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March 8th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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We’re at the very last week before Selection Sunday, and here at Cappers Info, we’re taking some time out to view the six big conference tournaments, what you should watch for, and projecting the winners of each, as we head on the road to March Madness betting action!

ACC Tournament Preview: March 10-13
Location: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC

Favorite: Duke Blue Devils
NCAA Tournament Locks: Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels, Florida State Seminoles
Work To Do: Clemson Tigers, Boston College Eagles, Virginia Tech Hokies


The bottom line here in the ACC Tournament is all about how long you can survive. Clemson and Boston College are likely to be playing a March Madness elimination game on Friday. The winner is probably going to be in the field without any problems, but the loser is going to be sweating. Virginia Tech probably just needs to take care of Georgia Tech on Thursday to get into the field, but beating Florida State would really be smart and would seal the deal. The Noles are hoping to get Chris Singleton back in the lineup by then. North Carolina might be the top seed in this tournament, but we aren’t going to be counting out the Dookies. Don’t be surprised if this ultimately comes down to Duke and Carolina for the ACC title, and potentially for a No. 1 seed in the dance as well. Coach K isn’t losing to the same team twice in a matter of just a week. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Duke Blue Devils (-140 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Big 10 Tournament Preview: March 10-13
Location: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

Favorite: Ohio State Buckeyes
NCAA Tournament Locks: Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers, Wisconsin Badgers
Work To Do: Michigan Wolverines, Illinois Fighting Illini, Penn State Nittany Lions, Michigan State Spartans


Everyone thinks that Ohio State is just going to roll right into the finale of this tournament and walk away with yet another Big Ten title, but we’re really not all that sure that that is the case. The winner of that Michigan/Illinois 4/5 battle is going to be giving OSU a tough time and could take the Buckeyes out just two games into the tournament. Keep in mind that either the Wolverines or Illini will probably be in the field for sure with that win on Friday against the other, but there is a chance that the other could backdoor its way in. There’s probably no such luck for Michigan State and Penn State. The Spartans, at bare minimum, need a win over Iowa and a competitive game against Purdue, while Penn State needs to beat Indiana and Wisconsin to even think about having a chance. We love the chances of the Boilers in this one though, as they are playing close to home and have a lot to prove. They’ve beaten down Wisconsin this year at home (and granted, also lost on the road), and have owned Michigan State in two games. If the Buckeyes are out of the picture before that point, we tend to believe that Purdue is the team that will pick up the pieces. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Purdue Boilermakers (+285 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Big 12 Tournament Preview: March 10-13
Location: Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO

Favorite: Kansas Jayhawks
NCAA Tournament Locks: Kansas Jayhawks, Texas Longhorns, Texas A&M Aggies, Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers
Work To Do: Colorado Buffaloes, Baylor Bears, Nebraska Cornhuskers


If you want to talk about a perfect setup for a tournament, this is it! The Big XII will have its three bubble teams playing against three teams that really have already locked down their bids to the dance. There is really nowhere to go but up for many of them as well, as losses to bubble teams aren’t going to hurt. Nebraska has played Kansas tough in the past, and that could make for a very, very interesting second round duel on Thursday. However, the far more interesting battle to us is the one between Texas the potentially Baylor. This will be the third go around for these two this year, and it’ll be the second chance for the Bears to try to take down the Horns and earn a signature win for the road to the NCAA Tournament. The forgotten team? What about Texas A&M? It’s going to get a relatively easy draw in Round 2, and it should love a prospective game in the semifinals against either Texas or a very weary Baylor team that would have just won its game of the year. These are great, great odds on a fantastic team. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Texas A&M Aggies (+900 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Big East Tournament Preview: March 8-12
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Favorite: Pitt Panthers
NCAA Tournament Locks: Pitt Panthers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Louisville Cardinals, Syracuse Orange, St. John’s Red Storm, West Virginia Mountaineers, Cincinnati Bearcats, Georgetown Hoyas, Connecticut Huskies, Villanova Wildcats
Work To Do: Marquette Golden Eagles


About the only real question left in the minds of the Selection Committee is whether Marquette will make for the 11th team in the NCAA Tournament out of the Big East. It’s likely that the Golden Eagles will get in with a win over Providence on Tuesday, and a win over WVU on Wednesday certainly wouldn’t hurt any. There are just so many teams in this field that are not playing great ball right now. Notre Dame has some solid odds because it will probably end up drawing a tired team that really isn’t all that great in Cincy or Villanova, while Pittsburgh should get a free pass to the semis after facing Georgetown or UConn, both of which are struggling as well. The interesting battle is the one between St. John’s and Syracuse is that’s how the seeds play out in the quarterfinals. The ‘Cuse are one of the hotter teams in this league, while obviously, the Johnnies have figured out how to beat anybody and everybody in the Big East here at MSG. It wouldn’t surprise us if the winner of that game ended up taking down all of the marbles in this tournament. We’d buy into taking the Redbirds at +550, but instead, we’ll take our chances on the ‘Cuse in a game a heck of a lot closer to their backyard. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Syracuse Orange (+425 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Pac-10 Tournament Preview: March 9-12
Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

Favorite: Arizona Wildcats
NCAA Tournament Locks: Arizona Wildcats, UCLA Bruins
Work To Do: Washington Huskies, USC Trojans, Washington State Cougars


If there’s a major conference tournament this year where someone is going to come out of absolutely nowhere to win the whole enchilada, this is it. Arizona is a great team, but it has shown its flaws, and it really doesn’t need to win this tournament to look great to the Selection Committee. UCLA doesn’t need any more wins, and we’re not all that sure that the team really has the desire to last that long when the team is that thin. Three games in three days would be very hard on this team. USC is the team that really needs wins the most, as getting into the semifinals of the Pac-10 Tournament might be enough to get into the field, while getting into the finale would certainly do the job. Washington State is in a very similar boat, but it’s problem is that it is playing a Washington team that really needs at least one more win just to be sure as well. U-Dub figured out how to underachieved most of last season and then all of a sudden turn it on in the Pac-10 Tournament, and we think that that is what is going to happen again this year. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Washington Huskies (+270 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

SEC Tournament Preview: March 10-13
Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA

Favorite: Kentucky Wildcats
NCAA Tournament Locks: Florida Gators, Kentucky Wildcats, Tennessee Volunteers, Vanderbilt Commodores
Work To Do: Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide


This is a mighty interesting tournament because there are two teams that are head and shoulders above the rest of the pack in this conference, but neither one we really feel is capable of winning the whole thing due to a lack of depth. We certainly don’t buy Kentucky doing it, as this is one of the most inconsistent teams in America. That leaves us first, a slew of bubble teams. Alabama and Georgia are the two that are legitimately on the bubble, and there are several others from the West that think they can get themselves back into the bubble discussions by winning some games. Tennessee is a scary team, as we know that it has the talent to get through this entire tournament. Vandy has a slightly better draw. However, the team that we are going to go with is the Tide. You might want to place some hedge bets on Vandy and Tennessee, but we really feel significantly more comfortable backing a team that doesn’t have to play on Thursday in order to win this tournament. Rotnei Clarke and company get the job done with a stifling defense that will wear down a ton of the best teams in this conference one right after the other. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Alabama Crimson Tide (+1200 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

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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

The NCAA Tournament will be whittled down to just two teams after Saturday night's college basketball betting action is complete, and in the second half of the double header from Lucas Oil Stadium, the Duke Blue Devils will take on the West Virginia Mountaineers.

What's At Stake: The Blue Devils, once one of the proudest programs in the NCAAs, hasn't been to a Final Four since 2004 and a National Championship Game since winning the 2001 title. West Virginia will be in search of its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament Championship Game since 1959, the only time that the team ever reached the Final Four. The Mountaineers have never won a title in men's basketball.

College Basketball Odds: Duke -2.5 at JustBet Sportsbook

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West Virginia Notes: It is unlikely that G Darryl Bryant will be able to take the court on Saturday night for the Mountaineers, meaning more playing time for G Joe Mazzulla, who scored 17 points in the Elite 8 against Kentucky. The 'Neers aren't a particularly deep team without Bryant in the starting five, as only six players will probably play more than five minutes or so on Saturday. Still, this is a squad that is averaging 72.8 points per game this year, which is a very respectable number considering that fact that it plays its regular season ball in the Big East.

Duke Notes: The Blue Devils aren't a very deep team either, and HC Mike Krzyzewski knows that he is going to have to rely on his main three scorers to pick up the slack. Both G Jon Scheyer and G Nolan Smith are coming off of 20+ point games in the Elite 8 against Baylor, and they'll need to be big once again for the Dookies to play for all of the marbles on Monday night. Duke has the second best three point shooting defense in the country, allowing just 27.8 percent of its three point field goal attempts to be made.

Players to Watch

F Kevin Jones, West Virginia Mountaineers: With all due respect to F Da'Sean Butler, we already know that he's going to get his points and his rebounds. Hopefully for HC Bob Huggins' sake, Butler can keep up with Smith in scoring for Duke. It's Jones that is going to be charged with keeping F Kyle Singler under wraps defensively and will be asked to keep up with Scheyer's scoring abilities. Jones was second on the team in both scoring (13.7 points per game) and rebounding (7.2 boards per game) in '09-'10.

F Kyle Singler, Duke Blue Devils: For the first time in his four year collegiate career, Singler put up a big, fat goose egg in the field goals made column for the Dookies in the Elite 8 against Baylor. He averaged 17.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this year, so scoring just five points from the charity stripe for an entire game was shocking to say the least. Singler will absolutely have to do some damage in the paint for Duke to have success, as the outside game probably won't be able to stay hot forever.

Trends of Note

-West Virginia is 12-2-1 ATS in its L/15 NCAA Tournament betting affairs
-West Virginia is 5-1 ATS in its L/6 games against the ACC
-West Virginia is 5-0-1 ATS in its L/6 NCAA Tournament games as an underdog
-Duke is 4-0 ATS in its L/4 NCAA Tournament games
-Duke is 2-6 ATS in its L/8 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite of less than seven points
-Duke is 1-5-1 ATS in its L/7 games against the Big East

Final Analysis: The Mountaineers ended Duke's run in the 2008 tourney with a 73-67 win. The tide probably won't turn on Saturday night. West Virginia is just too athletic of a club to deal with, and unless the Scheyer/Smith/Singler combination can really get it going again and eclipsed their 53+ points per game scored on the season, the Dookies are going to be in a lot of trouble.

Selection: West Virginia +2.5

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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 31st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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A week ago, here at Cappers Info, we took a look at a handful of players that should've been on your radar to win the MVP of this tournament. One small problem: All five guys had their teams get eliminated by the end of the weekend. So we're back once again with the odds and picks for the MVP of the Final Four.

The Favorite: West Virginia F Da'Sean Butler (+340) – And why not? Butler has truly been the hero for the Mountaineers down the stretch of this season, nailing a pair of game-winning shots in the Big East Tournament and coming up big with 17.3 points per game so far in the NCAAs. There's virtually no way that West Virginia can win the NCAA Tournament without Butler playing like an MVP, and though he may not actually be the man that wins it, this is a pick that you just have to make if you happen to think that HC Bob Huggins is going to bring a title home to Morgantown.

The Dubious Dookie: Duke Blue Devils F Kyle Singler (+550) – It became pretty apparent last week when the Blue Devils took on Baylor that Singler was having all sorts of problems with the athleticism of Baylor's bigs such as F Ekpe Udoh. It was the first game in Singler's four year career in which he was held without a field goal (0/10 from the floor, 0/5 from downtown). He can expect to see similar athletes on the court in blue and gold this week, as Butler and fellow Fs Devin Ebanks and Kevin Jones are both long, lanky, pain in the neck defenders that should stuff him up. We don't like Duke's chances of winning the whole enchilada anyway, so toss Singler out of the mix to win MVP honors.

The Rabid Bulldog: Butler Bulldogs G Shelvin Mack (+1000) – Mack has a lot of things going against him right now, as his Bulldogs aren't likely to win the NCAA Tournament, and he plays second fiddle on a team that doesn't do a heck of a lot of scoring. Still, if there's a member of Butler that you're going to take at long odds to be hit or miss, this is a good candidate. Mack, unlike his teammate, F Gordon Hayward, has the ability to take over the game from the outside. He's also a very streaky player and does average over 13 points per game. He'll need to do better than that to cash this ticket for you, but he's got the capability to catching some fire, especially behind a crowd that is going to be pro-Butler, to carry the Bulldogs to the National Championship and to earn the MVP award.

Sparty's Sucker Bet: Michigan State Spartans G Korie Lucious (+1200) – Lucious would be a nice story to win the MVP award for the Spartans, as he replaced G Kalin Lucas in the lineup after he ruptured his Achilles tendon against Maryland in the second round of the dance. However, the truth of the matter is that Lucious has already had his moment in the sun, and his numbers just aren't going to warrant him winning the award. In what has amounted to be three games as a starting guard, Lucious has played plenty of minutes, but has only scored a total of 31 points and dished out ten assists. That just won't cut it, even on his own team, as guys like G Durrell Summers and F Raymar Morgan should be putting up better numbers.

 

Current Odds To Win 2010 NCAA Tournament MVP @ 5Dimes (as of 3/31/10)
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Da'Sean Butler +340
Nolan Smith +500
Jon Scheyer +525
Kyle Singler +550
Durrell Summers +650
Gordon Hayward +850
Kevin Jones +850
Shelvin Mack +1000
Korie Lucious +1200
Raymar Morgan +1400
Devin Ebanks +1500
Matt Howard +1500
Field +1800
Joe Mazzulla +2200
Chris Allen +2500
Lance Thomas +2500

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March 27th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Representatives from the ACC and the Big XII collide in a tremendous Elite 8 betting battle between the Duke Blue Devils and the Baylor Bears on Sunday night at the Toyota Center in Houston.

What's At Stake: The fourth and final ticket to Indianapolis and the Final Four, as well as the title of the South Region winners for 2010 will be awarded to the winner of this college basketball betting duel.

College Basketball Odds: Duke -4 at  Diamond Sportsbook
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Baylor Notes: The Bears have gotten stronger as this tournament has progressed, beating #14 Sam Houston State by nine, #11 Old Dominion by eight, and #10 St. Mary's by 23. The defense has held the three foes to an average of 58.7 points per game in the dance. The offense hasn't been up to stuff, averaging just 72.0 points per game, but this is still a Baylor team that averaged 77.1 points per game this year and can explode for 85+ on anyone in the country.

Duke Notes: The Blue Devils are one of just two teams that enter the Elite 8 saying that they have an average margin of victory of more than 15 points per game and won all three of their NCAA Tournament betting bashes by double digits (Kentucky). They've looked like one of the best sides from top to bottom in the dance, scoring easy wins against #16 Arkansas-Pine Bluff, #8 California, and #4 Purdue. Many recognize Coach K's crew as a fantastic offensive team at 77.4 points per game, but few realize that they're only allowing 60.9 points per game this year as well, making them one of the best defensive clubs left standing as well.

Players to Watch

F Ekpe Udoh, Baylor Bears: In Udoh, the Bears have an incredibly long, lanky, big man that can be a real pain in the neck on the inside for the opposition. Udoh is averaging 13.4 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, but he has also blocked a whopping 123 shots this year. The Blue Devils are going to have to throw the kitchen sink at him to keep up, and on the other end of the court, F Brian Zoubek is going to be challenged by the best big man that he has faced in quite some time.

G Jon Scheyer, Duke Blue Devils: The Blue Devils badly need Scheyer to step up once again and take over the reins of this team. He hasn't scored above his 18.9 points per game average in almost an entire month, and he has only put up 38 points in this tournament to date. Scheyer is clearly one of the cogs in this lineup, and for a team that isn't very deep, him not contributing could be fatal.

Trends of Note

-Baylor is 8-1 ATS in its L/9 games outside of the Big XII
-Baylor is 10-3 ATS in its L/13 neutral site games as an underdog
-Baylor is 10-4 ATS in its L/14 games as an underdog
-Duke is 4-1 ATS in its L/5 games against the Big XII
-Duke is 5-11 ATS in its L/16 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite
-Duke is 7-3 ATS in its L/10 neutral site games as a favorite

Final Analysis: Athleticism. That's how you beat the Dookies. That's how North Carolina did it for all those years, and that's how Baylor is going to do it on Sunday night. The Blue Devils just don't have the bodies to be able to keep up with the talent level of Udoh, F LaceDarius Dunn and G Tweety Carter. The Bears are ready for the next step, and they'll pronounce themselves as one of the best programs in the country by taking out the Dookies and moving on to the Final Four.

Selection: Baylor +4

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March 27th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

In what could be the best remaining March Madness betting affair of the entire tournament, conference champs collide in the Elite 8 when the #1 Kentucky Wildcats and #2 West Virginia Mountaineers face off at the Carrier Dome on Saturday night.

What's At Stake: The winner of this clash will join the three other bracket champions next Saturday in Indianapolis for the Final Four and will face the winner of the Duke/Baylor matchup.

College Basketball Odds: Kentucky -4 at BetUS

West Virginia Notes: It doesn't seem like the loss of G Darryl Bryant really hurt the Mountaineers any in the Sweet 16 against Washington. They still have the ability to totally dominated on the boards, winning the rebounding battle by almost seven rebounds per night. West Virginia has a decent offense at 72.8 points per game, but its strength has really been on the defensive end of the court. The 'Neers have held six straight foes under 60 points, averaging allowing just 54.2 points per game in that run.

Kentucky Notes: The Wildcats haven't exactly had the toughest road to the Elite 8, as they have only played a #9, #12, and #16 seed, but they've clearly been the most dominant side in the field, winning those three by an average of more than 25 points per game. Big Blue has a stellar offense at 79.6 points per game, and its 48.3 percent shooting percentage is amongst the best teams left standing in the field. However, it was the defense, which held Cornell to just 33.3 percent shooting on Thursday that really made the difference in Kentucky's road to the Elite 8.

Players to Watch

F Da'Sean Butler, West Virginia Mountaineers: Even when West Virginia is at its worst offensively, Butler seems to always be able to step up and come up in a big way. He's clearly got a flare for the dramatics having hit game winning shots in two of the 'Neers three Big East Tournament games, including the one that sealed up the championship. At 17.4 points per game, no one for HC Bob Huggins is scoring more.

G John Wall, Kentucky Wildcats: This was supposed to be the three week event that solidified Wall as the #1 pick in next year's NBA Draft. However, relatively speaking, the freshman phenom has put up three total dud games, scoring a total of just 39 points in three tournament tussles. Wall can take a game over like no other point guard in the country can, and it's high time that he steps up and makes himself a hero in Kentucky lore forever with a major triple-double type of performance.

Trends of Note

-West Virginia is 4-0-1 ATS in its L/5 NCAA Tournament games as an underdog
-West Virginia is 11-2-1 ATS in its L/14 NCAA Tournament games
-West Virginia is 6-2 ATS in its L/8 games against teams with winning percentage of at least .600
-Kentucky is 6-0 ATS in its L/6 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite
-Kentucky is 13-3-1 ATS in its L/17 games against the Big East
-Kentucky is 6-2 ATS in its L/8 NCAA Tournament games
-Kentucky holds a 2-0 SU and ATS advantage in this series since 2005

Final Analysis: This is a bit of a hefty line for an Elite 8 betting contest, but the Wildcats are hard to ignore in this one. They've clearly got a team that is on a mission right now, and what's scary is that they clearly haven't played their best possible basketball. It's going to come at some point, and we think that West Virginia is going to be the poor sacrificial lamb subjected to the wrath of Big Blue.

Selection: Kentucky -4

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March 26th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

The sweethearts of the NCAA Tournament match up with last year's national runners up in the Midwest Region semifinals between the #9 Northern Iowa Panthers and the #5 Michigan State Spartans.

What's At Stake: The winner of this crucial college basketball betting tilt will move on to the Elite 8 at the Edward Jones Dome on Sunday afternoon to face off with the winner of the #2 Ohio State/#6 Tennessee matchup.

College Basketball Odds: Michigan State -1 at BetUS

Northern Iowa Notes: The Panthers have made it to this point in the NCAA Tournament thanks to three point shooting and defense. Even though they only shot 35.6 percent from downtown this season, they have connected on 40 percent of their attempts from long range in the tourney through two games. Northern Iowa has the #2 rated defense in America, allowing just 55.0 points per game. HC Ben Jacobsen was just rewarded for his efforts in March Madness with a ten year contract extension. The Panthers have the seventh best free throw shooting team in America at 76.1 percent, and they only turn the ball over an average of 10.5 times per game.

Michigan State Notes: G Kalin Lucas won't be able to play for the rest of the season thanks to his ruptured Achilles tendon suffered against Maryland last weekend. That puts a ton of pressure on the inside men for HC Tom Izzo. Though they typically dominate on the glass (+9.5 rebounds per game), the big guys have a problem being consistent scorers. Sparty's 72.9 points per game is still pedestrian, but they've scored 155 points in two tourney games thus far. With Lucas out of the lineup, there are only two double digit point scorers on this team, and no one is averaging more than a dozen points per game.

Players to Watch

G Ali Farokhmanesh, Northern Iowa Panthers: For a man that is only averaging 9.7 points per game, Farokhmanesh is getting a ton of attention from the media. And rightfully so! He nailed the three pointer that sent UNI past UNLV in the first round of the tournament and followed that up with the absolute dagger of a three bomb that finished off the mighty Wildcats. Farokhmanesh has eight three balls in March Madness, and he'll be the key to victory for the Panthers on Friday night.

G Korie Lucious, Michigan State Spartans: They say that the tournament makes heroes out of players that are otherwise average. Lucious is a perfect example of that after he hit the three point basket as time expired to send the Spartans past the #4 Maryland Terrapins and into the third round of this event. No, we're not highlight Lucious because of that shot. Even though he averaged less than five points per game this year, he's the man that's going to have to step into Lucas' spot in the starting five. It's not that Lucious doesn't know what he's doing out there, as he picked up a ton of valuable experience in last season's run to the NCAA Tournament Final, but he'll have to be a star once again for Sparty to survive.

Trends of Note

-Northern Iowa is 5-0 ATS in its L/5 games following an SU win
-Northern Iowa is 54-24 in its L/78 games as an underdog
-Northern Iowa is 9-2 ATS in its L/11 games against the Big Ten
-Michigan State is 16-4-1 ATS in its L/21 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite
-Michigan State is 21-6-2 ATS in its L/29 games as favorites of less than seven points
-Michigan State is 2-8 ATS in its L/10 games against teams with a winning record

Final Analysis: Michigan State was an awful looking team when Lucas missed a handful of games in Big Ten play this year. That's what dropped Sparty from a potential #2 seed down to a #5. We're going to get on Cinderella's bandwagon as well on this one. The Panthers aren't your average #9 seed either. They're going to use their suffocating defense to put the wraps on a suddenly very inexperienced backcourt for MSU. Expect to see Northern Iowa become the second mid-major team to join the Elite 8 with a 'W' over Sparty.

Selection: Northern Iowa +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 23rd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

 

We're now two full rounds into March Madness, and there are only 16 teams left standing that can still win college basketball's biggest prize. Here at Cappers Info, we'll take a look at a handful of players that still have a great chance at winning the MVP of the NCAA Tournament…

Ali Farokhmanesh, Northern Iowa Panthers: Where else to start than the giant killer of this entire tournament? Had Farokhmanesh only nailed the three pointer that sunk #9 UNLV on the first day of the dance, he'd already be considered a hero in Cedar Falls, IA. However, after dropping the final nail in Kansas' coffin on Saturday, his eighth three point field goal on the weekend, Farokhmanesh is simply a god. He's not the most likely of candidates to take down the crown, but with the Panthers facing a relatively manageable road to the Final Four, don't count the UNI man child out of the equation.

Jacob Pullen, Kansas State Wildcats: Now we're talking! Pullen put up 34 points on BYU over the weekend in the second round of this tournament and totally outshined the brightest star in college basketball over the past week and change in G Jimmer Fredette. Pullen is the undisputed leader of a team that many think that win the entire tournament, and at 18.8 points per game, he has the numbers and the team around him to win the award.

Wesley Johnson, Syracuse Orange: After scoring 49 points and bringing in 20 boards in two games, there's no counting out Syracuse's top point man in the MVP chase in the NCAA Tournament. Barring a fairly sizeable upset, the Cuse will make it at least one more round, which will set them up as favorites for a nice run to Indianapolis. Johnson matches up well against a relatively undersized Butler team on Thursday, and unless F Arinze Onuaku comes back in the lineup and steals Johnson's thunder, he'll be the best candidate on the second favorite left on the board to win MVP.

Omar Samhan, St. Mary's Gaels: No man has put up better numbers in this tournament than has Samhan. The leading scorer and rebounder for the Gaels has already scored 61 points and brought in 19 boards in two games, and if the tourney stopped today, Samhan would most likely be the MVP. He told the student body in Cali that his Gaels are going to win the NCAA Tournament, and though the odds are long, if they do, Samhan will almost certainly walk away with some extra hardware.

John Wall, Kentucky Wildcats: It's not so much what the future #1 pick in the NBA Draft has done in this tournament yet that is so impressive, it's what HC John Calipari probably has in store for him. Wall is, without a shadow of a doubt, the poster boy for this tournament. CBS would cry if the Wildcats were bounced from the dance prematurely. Big Blue is the favorite to win the whole enchilada now that Kansas has been knocked out of the tournament, and if the Wildcats can pull off the feat, it's going to be Wall that probably steps up and has the best numbers. As it is, he is averaging 15.5 points and nine assists per contest.

Evan Turner, Ohio State Buckeyes: The AP Player of the Year didn't have a great game against UC Santa Barbara in Round 1, but with more performances like he had against Georgia Tech (24 points, nine assists, nine rebounds), he'll be turning heads. If the Buckeyes reach the Final Four in Indianapolis, look for Turner to garner a lot of serious consideration for the award, as they almost certainly won't be able to get to that point without him going absolutely nuts at some point.

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