Is it ever really too early to start looking at these things? I suppose not if the sportsbooks are willing to take our bets. This has been an interesting offseason for NCAA hoops futures because player movement has significantly influenced the odds.
They are coming to Kansas City, and yours truly, who owned this conference again this year with over 60% winners for the 8th straight season will be at every game in Kansas City in person with a pass for this tourney!
Note: John Wall was excluded from this list because like Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin last year he’s clearly the premier player in college basketball. It goes without saying that he’s a must-watch player as the top prospect the 2010 draft has to offer.
The Big 12 is shaping up to be Kansas, and basically everyone else folks.
The Jayhawks have been tested on the road and survived a scare at Colorado, beat K State on the road in a big game, dominated Texas on Big Monday this past week, and manhandled their hated rival MIzzou.
The depth of Kansas is an issue for any team who plays them, and Aldrige in the paint is a machine on the boards.
The Big 12 has more than just Texas and Kansas this year. There are 8 teams in this conference that have 5 losses or less, 2 of them have only 1 loss, and 3 teams are ranked in the Top 10. As a matter of fact, the home teams combined headed into last weekend from the Big 12 were 104-4 SU at home.
Here we go with today’s sports water cooler talk.
Thursday
Connecticut (-7) vs. Purdue – Strong defense tends to thrive in the tournament, and both of these teams have top-rate defenses – in the Top 5 by defensive efficiency. The difference here is going to be the pace of play. UConn plays a far more up-tempo style that capitalizes on their size advantage over virtually everyone they play.
It’s Go Time – Selection Sunday draws nigh and while some teams are already booked in for a spot in the tournament, others have to make their case over the next few days.
It’s Championship week and invites to the big dance are waiting to be grabbed.
by T.O. Whenham – 03/11/2009
Big East – We’ll start with a tough one. The odds would logically suggest that three teams are favored well above the rest – UConn and Pitt at 7/4, and Louisville at 9/4. Head to head matchups don’t help much – Pitt beat UConn twice but lost to Louisville, and the Cardinals lost to UConn.
by T.O. Whenham – 3/10/2009
Maryland Terrapins, ACC – Maryland played one of the most exciting and impressive games I saw all season when they beat North Carolina in overtime last month. Greivis Vasquez had a triple-double and was as good as a player can be.
The NCAA men’s college basketball season is entering its final stages with conference tournaments starting to get under way and the jockeying for positions to get in the tournament starts to heat up. Not all of the teams that play Division I can make it into the field of 65, but all will try and as many of the teams still hold the slimmest of hopes that maybe they can punch a golden ticket and get into the Big Dance by winning their conference tournament.
Just about everyone has heard of the NCAA March Madness, even if they themselves do not get overly involved in it. But not too many people really understand the great history that lies behind this tournament. To truly have an understanding of what it is and to have the best appreciation possible of it, you must look back through history to see what it is all about.
David Payne writes for Ben Burns.
If times weren’t tough enough, does it feel like our little hobby, betting college hoops, is becoming more and more difficult?
That’s because it is.
Dayton Flyers and an Early Exit
The Dayton Flyers will probably make the NCAA tournament because their record is 18-2 but if you take a closer looks at the Flyers you will see that they will probably not make it past the 1st weekend maybe not day 1. Dayton should be really worried about there weak schedule as the strength of schedule is 143rd. They were able to defeat Marquette and Auburn neutral courts early in the year and also have a home win against Miami, Oh.
David Payne writes for Ben Burns.
ESPN analysts Jay Bilas and Bob Knight were singing the praises of Washington’s Jon Brockman Saturday on “College Gameday.”
Anyone who had the Huskies Thursday against USC probably isn’t as impressed with Brockman.
An All-Pac-10 candidate, Brockman went 0-for-8 against the Trojans, including a bloopers moment that Washington backers weren’t laughing about.
Handicappers are always looking for those teams that are over or under rated. The last few years Coach K’s team were over rated living off an illusion of past great teams. Last year pro handicappers got rich off playing against the spread when Duke was favored. But this years team is if you can believe it Under Rated.
