward is the man to watch on a regular basis. He averaged 15.5 PPG and 8.5 RPG this year, and he’ll have a great battle on the inside against UTEP’s F Derrick Caracter.
Expectations: It’s been awhile since Butler made a real deep run into the dance, and considering how hot his team is right now, it’d be really disappointing if it doesn’t make it to the second weekend of this tournament. The Bulldogs have a rocky road ahead of them though in a very, very tough West Region.
UTEP Miners
(26-6, #12 West Region)
Player to Watch: G Randy Culpepper wasn’t at his best in the C-USA championship, but even on a relatively off night, he still scored 20 points. Culpepper has the ability to go for 40 against anyone in the country, but he’ll find the sledding tough against the Bulldogs stout ‘D’.
Expectations: Many think that the Miners have what it takes to bounce Butler from this tournament. That’s a lofty, yet reasonable expectation for a team that is playing with a chip on its shoulder. UTEP will, at bare minimum, probably put up a great fight.
Temple Owls
(29-5, #5 East Region)
Player to Watch: You need three point shooters to win in March, and Temple has a great one in G Juan Fernandez. He’s shooting 46.1% from long range this year, and his 12.6 PPG is second on the team.
Expectations: This season has been talked about as the year of the Owls for quite some time. An early exit from the NCAA Tournament would be incredibly disappointing. Temple feels it can get past any team in the country, so the unrealistic expectations are off the charts. Getting into the second week would be a reasonable goal.
Cornell Big Red
(27-4, #12 East Region)
Player to Watch: F Ryan Wittner is the main man who is going to expected to carry the Big Red through Temple’s tough ‘D’. He’s averaging over 17 PPG this year, and could go off for 20 in the blink of an eye, as he is a 42% three-point shooter.
Expectations: If you listen to ESPN’s Jay Bilas, it’s Final Four or bust for the Big Red. However, far more realistically, if you’re the Ivy League champs, one upset would be nice, but even then, no one is really expecting a whole heck of a lot.
Texas A&M Aggies
(23-9, #5 South Region)
Player to Watch: Without G Derrick Roland in the lineup, the Aggies are going to have to turn to G Donald Sloan to pick up the scoring slack. He put up 47 points in two Big XII Tournament games this year and has proven to be a real threat at 18.0 PPG.
Expectations: When Roland was lost for the year, the expectations for this team sort of went out the window. However, A&M will still want to show well in this tournament, as it is a part of the high expectations of the Big XII.
Utah State Aggies
(27-7, #12 South Region)
Player to Watch: G Jared Quayle has been lighting up the scoreboard for the L/4 games. His 25 point showing in the WAC finale brought his average up to 17.8 PPG in his L/4, a far cry from the 11.9 PPG he averaged on the season.
Expectations: Utah State will tell you that a first round upset is an expectation, not just a pipe dream. The Aggies are solid, and they have a number of blowout wins to prove it. However, none of those teams that they blew out came from the Big XII.
NBA Basketball Betting Preview Betus.com betting line – Orlando -7, 194 O/U The Orlando Magic currently own the 2nd best record in the Eastern Conference at 47-21 and if they keep the pace going they could easily lock up a number 2 seed in the playoffs. Orlando enters Wednesday night’s game against San Antonio fresh off of two days rest after a disappointing rare home loss to the Bobcats 96-89. However, the Magic prepare to rebound when they host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday from Amway Arena. The Spurs are one of the teams that are right in the middle of a big playoff race in the Western Conference. In fact, the Spurs were on the outside looking in before a huge victory over the Heat on Tuesday. Despite the win, the Spurs not afford any losses and every game is becoming very critical. Add the fact, the Spurs lost star point guard Tony Parker for the rest of the season and it gives off the impression that San Antonio has their backs against the wall. However, the Spurs will still get the chance to keep their own hot streak alive on Wednesday in one of the toughest environments for a visiting team. The Spurs have really developed some momentum over the past few weeks winning 8 of their last 9 games. In fact, their only loss was a mere two point loss to the Cavaliers in Cleveland where it is nearly impossible for a visiting team to capture a win. The Spurs only own a 16-15 record on the road, but they are playing much better basketball as of late. San Antonio jumped all over Miami last night leading by as much as 18 points at the break. That was also the same Miami team that had won 6 of their last 7 before getting embarrassed by the Spurs. Perhaps what is even more impressive about the Spurs recent surge on the court is that most of the firepower is not really coming on the offensive side of the court. Instead San Antonio is playing excellent defense as they have held their last 4 opponents to 88 points or less while failing to allow an opponent to reach the century mark in 8 straight games. Given those teams were not the most impressive quality of opponents for an 8 game stretch, but nonetheless they are still playing very well on the defensive side of the court. Manu Ginobili doused 22 points to lead the Spurs last night while George Hill added 16 points. Hill has actually played very well in Parker’s absence and is one of the big reasons the Spurs have not faltered despite losing their star point guard. On the other side of the court, Orlando is also a fairly strong defensive team holding opponents to just 95.1 points per game. Center Dwight Howard leads the league with 2.74 blocks per game. Howard of course is the huge offensive force for the Magic on the boards as well as inside the paint. However, it will be critical that Howard keeps a hand in the face of Tim Duncan forcing the rest of the San Antonio team to work from the outside. Howard dropped 32 points in his last meeting with San Antonio and is currently averaging 19 points per game. Howard has also scored at least 27 points with 15 rebounds in each of the past two games. The question is how well the Spurs will defense keep Howard contained and frustrated when he gets the ball is his hands. Before Sunday’s loss to the Bobcats, the Magic had won 8 straight games. In the loss to Charlotte, Vince Carter helped the cause with 20 points. Carter has surprisingly been consistent in somewhat of a resurgence type year for his career. Carter has actually averaged over 20 points per game in the last 5 ball games. The Magic have plenty of other strong shooters from Rashard Lewis to Mickael Pietrus as well as some hot hands from off the bench. When Orlando is shooting the ball well they are extremely tough to beat considering the number of dangerous shooters. However, this game will likely turn into a lower scoring slower paced game considering how the defenses have played. Therefore I would be fairly shocked if the over is reached. Pick – Take the under 195
San Antonio Spurs (40-25) at Orlando Magic (47-21)
Wednesday March 16th, 8:00PM Eastern
Tags: San Antonio Spurs at Orlando Magic Preview, Spurs at Magic Free Pick
How They Got Here: The Terrapins were supposed to compete with the Dookies for the ACC Championship, but their run in the tournament was cut short by the suddenly surging Yellow Jackets. Still, at 23-7 in the regular season with 13 ACC wins, there was never a doubt about their at-large status. How They Got Here: Somehow, some way, the Cougars found a way to win Conference USA against all of the odds of having to play both heavily favored Memphis and UTEP along the way. It was only a so-so regular season at 16-15, but Houston won when it counted, and now it’s dancing. How They Got Here: Were the ‘Dores overrated as a #4 seed? Many will think so after they were trashed by Mississippi State in the SEC semifinals. Still, Vandy was clearly one of the best three teams in the conference all year, which was very deserving of an at-large slot. How They Got Here: It was a shame that a team that was 29-4 going into its conference final had no chance of making the dance, but that’s where the Racers were going into the OVC Final. They captured the conference crown, but still weren’t rewarded with a decent ranking. How They Got Here: The first round flop against Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament really shocked Badger nation. Wisconsin was one of the four dominant teams in the Big Ten this season, which was worthy of snaring an at-large bid to the tourney. How They Got Here: Winning the SoCon wasn’t an easy task by any means, but that’s what the Terriers pulled off by taking care of three very strong foes in their conference tournament to go dancing. How They Got Here: The Boilers got here on the strength of three juniors, but only two will remain for the dance now that F Robbie Hummel is out of for the remainder of the season injured. Purdue never proved that it was good enough to compete at this level without Hummel in the lineup, which is why it was dropped to a #4 seed. How They Got Here: Siena stormed through the Metro Atlantic at 17-1 in the regular season, and even though it was pushed to the brink in all three of its MAAC Tournament games, it persevered and made it to the dance for the third straight year.
Maryland Terrapins
(23-8, #4 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: There isn’t much that G Greivis Vasquez can’t do for the Terps. He was a candidate for the AP Player of the Year this season, and even though he’s not John Wall or Evan Turner, he’s still a threat to carry Maryland far in this tournament.
Expectations: If HC Gary Williams can’t bring this team at least to the Sweet 16, there’s going to be a big issue with the Maryland faithful. Considering the quality of this draw before running into Kansas, there’s no reason to think that the Terps won’t get there.
Houston Cougars
(19-15, #13 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: The leading scorer in the nation is G Aubrey Coleman. He’s going to be the threat of all threats to the Terps in Round 1, as he can go off for 40 points against anyone in the land.
Expectations: Houston just has to be thrilled to be in this position. Coleman is going to look to make a name for himself, and even though that can happen in defeat, it’s going to take a win to really cement his name in the Cougars’ lore. It probably won’t happen, but a good fight is expected.
Vanderbilt Commodores
(24-8, #4 West Region)
Player to Watch: C AJ Ogilvy is going to make life incredibly difficult for any foe that he runs up against. He’s the team’s second leading scorer at 13.4 PPG, but he’s also an underrated rebounder that goes 6′11″.
Expectations: No one is expecting this to be a Final Four team by any stretch of the imagination, but a trip to the second weekend is always the goal for #4 seeds. A battle with Butler in R2 is going to be hard, but getting to that point is the bare minimum that is acceptable.
Murray State Racers
(30-4, #13 West Region)
Player to Watch: There are six great scorers on this team, but F Tony Easley is also the best rebounder on the squad as well as being a prolific point man. Easley is bringing in 5.7 RPGs and has blocked 94 shots on the year.
Expectations: Just prove you belong, Murray State! The Racers are very short underdogs in this game against Vandy, and sticking near that number will prove that they were shafted by the Selection Committee. A win would be fantastic. The expectation is to compete.
Wisconsin Badgers
(23-8, #4 East Region)
Player to Watch: He was the man that lifted the Badgers into the second round of last year’s tournament, and he’ll have to be the one that does it again for them on Friday. F Trevon Hughes has a knack of coming up big in huge spots, and at 15.4 points per game this year, he’s clearly the man for Wisky that can take a game over.
Expectations: Last season, nothing was expected, yet the Badgers bounced Florida State out of the first round of the dance. Now, they’re the hunted, not the hunters. After the disappointing exit from its conference tournament, Wisconsin had better not fall flat early in March Madness.
Wofford Terriers
(26-8, #13 East Region)
Player to Watch: F Noah Dahlman is a bruiser in the post, and he’s going to have to take over in the paint to keep the Badgers within striking distance. He doesn’t excel at much else aside from scoring, but at 16.8 points per game and as the only double digit scorer on Wofford, his value is tremendous.
Expectations: Don’t think for one second that Wofford isn’t good enough to win this game outright. The Terriers believe that they’ve got the right combination of a strong defense and interior play to take it to the Badgers. They’ll exceed the expectations of the media just by hanging around in the game.
Purdue Boilermakers
(27-5, #4 South Region)
Player to Watch: G E’Twaun Moore seems to be the better leader of he and F JaJuan Johnson. Moore is the certainly the better outside threat as well, and he’ll need to step it up from long range for the Boilermakers to have success.
Expectations: Once Hummel went down, the season was effectively over for Purdue. There really isn’t much in the way of an expectation in West Lafayette without a team at full strength, but avoiding the embarrassment of being dumped by a #13 seed would be nice.
Siena Saints
(27-6, #13 South Region)
Player to Watch: F Alex Franklin is one of four veteran leaders on this team. The Saints rely on their top scorer to dominate the low block with teammate F Ryan Rossiter. Franklin is the better true post player though, and he’ll draw a great matchup with Purdue’s Johnson in R1.
Expectations: After pushing #1 Louisville a year ago in the second round, Saints fans will be disappointed with a first round exit from the tourney, especially against an injury-riddled team. Still, it’s hard to expect much out of a #13 seed, even if that #13 is a trendy pick to upset the #4.
How They Got Here: The Runnin’ Rebels were consistently the third best team in the Mountain West this year. Because New Mexico and BYU were so strong, there was never a doubt about a third team getting into the field from the MWC. UNLV marched to the conference final before losing to San Diego State. How They Got Here: There wasn’t much more than the Panthers could do than win BracketBusters and dominated the MVC, but based on this seeding, it’s a good thing that UNI won the conference. An at-large bid may not have been a given. How They Got Here: To be frank, the Zags got here by coasting their way into the tournament as an at-large when they could’ve nailed down the West Coast Conference’s automatic bid if they wanted it. HC Mark Few hopes a 19-point loss to St. Mary’s isn’t a sign of things to come on Friday. How They Got Here: FSU had to be wincing just a little bit after losing to NC State in its first game in the ACC Tournament. Still, the Noles put together a great body of work this year, including ten wins in the tough ACC to lock up an at-large bid weeks ago. How They Got Here: We’re not so sure how the Longhorns really got here. They started off 17-0 before falling apart down the stretch, so the correct answer to how Texas made it to the NCAA Tournament is, “Very tenuously.” How They Got Here: Many wonder if Wake Forest really deserved a nod to the dance over Virginia Tech in the ACC, particularly after the Demon Deacons laid a total egg in the conference tournament, but thanks to a solid OOC slate, HC Dino Gaudio’s team finds itself in March Madness once again. How They Got Here: Many will tell you that the Bears got here because someone had to win all of those games in Pac-10 play this year! Truth be told, Cal played one of the toughest schedules in the nation, which is why it was rewarded with a decent seed in the field of 65. How They Got Here: The Cardinals got here so easily because they took a chunk out of the Orange not just once, but twice this season. Those two wins paired with a decent showing against the rest of the Big East was more than enough to send HC Rick Pitino’s team dancing.
UNLV Runnin’ Rebels
(25-8, #8 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: G Tre’Von Willis is a true scoring who can shoot the ball from anywhere on the court. He led the Rebels at 17.3 points per game this season, but he may struggle against the UNI inside defense when he tries to slash into the lane.
Expectations: UNLV was hoping for a better seed and an easier road into the second round, but it also drew a very dangerous #9 in the Missouri Valley champs. There aren’t many expectations for a team that should be bounced in Round 1.
Northern Iowa Panthers
(28-4, #9 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: Senior F Adam Koch was shut out in the Valley Final against Wichita State, which was very uncharacteristic for a player that has always come up big in big games for the Panthers. He should do better against UNLV this week.
Expectations: The Panthers have a chip on their shoulder for being a #9 seed. Expect to see them march right through their Mountain West foes in Round 1 before giving the Jayhawks everything that they can handle in Round 2.
Gonzaga Bulldogs
(26-6, #8 West Region)
Player to Watch: G Matt Bouldin, 16.0 points per game, loves to slash into the paint and try to score easy buckets. He won’t find any of that against Florida State, so he’ll have to be more creative to get his points.
Expectations: It feels like forever since the Zags have really made an impact on this tournament. They’re a toss-up to get through Round 1, but even if they survive Florida State, there really aren’t any expectations against Syracuse.
Florida State Seminoles
(22-9, #9 West Region)
Player to Watch: F Chris Singleton could be ready to make his jump to the NBA. He’s going to want to put together a big tournament to do so. Singleton was the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year, and he’ll be expected to put the Noles on his back to lead them into the second round.
Expectations: HC Leonard Hamilton has a bad coaching history in this tournament, especially last season against Wisconsin. The Florida State faithful want to see the team fight hard and get through Round 1, but anything beyond that is gravy.
Texas Longhorns
(24-9, #8 East Region)
Player to Watch: F Damion James could go off for a double-double on any team in the country. He’s going to have a great post matchup against the horses for the Deacs on the inside in what should be a very fun battle to watch.
Expectations: If HC Rick Barnes doesn’t get his Longhorns out of the first round of the tournament after being projected as a #1 seed just two months ago, he’s going to have a lot of questions to answer in Austin when his team gets home.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
(19-10, #9 East Region)
Player to Watch: We mentioned the bigs for Wake Forest that are going to have to body up with James for Texas, and the man that will be tabbed with that job is F Aminu Al-Farouq. He’s another player that averaged a double-double this year that can have a fantastic game at the drop of a hat.
Expectations: Wake fans know that this isn’t the best set of Demon Deacons ever. Just getting out of the first round would be good enough, but even the likely early exit to the Longhorns will be acceptable so long as it’s not embarrassing.
California Golden Bears
(23-10, #8 South Region)
Player to Watch: G Jerome Randle had a bad Pac-10 final against Washington, scoring just 12 points, but his previous two games (both 20+ point efforts) showed how dangerous he can be. Randle is the key to stopping Louisville’s pressure defense.
Expectations: Pac-10 backers will hope that this league proves that it is good enough to play with the big boys, but the truth of the matter is that it just isn’t. The Bears should go bye-bye in round 1.
Louisville Cardinals
(20-12, #9 South Region)
Player to Watch: The best scoring option that this team has is F Samardo Samuels. He’s got a ton of tournament experience as a key cog in last year’s run, and he’ll be expected to be the man once again that carries the Birds into March.
Expectations: Expectations may not be through the roof for this team in the media, but Pitino will tell you that this is a team that can win the whole enchilada. We’re not one to bet against him either, especially against a bunch of Dookies that look vulnerable in Round 2.
Tags: Bracketology, California Golden Bears, college basketball betting, Florida State Seminoles, Gonzaga Bulldogs, Louisville Cardinals, March Madness, march madness betting, NCAA Tournament, NCAA Tournament betting, Northern Iowa Panthers, Texas Longhorns, UNLV Runnin' Rebels, Wake Forest Demon Deacons
How They Got Here: The Jayhawks captured the top seed in the Midwest by winning the Big XII crown and putting together a fantastic regular season. They’re clearly one of the deepest teams in the country, but they don’t look like a team that has quite turned it on as of yet. How They Got Here: Lehigh largely dominated the Patriot League tournament by coasting to three victories by an average MOV of 18.7 PPG. Even though the Mountain Hawks have won five straight, they still were only narrowly left out of the play-in game. How They Got Here: It clearly wasn’t the greatest Big East Tournament in the world for the Cuse, who were one and done after losing to Georgetown. However, Syracuse earned a #1 seed by beating up the rest of the nation all year in the regular season. HC Jim Boeheim will be happy never to see Louisville again after the Cards handed his squad two losses this year. How They Got Here: It took some help from Boston U to ditch Stony Brook out of the America East Tournament, but when it was said and done, home court advantage led the Catamounts back to the dance for the first time since ‘05. How They Got Here: To put it mildly, the Wildcats got here because they were the best team in a respectable conference. Kentucky earned the SEC Championship by beating Mississippi State in overtime, but a #1 seed was already certainly wrapped up before that point. How They Got Here: The Atlantic Sun was tight all year long, but the Buccaneers proved to be the best of the bunch, as they disposed of Mercer on its home court to win the conference to go dancing for the second straight year. How They Got Here: The ACC might’ve been a down conference this year, but the Dookies still blew through a tough schedule with no problems this entire year. As a reward for winning the conference tournament, albeit against a weaker set of teams than was originally expected, Coach K’s club was given a #1 seed and the ability to stay relatively close to home. How They Got Here: It took a mammoth upset in the Big South Final over Coastal Carolina, but the Eagles proved to be worthy and took out the Chanticleers to advance to the play-in game of the tournament. How They Got Here: The Golden Lions aren’t going to be proud of the fact that they only scored 50 points in their conference championship game, but a ticket to the dance is a ticket to the dance. Thanks to the surprising early exit from the SWAC Tournament by Jackson State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff seized its chance to go dancing.
Kansas Jayhawks
(32-2, #1 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: C Cole Aldrich is the heart and soul of this team. Even though he isn’t the best scorer of the bunch (11.2 PPG), he can take a game over in the paint, as demonstrated by his 9.9 RPG in ‘09-’10.
Expectations: Anything less than a Final Four appearance will be considered a brutal disappointment for this team, but with the way that it has played with fire all season long, an earlier exit than that seems like it could be possible. Expect to see the Jayhawks get bounced in the Elite 8 in a very difficult bracket.
Lehigh Mountain Hawks
(22-10, #16 Midwest Region)
Player to Watch: G CJ McCollum is a big time score at 18.8 points per game. He was even stronger than that down the stretch (25.3 PPG L/9), and will have to be totally unconscious to wear down the Jayhawks.
Expectations: There really aren’t any expectations here for Lehigh. There’s a reason that this team is a 25.5-point underdog against the top overall seed in this tournament. If the Mountain Hawks can at least keep the game respectable looking for a half of basketball, they should feel accomplished.
Syracuse Orange
(28-4, #1 West Region)
Player to Watch: F Arinze Onuaku suffered a nasty looking injury at the end of the Georgetown game. His health is paramount for the Orange, who would sorely miss his 10.5 PPG if he was out of the lineup.
Expectations: As long as Onuaku is healthy, this is still the best team in the West Bracket. Relatively speaking, this is an easy march to the Final Four. Look for the Orange to be cutting down the nets in Salt Lake City before moving on to Indy for the Final Four.
Vermont Catamounts
(25-9, #16 West Region)
Player to Watch: F Marqus Blakely is going to be a real pain defensively for the Orange to deal with. Blakely is averaging 2.4 steals, 1.9 blocks, and 9.4 rebounds per game for Vermont, and he’s the leading scorer at 17.4 points per game to boot.
Expectations: Can the Catamounts wake up the echoes from that ‘05 tournament in which they beat this same Syracuse team in the first round? Not so fast. This is a nice story and a decent club that probably deserved better than a 16 seed, but when push comes to shove, it’s still largely overmatched and will be an easily dismissed team in its first game.
Kentucky Wildcats
(32-2, #1 East Region)
Player to Watch: Where else could we go with this than G John Wall? One of the Naismith Award candidates this season, Wall averaged 17.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game as a true freshman. He’s going to be expected to make a big time name for himself over these next three weeks.
Expectations: HC John Calipari knows that this team won’t be nearly as strong next year, as Wall and Fs Patrick Patterson and DeMarcus Cousins are going pro. He’ll keep the team together to win the East Region even though there may be some adversity along the way.
East Tennessee State Buccaneers
(20-14, #16 East Region)
Player to Watch: G Micah Williams is one of the few holdovers from last year’s tournament team. He’s second amongst Buccaneers this year with 12.5 points per game. He’s also the team’s best three-point shooter at 35.1%, but he’ll need to do a lot better than that to stick with the Cats.
Expectations: In fairness, this is a team that has already exceeded its own expectations for the year. Look for ETSU to hold its heads up high in this one and not get totally run off the court, but even if the Bucs lose by 40, there’s nothing to be ashamed of from this season.
Duke Blue Devils
(29-5, #1 South Region)
Player to Watch: F Kyle Singler is hot and cold for the Blue Devils, but he’s usually a lot more hot than otherwise. He went off for 22.5 PPG in his L/4, and he’ll have to be big to bring out a big guy from the paint.
Expectations: Many think this is a very weak South Bracket, and largely, they’re right. But the weakness starts right at the very top with the Dookies, who, for our money, is the worst of the #1 seeds. Someone’s going to pick this team off, and it could come very, very early. Expectations are high again from the Cameron Crazies, but their perception is greater than what the reality will actually be.
Winthrop Eagles
(19-13, #16 South Region)
Player to Watch: There aren’t a ton of huge scoring threats on this team, but F Mantoris Robinson will do a little bit of everything for Winthrop. He’s got four double digit scoring games under his belt in his L/5 and is a solid post player averaging 6.2 RPGs.
Expectations: Even though all Winthrop supporters should just be happy that the team is still playing basketball into the middle of March, a loss to the SWAC champions would be awfully disappointing. The Eagles will at least want to march on to the real dance to feel content.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions
(17-15, #16 South Region)
Player to Watch: G Terrance Calvin is certainly a streaky player, and he’ll be the difference maker if the Golden Lions advance on Tuesday night. He’s averaging 10.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.
Expectations: If you’re picking your tournament brackets based on who has the coolest logo, you’ve got high expectations from the Golden Lions. But if you’re taking any approach that is far more logical than that, anything you get out of the SWAC Champs will be a bonus.
Tags: Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions, Bracketology, college basketball betting, Duke Blue Devils, East Tennessee State Buccaneers, Kansas Jayhawks, Kentucky Wildcats, Lehigh Mountain Hawks, March Madness, march madness betting, NCAA basketball betting, NCAA Tournament, NCAA Tournament betting, Syracuse Orange, Vermont Catamounts, Winthrop Eagles
By Tony George Of SportsAudioShows MANAGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS. I went 63% overall in the Big Dance last year. I hit a big play for 3 units in the second round. I consider that a HUGE success. Anyone who exceeds 65% in the post season in the NCAA should be dipped in gold, and I mean some talented cappers, or the average Joe will struggle to reach that mark of excellence While 18 years of experience counts, I have learned through failures and losses that left me in a stupor and scratching my head, that again, NOTHING comes easy in the post season tourneys in the NCAA. There will be thrillers, last second miracles, big seeds will fall early, the usual drama that affects bankrolls quickly and often. Proceed with caution and some expert advise and lots of homework to narrow down your choices and FLAT BET your plays. Everyone gets very excited with brackets and their bets, but do not lose site of the fact that the wagering in this tourney has to be approached with low volume and surgical strikes, which means finding ways and angles to emphasize underdogs at every turn. Defense is KEY in the post season and good guard play always is a huge advantage as well as free throw percentage. If you bet more than 4 plays a day, YOU WILL LOSE MONEY. It is just too risky to lay more than 6 out there right now in any game, and after the top 10-12 teams, it will be a crapshoot because there is going to be more parity in this tourney that I have seen in quite some time. There are not a lot of GREAT teams out there this year, and lots of average teams. Many non brand name cappers will be selling the moon and hyping it up (ones not on this site) to capture the publics attention because this is the biggest betting deal around, the grand daddy of them all, more so than the Super Bowl, so again, use your head. There is no clear cut favorite to win it all, and I am talking straight up. Kansas will struggle to win it all, as they faced no frontcourt all season in the Big 12 that challenged them. That will not be the case in this Tourney, especially against teams from the Big East and Kentucky as an example from the SEC. The NIT tourney is all about Home Teams in the opening 2 rounds. Look at home records of teams, the road records of their opponets, and do some math on the numbers. It will serve you well. There will be a TON of equally matched teams in this tourney and the homecourt may be the advantage at days end. Just some random thoughts from an 18 veteran capper who has seen his fair share of March Madness games over the span of time. I tell it like it is. There IS opportunity to win some good money in the post season, but using your head and staying level with your bets, and managing those expectations will mazimize profits and minimize losses.
THE SUPER BOWL OF BETTING IS HERE. Bear in mind with March Madness already showing that underdogs rule this time of year and nothing comes easy, it is good food for thought in the NIT and NCAA Tourneys.
Tags: March Madness, march madness betting, ncaa betting, NCAA Tournament, sports betting
