NCAA Madness, Picks SU and ATS

[jtsneaks]

March Madness Review

Okay so let’s cover the upsets, the money makers and the brackets from top to bottom. I am going to cover who wins straight up, who will cover the number and who goes all the way to the big game. Every year I always look for the biggest upsets and what maybe something that people may have overlooked but by the end of the first weekend I always seem to end up with one segment of the bracket that has been completely destroyed, but here I go again and will start with the Washington Region.

Washington Region:

Okay I will cover the entire region picking all the way to the team that makes the final four but will cover the ATS factor in the first round.

Uconn will beat Albany so you can advance them (and all the other #1’s for that matter) and I almost make a point of never betting on or against the #1 seeds in the first round so I will pass, but if forced to would give the 22 as UCONN should roll.

Advance Kentucky as well and they are worth a play at -1.5. I like to back coaches in this tournament and although the cats have been a disappointment this year I know they have the ability to advance in this game.

I always look for the 12 / 5 seed upsets but it seems like this has been in a correction since becoming big news years ago. I have also seen Utah St. play many teams this year and they are a good squad who may hang around for a bit but cannot pull the upset. Washington advances and I am not betting on this one but if I was going to I would give up the 6.5.

Advance the Vols, but they are over rated as a #2 seed and will be hard pressed to pull away here the fans will want this dog to bite and they have the talent to do just that. I advance Tennessee but if I bet on this one I take the points with Winthrop.

Advance North Carolina as they will beat the racers, but don’t look for the cover. The Racers will slow it down and play close and for every possession. Take the points with the racers, but advance the heels.

Okay here comes the first upset as #10 Hall beats #7 Wichita St. The shockers are a one deep team and the Hall has pulled off some big wins on the road as well in a deeper conference. Advance this dog and take the points.

I am advancing Michigan St. but I don’t like it George Mason is a very talented club and the Spartans are not as deep and as poised as they have been in the past but they do have the coaching. If you’re brave here advance George Mason but I will stick with the Spartans. If you are the type that plays more than one bracket you may want to circle this as an upset.

Te last game in the first round I am going to advance Illinois but I am going to take the points. Air Force has been told by all the experts they should not be here which should give them the motivation they need to play this one down to the wire.

In the second round of this bracket UCONN and the Vols beat Kentucky and Seton Hall and move on, the other games get interesting. Both North Carolina and Illinois has some experience from last year but both will face tough tasks. I am advancing Washington as my upset over Illinois and will advance North Carolina over Michigan St. ONLY because a part of me believes that George Mason has a shot at the upset. If the Spartans do advance here they will be looking for revenge from last year and this round could become very interesting.

The upset comes in the semifinals where UCONN bows out to Washington. This is not a big risk play as many are picking UCONN to go all the way and if they get bumped I make up points and even Kentucky may make a run against them early. They will play the Vols in the finals of the bracket as the tarheels magic runs out and the Vols move on. This is mostly a move on any of the previous teams UNC, Michigan St., and George Mason making an early run. Washington or the Vols come out of this one and I go with the Vols.

Tennessee

JT Sneaks

[jtsneaks]

Next let’s go to Oakland and take a look at that region.


Oakland Region:

Memphis and UCLA both advance in the first round and I am not betting for or against them in the first round as I do not want to drop this many points, but feel the favorites advance easily. I will also advance Pittsburgh, Kansas, and Gonzaga but would take the points against Kansas and they make me nervous as the team in that group that may fall.

In the upset category I will take Alabama over Marquette and San Diego St over Indiana taking the points in both. In the last game I will take the hogs of Arkansas over Bucknell and give the 5 points. Bucknell stunned Kansas last year and the hogs will not be taken by surprise.

In the second round I will take Memphis over Arkansas, and Gonzaga over San Diego St. I will then counter with two upsets and take Pittsburgh over Kansas and the stunner of the round Alabama over UCLA.

Next in one of the better games of the tourney Memphis beats Pittsburgh and Gonzaga takes out Alabama.

Finally the dream ends for Gonzaga and Memphis wins the region.


Memphis

JT Sneaks

[jtsneaks]

Atlanta Region



Duke moves on and should cover the spread but I don’t want to bet on it. Iowa, LSU and Texas both follow suit and I also will just take them in SU bracket fashion with better games to bet on.

The upsets follow as UNC Wilmington will upset GW, California over the Wolf pack, So. Illinois over West Virginia followed by Texas A&M over Syracuse as my 12 /5 upset. I will take the points in all of these as this bracket turns into my biggest upset bracket.

In the second round Duke takes down UNC Wilmington and LSU beats A&M. LSU would beat A&M or Syracuse so I don’t mind taking a shot here. In the other half of the bracket the games will be closer as Iowa sneaks by So. Illinois and Texas just beats California. Even though I have plenty of upsets early 1-4 makes it to the semifinals. LSU beats Duke and Texas beats Iowa for a big showdown in the finals.

The Longhorns beat the Tigers and go to the final four.


Texas

JT Sneaks

[jtsneaks]

Minneapolis Region:


In this region 1-8 will advance with no upsets but that does not mean some dogs will not get the cash with the cover. This region becomes the region with the most favorites advancing early but watch out for Pacifc, and South Alabama to get the money with the points.

Villanova beats Arizona and Ohio St beats Georgetown and then you can look for some close games and upsets. BC beats Nevada but man will it be close and Oklahoma upsets Florida. Villanova beats BC and Oklahoma beats Ohio St and continues on the upset track.

Oklahoma beats Villanova and becomes the highest seed to go to the final four at #6. This may be a stretch and they do have a tough run at things but like the make of the team and this may just work out. I have never been impressed with Florida and am just more worried about the first round game here.


Oklahoma

[jtsneaks]

Final Four

OU loses to the Vols and

Texas beats Memphis and your national champion is:


TEXAS



Good luck to everyone this year!


JT Sneaks

[brs14ku]

Wow. OU and Tennessee huh? I almost spit up my water when i saw OU there. I watch the big 12 very closely and I think they have a real shot at getting ousted in the first round. They are experienced...........at choking.

[brs14ku]

Nice writeups by the way.

[jtsneaks]

I know OU is a stretch and it potentially could kill my brackets but it is madness... I also try to get my final four teams to add up to about 10-12 when adding up the seeds so I needed a dark horse and they beat out Michigian St. ..

Best of luck to you


JT Sneaks

[jtsneaks]

OU is working on killing my bracket....


JT

[BangTheBook]

BC might just do the same for me..... tied up 65-65 and I had to leave the bar I went to for lunch and come back to work! Dam short lunch breaks