Posts Tagged ‘March Madness picks’

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

 
March 30th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Kentucky Wildcats and the Connecticut Huskies 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: #3 Connecticut Huskies vs. #4 Kentucky Wildcats
Date: Saturday, April 2nd, 8:50 ET
Location: Final Four, Houston, TX
NCAA Basketball Odds: Kentucky -2
Over/Under 140

The Kentucky Wildcats and the Connecticut Huskies followed completely opposite roads at the start of the season. Everyone was high on the Kentucky rotation to the point that it was one of the Top 10 teams in the land for quite some time until the SEC season started. Connecticut found itself in the dumps at the start of the year off of the NIT campaign last season. The two teams met at the Maui Invitational, and UConn’s triumph was a bit of a shock. Kentucky didn’t play so well at the beginning of the SEC season, but it came through at the end of the year, winning some big time games down the stretch and then taking the SEC crown. Connecticut started off well in the Big East and flipped the other direction just a bit. However, it came back and won the Big East title as well. Both teams have had great runs here to the Final Four, and now, one will survive to make it to the NCAA Tournament finale on Monday.

Connecticut Huskies Notes: We could sit here and just list off all of Kemba Walker’s stats this year and in this tournament, but we all know that this young man is a human highlight reel. Walker inevitably will score somewhere between 20 and 35 points in this one, and if he doesn’t, the Huskies are dead in the water regardless of what it is that they do. However, what is underappreciated about Head Coach Jim Calhoun’s team is how well the rest of the youngsters, the future of this franchise, are really playing. Jeremy Lamb is Exhibit A. This frosh has put up nine straight games with double digits in scoring, including posting 24 and 19 points in the two games played in Anaheim to wrap up the West Bracket. Lamb is becoming a bona fide sharpshooter, and he is really shooting the ball well from all over the court. Keep a close eye on another first year player, Shabazz Napier. Napier might only be scoring 8.0 points per game this year, but he came up with 10 big points for the Huskies against the San Diego State Aztecs in the Elite 8 to reach this point in the season. Don’t underestimate how strong this team is defensively as well. UConn has held five straight foes, dating back to the finale in the Big East Tournament, to 67 points or fewer, and it is conceding just 65.7 points per game on the season.

Kentucky Wildcats Notes: We’ve heard about this all season long. Head Coach John Calipari was convinced that his team in the form that it has been in for most of the year, was never going to be able to come together to do anything when all of the marbles were in the center of the table in the dance. Now, it very well could be true that this team probably isn’t as talented as last year’s team was that was bounced in the Elite 8. However, there is no doubt that this is a fantastic team as a whole, and most importantly, it is a group of six players that is really playing like a team at the best possible time. Sure, this is still a sloppy bunch that takes too many iffy shots and commits too many turnovers, but there isn’t a man in this six pack of stars that doesn’t bring everything he’s got every single night. Josh Harrellson and Terrence Jones have gone up against some of the best big men in the country en route to the Final Four, including John Henson, Tyler Zeller, Harrison Barnes, and Jared Sullinger… and that’s just talking about the regional semifinals and finals in Newark. Brandon Knight was the top freshman scorer in the land this year, but he has been wildly bipolar for the entire NCAA Tournament.

The Final Word: We’re just not all that sure that the Huskies can keep this up. We know that we keep saying that, but there is a point that it has to come true… right? Kentucky is significantly better than your average No. 4 seed, and it will prove it in this one by coming out and crushing UConn.

March Madness Free Pick: Kentucky Wildcats -2

 
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

 
March 26th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Elite 8 is upon us, and here at Cappers Info, we are all set to make our March Madness picks for the fourth full round of the dance! Check out all of the NCAA Tournament upsets and Elite 8 picks for the biggest night of the year to date.

Matchup: #4 Kentucky Wildcats vs. #2 North Carolina Tar Heels
Date: Sunday, March 27th, 2:10 ET
Location: East Region, Newark, NJ
NCAA Basketball Odds: Kentucky -1
Over/Under 146.5

Let’s get this straight. Kentucky beats the No. 1 seed in this tournament by virtue of a buzzer beater, and then all of a sudden, it is deserving of being a favorite against one of the other best teams in the land? North Carolina and Kentucky have taken very similar roads to get into the Elite 8. Neither one really played all that well at the start of the season, and both really came on strong at the end of conference play. Both made it into the finale of their conference tournaments, and both were officially off and running at that point. The Cats have had a bit of a tougher road to get here in the dance, but Carolina did get a stern test in there as well from the Washington Huskies.

In terms of this game itself, it’s going to be really hard to fight history. North Carolina has won seven out of eight SU and has gone 7-0-1 ATS over the course of the last eight years in this series. We know that the Wildcats have found themselves in recent weeks, but they are still a bunch that struggled with the Princeton Tigers in the first round of this dance. That certainly doesn’t justify them being favored over a North Carolina team with arguably the best front court in the entire country. John Henson, Harrison Barnes, and Tyler Zeller should once again dominate these proceedings. Free March Madness Picks: North Carolina Tar Heels +1

Matchup: #11 VCU Rams vs. #1 Kansas Jayhawks
Date: Sunday, March 27th, 4:55 ET
Location: Southwest Region, San Antonio, TX
NCAA Basketball Odds: Kansas -10.5
Over/Under 146.5

The only No. 1 seed in the tournament meets up with the highest seed left in the dance on Sunday afternoon, as the final spot in the Final Four will be handed out to either the Jayhawks or the Rams. Kansas is still trying to avoid the embarrassment of getting knocked out of the tourney by a mid major for the second straight season, while VCU is really trying to lead the same road that the George Mason Patriots did in 2006 when they made it to the Final Four. Both teams were from the CAA, both were No. 11 seeds, and both were certainly on no one’s radar to make it into the dance, let alone to do damage when they got here.

Here’s the question: Is VCU going to be able to get past this defense? The Rams put together a very, very impressive showing against the Florida State Seminoles and lived to tell about it on Friday night. However, Kansas just held a very similar bunch of Richmond Spiders down to just 4-for-26 from downtown on the night in the Sweet 16, and there is no doubt that a similar showing would see the Rams out of this tournament in horrid fashion. Bradford Burgess has been out of his skull over the course of these last few games, and he just keeps getting better and better as the tourney goes on. VCU’s dream will end here in the Elite 8, but there is no doubt in our minds that it is going to give the Jayhawks a run for their money. Free March Madness Picks: VCU Rams +10.5

 
March 25th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Elite 8 is upon us, and here at Cappers Info, we are all set to make our March Madness picks for the fourth full round of the dance! Check out all of the NCAA Tournament upsets and Elite 8 picks for the biggest night of the year to date.

Matchup: #8 Butler Bulldogs vs. #2 Florida Gators
Date: Saturday, March 26th, 4:20 ET
Location: Southeast Region, New Orleans, LA
NCAA Basketball Odds: Florida -3.5
Over/Under 131.5

Boy, do we have a good one on our hands on Saturday! Butler might not be a team that you had penciled into your Elite 8 this season, but you know that this is a team that can really play. Assuming that the Ohio State Buckeyes take care of the Kentucky Wildcats on Friday, the Bulldogs are going to be the only returner to the Elite 8 from last season, and one way or the other, they’ll be the only group that can make it to the Final Four for the second straight year. Florida has a great team with a lot of promise to it as well, and Head Coach Billy Donovan knows that he has a squad that can really continue to do a ton of damage in this field. Home court advantage will definitely go to the Gators once again, something that has been the case really throughout the whole tournament, and this is something that you know the blue and orange are going to embrace.

Florida certainly has the more talented team, and it might have one of the most underappreciated bunches in the entire country. Chandler Parsons just finds ways to stuff the stat sheet, and Alex Tyus has been a monster in the paint. For Butler, we are concerned that Matt Howard is going to get himself into foul trouble against all of these lanky players, but he has found his way around those issues during the Round of 32 and the Sweet 16. If Howard isn’t at his best, Butler is in trouble. Still, Florida has the two wins in this series since 2000, both games of which came in the dance, and we tend to think that this is its year to get back into the Final Four in Houston. Free March Madness Picks: Florida Gators -3.5

Matchup: #5 Arizona Wildcats vs. #3 Connecticut Huskies
Date: Saturday, March 26th, 7:05 ET
Location: West Region, Anaheim, CA
NCAA Basketball Odds: Connecticut -2.5
Over/Under 144.5

Get yourself ready for a game that is going to be fast and furious on Saturday afternoon. Though we knew that the West Bracket was going to have the potential to be wide open, we weren’t so sure that it was going to be this wide open. There were plenty of reasons to doubt both Arizona and Connecticut. Teams out of the Pac-10 really haven’t done all that well in this tourney over the course of the last few seasons, while UConn is certainly proving that you can both survive in the Big East Tournament and last in the NCAA Tournament, something that hasn’t happened a lot in seasons past. In fact, the Huskies might be the final team of the 11 left standing in this tourney when it’s said and done if the Marquette Golden Eagles end up getting bounced on Friday against the North Carolina Tar Heels.

The question that we have for UConn is whether Alex Oriakhi is going to be able to withstand the pressure that is going to be coming from Derrick Williams. Both are really the same type of player when push comes to shove, as they both can go outside of the paint to do damage. However, we know that Oriakhi has really fallen off over the course of the second half of the season, and as a result, it really has just been the Kemba Walker Show at times. Arizona has a significantly deeper team, and it has a great home court edge playing in Anaheim, and though we know that UConn will be used to the Western Time Zone by the time this one tips on Saturday, we just tend to think that the depth of the Wildcats will be able to wear down the lack of depth shown by the Huskies. At some point, Walker will be stopped. The Huskies stop here. Free March Madness Picks: Arizona Wildcats +2.5

 
March 24th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Sweet 16 is upon us, and here at Cappers Info, we are all set to make our March Madness picks for the third full round of the dance! Check out all of the NCAA Tournament upsets and Sweet 16 picks for the biggest night of the year to date.

Matchup: #11 Marquette Golden Eagles vs. #2 North Carolina Tar Heels
Date: Friday, March 25th, 7:15 ET
Location: East Region, Newark, NJ
NCAA Basketball Odds: North Carolina -4.5
Over/Under 149.5

Marquette has had a magical run to this point in the NCAA Tournament, but just like the run in the Big East Tourney, which lasted two games, this one is going to be the exact same length. The bigs for North Carolina are just flat out amazing, as John Henson, Tyler Zeller, and Harrison Barnes have combined to score almost 150 points in two games, which is more than Marquette has scored as an entire team! Don’t get us wrong, the Golden Eagles have a fantastic squad, and they are really going to make a nice statement here for awhile in this game, but when push really comes to shove, it’s just too much running, too much gunning, and too much speed for Marquette to really deal with. UNC marches on to the Elite 8 in style. Free March Madness Picks: North Carolina Tar Heels -4.5

Matchup: #12 Richmond Spiders vs. #1 Kansas Jayhawks
Date: Friday, March 25th, 7:27 ET
Location: Southwest Region, San Antonio, TX
NCAA Basketball Odds: Kansas -10.5
Over/Under 135.5

The Jayhawks don’t really remember what it is like to play these big time teams, as they haven’t played a team any better than the Illinois Fighting Illini, at least in terms of stature, in three years in this tournament. This is the same type of battle that cost Kansas last year’s dance against the Northern Iowa Panthers, and you can bet that Head Coach Bill Self is reminding his team of this. The Spiders play fantastic defense, and they have really done well thus far in this tourney, though they obviously haven’t run up against a challenge like this quite yet. Justin Harper, Kevin Anderson, and the crew might not have the same types of names as Tyshawn Taylor, Marcus Morris, Markieff Morris, etc., but they can really play. The A-10 has proven year in and year out that it can compete in games like this. Kansas might be in for a real street fight in this one. We tend to believe the Jayhawks will survive, but it won’t be by double digits. March Madness Free Picks: Richmond Spiders +10.5

Matchup: #4 Kentucky Wildcats vs. #1 Ohio State Buckeyes
Date: Friday, March 25th, 9:45 ET
Location: East Region, Newark, NJ
NCAA Basketball Odds: Ohio State -6
Over/Under 140

You won’t find two teams that are more talented than these two, and it would be a real shock to see a more evenly matched 1/4 game than this one. It almost seems like we have forgotten that the Wildcats have won eight straight games dating back through the SEC Tournament and into the regular season. It’s not like this is a team that doesn’t have all of the talent in the world. Ohio State, of course, is the big kahuna of this dance, and there is no reason to believe that there is a team in the country that it can’t beat as long as it plays its best ball. The difference here though, is that this isn’t the minor leagues anymore. There are no more teams like the George Mason Patriots in this bracket. Someone might pick this team off this weekend, and we wouldn’t be overly surprised if Kentucky ends up being the team that gets the job done. Regardless of which team ends up getting through this, we know that we want the points on our side. Free March Madness Picks: Kentucky Wildcats +6

Matchup: #11 VCU Rams vs. #10 Florida State Seminoles
Date: Friday, March 25th, 9:57 ET
Location: Southwest Region, San Antonio, TX
NCAA Basketball Odds: Florida State -3.5
Over/Under 131

The Rams and Seminoles are probably college basketball’s version of the “Odd Couple.” These two play nothing like each other, yet they both took strangely similar roads to get here to the Sweet 16, and one of the two is very improbably going to end up being just one step away from the Final Four when this one is said and done. VCU just plays full throttle for the full 40 minutes, and it never fears any opponent that it runs across. Just ask the Georgetown Hoyas, Purdue Boilermakers, and USC Trojans how they feel about facing these guys. The Rams are going to be all over the place shooting the ball, as there isn’t a shot that they’ll pass up. The problem is going to be getting open shots. The Florida State defense really is fantastic, and it has already beaten a three point shooting team in the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Still, Chris Singleton isn’t healthy and won’t be really ready to go in this one either, and unless he can give 20-25 quality minutes, the Noles are in trouble, especially down the stretch. The close call goes the way of the Rams. Free March Madness Picks: VCU Rams +3.5

 
March 23rd, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Sweet 16 is upon us, and here at Cappers Info, we are all set to make our March Madness picks for the third full round of the dance! Check out all of the NCAA Tournament upsets and Sweet 16 picks for the biggest night of the year to date.

Matchup: #3 Connecticut Huskies vs. #2 San Diego State Aztecs
Date: Thursday, March 24th, 7:15 ET
Location: West Region, Anaheim, CA
NCAA Basketball Odds: Connecticut -1
Over/Under 128

The Huskies are probably the hottest team in the country right now, as they have won seven straight games both SU and ATS, and they have done so in a span of less than two weeks. The only question that we have is whether or not this is finally going to catch up to Kemba Walker and company. Walker has been absolutely amazing, and there is a gripe that he is the best player in this entire tournament at this point, even including BYU’s Jimmer Fredette. San Diego State has only won two tourney games in its history, both of which came last week. The Aztecs really had to fight and fight incredibly hard to best the Temple Owls in the second full round of the tourney, but they were really able to persevere in the face of adversity. The big problem that the Huskies have is this trip to get out to Anaheim. Relatively speaking, San Diego State can walk over to the Honda Center, while UConn has to take a heck of a lot of flights just to get out here. You can bet that there will be a ton of home court advantage going the Aztecs’ way, and if they’re legit, they’re going to be the team to beat. Free March Madness Picks: San Diego State Aztecs +1

Matchup: #3 BYU Cougars vs. #2 Florida Gators
Date: Thursday, March 24th, 7:27 ET
Location: Southeast Region, New Orleans, LA
NCAA Basketball Odds: Florida -3
Over/Under 149

After almost two weeks of waiting, we will finally figure out whether BYU or Florida was the team that was really deserving of being the No. 2 seed in the Southeast Region. The Cougs and Gators squared off in the first round of March Madness betting action last year, and after a hard fought game, which included overtime, Jimmer Fredette and company were able to persevere with a 99-92 triumph. Fredette put up 37 in that game, and he has already had two 30+ point games in this tournament and four straight with at least 30 overall, including a 52 point game in the MWC Tournament. The Gators are an angry bunch after last year though, and all of the key players to the puzzle are all back and ready to strike the Cougs down. However, BYU surely won’t go easily, even if Brandon Davies isn’t there to help out in the post. There is a reason why this team was able to put up such big time victories over the course of the first two rounds of this tournament, and a reason why it has only lost four games for the entire season. Go with the Cougars to spark the upset to get into the Elite 8. March Madness Free Picks: BYU Cougars +3

Matchup: #5 Arizona Wildcats vs. #1 Duke Blue Devils
Date: Thursday, March 24th, 9:45 ET
Location: West Region, Anaheim, CA
NCAA Basketball Odds: Duke -8.5
Over/Under 147

Remember that home court advantage that we talked about with the Aztecs against Connecticut? We’ve got the exact same advantage here for the Wildcats. Even though this isn’t really a David vs. Goliath type of situation in terms of conference supremacy, this is an up and coming team playing a de facto home team against a club that is coming off of a National Championship season. Unlike these teams that the Dookies have faced to date, the U of A has a fantastic big man that can challenge them on the inside in the form of Derrick Williams. Williams can also lure men like Mason Plumlee away from the basket with his long range shooting, and he can shoot the rock from the foul line as well at a high rate. Arizona just feels like a team of destiny right now after two buzzer beating games in a row. It’s been a great run for Duke over these last two seasons, but it all comes to a close in the form of one of the biggest upsets of the tournament to date. Free March Madness Picks: Arizona Wildcats +8.5

Matchup: #8 Butler Bulldogs vs. #4 Wisconsin Badgers
Date: Thursday, March 24th, 9:57 ET
Location: Southeast Region, New Orleans, LA
NCAA Basketball Odds: Wisconsin -5
Over/Under 124

We could talk about this game for hours and hours, and no matter which way we slice it, we think that the Bulldogs really need a miracle even bigger than the one that they pulled off last season to get out of this round alive. Butler really had to survive a dog fight with the Pitt Panthers last weekend, and it was incredibly lucky to be able to get out of that one even though it was killed on the glass. Wisconsin isn’t going to shoot free throws as poorly as Pitt did in that game, and odds have it, Shelvin Mack isn’t going to look like Jimmer Fredette out there on the court. The Badgers have the bigs to make Matt Howard really work in the paint, and we also find it highly unlikely that he is going to stay out of foul trouble in this one. If that’s all the case, the Bulldogs are in a heck of a lot of trouble. Their magical run into the Sweet 16 stops without a second straight stop into the Final Four. Wisky has a great chance to not just win this one, but to make a march on the National Championship to boot. Free March Madness Picks: Wisconsin Badgers -5

 
March 19th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The NCAA Tournament heads into the third round this weekend, and there are 16 more teams that are going to try to punch their tickets into the Sweet 16, but only eight will survive! Which eight will join the eight that made it to the fourth round on Saturday? Check it out right here at Cappers Info!

Matchup: #7 Washington Huskies vs. #2 North Carolina Tar Heels
Date: Sunday, March 20th, 12:15 ET
Location: East Region, Charlotte, NC
NCAA Basketball Odds: North Carolina -4
Over/Under 157

Points should be aplenty here on Tobacco Road, as the Huskies and the Tar Heels just love to get up and run. U-Dub has the athletes to body with the Tar Heels, unlike what we saw out of the Long Island Blackbirds in the first game of this dance for the boys from Chapel Hill. Matthew Bryan-Amaning has a huge task in front of him going against the three monsters on the inside in John Henson, Harrison Barnes, and Tyler Zeller. These three combined for a whopping 88 points against the Blackbirds, but when push comes to shove, we wouldn’t be surprised if MBA gets the job done and at least keeps this one very, very close. Free March Madness Picks: Washington Huskies +4

Matchup: #8 Michigan Wolverines vs. #1 Duke Blue Devils
Date: Sunday, March 20th, 2:45 ET
Location: West Region, Charlotte, NC
NCAA Basketball Odds: Duke -11.5
Over/Under 136

The Dookies need to be very, very careful in this one, as they are up against a tricky foe here in the Wolverines. Michigan really played a masterful game against the Tennessee Volunteers in Round 2 of this dance, and it will have to play just as well to get past this one and into the Sweet 16. The defending champs have a huge target on their backs in this one, and Big Blue would love to pick up this win. The Wolverines might not be able to get the job done, but Darius Miller, Tim Hardaway Jr., and company have the talent to stick inside of this number. March Madness Free Picks: Michigan Wolverines +11.5

Matchup: #8 George Mason Patriots vs. #1 Ohio State Buckeyes
Date: Sunday, March 20th, 5:15 ET
Location: East Region, Cleveland, OH
NCAA Basketball Odds: Ohio State -11
Over/Under 135.5

The Buckeyes have to really make a statement in this one. The big little ones in George Mason think that this is the year that it can once again pull off the feat that it did just a few years ago to get into the Final Four. However, the Patriots are really outmatched in this one. They just don’t have the same sort of inside power that they did all those years ago, and though they have all sorts of guards that can stroke the three ball, they just don’t have the power to be able to take care of all of this talent that Ohio State has to offer. This is a real mismatch. Free March Madness Picks: Ohio State Buckeyes -11

Matchup: #5 Arizona Wildcats vs. #4 Texas Longhorns
Date: Sunday, March 20th, 6:10 ET
Location: West Region, Tulsa, OK
NCAA Basketball Odds: Texas -6
Over/Under 138.5

This is going to be a game that you do not want to miss. Both the Wildcats and the Longhorns have all sorts of potential, and it wouldn’t shock us if the winner of this game ended up in the Final Four when it was all said and done. The Wildcats are only here because of Derrick Williams once again, as he blocked the shot that could have changed the entire game right at the death against the Memphis Tigers. The talent level for Texas is off the charts, but we have this feeling that the bad side of this bipolar team is going to come out on Sunday. Go with Arizona for the upset. Free March Madness Picks: Arizona Wildcats +6

Matchup: #11 VCU Rams vs. #3 Purdue Boilermakers
Date: Sunday, March 20th, 7:10 ET
Location: Southwest Region, Chicago, IL
NCAA Basketball Odds: Purdue -9
Over/Under 135

VCU made life a living hell on the Georgetown Hoyas on Friday with a full court press and some timely shooting. The problem for the Rams is that they aren’t going to be shooting a ridiculous percentage in all likelihood from three point land against Purdue, and it is really going to be needed. The Boilers really aren’t playing the greatest ball in the world right now, but they really did make short work out of the St. Peter’s Peacocks, a very similar team to the third reps out of the CAA. There’s a point that the Rams just have to give out, and this might be that time. Winning three games in five days is tough, and we tend to believe that the magic of VCU is finally going ot run out. March Madness Free Picks: Purdue Boilermakers -9

Matchup: #11 Marquette Golden Eagles vs. #3 Syracuse Orange
Date: Sunday, March 20th, 7:45 ET
Location: East Region, Cleveland, OH
NCAA Basketball Odds: Syracuse -4.5
Over/Under 140.5

This is going to be the second Big East game in the second full round of this tournament, as the Connecticut Huskies and Cincinnati Bearcats do battle on Saturday. The Golden Eagles have a team that is equipped to win NCAA Tournament games, as they shoot the three ball well and tend to play some solid defense. The problem is that this really shouldn’t have the feel of a tourney game, rather a conference game. The ‘Cuse remember that this was a team that they were beaten by in Milwaukee two months ago, but they are going to be back and ready to rock again in this one. The No. 3 seed in the East marches on in fine fashion. Free March Madness Picks: Syracuse Orange -4.5

Matchup: #9 Illinois Fighting Illini vs. #1 Kansas Jayhawks
Date: Sunday, March 20th, 8:40 ET
Location: Southwest Region, Tulsa, OK
NCAA Basketball Odds: Kansas -8.5
Over/Under 144

There isn’t a No. 1 seed that has more pressure on it in this tournament than the Jayhawks. Kansas, of course, was knocked out of the dance last season in the second round against the Northern Iowa Panthers, and it knows that it doesn’t want to suffer that same fate again this year. The Illini are getting a ton of respect due to the fact that they absolutely beat the snot out of the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels just a couple of nights ago. Still, Head Coach Bruce Weber and company just don’t have a team that can keep up with these Jayhawks when they are clicking on even most of their cylinders. March Madness Free Picks: Kansas Jayhawks -8.5

Matchup: #10 Florida State Seminoles vs. #2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Date: Sunday, March 20th, 9:40 ET
Location: Southwest Region, Chicago, IL
NCAA Basketball Odds: Notre Dame -5
Over/Under 133.5

This is the final game of the round, as either the Noles or Fighting Irish will become the last entrant into the Sweet 16. Head Coach Leonard Hamilton had never won a game in the NCAA Tournament with the Noles before Friday, but things aren’t going to get any better than this for the garnet and gold. Notre Dame is just a terrible matchup for this team, as the Irish can wing three pointers from all over the court. If the FSU zone doesn’t keep up with all of these sharpshooters, the Noles are in a boatload of trouble. Don’t be shocked if this one gets very, very ugly when push really comes to shove. Free March Madness Picks: Notre Dame Fighting Irish -5

 
March 18th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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Though the NCAA Tournament has already gotten started, this is the first day in which most NCAA basketball betting fans are paying close attention. The first slate of games is always the most exciting, and we have all of the ins and outs covered for the start of what should be a great day of March Madness picks!

Matchup: #5 West Virginia Mountaineers vs. #4 Kentucky Wildcats
Date: Saturday, March 19th, 12:15 ET
Location: East Region, Tampa Bay, FL
NCAA Basketball Odds: Kentucky -3.5
Over/Under: 132.5

West Virginia really did put together a tremendous game plan to take out the Clemson Tigers on Thursday to kick off the tourney, while Kentucky really had to play its best down the stretch to eliminate the Ivy League’s Princeton Tigers. This is a game of talent vs. grit, and normally speaking, grit is what wins the day. Don’t be surprised if the defensive minded Mountaineers take care of the Cats and send Head Coach John Calipari’s team home prematurely. Free March Madness Picks: West Virginia Mountaineers +3.5

Matchup: #7 UCLA Bruins vs. #2 Florida Gators
Date: Saturday, March 19th, 2:45 ET
Location: Southeast Region, Tampa Bay, FL
NCAA Basketball Odds: Florida -5
Over/Under 131

Two awfully experienced teams are going to get together in the second round of the dance, as the Gators take on the Bruins. This is a rematch of the title game from just a few seasons ago when UF claimed the National Championship. No, there aren’t any holdovers from those days, but the memories are still there for Head Coach Ben Howland and company. Lazeric Jones and the crew did a great job against the Michigan State Spartans, and they should take advantage of a UF team that we are still convinced is overrated. March Madness Free Picks: UCLA Bruins +5

Matchup: #8 Butler Bulldogs vs. #1 Pittsburgh Panthers
Date: Saturday, March 19th, 7:10 ET
Location: Southeast Region, Washington DC
NCAA Basketball Odds: Pittsburgh -7.5
Over/Under 128

If there is a No. 1 seed that is going to get bounced here in the second round, this is the best candidate. The Panthers just don’t pass the eye test right now as a Final Four team, and though we aren’t so sure that Butler does either, it really didn’t last season either. The Bulldogs have some mojo, and we know that they will have the crowd on their side. If they can get this crowd going in DC, they might be able to pull off the shocker. Either way, we certainly want the points on our side. Free March Madness Picks: Butler Bulldogs +7.5

Matchup: #6 Cincinnati Bearcats vs. #3 Connecticut Huskies
Date: Saturday, March 19th, 9:40 ET
Location: West Region, Washington, DC
NCAA Basketball Odds: Connecticut -3
Over/Under 129.5

These two teams know all about each other this season from the Big East campaign, and that could make for a heck of a battle in DC. These two should fight all the way down to the wire, and we know that the Cincinnati defense could be the difference. Unless Kemba Walker really has one of these 35 point games (and we know that he’s capable), we just think that UConn is going to run out of steam. Take the points. Free March Madness Picks: Cincinnati Bearcats +3

Matchup: #13 Morehead State Eagles vs. #12 Richmond Spiders
Date: Saturday, March 19th, 5:15 ET
Location: Southwest Region, Denver, CO
NCAA Basketball Odds: Richmond -3.5
Over/Under 125.5

There’s no doubt that this is going to be one of the ugliest games of the day, as these two upset minded teams are going to get down and dirty in the paint and on the glass. Morehead State obviously has the best rebounder in the history of the game in Kenneth Faried, but Richmond has plenty of grit and tenacity to be able to take this team out. Richmond will get the job done and take the biggest Cinderella of the dance through the first day of this event out. March Madness Free Picks: Richmond Spiders -3.5

Matchup: #11 Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. #3 BYU Cougars
Date: Saturday, March 19th, 7:45 ET
Location: Southeast Region, Denver, CO
NCAA Basketball Odds: Gonzaga -2
Over/Under 149.5

We really aren’t all that sure why the Cougars are underdogs in this one. We know that Gonzaga has had a great last month and a half or so of play, but there is a point that we have to realize that this team just isn’t all that great. There’s a reason that these guys struggled for most of the season. Jimmer Fredette just continues to do his thing, and it would be a brutal downer if he didn’t get into the second weekend of this tournament. Back the dogs. Free March Madness Picks: BYU Cougars +2

Matchup: #7 Temple Owls vs. #2 San Diego State Aztecs
Date: Saturday, March 19th, 6:10 ET
Location: West Region, Tucson, AZ
NCAA Basketball Odds: San Diego State -5.5
Over/Under 125

The A-10 has had itself a heck of a tournament to date, but this is the end of the road for the Owls. Temple did a nice job to get past the Penn State Nittany Lions, but we just don’t know if there are a number of shooters that can really keep it in a game for the second straight time. San Diego State really does have the look of a champ, and especially knowing that this game is relatively close to home, there is no doubt that the Aztecs are going to get through this one. Don’t be shocked if this ends up being a romp, as SDSU could make a real statement to the rest of the West Bracket. March Madness Free Picks: San Diego State Aztecs -5.5

Matchup: #5 Kansas State Wildcats vs. #4 Wisconsin Badgers
Date: Saturday, March 19th, 8:40 ET
Location: Southwest Region, Tucson, AZ
NCAA Basketball Odds: Wisconsin -2.5
Over/Under 127

There are a lot of things that we know about this game. We know that Jacob Pullen is going to be the man most likely to single handedly win this game. We also know that Wisconsin has a defense that can shut anyone in the country down. The question that we have here is which one is going to be the bigger force. These two teams really should be playing one that comes right down to the wire, and if that’s the case, we know that we want the points on our side. KSU could pull the upset. Free March Madness Picks: Kansas State Wildcats +2.5

 
March 17th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The nightcap of the first full day of NCAA Tournament betting action will get underway just before 7:00 ET, and in this session, there will be some of the best and brightest teams in the land kicking off what they hope will be deep runs into this tourney. But which ones will get the axe with premature exits from the dance? Check out our March Madness picks for Friday evening.

Matchup: #16 Boston Terriers vs. #1 Kansas Jayhawks
Date: Friday, March 18th, 6:50 ET
Location: Southwest Region, Tulsa, OK
NCAA Basketball Odds: Kansas -22.5
Over/Under 137

The Terriers have to have some confidence coming into this one, as they won the America East Tournament in fine fashion after coming from behind to beat the Stony Brook Seawolves. However, this is a totally different situation, as Kansas has to be one of the angriest teams in the country after getting embarrassed last year by the Northern Iowa Panthers in the second round of the dance. Marcus Morris, Markieff Morris, and a bunch of the other leaders of this team remember that pain, and you can bet that they aren’t going to want to repeat that. Bringing Tyshawn Taylor and Josh Selby off of the bench really almost makes this unfair. KU certainly has the depth to be able to win this one and win it going away by a huge margin. Free March Madness Picks: Kansas Jayhawks -22.5

Matchup: #15 Long Island Blackbirds vs. #2 North Carolina Tar Heels
Date: Friday, March 18th, 7:15 ET
Location: East Region, Charlotte, NC
NCAA Basketball Odds: North Carolina -17.5
Over/Under 158.5

We’re going to give the Blackbirds a heck of a lot of credit if they try to run with the Tar Heels, but it’s just not that good of an idea. Sure, UNC no longer has Larry Drew II at its disposal, but when push comes to shove, men like Harrison Barnes, John Henson, and company are just too good to be stopped. However, LIU didn’t win a ton of games this season on accident. The Blackbirds won’t be able to win this game, but this is a hefty, hefty pointspread to be giving us. We’ll take the points and hope we can get into the win column at the end. March Madness Free Picks: Long Island Blackbirds +17.5

Matchup: #14 St. Peter’s Peacocks vs. #3 Purdue Boilermakers
Date: Friday, March 18th, 7:20 ET
Location: Southwest Region, Chicago, IL
NCAA Basketball Odds: Purdue -14.5
Over/Under 120.5

Normally speaking, the big time teams in this tournament just don’t want to see the Metro Atlantic on their schedule. Plenty of teams have earned upsets, and most of these stingy clubs just find ways to stay in games, mostly through great defense and three point shooting. We know that the Boilermakers just have too many stars to be topped, though. Even without Robbie Hummel, JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore are absolutely studs and will not have their talent matched on the court by the Peacocks. Give St. Peter’s the nod to be able to score 55 points or so on the Boilermakers, as that should be enough to beat the college basketball odds. Free March Madness Picks: St. Peter’s Peacocks +14.5

Matchup: #11 Marquette Golden Eagles vs. #6 Xavier Musketeers
Date: Friday, March 18th, 7:25 ET
Location: East Region, Cleveland, OH
NCAA Basketball Odds: Xavier -2.5
Over/Under 140.5

The terms “Xavier” and “NCAA Tournament” just go together like “Fish and Chips” or “Arts and Crafts.” Yes, the Musketeers know what they are doing when they get here, and it feels like they have more consistent runs through the first weekend of the dance than any other mid major program. This year, Tu Holloway is the one to watch, as he is not just one of the best scorers in the conference, but in the entire country as well. We give Head Coach Buzz Williams and the Golden Eagles a lot of credit for winning just enough games to get into the NCAA Tournament, but when push comes to shove, they just don’t have enough to be able to stick around in this bracket unless the three pointers really end up starting to fall in a huge way. Free March Madness Picks: Xavier Musketeers -2.5

Matchup: #9 Illinois Fighting Illini vs. #8 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels
Date: Friday, March 18th, 9:20 ET
Location: Southwest Region, Tulsa, OK
NCAA Basketball Odds: UNLV -2
Over/Under 133.5

This is one of the most intriguing games in the entire tournament this year. Head Coach Lon Kruger will take on his old team in Tulsa, which should be a perfect neutral site basically halfway between both schools. The Illini have some great athletes, but it really seems like this team underachieved all season long. Tre’Von Willis is one of the most underappreciated players in the MWC, and he has the ability to really light it up even though he had a down season. This one could come down to the wire, and if it does, we know that we want those points on our side. March Madness Free Picks: Illinois Fighting Illini +2

Matchup: #10 Georgia Bulldogs vs. #7 Washington Huskies
Date: Friday, March 18th, 9:45 ET
Location: East Region, Charlotte, NC
NCAA Basketball Odds: Washington -5.5
Over/Under 140.5

The Huskies are red hot right now for the straight season heading into the NCAA Tournament. Last year, that hot run in the Pac-10 Tournament was enough to surge them into the Sweet 16. This is a very high octane team with a ton of potential. Isaiah Thomas will get up and run, and he’ll do all of the dirty work as well. Matthew Bryan-Amaning has really come on strong in the second half of the year, and the Dawgs are going to be very hard pressed to try to stop him in the paint. Georgia lost those two games against the Alabama Crimson Tide to end their season, and it really has to prove that it belongs here. Don’t figure upon that happening, though. Free March Madness Picks: Washington Huskies -5.5

Matchup: #11 VCU Rams vs. #6 Georgetown Hoyas
Date: Friday, March 18th, 9:50 ET
Location: Southwest Region, Chicago, IL
NCAA Basketball Odds: Georgetown -5.5
Over/Under 133

Many are pointing the finger at the Big East teams like Villanova, which slumped into the NCAA Tournament, but maybe we should be pointing the finger at Georgetown as well. The Hoyas have lost four in a row, but they have to be happy about having this game relatively close to home. Chris Wright should be back in the fold, and his absence has been key for this team’s losing streak. In terms of talent, this is one of the best teams in the nation, and it could be in for a great run through the dance. As we saw with Clemson on Thursday, we know that this play in game kept it off balance for a game just two days later. VCU could be in the same type of boat. Don’t be shocked if the defense for the Rams just gets broken down. March Madness Free Picks: Georgetown Hoyas -5.5

Matchup: #14 Indiana State Sycamores vs. #3 Purdue Boilermakers
Date: Friday, March 18th, 9:55 ET
Location: Southwest Region, Chicago, IL
NCAA Basketball Odds: Indiana State -14.5
Over/Under 120.5

The Boilermakers probably don’t have the depth to get through this tournament, but they certainly do have enough to take care of the Sycamores. However, what we have to remember is that the Missouri Valley Conference almost always produced an interesting game or two in the dance; just ask the Kansas Jayhawks how they feel about this conference… Purdue won’t end up out of the tourney in this one, but it will struggle just a tad. Ultimately, a very stingy ISU team will figure out how to stick inside of this number. Free March Madness Picks: Indiana State Sycamores +14.5