2012 March Madness Predictions: Potential Cinderellas
by Darin Zank - 3/13/2012

Watching ESPN Sunday night almost made me sick, with that band of squares, also known as their board of “experts” going so top-heavy with their Final Four picks they laughed at themselves. How much do you need to know to take Kentucky, Michigan State, Syracuse and North Carolina to go to the Final Four? There's no big challenge in that.

NCAA Tournament Free Picks: Gonzaga vs. West Virginia Odds and Predictions
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 3/13/2012

Gonzaga got to the NCAA Tournament the same way they always do, by winning a few big nonconference games (Notre Dame and at Xavier) and finishing in the top two of the West Coast Conference. St. Mary’s won the regular season and postseason tournament, with the Zags finishing in second.

March Madness Betting Trends: Handicapping the No. 1 Seeds
by T.O. Whenham - 3/13/2012

For the No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament there is nothing more prestigious that they could have earned heading into the tournament. While the top seeding ultimately guarantees them nothing, it does make their path to a championship easier than any other seed. A No. 1 has never lost a first-round matchup in 108 tries since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, 94 of those 108 teams have advanced to the Sweet 16, and 16 of the 27 tournament winners in that time have been top seeds.

March Madness Predictions: Reseeding the Brackets
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 3/13/2012

The NCAA Selection Committee and Las Vegas oddsmakers do not see eye-eye when it comes to seeding NCAA Tournament teams. That is quickly evident by a look at the March Madness point spreads and NCAA Tournament future odds. Of course, the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds will be favored by a large sum but it is not at all rare to see a No. 12 seed favored over a No. 5 seed.

2012 NCAA Tournament Predictions: Vulnerable Higher Seeds
by T.O. Whenham - 3/13/2012

If everything goes true to form then a team seeded in the Top 4 seeds of the NCAA Tournament should wind up in the Sweet 16. It virtually never turns out that way, but whenever one of those Top 4 teams loses on the first weekend it has to be seen as a real disappointment for them. Here are my 2012 NCAA Tournament predictions for four teams that seem as if they could indeed be disappointing by that logic — vulnerable Top-4 seeds in the NCAA Tournament (all odds are from Bovada):

NCAA Tournament Projections: Dangerous Lower Seeds
by T.O. Whenham - 3/13/2012

VCU made a remarkable run to the Final Four last year as a No. 11 seed, and in the process heightened the already burning desire in virtually every college basketball bettor to be able to spot the next big Cinderella team. That can be very profitable, and more importantly it can give the bettor all sorts of bragging rights.

2012 College Basketball: NIT Odds and Betting Predictions
by T.O. Whenham - 3/13/2012

It used to be that the NIT was a big deal — a tournament that teams cared about. There may still be some teams that care, but most fans sure don’t. Still, it’s another tournament to bet on, and it gets far less public attention than the NCAA Tournament so value could be easier to find — especially if you like betting on favorites.

2012 March Madness Bracket Predictions: South Region
by Robert Ferringo - 3/12/2012

If Kentucky wants to claim another banner for the Bluegrass State it certainly is going to have to earn it. The Wildcats are the consensus No. 1 team in the country and they are the overall No. 1 seed in the entire tournament. They are the clear-cut favorite to win the National Championship at +185 and will be the sweetheart pick of the majority of brackets filled out this week.

2012 March Madness Bracket Predictions: West Region
by Robert Ferringo - 3/12/2012

Think small. The West (Phoenix) Region of the NCAA Tournament features mammoth Michigan State and its rugged frontcourt matched up against a seemingly endless roster of small, quick, guard-oriented teams. This region will be playing basketball at a frenetic pace and if you like little guards running and dunking and chucking up three-point shots then this is the region for you.

2012 March Madness Brackets Advice and Tips
by T.O. Whenham - 3/12/2012

It’s just three days until March Madness tips off for real (only one day until Dayton starts, but I still find it hard to care). That means that there are just three days to fill out the brackets that will win your pools and gain you fame, fortune, and a year’s worth of bragging rights. To help you fill out your best possible bracket here is some prime March Madness bracket advice and tips:

2012 March Madness Brackets Help: NCAA Tournament Bracketology 101
by David Schwab - 3/12/2012

It is that time of year again and whether you are filling out your NCAA Tournament bracket for the local office pool or entering one in a high-stakes contest in Las Vegas, there are a couple of basic things to keep in mind before scribbling your way to the Final Four. The following are a few tips and strategies for March Madness brackets help to increase your chances of successfully navigating your way through this year’s field of 68 teams.

College Basketball Betting: Hot or Not Handicapping Report
by David Schwab - 3/12/2012

The field of 68 for this year’s NCAA Tournament has been set with the eight-team first round set to kick things off on Tuesday followed by the full-blown madness of Thursday and Friday’s second round. One of the tricks to successfully handicapping this initial onslaught of games is to uncover the teams that come in ‘hot’ against the spread and as well as the ones that do not. The following is a brief look at a few teams that qualify on either end.

National Championship Game Picks: Butler vs. UConn Odds and Predictions
by T.O. Whenham - 4/4/2011

Butler and Connecticut for all the marbles -- just like you imagined it, I’m sure. This is a wildly unpredictable final, but that seems fitting in a year when the only dependable thing in college basketball was surprise. There weren’t many teams that seemed elite, and those always found a way to disappoint just when it seemed like they were on track.

Final Four Picks: Butler vs. VCU Odds and Predictions
by Darin Zank - 4/1/2011

In one of the most unlikely national semifinal matchups in NCAA Tournament history, the amazing Butler Bulldogs are in the unusual position of taking on an even bigger Cinderella when they play the VCU Rams Saturday evening at Reliant Stadium in Houston (6:09 p.m. EST, CBS).

Final Four Picks: Kentucky vs. UConn Odds and Predictions
by Aaron Smith - 3/31/2011

While not many people expected this matchup in the Final Four, this is clearly the side of the bracket that isn’t a complete shock to basketball fans around the country. The winner of this game will square off against either VCU or Butler in the title game on Monday night. Both Kentucky and UConn have young teams, but their coaches have plenty of experience in the Final Four.

Final Four Predictions: Brandon Knight vs. Kemba Walker Props
by Alan Matthews - 3/31/2011

It feels rather fitting that we do a combined props story for the Final Four on Kentucky’s Brandon Knight and Kemba Walker, his Connecticut counterpart, because neither team would be in Houston if not for their star point guard.

Final Four Betting Trends for the NCAA Tournament
by T.O. Whenham - 3/30/2011

We may be about to witness the strangest Final Fours of all time. Two mid-majors that only barely made the field are in this year and one has played an extra game to get where they are. Two iconic major conference programs that overcame midseason struggles to get hot in time for their conference tournaments, and have managed to carry that momentum forward this far will face off in the other side of the bracket.

Final Four Odds and NCAA Tournament Predictions
by T.O. Whenham - 3/28/2011

This is, of course, exactly the Final Four I knew it was going to be. I mean, how could you not see this one coming? Clearly this was going to be just the second year that a No. 1 didn’t advance to the Final Four. And clearly two coaches under the age of 35 were going to make the last weekend while legends were going to be cast aside.

Sweet 16 Picks: Kentucky vs. Ohio State Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 3/25/2011

With all due respect to the other seven games, if you don’t think Kentucky vs. Ohio State is the glamour matchup of the Sweet 16 then you simply don’t know college basketball. This East Region game on Friday night in Newark, N.J., is the highlight of the Sweet 16, with the winner to face the Marquette-North Carolina victor on Sunday.

Sweet 16 Picks: UConn vs. San Diego State Odds and Predictions
by Darin Zank - 3/24/2011

The Connecticut Huskies might be the hottest team in college basketball. The San Diego State Aztecs have lost twice all season. So it will be two pretty good teams going at it when San Diego State, the two seed in the East region, meets third-seeded UConn in an NCAA tournament regional semifinal game Thursday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim (7:15 p.m. Eastern, CBS).