Need to Know Conference Tourney Betting Info

[Lumi]

Need to Know Conference Tourney Betting Info

Conference USA Preview ? March 10-13

It?s a brave new world in C-USA as they prepare for their 15th postseason tourney. UTEP is the regular season champion and will look to unseat Memphis, who has won the last four tournaments. In fact, if anyone other than the Tigers? wins, it would be just the second different team to win, with all other previous champions in other leagues. UTEP is the favorite, as they are suffered just one conference loss all year and have first Top 25 ranking since 1992. The Miners are also 9-3 and 8-4 ATS away from El Paso.

UAB and Memphis are legitimate threats, the Blazers 11-4 SU away from home and the Tigers have pedigree and experience, plus coach Josh Pastner will talk up tradition. Marshall has the size (6?11 Lee Whiteside) and three-point shooting ability to be dangerous, having won eight of last nine and are 9-3 ATS as visitors. The venue change should benefit Tulsa, who will be playing before home town fans. Jerome Jordan and Ben Uzoh are dynamic duo. Of the teams below the top five, only Southern Miss looks capable. The Golden Eagles are 12-3 ATS away and 10-3 ATS as underdogs, however have only three wins.

Quarterfinals underdogs are 9-3 ATS, the last three years.

Prediction: UTEP vs Memphis final

Championship -11:30ET, CBS

Pacific 10 Preview - March 10-13

This conference has enjoyed all the appeal of a republican?s view of President Obama?s health care plan. The league was supposed to be down and didn?t even meet those substandard expectations this season. California has the best overall talent and is the top seed and has never won this event, finishing second in 2006. USC will be on the sidelines with suspension, meaning the 8 vs. 9 winner draws the Bears. Washington was expected to compete for title, but proved to be too young and senior Quincy Pondexter did not enjoy stellar senior season. The Huskies were dogs on the road with 4-7 SU and ATS mark.

Arizona State finished second in the league, thanks to great coaching by Herb Sendek, with limited ability and could make title game on smarts and guile, something lacking in this conference. Honestly, it?s hard to make a case for any other teams and the crowds are usually sparse at the Staples Center when the Pac-10 has four or five good teams, which means this could resemble a New Jersey Nets home game. Best advice here is play underdogs, as many of the teams as evenly matched (stink).

Favorites of three to six points are on a run of 12-0 SU & 9-2-1 ATS in the Pac 10 Tournament.
Prediction: California and Washington final

Championship -6:00ET, CBS

Big 12 Preview - March 10-13

The 2010 tournament returns to original location, Kansas City, with a stacked field. Coach Bill Self?s club is the betting choice and they have been a consistent winner all season. This is not a great Kansas team (the one that won the title two years ago was better with more mature players), however that might be good enough in 2010. The scariest aspect of backing the Jayhawks is they have continually not buried teams. The 9-2 SU road record is impressive, however winning by 9.9 points per game is not.

Who can knock off Kansas? Baylor has quickness and strong front court, Missouri can score in bunches with pressing defense and Texas A&M has G Donald Sloan and adequate players in the paint. Oklahoma State has picked off the Jayhawks and has G James Anderson and other Cowboys? sharp-shooters whom are treacherous. Texas has suffered too many injuries and still lacks guards to matter much. This leaves Kansas State, who has all the attributes to take down the Jayhawks, including great guard play. This should be fabulous tournament with several close games, lending value to underdogs, who could be better than average wagers.

Underdogs of six points or more are 37-21 ATS since 2000.

Prediction: Kansas vs. Baylor in final

Championship -6:00ET, ESPN

MAC Preview ? Mar. 7, 10-13

Kent State has won this tournament four times since 2001 and will among the favorites again. The Golden Flashes have the mental makeup to win tight tilts and have blown out their fair share of MAC teams and are 5-1 SU and ATS as road favorites. The main competition figures to be division partner Akron, who is the defending champion. The Zips have plenty of zip and are 10-2 and 6-4 ATS off a spread loss. The West Division is strictly generic by comparison, however at least Central Michigan drew the higher seed as champ.

The first four games were played at higher seeded home sites this past Sunday and those winners will have the benefit of momentum, rest and preparation taking on teams at neutral site of Cleveland. Ohio U. and Buffalo can make noise being the top two scoring teams and Ball State is the best defensive team, holding opponents to 40 percent shooting. Nonetheless, Kent State and Akron have been so dominant this season, it?s difficult to look anywhere else for championship matchup.

The title tilt favorite is 9-3 SU and ATS and the SU winner is 12-0 ATS.

Prediction: Kent State vs. Akron in final

Championship -6:00ET, ESPN2

Mountain West Preview - March 10-13

The last few Mountain West tournaments have been little lackluster, however this 2010 version is setting up to be very competitive, as long as the chalk wins. New Mexico and BYU are the class the conference, both being ranked natioanlly the last seven weeks of the season. The Lobos are 11-2 and 7-4-1 ATS on the road and the Cougars are 13-3 and 11-5 ATS in same situation, winning by over 12 points per game. Just be careful with these two teams in the quarter-finals, as MWC favorites of nine or more an ordinary 8-7 ATS since 2002.

UNLV is again the host, which has been tremendous edge, emerging victorious three times and finishing second two other times on their home floor in seven years. San Diego State is also a threat because of their tenacious defense, allowing the fewest points in the conference. Difficult to imagine the Aztecs advancing far if they get in tight game, being last in the league in free throw shooting at just over 60 percent.

Favorites have done well in recent MWC tourneys, going 7-1 SU and ATS over the last three years in the semi-finals and title games.

Prediction: New Mexico and Las Vegas in final

Championship -7:00ET, Versus

Big East Preview - March 9-13

For the second straight season, all 16 members of the Big East will participate in this gala event. The first day will have the bottom eight teams in action and at least from talent perspective, Connecticut and Seton Hall are the best, but both have to play at faster pace to succeed. The four winners of the opening day move on to face seeds 5 thru 8 and this grouping is packing with some real quality. Though they might not be the most talented, Marquette and Notre Dame are playing the best, with the Golden Eagles 9-2 and 8-3 ATS and the Fighting Irish on 7-2 ATS run out.

In the quarterfinals, the heavyweights arrive and though it seems unlikely any in this group would lose, at least one underdog has won outright on average over the last dozen years. Let?s move Syracuse and Pittsburgh to semis, based on ability and Pitt?s exceptional record in March in New York. Looking for an upset, think Villanova, who is 2-3 in last five outings and 3-7 ATS since February.

This tournament has often seen one team make improbable run the last several years and only once has a team won back to back since 2000, which should eliminate Louisville. Favorites of seven or less are 9-2 SU and ATS the first two days.

Prediction: Syracuse and Pittsburgh in final

Championship -9:00ET, ESPN

Big West Preview ? March 10-13

Many may not know or remember the Big West has held this annual event every year since 1976. One dependable aspect of this conference is 11 of the last 13 years, the champion or co-champion of the regular season has appeared in the championship game. That should mean UC-Santa Barbara or Pacific or both have a great chance to wind up playing for NCAA automatic bid. Cal-State Fullerton is the league?s top scoring team and is 8-3 ATS as a visitor, however lost all four games to the top two teams.

UC-Davis is up and down and their best trait is being 11-5 ATS against Big West foes. This competition will again be held in Anaheim. The previous five years, it?s been like nearby Disneyland for total players. Those on the UNDER are 23-9, 73.5 percent, with all the games coming in a full four points below the oddsmakers average total in games played.
This Big West bash is known for being competitive, as only 10 matchups have registered above 7.5-point spread in recent years and though the underdog is laughable 1-9, they are potent 8-2 ATS.

Prediction: UCSB and Pacific in final

Championship - 8:00ET, ESPN2

WAC Preview ? March 11-13

Eight teams will be in Reno, NV for the WAC conference tournament. The University of Nevada finished tied for second in the league and will have the advantage of playing on their home floor. Utah State is the definite favorite as the league champion and was 11-5 ATS in conference action. Interestingly, all the other squads facing off in upstate Nevada are right around or above .500 against the spread, with the exception of the Wolf Pack who are 6-10 ATS. This could make underdogs a play with history to back it up.

Over the previous four tourneys, dogs have had plenty of bite with a 20-9 ATS record and the OVER has also been a strong play at 21-10. Beyond the top four seeds, Fresno State has the most talent, however difficult to throw much support their way since they are 3-12 SU as visitors. No. 4 Louisiana Tech will have chance to take down Utah State in semis should they get that far, having earned a split and covering both meetings. Nevada will have the home court edge over New Mexico State and last week won and covered over the Aggies. Nevada finished second to Utah State in last year?s tournament at the same Lawler Events Center and this could be the third meeting in five years with these same two schools.

Prediction: Nevada and Utah State in final

Championship -10:00ET, ESPN2

SEC Preview ? March 11-14

This year?s SEC Tournament is like many from the past, with Kentucky a decided favorite as the top seed. Mississippi State also nabs a co-No.1 placement having won the SEC West. This year?s competition will still have a vast number of Wildcats fans in attendance, but it will also have a flavor of those from the Volunteer State, being played at the Sommet Center in Nashville, where Vanderbilt and Tennessee will be well represented.

The lesser teams in the conference are all obviously flawed, yet other than LSU, all have at least one positive attribute that makes them a dangerous dog. South Carolina has Devan Downey, Georgia is athletic (1-12 away from home however), Auburn and Arkansas are capable of scoring outbursts and Alabama is second in the conference in fewest points allowed. If any of these teams make the quarterfinals, consider them since underdogs are 8-3 ATS this round.

This still figures to be the Kentucky Invitational and teams in the title game are 8-1 UNDER with dog 5-3-1 ATS.

Prediction: Kentucky and Vanderbilt in final

Championship -1:00ET, ABC

Atlantic 10 Preview ? March 9, 12-14

The A-10 tourney is known for mini-runs as only three teams (?97 St. Joseph?s, ?99 Rhode Island and ?03 Dayton) have not won consecutive championships or two of three since 1991. This year?s tournament could be one of the most exciting ever, with a number of strong teams at the top and the second level clubs capable of stringing together a number of wins. All season, two-time defending A-10 postseason champ Temple, Xavier and Richmond have shown to be the class of the conference. St. Louis, Charlotte and Rhode Island have all proven they can win a segment of games, with the Rams ability to score (2nd in the A-10) and winning road record (9-6) and the Billikens second in points allowed in the league.

The best teams will of course be favored and it could be profitable to watch them in the right situation, as double digit favorites are 9-0 and 7-2 ATS. The first round is always at the home higher seed and the home-standing favorite of seven or less points is 18-4 and 17-5 ATS. Once they get to Atlantic City, all bets are off (pun intended) and Temple and Richmond rematch from Feb. 6 (Spiders won 71-54) seems like a possibility.

Prediction: Temple and Richmond in final

Championship -1:00ET, CBS

ACC Preview ? March 11-14

The Atlantic Coast Conference was created in 1953 and starting one year later, the ACC held a men?s postseason tournament, making it the one all others yearn to have for prestige and history. It has not been a banner year for the ACC, with a number of good squads, with just two standing above the fray. Duke and Maryland have been the finest, yet no team among the 12 members had a winning road record in conference. The Terps are 8-5 and 8-4 ATS on the road overall and the Blue Devils are 9-5 and 7-6-1 ATS in same spot.

The most intriguing team with the most to gain is North Carolina, who was playing better of late (until Duke massacre) and has to win out in order to defend their NCAA title. The other bottom teams in the standings seem to have little chance, as they have been in losing mode, with the exception of Boston College who has won primarily at home. Virginia Tech has bunched together wins to be considered for semi-finals and Florida State is a threat the way they play defense, if they can make shots.

Review this; ACC underdogs boast an overall mark of 44-23-3 ATS since 2003.

Prediction: Duke and Virginia Tech in final

Championship -1:00ET, ESPN

Big Ten Preview ? March 11-14

It really has been a maniacal year in the Big Ten. Teams lost when they had every reason to win on their home court and underdogs off deflating losses bounced back immediately to win as head-scratchers. In the end, one team stood above the rest playing their best basketball of the season, Ohio State. The Buckeyes have won 10 of 11 (6-5 ATS) and have a versatile starting lineup led by Evan Turner that can thwart the opposition in various ways. Michigan State, despite its fine record, has disappointed, not being as strong as most thought. Purdue could very likely have won the Big Ten outright, however the loss of Robbie Hummel takes them from top five in the country to Top 20-30 range.

Two teams that are under the radar in this part of the world are Wisconsin and Illinois. The Badgers have their big man back in Jon Leuer and could put together a weekend streak and steal this deal. Illinois is physically capable with Demetri McCamey leading the Fighting Illini; it?s just a matter of the rest of the team being mentally strong to compete day after day. Pending seeds, nobody will want to see Penn State, who is 3-15 in league play, but 9-2 ATS on the road, losing by less than four points a game.

These games tend to wrestling matches and the UNDER has hit 60 percent the last three years.

Prediction: Ohio State vs. Michigan State in final

Championship -3:30ET, CBS

 

[Lumi]

Big 12 Preview

Big 12 Preview

Big 12 Preview

The level of quality basketball played in the Big 12 is on par or better than any in the country. This is where the country's No.1 team resides, Kansas, and they have had their hands full on more than one occasion in league play. Marc Lawrence of Playbook.com is here to take a look at the upcoming action in the Big 12 and SEC which starts on Wednesday, offering up predictions and key betting information.




PROJECTED FINAL FOUR:
Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri and Texas

THE WAY WE SEE IT:
The NCAA committee will probably hand out invitations to seven Big 12 schools, but can any of them be trusted in this event? KANSAS does arrive with some gaudy offensive and defensive numbers but their rusty 2-11 ATS mark with 3 or more days of rest this season is cause for concern. So is their 1-5 ATS record over their last six tourney games. After last year?s opening round loss to Baylor, expect the Jayhawks to be all business. HC Bill?s Self?s 14-3 ATS post-season log against a foe off a SU dog win ensures that. A strong showing at the Sprint Center could vault KANSAS STATE into a No. 1 seed. However, the Wildcats? one-and-out each of the last two seasons along with their 1-3 SU and ATS record as tourney chalk this decade leaves us with too many questions. Can MISSOURI make it two in a row? The defending champs ran through the field last year (3-0 SUATS) and their 6-3-1 ATS record in their last 10 as tourney dogs offers much promise. Keep an eye on the Tigers in the opening matchup as they are a solid 5-1 ATS vs. a conference opponent off a SU loss this season. TEXAS has advanced to the semis or finals in each of the last 4 years. Before the loss to Baylor last season, it was the Jayhawks who handed them the boot the previous three seasons. With injuries in their starting backcourt, the Longhorns may not get the chance to avenge any of those losses.

THE SLEEPER: Baylor
The Bears caught the conference by surprise when they lost to Missouri in the title game last season. There will be no surprises this year. Baylor has rung the register in 11 of 16 conference tourney games this decade and they were 6-0 ATS this season in games against foes off a double-digit win. The question is: can they be trusted laying points? Not according to the history books as they are 0-3 SU and ATS lifetime in this tourney as a favorite. Play accordingly.

KEY TOURNAMENT BEST BET: Play On Kansas
The Jayhawks were stunned in the opening round of this tournament last year by Baylor and have been stumbling to the finish line this season. So why all the support, you ask? Simple. Kansas is the only team in the country to rank in the Top 10 in the three key statistical categories, namely: Offensive Field Goal Percentage, Defensive Field Goal Percentage and Rebounding. An angry Jayhawk, fueled with ammo like this, can be lethal. Note: avoid the Jayhawks in the opening round if they face a losing team as they are 1-9 ATS versus sub .500 conference foes under Bill Self.

 

[Lumi]

2010 Big East Conference Tournament Preview

2010 Big East Conference Tournament Preview

2010 Big East Conference Tournament Preview



FACTS & STATS:
Site: Madison Square Garden (19,763) -- New York, New York.
Dates: Tuesday, March 9th through Saturday, March 13th. Television: ESPN2,
ESPNU, ESPN (Second round through Championship). Annual: 31st. Defending
Champion: Louisville

OUTLOOK:
While there are several teams projected to make it to the NCAA
Tournament, there's only one guaranteed bid that comes out of the massive 16-
team beast that is the 31st annual Big East Conference Tournament.

Finishing as one of the top four teams in the standings means programs like
Syracuse, Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Villanova all received double-byes in
the event and won't see action until the quarterfinal round on Thursday.
Coincidentally as of Sunday, all four of those teams were members of the AP
Top-25, three of them in the top-10. Toss in second-tier Georgetown, which
along with Notre Dame, Louisville, and Marquette all get a single bye into the
second round of the tourney, as another nationally-ranked squad and there's no
question this league could produce anywhere from five to eight teams worthy of
NCAA Tournament consideration.

Top-seeded Syracuse (28-3, 15-3), a team that a few years ago came out of
nowhere to capture this tournament title, lost a total of just three games all
season long, although two of them were against Louisville (11-7, 20-11), so
anything is possible. Opponents of the Orange need only to look back as far as
the second exhibition game of 2009-10 to see that SU is vulnerable as it lost
to little-known Le Moyne. Granted, that decision meant nothing in the grand
scheme of things, but it at least provides hope to any opponent that will now
lace 'em up against the 'Cuse. Then again, the Orange sport the league's
largest scoring margin this season at plus-15.3 ppg, thanks to guys like All-
Big East First-Team member Wes Johnson, who was responsible for 15.7 ppg and
placed fifth in the league with his 8.5 rpg. All-Big East Second-Team
selection Andy Rautins was responsible for 11.6 ppg and a team-best 149
assists, but perhaps his biggest attribute is his defense, which has generated
64 steals and countless frustrated opponents.

The Pittsburgh Panthers (24-7, 13-5) survived several bumps in the road during
one stretch of league play when they fell in four of five games in late
January, but the team closed out with three straight wins and eight in the
last nine to represent one of the hottest teams in the conference and earn the
No. 2 seed in this tournament as a result. Surprisingly, only sophomore guard
Ashton Gibbs earned all-conference recognition with his inclusion on the
Second Team after leading the program in scoring (16.2 ppg) and shooting both
40.4 percent from three-point range and 89 percent at the free-throw line in
2009-10. Brad Wanamaker has proven himself to be a scorer (12.0 ppg),
rebounder (5.7 rpg) and playmaker (146 assists), and deserved a spot on one of
the league's all-conference teams for his efforts. A fixture in the tournament
title game in recent years, the Panthers have played in seven of the last nine
championship bouts, but only once (2003) have they taken home the crown during
that stretch.

West Virginia (24-6, 13-5) opened the campaign with 11 straight wins, but it
took a thrilling 68-66 overtime win on the road in Philadelphia against
Villanova this past weekend to earn the squad the third seed in the
tournament. Senior forward Da'Sean Butler had countless critical plays
throughout the regular season and because of that, along with his 17.2 ppg,
6.3 rpg, and team-leading 99 assists, he was named to the All-Big East First
Team. Kevin Jones (13.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and Devin Ebanks (12.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg)
gave the squad that strength and tenacity that it needed on the inside and
because of all three of those performers the Mountaineers produced one of the
most well-rounded rebounding efforts in the conference, holding an advantage
of almost seven boards per game over the competition. Surprisingly, WVU has a
record of just 9-13 in this event and is one of seven current members that has
never won the tournament title.

Scoring a league-leading 82.8 ppg, the fourth-seeded Villanova Wildcats (24-6.
13-5) appeared to be the team to beat in the conference early on, but in the
final weeks of the regular season the squad showed numerous flaws and came
back to the rest of the pack. Senior guard Scott Reynolds, the lone unanimous
decision for All-Big East First Team, attacked league opponents with 42
percent shooting behind the three-point line and 19.9 ppg, but he'll need to
get help from players in the paint if the Wildcats are going to claim their
first tournament title since 1995. Corey Fisher (13.6 ppg) and Antonio Pena
(10.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg) are fine complementary players, but smart defenses know
that Reynolds in the one who will be calling the shots and controlling the
action most of the time.

The second tier of schools in the tournament, those that won't hit the
hardwood until Wednesday in the Big Apple, begins with surprising No. 5 seed
Marquette. The Golden Eagles (20-10, 11-7) lost to lowly DePaul early in the
Big East schedule and played in no less than four overtime games in the last
five contests of the regular season, which is why the squad's appearance in
this spot is so stunning. Senior forward Lazar Hayward is a solid performer
inside for Marquette with his 18.0 ppg and 7.8 rpg, but one cannot forget
about Jimmy Butler who has generated 15.2 ppg and 6.5 rpg of his own, all
while shooting 53.8 percent from the field. Then again, offense is not always
the hot topic for the Golden Eagles, more like keeping up a stout defense that
was second in the league this year with just 63.6 ppg allowed. Then again,
with the offense humming along so well for much of the season, Marquette also
enjoys the second-best scoring margin in the league at plus-10.2 ppg.

With all the distractions of head coach Rick Pitino's life outside of
basketball getting all the press before the season began, not to mention the
rumors of him possibly leaving for the NBA once again, people forget to take
into consideration what the Louisville Cardinals are capable of doing on the
court. Louisville (20-11, 11-7) arrives in New York City as the sixth seed,
even though the team lacked consistency in conference play. What gives the
group credibility are the two wins over Syracuse this season, the most recent
of those coming on Saturday afternoon in the final game played at famed
Freedom Hall. Seeing as how someone like Kyle Kuric, a player who is now
scoring just 4.1 ppg, wrote himself into UofL lore on Saturday by coming off
the bench and single-handedly leading the Cards to the win over the Orange
with his 22 points in the second half, is an indication of how anything is
possible at any stage of this event. An all-conference performer this year,
Samardo Samuels led the group in both scoring (15.4 ppg) and rebounding (7.1
rpg), while Edgar Sosa (12.8 ppg, 142 assists) tried to balance out some
inconsistent play from time to time. An encouraging note for the program is
that it ranks second in the league in three-point baskets made with eight per
game.

Nearly an afterthought when projecting which teams might be making it to the
NCAA Tournament, seventh-seeded Notre Dame (21-10, 10-8) has come on strong of
late and doing it without three-time All-Big East First-Team selection Luke
Harangody who has been watching from the sidelines the last few weeks after
suffering a deep bone bruise on his right knee. Harangody, the only player in
Big East history to finish his career with averages of better than 20 points
and 10 rebounds per game, also finished third in conference regular-season
play all-time with 1,329 points and second on the glass in such meetings with
662 boards. Again, it is not so much that the Fighting Irish are in this
position, its the fact that they have made it to this stage by winning four
straight to close out the regular season without the help of their star
player. However, that's not to say that the Irish don't have a budding star in
their midst right now, because junior forward Tim Abromaitis made the All-Big
East Honorable Mention list after placing second on the team with his 17.2
ppg. Also boding well for the group is that it plays true team basketball in
every sense of the word, placing second in the league in assists per game with
17.2 per outing.

Georgetown, the team that has the most conference tournament titles with
seven, winning most recently in 2007, slipped up numerous times down the
stretch and dropped all the way down to the eighth seed as a result. Off the
court, the Hoyas (20-9, 10-8) were stunned to find out that All-Big East
Second-Team member Austin Freeman was diagnosed with Diabetes barely a week
ago, but he returned to action on Saturday under a physician's watchful eye
and delivered a game-high 24 points in the win over Cincinnati at home.
Obviously, Freeman's health is paramount and because of his condition he will
be having his minutes monitored and that could spell trouble for the program
if his rhythm is disrupted. However, Georgetown is not a one-trick pony
because the cast in the nation's capital also includes All-Big East First-Team
selection Greg Monroe, who not only averaged almost a double-double with his
16.0 points and 9.6 rebounds per contest, but was also second on the unit with
103 assists.

Now that all the big-name schools have been scrutinized, its time to take a
look at the teams that will be taking part in the first round of the
tournament on Tuesday afternoon, beginning with 16th-seeded DePaul and ninth-
seeded South Florida. The Blue Demons (8-22, 1-17) picked up some early wins
this season against weak opponents, at least by Big East standards, but then
fell apart and as a result, dismissed head coach Jerry Wainwright in the midst
of the all the turmoil. DePaul was last in the league in scoring at 61.4 ppg
and was one of only two teams with a negative scoring margin on the campaign
(minus-5.8 ppg). The team managed to take St. John's to triple-overtime in the
regular-season finale last Friday, but still the 90-82 setback became just
another piece in the team's current 12-game slide.

As for the Bulls (19-11, 9-9), they opened conference play with four straight
losses and never fully recovered, even though at one point they posted back-
to-back victories against both Pittsburgh and Georgetown. Any other year,
beating UConn in the final game of the regular season would be a huge feat,
but this time around it did little more than extend USF's current win streak
to three games. Dominique Jones muscled his way onto the All-Big East First
Team by averaging 21.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg and handing out 110 assists, but there's
still no getting around the fact that South Florida is second-to-last in the
league in three-point shooting at just 29.3 percent. Add to that the squad's
mere 12.2 apg, second-fewest in the league ahead of only DePaul, and even if
the Bulls get out of the first round, they won't likely go much further.

And the winner of the most enigmatic team this season goes to the UConn
Huskies, the 12th seed in a tournament that it has won a total of six times
previously. A program that is generally one of the most feared in the Big
East, UConn (17-14, 7-11) may still be such an entity only because the
competition, in this case 13th-seeded St. John's, has absolutely no idea what
to expect. Head coach Jim Calhoun, who had to leave the team for several games
for health reasons, after one game stated that he had never been so
disappointed in his team's performance and effort. Whether that was meant to
motivate the squad or not, the fact remains that the Huskies could easily miss
out on the NCAA Tournament, a rarity for sure, but a reality nonetheless.
Guards Jerome Dyson and Kemba Walker both made it onto the All-Big East Third
Team as they averaged 17.7 and 14.9 ppg, respectively, and even though UConn
again led the conference in blocked shots per game (7.8), those interior
players are far less intimidating than their predecessors.

The fact that the Red Storm (16-14, 6-12), a team that is trying to get back
to the title game for the first time since 2000 when it defeated UConn, had to
go to triple-overtime in the final game against DePaul, is not a good sign for
a squad that was thought to be on the rise. St. John's placed second from the
bottom in scoring this season with 67.4 ppg, mostly because the group shot
just 65 percent at the free-throw line and was 15th in the league in field
goal shooting at 42.2 percent. DJ Kennedy is the top scorer for the group with
15.3 ppg and he is also first in both rebounding (6.2 rpg) and assists (91),
but with the news that Dwight Hardy (10.5 ppg) is questionable for this
tourney due to a sprained left knee, that means that someone, anyone will have
to step up and fill in the gap.

Also clashing in the first round on Tuesday evening will be 15th-seeded
Providence (4-14, 12-18) and 10th-seeded Seton Hall (18-11, 9-9). The Friars,
who have been living off the promise stemming from their first and only
conference tournament crown back in 1994, are actually the second-highest
scoring team in the conference right now at 81.6 ppg, but that doesn't mean
much when the group gives up a staggering 81.3 ppg and is considered one of
the weakest defensive teams in the nation. PC comes into this event riding a
10-game losing streak. Were it not for an 81-66 win over UConn back in late
January, a victory that in any other season would have really meant something,
the Friars would be in even more dire straits. Jamine Peterson gives the squad
hope with his 19.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, although his mere 53.9
percent shooting at the free-throw line and an average of barely one assist
per game means the sophomore still has quite a bit of development ahead of
him.

The Pirates cleaned up during the non-conference schedule with nine wins in 11
tries, losing only to Temple (now nationally ranked) and Virginia Tech
(103-94) in overtime. The Hall finished strong with back-to-back wins and six
in the last eight outings, although only the three-point victory over Notre
Dame at home carries much weight at this point. An All-Big East Conference
Second-Team choice this season, Jeremy Hazell finished third in scoring with
21.2 ppg and came within three of nailing 100 triples during the regular
season. However, after Hazell there are few standout performers, rather a cast
of complementary players who have stuck together in order to generate 80.3 ppg
in order to rank fourth in the conference. Unfortunately, an unsteady defense
has permitted opponents to tally 74.2 ppg this season. And when those foes
miss the mark, rebounds are plentiful due to the fact that Seton Hall ranks
last in the conference in rebounding defense with a staggering 39.4 boards per
game surrendered.

Last, but not least, is the matchup between 14th-seeded Rutgers and 11th-
seeded Cincinnati in the nightcap on Tuesday night. History has not been kind
to the Bearcats in this event because the squad has yet to post a single win
in three tries thus far. Cincinnati (16-14, 7-11) has just one win away from
home since the first week of January and that came at UConn, which again is
not all that impressive given the Jekyll-and-Hyde persona of the Huskies. The
roster has several strong players in Lance Stephenson (12.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and
Deonta Vaughn (11.2 ppg, 106 assists), but none that can necessarily put the
team on his back and carry it to new heights. It also doesn't help that the
Bearcats are ranked second-to-last in the league in free-throw shooting at
just 61.6 percent.

The Scarlet Knights (15-16, 5-13) leaned heavily on Dane Miller (9.5 ppg, 6.0
rpg) this season, a unanimous choice for the Big East All-Rookie Team, but to
expect him to be able to withstand the pressures of playing in the World's
Most Famous Arena is asking far too much. The loss of Gregory Echenique, who
had been a central figure in the team's interior, means Mike Rosario will
continue to shoulder most of the load. Rosario leads the team in scoring with
16.4 ppg, but that shouldn't come as a surprise given that he attempted more
shots in just league games than all of his teammates, except Jonathan
Mitchell, had in all 31 contests this season. Unfortunately, Rosario made good
on just 37.6 percent of those attempts and without much of a presence in the
paint, Rutgers was one of only three teams in the Big East with a negative
rebounding margin (-2.5 per game).

The scariest team in this massive grouping is probably the Huskies because you
know they can't be as bad as their record indicates and coach Calhoun is
someone who can get through to his players. However, getting additional rest
will be huge for the top four seeds and as long as Syracuse doesn't somehow
run into those pesky Louisville Cardinals again, it might be time to give head
coach Jim Boeheim the recognition he deserves for keeping his Orange on an
even keel.

Predicted Champion: Syracuse

 

[Bucknut1]

Great stuff! thx

:toast:

 

[Lumi]

you are most welcome buck

get fat.... in the wallet :00hour :toast:

 

[JBCovers]

Great info, I just find it funny that their 'prediction' in the first post is just the top 2 seeds for each conference. Only in the ACC did they go lower than the 3 seed. No money line plays this year!!

 

[Lumi]

not much risk and no 4 point plays ?

good to see that you are jacked and tan :toast:

 

[JBCovers]

not much risk and no 4 point plays ?

good to see that you are jacked and tan :toast:

Yeah, that avatar is probably going to be retired very soon, as the Lorenzo bros recede further into the past, people are probably going to start thinking that I AM jacked and tan!! :mj07:

 

[Lumi]

Yeah, that avatar is probably going to be retired very soon, as the Lorenzo bros recede further into the past, people are probably going to start thinking that I AM jacked and tan!! :mj07:

I'm some what fat..... :shrug: and on the can :scared

 

[Lumi]

Big 12 tournament: Round 1 preview and picks

Big 12 tournament: Round 1 preview and picks

Big 12 tournament: Round 1 preview and picks By
tournament games are being played at Kansas City?s Sprint Center.

Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Colorado Buffaloes (-1)

The Big 12 Tourney?s opening game features two of the five conference teams not making the Big Dance, unless one can make a miraculous run over the next four days.

Nevertheless, this game, featuring teams going in opposite directions, might be the most entertaining of the tournament?s first round.

Texas Tech started the season 9-0 and was ranked 16th in the nation in early December. The Red Raiders have been horrid lately. They?re on a seven-game losing streak, going 2-5 ATS (against the spread) in that span.

While enjoying its best season since the 2005-06 campaign, Colorado won its final three games for the first time in seven years to end the regular season. The Buffaloes are led by guard Cory Higgins, who has averaged 22.3 points the last six games.

The last time these teams played against was last Saturday ? a 101-90 Colorado victory. Just four days later, I expect more of the same as the Buffaloes continue to gain momentum.

Final score prediction: Colorado 86, Texas Tech 79

Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Missouri Tigers (-10)

Nebraska has led the Big 12 in scoring defense the previous two seasons. However, the Cornhuskers were not nearly as unyielding this year and got worse as the season wore on. After allowing an average of just 66.4 points in its first nine Big 12 games, they gave up 81.1 points over their last seven.

Missouri also struggled down the stretch, losing two of its final three games (0-3 ATS) with its lone win coming against Iowa State in overtime. Prior to that, the Tigers were 9-4 both SU (straight up) and ATS in conference play.

Regardless, the Tigers are one of the deepest teams in the country. Nine players average 12 minutes and 3.4 points or more per game.

Most importantly, Missouri has been absolutely dominating this season when facing poor and sub-par squads and Nebraska certainly falls into that category. In two losses this year to the Tigers, the Cornhuskers were outscored by an average of 16 points.

Final score prediction: Missouri 72, Nebraska 60

Oklahoma Sooners vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys (-7)

This intrastate rivalry isn?t what it once was as the Oklahoma program, a 30-game winner only a year ago, has fallen on very hard times. The Sooners will finish with a losing season for the first time since 1982 while their current eight-game losing streak is their longest in 41 years.

Oklahoma has been almost as bad against the number, dropping nine of its last 12.

After getting defeated by the rival Sooners in mid-January, the Cowboys got revenge a month later winning by 21 points in Stillwater. Guard James Anderson led Oklahoma State with 31 points against Oklahoma.

Anderson ranks first in the Big 12 in scoring and was recently recognized as the conference?s player of the year. In his last seven games he is averaging 25 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, while the Cowboys have gone 5-2 SU and ATS during that stretch.

I?m really surprised the line is set as low as it is for this game. I expect Oklahoma to easily extend its losing streak, State to continue its upswing, and the game?s result to be along the same lines as the teams? last meeting.

Final score prediction: Oklahoma State 79, Oklahoma 63

Iowa State Cyclones vs. Texas Longhorns (-8.5)

How the mighty have fallen. Texas was 17-0 and ranked No. 1 in the nation in mid-January. Texas has lost eight of its last 14 games and has become only the fifth college basketball team ever to fall from atop the rankings to completely out of the polls. Perhaps even more telling, Texas is 3-15 ATS after a 7-2 start.

About the only consistency the Longhorns have had is the play from guard Damion James. James, a Wooden Award finalist and one of only two unanimous All-Big 12 selections (Anderson of OSU the other), is averaging nearly 18 points and more than 10 rebounds per game.

James and his Longhorn teammates should be on upset alert against Iowa State. After losing to Colorado by just three points and then Missouri by two in overtime, the Cyclones defeated Kansas State 85-82 in overtime to end the regular season?Iowa State?s first win over a ranked opponent in 22 tries.

The Cyclones are led by its forward tandem of Marquis Gilstrap and Craig Brackins. Gilstrap is the only Big 12 player to average a double-double in conference play (15.3 ppg, 10.3 ppg) while Brackins (16.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg) has 31 double-doubles in his career.

Texas will likely defeat Iowa State but it should be a little closer than the line suggests.

Final score prediction: Texas 80, Iowa State 76

 

[Lumi]

2010 America East Conference Tournament Preview

2010 America East Conference Tournament Preview

2010 America East Conference Tournament Preview



FACTS & STATS:
Site: Chase Arena (4,017) -- Hartford, Connecticut.
Dates: Saturday, March 6th through Saturday, March 13th. Television: RSN
(Semifinals), ESPN2 (Championship Game). Annual: 31st. Defending Champion:
Binghamton

OUTLOOK:
Of the nine teams in the America East
Conference, eight will begin competition on Saturday, March 6th, for the right
to move on to the NCAA Tournament.

Albany was supposed to be the odd team out, as the Great Danes finished just
2-14 in conference action during the regular season. However, Binghamton has
decided not to participate in this tourney because of an ongoing investigation
into alleged inadequacies within the school's athletic department. That is
certainly a shame for fans of the program, as Binghamton beat UMBC to win the
AEC a year ago.

Of the eight teams that will participate in this event, four had at least 11
wins in 16 opportunities, and there is no clear cut favorite to capture the
crown. Stony Brook went 13-3 to win the regular season title, as it was one
game better than Vermont and two games better than both Maine and Boston
University. New Hampshire, Hartford, UMBC and Albany are all long shots, as
there is an obvious divide between the stronger and weaker teams in the
conference. This tournament will be played at Chase Arena in Hartford for the
quarterfinal and semifinal rounds and at the highest remaining seed's home
arena for the title game.

The first quarterfinal matchup pits the top-seeded Stony Brook Seawolves
against eighth-seeded Albany. While Stony Brook did win both of its meetings
with Albany during the regular season, the two victories came by a combined
total of eight points, so don't be shocked if the Great Danes keep this
contest close from start to finish. Albany has won this tournament twice, most
recently in 2007, while Stony Brook has never captured the title and owns a
4-8 record all-time in the event. The Seawolves lead the conference in scoring
margin (+5.7 ppg) and rebounding margin (+3.3 rpg), Muhammad El-Amin heads the
club with 16.7 ppg. As for Albany, it has no scorers in the league's top
dozen, but the fact that the team sits in the middle of the pack in most of
the conference's statistical categories suggests that the it is better than
its record indicates.

Another quarterfinal matchup pits fourth-seeded Boston University against
fifth-seeded Hartford. The Terriers beat Hartford in both regular-season
meetings, but the most recent matchup was a three-point affair. BU has won
this tournament five times, more than any other team in this field, but the
most recent championship for the program came back in 2002, so a decent amount
of time has passed since the club last tasted success. As for Hartford, it has
never won the AEC title and is 15-22 in the event. For the Hawks to get the
job done this year, they will have to overcome the fact that they own the
second-worst scoring margin (-6.6 ppg) of all conference members. Joe
Zeglinski tops Hartford and is fourth in the league in scoring with 16.7 ppg.
Boston University boasts the conference's leading scorer in junior John
Holland (19.9 ppg), and Corey Lowe is in ninth place with 14.1 ppg. Add Jake
O'Brien (13.0 ppg) to the mix and it is no surprise that the Terriers are
second in the conference in scoring (70.3 ppg).

In what appears to be a lopsided quarterfinal pairing, the second-seeded
Vermont Catamounts will take on the seventh-seeded UMBC Retrievers. At just
4-25 overall, including 3-13 in league play, UMBC has endured many
disappointing losses this season, and it was easily handled twice by Vermont
during the regular season. The Retrievers captured the crown in this event
back in 2008, the program's first as a member of the conference. Vermont has
accomplished the goal three times, most recently in 2005, but the team still
owns a sub-.500 record in the event (21-24). The Catamounts are the top
scoring team in the league (70.5 ppg), but UMBC is last in scoring defense and
scoring margin. Vermont possesses arguably the AEC's best player in Marqus
Blakely, who is second in the league in both scoring (17.4 ppg) and
rebounding (9.1 rpg). UMBC is paced by Chauncey Gilliam, who contributes a
less impressive 13.5 ppg.

Maine, the third seed, will battle sixth-seeded New Hampshire in the final
quarterfinal pairing. The Black Bears and the Wildcats are both in search of
their first AEC Tournament title, and while Maine's 17-29 record at this event
is poor, New Hampshire's 8-27 mark is considerably worse. The odds are against
the Wildcats picking up their ninth win in this quarterfinal round, as they
are the lowest-scoring team in the AEC (61.4 ppg), as they show a woeful 37.7
percent from the floor and even struggle from the foul line. They are last in
steals and next-to-last in assists. As for Maine, it is tops in assists and
steals, and the club is also first in scoring defense (61.9 ppg). Gerald
McLemore leads Maine in scoring with 14.9 ppg, as he is the most productive
sophomore in the conference. As for New Hampshire, Alvin Abreu (14.6 ppg) is
the player to watch.

All of the higher-seeded teams will advance to the semifinal rounds, but that
won't be the case in the semis. Boston University enters this event on a
league-high four-game win streak and will knock off top-seeded Stony Brook. In
what should be a highly-competitive tilt in the other semifinal matchup,
Vermont will edge Maine on the shoulders of Blakely. In the end, it will be
the Catamounts who cut down the nets and punch their ticket to the "Big
Dance".

Predicted Champion: Vermont

 

[Lumi]

2010 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Preview

2010 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Preview

2010 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Preview


OUTLOOK:
Of the 14 teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference, 12 have been invited
to participate in the league tournament which begins on Tuesday night. The
first round will take place at campus sites of the higher seeds.

While a few of the A-10 squads figure to earn NCAA Tournament bids regardless
of the outcome of this event, every squad would love to capture the crown and
earn the automatic bid to the "Big Dance". Temple, the two-time defending
champ of this event, has earned the top seed this year, and it figures to face
the stiffest competition from second-seeded Xavier and third-seeded Richmond,
teams that have been nationally ranked at one point this season. Fourth-seeded
Saint Louis has hit its stride over the last month and will undoubtedly carry
a great deal of confidence into the event. Those four teams have earned byes
to the quarterfinal round, which begins on Friday, March 12th in Atlantic
City.

The first round kicks off on Tuesday, and all games will be played on the home
court of the higher-seeded team. Fifth-seeded Rhode Island suffered a pair of
painful losses at the end of the regular season, and it will need to get back
on track in a hurry. Sixth-seeded Charlotte, seventh-seeded Dayton and eighth-
seeded St. Bonaventure all have talented performers, especially the Flyers,
who were the preseason favorite to win the league title. Rounding out the
tournament's participants are ninth-seeded Duquesne, 10th-seeded George
Washington, 11th-seeded Massachusetts and 12th-seeded Saint Joseph's, none of
which are considered serious threats to reach the semifinals, let alone win
the tournament.

The first of four first-round games pits the eighth-seeded St. Bonaventure
Bonnies against the ninth-seeded Duquesne Dukes. The Bonnies have never won
this tournament and are 12-26 all-time in the event. As for the Dukes, they
captured their lone title back in 1977, and the 19-30 record in A-10
Tournament games is far from impressive. St. Bonaventure is led by Andrew
Nicholson, a standout sophomore, who is eighth in the conference in scoring
(16.2 ppg) and 10th in rebounding (7.1 rpg). Damian Sanders leads Duquesne
with 14.9 ppg, and he is tied for the conference rebounding lead with 11.4
rpg. The fact that Sanders leads the league in both blocks (3.1 bpg) and
steals (2.8 spg) is proof of his tremendous versatility.

The fifth-seeded Rhode Island Rams just missed out on a top-four seed that
would have given them a first-round bye, but they now must face 12th-seeded
Saint Joseph's on Tuesday. URI won this tournament back in 1999 and is still
in search of its second title. The Hawks have two conference tournament
championships to their credit, but the most recent came back in 1997, so there
has been a long stretch since coach Phil Martelli's program last claimed the
prize. Rhode Island is second in the A-10 in scoring (77.1 ppg), but the team
is dead last in field goal percentage defense (.472). SJU ranks 11th in the
league in scoring (68.8 ppg) and 12th in scoring defense (74.8 ppg), as this
has been a season to forget. The Hawks are also the worst rebounding team in
the conference.

The seventh-seeded Dayton Flyers and the 10th-seeded George Washington
Colonials will meet in the first round, and while Dayton's lone title came
back in 2003, the Colonials have won the tournament twice, most recently in
2007. Chris Wright (14.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg) has been the best player for Dayton,
which leads the league in rebounding margin (+6.6 rpg) but is next-to-last in
blocked shots. GW doesn't have a player ranked among the top 15 in the league
in scoring, and the fact that the Colonials are ranked in the middle of the
pack in most statistical categories speaks to the mediocrity of the squad.

In the final first-round pairing, sixth-seeded Charlotte will attempt to treat
the home crowd to a victory over 11th-seeded Massachusetts. Charlotte is a
relative newcomer to the conference, and the team owns a 2-4 record in this
event. As for the Minutemen, they have won five A-10 Tournament titles, but it
has been 14 years since the last one. The 49ers are led by Shamari Spears, a
Boston College transfer, who ranks seventh in the league in scoring with 16.3
ppg. Charlotte is the best free throw shooting team in the conference, and
that could come in handy in this tournament. As for UMass, it ranks 13th out
of 14 A-10 teams in scoring defense (75.4 ppg), but the club is tied for the
conference lead in three-pointers made per game (7.1).

The winner of the Duquesne/St. Bonaventure game will move on to face top-
seeded Temple on Friday in the quarterfinals. Temple has won eight A-10
Tournament championships, the most of any league member, and the Owls are a
stellar 49-19 all-time in the event. Last season, they knocked off Duquesne by
a 69-64 final in the championship game, and they beat Saint Joseph's in 2008's
title game by the same score. Temple has a few steady leaders in the fold, as
Ryan Brooks (14.5 ppg) and Lavoy Allen (10.8 rpg) can be counted on by coach
Fran Dunphy to put forth maximum effort every time out. The Owls lead the
conference in scoring defense (56.8 ppg), overshadowing the fact that they
are the third-worst scoring team in the league (65.4 ppg).

The fourth-seeded Saint Louis Billikens will take on either Rhode Island on
Saint Joseph's in the quarterfinals. Saint Louis has only played seven A-10
Tournament games since joining the conference and is 3-4 in those affairs.
Obviously, the program is still in search of its first title. Like Temple, SLU
relies heavily on its defense to win games. In fact, the Billikens are the
lowest-scoring offensive team in the conference (63.8 ppg), but they rank
second in scoring defense (59.7 ppg). Kwamain Mitchell paces the club with
16.1 ppg, and he is clearly the go-to guy at the offensive end. Willie Reed is
a solid contributor at the defensive end for Saint Louis, as he ranks third in
the conference in blocked shots.

Second-seeded Xavier is slated to take on either Dayton or George Washington
on Friday, and the Musketeers are gunning for their fifth A-10 Tournament
title. They last won this event in 2006 and own a 22-10 record in the tourney
all-time. Xavier leads the conference in scoring offense (79.9) and scoring
margin (+11.7 ppg). The Musketeers are shooting 47 percent from the field,
best in the A-10, and is certainly helps to have the league's leading scorer
in the fold. Jordan Crawford is racking up 19.7 ppg as a sophomore, tied with
UMass senior Ricky Harris for the top output in the conference. Players such
as Jason Love (8.6 rpg) and Terrell Holloway (4.0 apg) help to take pressure
off Crawford.

Finally, Richmond will begin tournament play on Friday evening against either
Charlotte or UMass. The Spiders are one of the six active members of the A-10
that have never won this event, and they are 6-8 in the event over the years.
The duo of Kevin Anderson and David Gonzalvez will make Richmond a tough out
in this tournament. Anderson ranks fifth in the league in scoring with 17.8
rpg, and Gonzalvez provides 14.3 ppg. The Spiders are ranked second in the
A-10 in field goal percentage defense (.390). On a down note, they are next to
last in rebounding margin, as they are being outboarded by more than five
caroms per contest.

Half of the teams in this tournament have a legitimate chance to win, and
Dayton is the darkhorse squad with a chance of making some serious noise. When
the dust settles, expect Temple and Xavier to prove worthy of their seeding,
as those two heavyweights will battle for the title. If it is true that
defense wins championships, and that certainly seems to be the case the
majority of the time, give a narrow edge to the Owls.

Predicted Champion: Temple

 

[Lumi]

2010 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Preview

2010 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Preview

2010 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Preview


FACTS & STATS:
Site: Greensboro Coliseum (23,500) -- Greensboro, North
Carolina. Dates: Thursday, March 11th through Sunday, March 14th. Television:
Raycom, ESPN2, ESPN. Annual: 57th. Defending Champion: Duke.

OUTLOOK:
The 57th-annual Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament is on tap this
week from the Greensboro Coliseum and will run from opening round action on
Thursday, March 11th through the championship game on Sunday, March 14th.

This was not a usual season throughout the ACC, as the biggest surprise may
not be who won the regular-season crown, but rather, how far the mighty have
fallen. The defending national champion North Carolina Tar Heels were going to
face a tough challenge in maintaining their status atop the conference, but no
one could have foreseen the team's total collapse. When all was said and done
though, it turned into a two-horse race, with Duke and Maryland sharing the
conference title with solid 13-3 league ledgers.

The Blue Devils earned the top-seed in the tournament, but it really shouldn't
effect the Terrapins all that much, as like the regular season, the tournament
looks to follow suit with two legitimate candidates and the rest playing
catchup. Joining Duke and Maryland with first-round byes are three-seeded
Florida State and fourth-seeded Virginia Tech. The rest of the field will play
in opening round action on Thursday.

The tournament will open up with ninth-seeded Virginia taking on eighth-seeded
Boston College. Tony Bennett's Cavaliers finished one game under .500 overall
at 14-15 and won just five conference games in his first season at the helm.
To make matters worse, Virginia lost nine straight games to close out the
regular season. The likelihood of a strong run in this event isn't very good,
especially with the recent suspension of sophomore guard Sylven Landesberg,
who finished fifth in the conference in scoring at 17.3 ppg and earned All-ACC
Second-Team honors. Landesberg will miss the remainder of the season for
academic reasons. The team has won just one ACC Tournament title and that came
all the way back in 1976 and ending that drought isn't likely. Al Skinner's
Eagles are still relatively new to this event and have yet to win a tourney
title in the ACC with a 5-4 mark all-time. Boston College is also fighting an
uphill battle coming into the postseason at 15-15 overall and a 6-10 mark in
league play. The team did finish with three wins in its last five games,
including a 68-55 decision over the Cavaliers a week ago. The team has several
players averaging double-digits in points, none more important than All-ACC
Third-Team member Joe Trapani (14.6 ppg).

The second opening-round matchup features fifth-seeded Wake Forest against
12th-seeded Miami-Florida. Dino Gaudio's Demon Deacons showed flashes of
brilliance this season, just not enough consistency. Wake was ranked in the
top-25 this year and had some quality wins over the likes of Gonzaga,
Richmond, Xavier and Maryland en route to 19 total victories. Conference play
resulted in a 9-7 mark, tied with Clemson for fifth place. An exciting team
with an outside chance at making a run to the finals of this event, Wake
relies on the low post game of sophomore forward Al-Farouq Aminu to fuel its
attack. Aminu led the conference in rebounding (10.8 rpg) and averaged 15.9
ppg, earning All-ACC Second-Team honors. Point guard Ishmael Smith (13.3 ppg,
6.0 apg) joined Aminu on the all-conference Second-Team. Wake Forest has four
tournament titles to its name, with the last coming in 1996. Frank Haith's
Hurricanes had plenty of problems this year in league play finishing in last
place at 4-12. That doesn't sum up this team though, as Miami won 18 games in
the regular season, and ran flawless through the non-conference slate.
However, it won't be easy to erase five losses in the last six games and start
anew in tournament play. Miami is one of five schools to have never won an ACC
Tournament crown. These two teams split a pair of meetings this year, each
winning on its home floor.

Next on the docket in the opening round is seventh-seeded Georgia Tech against
10th-seeded North Carolina. The Yellow Jackets are an extremely young team,
but Paul Hewitt's squad showed glimpses of its great potential, hovering in
and around the top-25 for a good portion of the second half of the season.
Tech needs just one more victory to reach the 20-win plateau, but a 7-9 in-
conference record doesn't exactly have this team brimming with confidence
right now. The strength of the Yellow Jackets resides in the frontcourt in the
form of All-ACC Third Teamer Gani Lawal (13.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg) and All-ACC
Freshman Team member Derrick Favors (11.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg). The Yellow Jackets
haven't won the ACC Tournament since 1993, although the team did make a final
appearance in 2005. The defending national champions fell off the face of the
ACC world this season and although the Tar Heels have won 17 tournament
titles, tied with Duke, it would take a miracle to earn number 18 this season.
With a mass exodus from last year's title team, coupled with key injuries this
season, UNC simply fell flat. A 16-15 overall mark is certainly not up to the
standards set in Chapel Hill and a 5-11 league mark is unheard of. The loss of
talented forward Ed Davis to a broken wrist certainly didn't help matters. Roy
William's Tar Heels, who had a pair of three-game losing streaks in-conference
and another four-game slide, failed to land a player on any of the all-
conference squads for the first time in ACC history. Georgia Tech swept the
regular-season series with North Carolina.

The final game of the opening round pits sixth-seeded Clemson against 11th-
seeded NC State. Oliver Purnell's Tigers were in and out of the top-25 this
season, finishing 21-9 overall and 9-7 in ACC action. At times, Clemson looked
like a conference contender, but at other times, the team simply looked
mediocre. Still, with wins in six of the last nine games to close out the
year, a strong run in this tournament would not be a shock, despite a less
than stellar 16-56 all-time mark in this event. A dangerous offensive team,
Clemson looks to veteran forward Trevor Booker to lead the way. Booker was a
First-Team All-ACC selection and was also named to the All-Defensive Team,
averaging 15.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Sidney Lowe's Wolfpack
resided around the bottom of the league standings for much of the season, but
finished off at 17-14 overall and 5-11 in-conference, thanks to timely wins in
three of the last four games. Junior forward Tracy Smith was clearly the
catalyst for the squad, earning All-ACC Second-Team honors, averaging 17.0
points and 7.7 rebounds per outing. NC State has a rich tradition in this
event, with 10 tournament titles and a 61-46 all-time record, but the last
championship came back in 1987. Clemson won the only meeting between these two
teams in the regular season, 73-70.

The Blue Devils will await the Virginia/Boston College winner in quarterfinal
action on Friday. Mike Krzyzewski's squad won a conference-best 26 games in
the regular season, but failed to nail down the outright conference crown with
a loss last week to Maryland, ending an eight-game win streak. Still, the team
took care of business in a rout of rival North Carolina in the regular-season
finale to earn a share of the title and top overall seed. Duke, which won the
tournament last season, is tied with North Carolina for most tournament titles
with 17, as well as tournament victories with 84. This year's squad features a
trio of All-ACC performers, including two First-Team members in point guard
Jon Scheyer (18.9 ppg, 5.2 apg) and forward Kyle Singler (17.2 ppg. 6.8 rpg).
Nolan Smith (17.6 ppg) is another outstanding scoring option, earning Second-
Team status as a result.

The Terrapins picked up the second seed, despite sharing the regular-season
crown. All-ACC First-Team star Greivis Vasquez was the main reason why. The
senior guard was arguably the ACC's best court general, ranking second in the
league in scoring (19.6 ppg) and first in assists (6.3 apg). Gary William's
Terrapins will take on the North Carolina/Georgia Tech winner in the
quarterfinals. No team comes into the postseason any hotter, as Maryland
brings a seven-game win streak with it to Greensboro, including huge wins over
Duke and Virginia Tech over the last two weeks.

Leonard Hamilton's Seminoles picked up the three-seed and an opening-round bye
with a solid 10-6 league mark. More impressive was FSU's 22-8 overall mark. It
didn't look good for the Seminoles in mid-February, but the team ran off five
wins in its last six games to earn the bye. FSU is one of those teams without
a tournament title and is just 9-18 all-time in this event. The Seminoles will
get the winner of the NC State/Clemson game in the quarterfinals and will no
doubt attempt to enforce their will defensively on whoever they are playing.
Solomon Alabi (11.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 70 blocks) and Chris Singleton (10.4 ppg,
7.2 rpg, 69 steals) earned All-ACC Third-Team recognition for their efforts
this year and both were named to the All-Defensive Team as well.

The fourth and final bye went to Seth Greenberg's Hokies. Virginia Tech had a
run in February that had the team on the verge of breaking into the top-25,
but three straight losses to Duke, Boston College and Maryland left the team
on the outside looking in. Still, Tech finished strong with back-to-back wins
to close out the regular season and finished 10-6 in-conference and 23-7
overall. The Hokies await the winner of the Miami-Florida/Wake Forest opening
round matchup. An explosive team, Virginia Tech has an outside shot at making
a run to the finals. If so, expect All-ACC First-Teamer Malcolm Delaney to
play a big part. The junior guard led the league in scoring this season,
pouring in almost 21 points per game (20.9). Fellow juniors Dorenzo Hudson
(Third-Team member at 14.4 ppg) and Jeff Allen (12.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg) provide
plenty of support. Virginia Tech is just 3-5 all-time in this event.

Clemson, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech all have remote chances
of stopping a Duke/Maryland final. However, in the end, expect the Blue Devils
and Terrapins to still be playing on Sunday. The Terps got the better of the
Blue Devils in the last encounter, but look for Duke to win the rubber-match
and pick up the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Predicted Champion: Duke

 

[Lumi]

I know I have posted this MANY TIMES ! Duh, I only do it because I want to help and share, if you want the pages I go to? Drop an email, it's the same as my yahoo messenger on my profile page. I can't post all day :shrug: , Maybe....:toast: