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Posts Tagged ‘Butler Bulldogs’

April 3rd, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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And then there were two… The Butler Bulldogs and the Connecticut Huskies are the only two teams that are left standing here in the NCAA Tournament, and after 66 previous games and eliminations, only one team can be left standing at the end of the day. On Monday, the 2011 National Championship will be award, and we here at Cappers Info have all of our March Madness final picks available for the big game.

Matchup: #3 Connecticut Huskies vs. #8 Butler Bulldogs
Date: Monday, April 4th, 9:20 ET
Location: Final Four, Houston, TX
NCAA Basketball Odds: Connecticut -3.5
Over/Under 129.5

The road to the Final Four has been long and arduous for both the Huskies and the Bulldogs. Butler needed to survive a pair of de facto road games against the Cleveland State Vikings and Wisconsin Milwaukee Panthers, both of which could have easily been NCAA Tournament teams this season. After that, they eliminated the Old Dominion Monarchs, Pittsburgh Panthers, Wisconsin Badgers, Florida Gators, and VCU Rams to reach the finale. Connecticut was never really in serious doubt about making the NCAA Tournament, but it definitely could have been in a lot worse spot in terms of its seeding had it not gone on that great run in the Big East Tournament. Save the win against the DePaul Blue Demons in Round 1 at Madison Square Garden, the Huskies have beaten nine straight NCAA Tournament teams. Five of these games, they were underdogs, and they have shined through with flying colors in all of them. The Bucknell Bison, Cincinnati Bearcats, San Diego State Aztecs, Arizona Wildcats, and Kentucky Wildcats have all fallen to the mighty Huskies in this tournament.

Connecticut Huskies Notes: It’s getting pretty clear that Head Coach Jim Calhoun is making his bench awfully short in this one. There are only six players that played more than nine minutes in the 56-55 escape from the Wildcats on Saturday, and the big time stats were once again put up by the big time players. Kemba Walker led the way with a very complete effort, as he scored 18 points to lead all scorers on the night. He also had seven assists and six boards. Jeremy Lamb continued his shot scoring streak with 12 points, marking his 10th straight game with at least 11 points after averaging below double digits in scoring per game coming in. Alex Oriakhi had eight points and 10 crucial boards, while Roscoe Smith stepped up and had six points and eight rebounds. The team did shoot 46.9 percent, but Calhoun cannot be happy that his team allowed 13 more shots than it took. The good news though, was that it did have 16 assists on 23 made baskets, a sign that the ball was really moving around for UConn.

Butler Bulldogs Notes: It’s truly amazing that Butler is back in this one, and perhaps the Bulldogs are just a tad fortunate to be in this spot. VCU ended up going cold down the stretch, which allowed them to come up with this 70-62 win to advance to the National Championship Game. Give the perimeter players a lot of credit, as holding VCU to just 8-of-22 from downtown was its worst percentage of the tournament. Matt Howard and company really didn’t do a great job keeping Jamie Skeen off of the scoreboard, but he the scrapper in the middle had himself a heck of a game. He only shot 3-of-10 from the floor, including 0-for-5 from downtown, but he also had 11 free throws made on 12 attempts to total 17 points with eight boards. Shelvin Mack knocked down three triples, but he continued his struggles from the line, going just 3-of-6 in very uncharacteristic form. Mack scored 24 points and had six rebounds. The impressive part of this game for the Bulldogs was the fact that they absolutely dominated the glass, proving that they can really play like a big conference team. The Dogs had 46 total boards, 15 of which were on the offensive glass. They had a +16 margin on the boards when the day was said and done.

The Final Word: This is the final word for the whole season, and with as screwy as this entire season has been, why shouldn’t we expect to see the upset once again. Butler has proven that it is good enough to beat virtually every big time school that it has run across this season, and it has some big time unfinished business to contend with. The Bulldogs will get the job done this year, and Head Coach Brad Stevens and company will arguably become the least likely champion in the history of the sport.

March Madness Free Pick: Butler Bulldogs +3.5

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March 28th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Butler Bulldogs and the VCU Rams have totally defied logic in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. They’re both on the verge of reaching the finale of the dance, and they both have absolutely captured the hearts of all of the fans of the little guys of college basketball across the country. Check out our March Madness picks for this national semifinal in Houston!

Matchup: #11 VCU Rams vs. #8 Butler Bulldogs
Date: Saturday, April 2nd, 6:10 ET
Location: Final Four, Houston, TX
NCAA Basketball Odds: Butler -2.5
Over/Under 133.5

The important thing that we have to make mention of in this one is just how unlikely of a story it is for either of these teams to be here. Both of these teams come from conferences that have only had one other Final Four team in their history. Butler is following in its own footsteps from last season when it was the national runner up, while VCU is following the path set by the George Mason Patriots in 2006. No 11 seed has ever been in the finale of this tournament, while only two, including that George Mason team, have ever been here before. The only other No. 8 seed to be here in the Final Four before was the Villanova Wildcats, and they went on to win the 1985 National Championship.

VCU Rams Notes: Head Coach Shaka Smart has made himself a whole heck of a lot of money in this tournament. The Rams are going to try to become the first, and likely the only team for quite some time to win seven games in this tournament. They literally came out of a grave that was supposedly sealed way back in the beginning of March when they were beaten in the CAA Final against the Old Dominion Monarchs. The Selection Committee took a lot of flak for putting this team in the field, and now look! Not only did VCU come through the play in game to arguably be the most improbable Final Four team ever, but it did so really without breaking much of a sweat. Sure, that close call against the Florida State Seminoles in the Sweet 16 could’ve gone either way, but aside from that, the Rams absolutely dumped the USC Trojans, Georgetown Hoyas, Purdue Boilermakers, and Kansas Jayhawks, all by double digits. The team has scored at least 71 points in four straight games against some rock solid defensive teams thanks to some ridiculous three point shooting, the likes of which we have never seen before. The Rams weren’t that great of a three point shooting team as it was coming into the dance, but all of a sudden, they are nearly shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc!

Butler Bulldogs Notes: The path to get here for Butler has been a long and winding one, as this team has legitimately taken the best shot from a number of different fantastic teams and has withstood them all. Three of the four wins in the dance to date came down to the wire, and the man that has been doing most of the heroics has been Matt Howard. Howard, usually a man that is in foul trouble all the time, has come back with vengeance here this March. He has only sat out a total of 17 minutes in four games in this dance, and he has put up an average of 16.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Shelvin Mack, another hero from last year’s Final Four run had a huge game against the Florida Gators, putting up 27 points, including scoring some big time baskets down the stretch in regulation and in OT. He also had 30, his second highest tally on the season, against one of the best defenses in the country in the Pittsburgh Panthers. Butler currently has a 13 game winning streak going, the longest such mark in the nation, and it has covered six straight games.

The Final Word: Butler has been here and done this before, but there is just a mojo surrounding the way that the Rams are playing right now that is too tough to top. This is the team that is winning the National Championship. It might come down to the wire, but when push comes to shove, just as it did against FSU a week ago, VCU will figure out how to come up with the big basket to win the game at the death.

March Madness Free Pick: VCU Rams +2.5

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April 5th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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It all comes down to this on Monday night! After taking two significantly vastly roads to reach the NCAA Tournament final, the Butler Bulldogs and Duke Blue Devils will face off in a college basketball betting affair for the right to be crowned champions of the NCAA basketball world.

What's At Stake: The Blue Devils are trying to become National Champions for the first time since 2001 when they toppled Arizona in the title game. Butler has already set all sorts of school and team records, becoming the first Horizon League school to advance past the Sweet 16 in this tournament, let alone all the way to the final. Should the Bulldogs win it, they'd become the first mid-major since 1990 (UNLV) to actually win the whole enchilada.

College Basketball Odds: Duke -7 at BetUS Sportsbook

Butler Notes: Aside from becoming the first Horizon League team to do this, that, and the other, Butler has also made a bit of history by becoming the first team in NCAA Tournament history to win five games in the dance and hold all five foes under 60 points. Its 55.4 points per game allowed is clearly the best in the tournament, and it's even more impressive than its 59.4 points per game conceded for the duration of the year. The Bulldogs are going to need to find some more consistent scoring though, as on Saturday night, aside from F Gordon Hayward and G Shelvin Mack, the rest of the team shot just 4/26 from the field. Both Mack and F Matt Howard are in question for Monday night's game after the two both suffered injuries in the national semifinal against Michigan State.

Duke Notes: NCAA basketball betting fans have tried to find a reason to dog the Dookies all year long. First, it was that their non-conference schedule was relatively weak. Then it was that the ACC was down. Then it was that they were gift-wrapped an undeserving #1 seed and that they had the easiest road to the Final Four. After slamming West Virginia by three touchdowns, no one is questioning Duke any longer. The Blue Devils proved that they could play a hardnosed game against one of the top teams in the entire country, and they rolled to 5-0 ATS with ease into the National Final.

Players to Watch

F Gordon Hayward, Butler Bulldogs: This is really the only chance that Butler may have of springing the upset. If that's the case, Hayward will almost certainly win Final Four MVP, as he scored 19 points to go with his nine boards against Sparty on Saturday, shooting 6/14 from the floor on a night that the rest of his team really let him down. He has been the main scoring and rebounding option for the Horizon League champs all season, long, putting up 15.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per night.

G Jon Scheyer, Duke Blue Devils: Two nights ago, we highlighted F Kyle Singler for Coach K, but the truth of the matter is that any one of these big three (along with G Nolan Smith) could be the man to watch for the Dookies. Scheyer seems to be the team's captain of the three, and he came up with 23 points against the Mountaineers and frequently shot right through the trees in his face. Scheyer led the team in scoring this season at 18.3 points per game, but he is also the top distributor on the club at 4.3 assists per game.

Trends of Note

-Butler is 6-0 ATS in its L/6 games as an underdog of 7.0-12.5 points
-Butler is 20-6 ATS in its L/26 games as an underdog
-Butler is 44-21-1 ATS in its L/66 non-conference games
-Duke is 5-0 ATS in its L/5 NCAA Tournament games
-Duke is 7-3-1 ATS in its L/11 games following an SU win of at least 20 points

Final Analysis: With as well as the Dookies are playing, it's hard to pick against them. However, in order to beat Butler by more than a touchdown, you're probably going to have to score at least 65-70 points. It's certainly possible, but it's not particularly likely. We'll accept that the Blue Devils are going to be cutting down the nets, but it won't come following a perfect ATS March Madness, as the Bulldogs will find a way to stick in front of the number.

Selection: Butler +7

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April 2nd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

Final Four betting action takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday night, and the first ticket to college basketball's grandest stage will be punched in the duel between the Michigan State Spartans and the Butler Bulldogs.

What's At Stake: For Michigan State, it will get a chance to play in its second straight National Championship Game in its sixth trip to the Final Four under HC Tom Izzo. Butler, the first Horizon League team ever to advance to the Elite 8, let alone the Final Four, will obviously be searching for its first championship in school history.

College Basketball Odds: Butler -1 at BetUS Sportsbook

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Michigan State Notes: Izzo's squad clearly has the experience advantage having been here and done this a year ago. However, without G Kalin Lucas in the lineup, this offense could look lost at times. Against the Volunteers in the Elite 8, there were moments of sheer brilliance for the Spartans, but there were also moments in which no one appeared ready to take the shot when it counted the most. Michigan State scored 72.4 points per game this year, and it has already proven that it can win a game in the manner that Butler wants to play at, as it knocked off #9 Northern Iowa 59-52 in the Sweet 16. However, the Spartans, in spite of the fact that they allow just 64.1 points per game, have the worst defense of the Final Four teams.

Butler Notes: There really isn't a logical reason to describe how the Bulldogs got past both #1 Syracuse and #2 Kansas State in a matter of two days last week aside from the fact that they're really, really good. Now, they'll put a 24-game winning streak, the longest in the nation, on the line just seven miles from their own campus at Lucas Oil Stadium. Defense carried this team here, as all four tourney foes were held under 60 points, and defense is what must win it for the Horizon League champs, because there just aren't enough scorers on this team to shoot it out with the talented Spartans.

Players to Watch

G Durrell Summers, Michigan State Spartans: Without Lucas in the starting five, someone had to step up and take over the scoring load for Sparty, and that's exactly what Summers has done. He has put together three straight games of at least 19 points scored, and he's probably the best MVP candidate on this team right now. Summers can stroke it from long range and slice to the basket with equal proficiency, and he'll be the difference maker if MSU is going back to the big show on Monday night.

F Gordon Hayward, Butler Bulldogs: Hayward saved arguably his best game of the season for one of the most important stages that he'll ever play on. He put up 22 points and brought in nine boards against Kansas State last weekend to help boost the Bulldogs to the Final Four. It's been awhile since Hayward has recorded a double-double (five straight games after posting five straight double-doubles), but he's proving that he can play with anyone in the land, averaging 16.0 points per game in the tourney so far and having his best two games against his toughest two foes.

Trends of Note

-Michigan State is 25-10-1 ATS in its L/26 NCAA Tournament tussles
-Michigan State is 9-4 ATS in its L/13 games against Horizon League foes
-Michigan state is 4-0 ATS in its L/4 NCAA Tournament games as underdogs of less than seven points
-Butler is 5-1-1 ATS in its L/7 games against the Big Ten
-Butler is 43-21-1 ATS in its L/65 games outside of the Horizon League
-Butler is 3-10 ATS in its L/13 games following an ATS victory.

Final Analysis: This is the classic battle of youth versus experience. If exuberance and a slight home court advantage prove to be the difference, it'll be Butler that marches on. However, we're talking about a team coached by a Hall of Famer who has won in the most hostile of territories known in the college basketball world. Izzo knows what he's doing, and so does the rest of his team. This is unfinished business for the Spartans. They'll move on to the final and burst Cinderella's bubble.

Selection: Michigan State +1

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March 24th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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A pair of 30-win teams square off at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City on Thursday night when the #5 Butler Bulldogs face the #1 Syracuse Orange in March Madness betting action.

What's At Stake: A berth in the regional final is on the line for the winner of this one. The victor will take on either #2 Kansas State or #6 Xavier with one of the four slots in the Final Four in Indianapolis being at stake.

College Basketball Odds: Syracuse -6 at JustBet

Butler Notes: The Bulldogs have the longest winning streak in the nation at 21 games, and they were the only team in the entire country to win every single one of their conference clashes this year. They're a team built on defense (59.8 points per game allowed), and at times, if opposing teams can get their offenses working, Butler will struggle. The team doesn't have a truly prolific three point shooter on it, and the team is only +2.7 rebounds per game for the season, which is a suspect number considering the strength of the teams left in this field.

Syracuse Notes: F Arinze Onuaku was ruled out for the third straight game on Wednesday with his knee injury suffered in the Big East Tournament. Syracuse is the only team in the country left standing that can say that it shot better than 50 percent from the floor as a team this season (51.7%). The Orange are also three point sharpshooters, connected on 39.2 percent of their chances from long distance. At 81.6 points per game, HC Jim Boeheim has one of the highest scoring offenses left in the dance.

Players to Watch

F Gordon Hayward, Butler Bulldogs: A ton of pressure was heaped onto Hayward when F Matt Howard got himself into foul trouble against the Racers on Sunday. Hayward really hasn't answered the bell though of late, posting six straight games below his scoring average of 15.9 points per game. It has also been since the Horizon League semifinals since he posted a double-double, which is hard to believe considering the fact that he went for five double-doubles in a row before that.

G Andy Rautins, Syracuse Orange: With all due respect to F Wesley Johnson, Rautins is going to be the key man in this matchup for the Cuse. There isn't a player on Butler that can stick with Rautins from the outside if he gets going. He shot a shade over 40 percent from downtown this year and has already scored 35 points in this tournament, including 24 against Gonzaga. He nailed five of his nine three point attempts against the Zags, and will probably be asked to turn the tide of this Sweet 16 betting battle several times with momentum changing shots.

Trends of Note

-Butler is 21-7 ATS in its L/28 games as an underdog
-Butler is 2-8 ATS in its L/10 neutral site games
-Syracuse is 4-0 ATS in its L/4 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite
-Syracuse is 9-1 ATS in its L/20 games following an SU win of at least 20 points
-Syracuse is 9-2 ATS in its L/11 games as a favorite of less than seven points
-Syracuse is 30-11 ATS in its L/41 games overall

Final Analysis: With all of those trends in mind, it's very, very hard to pick against the Big East reps in this one. Syracuse just has too much muscle all over the court for Butler to be able to keep up. Unless the Bulldogs plan on bringing their A+ effort and a lot of magical luck, they won't be able to compete in this one, even if Syracuse is playing without Onuaku for the third straight game. Too much Johnson. Too much Rautins. Too much trouble for the Horizon League champions.

Selection: Syracuse -6

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March 9th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

Teams that are already in the NCAA Tournament…

Cornell Big Red (27-4, Ivy League), Winthrop Eagles (19-13, Big South), Murray State Racers (30-4, Ohio Valley), East Tennessee State Buccaneers (20-14, Atlantic Sun), Northern Iowa Panthers (28-4, Missouri Valley)

 Teams that clinched automatic bids on Monday…

St. Mary's Gaels (26-5, West Coast): Forget about the bubble talk this year for the Gaels. They're certainly going dancing now after taking out Gonzaga in the WCC final on Monday night. The victory had to be sweet for St. Mary's after losing to the Zags twice in the regular season, and now they'll probably find themselves in a very comfortable #9 or #10 slot on Sunday.

Siena Saints (27-6, Metro Atlantic): The bubble dwellers might not have liked the St. Mary's result, but watching Siena come from 15 points behind against Fairfield to clinch up the Metro Atlantic's automatic bid had to be a sigh of relief. Siena may or may not have ultimately made it to the dance, but now, there is no doubt. This is a team that has snuck up on some solid foes in recent seasons, and if history is any indicator, some #5 or #6 seed is going to be very, very upset to see the Saints as their first round draw.

Old Dominion Monarchs (26-8, Colonial): More bubble trouble was averted on Monday night when ODU earned what will amount to be the only bid from the CAA this year. The Monarchs were probably solidly in the field one way or the other, but now, a spot very similar to St. Mary's bid could be earned. Considering this is a team that already has an upset over Georgetown in DC to its credit, the other teams in Old Dominion's bracket are already on notice.

Wofford Terriers (26-8, Southern): It took fending off a huge comeback, but the Terriers got the job done and won the SoCon on Monday night. Traditionally, this is a conference that has the ability of pushing teams to the brink in the NCAA Tournament. Wofford might just be a #13 or #14 seed, but the possibility is there of a huge upset if the matchup falls properly for this team.

Teams vying for automatic bids on Tuesday…

Oakland Golden Grizzlies (25-8, Summit): The Grizzlies have only lost one game since the end of December, which makes them a prime candidate to take down the Summit League's automatic ticket to the tournament. However, the one team that they lost to was the team that they'll face tonight, IUPUI. Don't think that there isn't a lot of history at that point, either. Oakland is going to want some major payback for getting beaten down by 24 points. Watch out for F Keith Benson, who is averaging a double-double this year and is coming off of a 17 point, 17 rebound performance against IUP-Ft. Wayne last night.

IUPUI Jaguars (24-9, Summit): Pop quiz, hot shot! Syracuse ranks #1 in the country in field goal percentage. Any idea who is #2? How many teams would you have had to go through to reach the Jaguars? If G Robert Glenn can score anywhere near his average of 19.6 points per game in the Summit League finale, the Jaguars may be able to swipe a ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

Butler Bulldogs (27-4, Horizon): Here's some bad news for bubble teams. If the Bulldogs don't win the Horizon League, yet another team on the already crowded bubble will be pushed to the outside and into the NIT. Obviously, Butler is one of the best mid-major teams in the country, and it has some fantastic wins over some quality foes outside of the league. This is the only team in America that can say that it didn't lose a conference game all season long, which common logic would like to think will hold true in the 20th game of its Horizon schedule.

Wright State Raiders (20-11, Horizon): This has been the much-anticipated game that Horizon League followers have been waiting for. The Raiders have the defensive abilities to hang with Butler, but there's a question about whether or not there is enough offense to go around as well. F Ronnie Thomas scored 18 points in Wright State's Horizon semifinal victory over Detroit, and he'll need to be a force to make this a two-bid league to the dance.

North Texas Mean Green (23-8, Sun Belt): The Mean Green have won ten straight games coming into the Sun Belt final on Monday night. However, wins against Louisiana-Monroe and Denver, both of which were relatively close calls, might've taken a little something out of this team. This is a squad that really only goes seven to eight players deep, so playing for the third time in as many days could be debilitating. Regardless, F Tristan Thompson has been playing out of his mind lately, scoring 19 against Denver and 16 against Louisiana-Monroe, and he'll need a third straight big showing for the regular season Sun Belt champs to go dancing.

Troy Trojans (20-11, Sun Belt): Troy won the weaker half of the Sun Belt this season, and has earned its right to face the Mean Green for the automatic bid to March Madness. Depth may once again be an issue with this team as well though, as the Trojans only have five players on the court for more than 18 minutes per game and eight that play more than three minutes per game. G Michael Vogler could make the difference even though he has been quiet in this tournament. The point guard is shooting 49.6% from the floor and 45.1% from beyond the arc this year, and he also leads the team in assists at 5.5 per game.

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March 9th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

 

Teams that are already in the NCAA Tournament…

Cornell Big Red (27-4, Ivy League), Winthrop Eagles (19-13, Big South), Murray State Racers (30-4, Ohio Valley), East Tennessee State Buccaneers (20-14, Atlantic Sun), Northern Iowa Panthers (28-4, Missouri Valley)

 Teams that clinched automatic bids on Monday…

St. Mary's Gaels (26-5, West Coast): Forget about the bubble talk this year for the Gaels. They're certainly going dancing now after taking out Gonzaga in the WCC final on Monday night. The victory had to be sweet for St. Mary's after losing to the Zags twice in the regular season, and now they'll probably find themselves in a very comfortable #9 or #10 slot on Sunday.

Siena Saints (27-6, Metro Atlantic): The bubble dwellers might not have liked the St. Mary's result, but watching Siena come from 15 points behind against Fairfield to clinch up the Metro Atlantic's automatic bid had to be a sigh of relief. Siena may or may not have ultimately made it to the dance, but now, there is no doubt. This is a team that has snuck up on some solid foes in recent seasons, and if history is any indicator, some #5 or #6 seed is going to be very, very upset to see the Saints as their first round draw.

Old Dominion Monarchs (26-8, Colonial): More bubble trouble was averted on Monday night when ODU earned what will amount to be the only bid from the CAA this year. The Monarchs were probably solidly in the field one way or the other, but now, a spot very similar to St. Mary's bid could be earned. Considering this is a team that already has an upset over Georgetown in DC to its credit, the other teams in Old Dominion's bracket are already on notice.

Wofford Terriers (26-8, Southern): It took fending off a huge comeback, but the Terriers got the job done and won the SoCon on Monday night. Traditionally, this is a conference that has the ability of pushing teams to the brink in the NCAA Tournament. Wofford might just be a #13 or #14 seed, but the possibility is there of a huge upset if the matchup falls properly for this team.

Teams vying for automatic bids on Tuesday…

Oakland Golden Grizzlies (25-8, Summit): The Grizzlies have only lost one game since the end of December, which makes them a prime candidate to take down the Summit League's automatic ticket to the tournament. However, the one team that they lost to was the team that they'll face tonight, IUPUI. Don't think that there isn't a lot of history at that point, either. Oakland is going to want some major payback for getting beaten down by 24 points. Watch out for F Keith Benson, who is averaging a double-double this year and is coming off of a 17 point, 17 rebound performance against IUP-Ft. Wayne last night.

IUPUI Jaguars (24-9, Summit): Pop quiz, hot shot! Syracuse ranks #1 in the country in field goal percentage. Any idea who is #2? How many teams would you have had to go through to reach the Jaguars? If G Robert Glenn can score anywhere near his average of 19.6 points per game in the Summit League finale, the Jaguars may be able to swipe a ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

Butler Bulldogs (27-4, Horizon): Here's some bad news for bubble teams. If the Bulldogs don't win the Horizon League, yet another team on the already crowded bubble will be pushed to the outside and into the NIT. Obviously, Butler is one of the best mid-major teams in the country, and it has some fantastic wins over some quality foes outside of the league. This is the only team in America that can say that it didn't lose a conference game all season long, which common logic would like to think will hold true in the 20th game of its Horizon schedule.

Wright State Raiders (20-11, Horizon): This has been the much-anticipated game that Horizon League followers have been waiting for. The Raiders have the defensive abilities to hang with Butler, but there's a question about whether or not there is enough offense to go around as well. F Ronnie Thomas scored 18 points in Wright State's Horizon semifinal victory over Detroit, and he'll need to be a force to make this a two-bid league to the dance.

North Texas Mean Green (23-8, Sun Belt): The Mean Green have won ten straight games coming into the Sun Belt final on Monday night. However, wins against Louisiana-Monroe and Denver, both of which were relatively close calls, might've taken a little something out of this team. This is a squad that really only goes seven to eight players deep, so playing for the third time in as many days could be debilitating. Regardless, F Tristan Thompson has been playing out of his mind lately, scoring 19 against Denver and 16 against Louisiana-Monroe, and he'll need a third straight big showing for the regular season Sun Belt champs to go dancing.

Troy Trojans (20-11, Sun Belt): Troy won the weaker half of the Sun Belt this season, and has earned its right to face the Mean Green for the automatic bid to March Madness. Depth may once again be an issue with this team as well though, as the Trojans only have five players on the court for more than 18 minutes per game and eight that play more than three minutes per game. G Michael Vogler could make the difference even though he has been quiet in this tournament. The point guard is shooting 49.6% from the floor and 45.1% from beyond the arc this year, and he also leads the team in assists at 5.5 per game.

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February 15th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Just one week after ESPN's "Rivalry Week," the small schools take center stage in the annual "BracketBusters" festivities. Butler and Northern Iowa are both schools that are almost certainly going dancing regardless of what happens for the remainder of the season. However, for many of these teams, this weekend is their last chance to try to impress the Selection Committee in the event that they don't win their conference tournaments. Cappers Info has all you need to know about the teams that are trying to bust brackets this weekend!

Old Dominion Monarchs (20-7, 12-3 in Colonial Athletic)
Key Wins:  vs. William & Mary, vs. Charlotte, @ Georgetown
Key Losses: @ Virginia Commonwealth, @ George Mason
RPI: 33
SOS: 79

If the Monarchs don't capture the auto-bid from the CAA, they're probably in a heap of trouble. The Selection Committee realizes just how good this conference is, but it's hard to justify taking ODU without one more truly marquee win. Heading into UNI is probably the most difficult task that any team has to take on this weekend, but for Old Dominion, it is a test that it must embrace and not fear. The Monarchs already proved that they were good enough to win at Georgetown this year, and a victory against the Panthers would probably get the job done. They've won four straight and gone 3-1 ATS in their L/4 "BracketBuster" appearances, but none are more important than the one this Friday night.

Siena Saints (22-5, 15-1 in Metro Atlantic)
Key Wins: vs. Northeastern
Key Losses: @ Niagara, @ St. John's
RPI: 34
SOS: 123

The good news for the Saints is that they may be the biggest college basketball favorite on the board for a small conference tournament when they take on the rest of the MAAC in a few weeks. The bad news is that their resume, though littered with plenty of wins, doesn't really look like one of a tourney team. HC Fran McCaffery was begging for a battle with Butler or one of the other big schools this week, but he may have gotten more than he bargained for. With four returning starters from last season's Sweet 16 team, the Saints are sure to give the Bulldogs a run for their money in a game that they absolutely have to have in all likelihood to steal an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament if that's what it comes down to. Siena won last season's BracketBuster battle at home against Northern Iowa, but lost on the road against the Panthers earlier this season in the return battle.

Wichita State Shockers (21-6, 10-5 in Missouri Valley)
Key Wins: vs. Northern Iowa, vs. Texas Tech
Key Losses: @ Evansville, @ Drake, @ Creighton, @ Illinois State
RPI: 47
SOS: 120

Wichita State should be happy that it is going on the road for BracketBusters. As you can tell, there isn't a heck of a lot to this resume aside from some nice home wins. A victory at Utah State wouldn't be the most impressive thing in the world, but it would prove to the Selection Committee that the Shockers are capable of playing away from their home court. Right now, they may be the most intriguing side in the entire country, as the Valley's strong history in the dance will probably come into play come Selection Sunday. Still, WSU is going to have to play its way into the field one way or the other, and the far easier route will be a win on Saturday night against the Aggies.

Northeastern Huskies (17-9, 12-3 in Colonial Athletic)
Key Wins: vs. Utah State, vs. Kent State, vs. Old Dominion
Key Losses: vs. Drexel, @ Western Michigan, @ Drexel, vs. Providence, @ Boston
RPI: 62
SOS: 81

One look at this resume, and you're probably thinking to yourself, "How the heck is this team on the bubble?" True, on one glance, the Huskies don't have a great gripe to be a March Madness pick next month. However, the Selection Committee has always asked the question, "What have you done for me lately?" That's where Northeastern thrives. It is 15-2 in its L/17 games, most of which have come against solid CAA foes. The Huskies can play their way into the field if they win out in the regular season and go all the way to the Colonial title game in all likelihood, but a tough test against the WAC's Louisiana Tech stands in their way. Not only does Northeastern have to be good enough to win, but it may have to be incredibly impressive on Saturday to help persuade the committee if it can't take care of business itself.

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