March 20: Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.
No.1 Oklahoma vs. No. 16 South Carolina State
Oklahoma, winner of the Big XII championship, gets a deserving No. 1 seed in the East. The Sooners are 24-6 straight up and 13-11-1 against the spread. Senior point guard Hollis Price (19.7 PPG) is hitting 44 percent from downtown and 93 percent from the charity stripe.
Price and his backcourt mate Quannas White are both from New Orleans, where each of the 65 teams competing hopes to travel. The Sooners strength is their defense, which is allowing 60 PPG. The ?under? is 14-5 in games with a posted total.
Playing its opening game in Oklahoma City should create a homecourt advantage for the Sooners. Oklahoma was an impressive 19-1 in games played in Norman.
South Carolina State won the MEAC championship by defeating Hampton, 72-67. The Bulldogs have not played in a game with a posted line.
Oddsmakers at Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Oklahoma as a 25-point favorite, with the total listed at 136.
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No.8 California vs. No. 9 North Carolina State
California is 21-8 SU and 14-11-2 ATS. The Golden Bears have an explosive player in forward Joe Shipp. The senior led the Pac-10 with 20.3 points per game.
Cal was an impressive 13-1 SU at home, with its only loss coming against Arizona. The Bears like to push the ball, averaging 74.5 PPG. The ?over? is 10-5 with posted totals. One weakness that could hurt California in a close game is its 68 percent FT shooting.
N.C. State is a team that can build on its last loss or move forward. The Wolfpack are still overcoming an 84-77 loss to Duke in the ACC title game in which they blew a 15-point lead with less than 10 minutes to play.
The ?Pack are 18-12 SU and 17-8 ATS. Playmaker Julius Hodge (17.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG) is one of the best players in the country. The Harlem product is confident, but at times erratic. N.C. State plays a three-forward offense and doesn?t rely on a low post game at all. The club shoots and impressive 77 percent from the free throw line.
Oddsmakers at LVSC opened N.C. State as a one-point favorite, with the total listed at 136.
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March 21: Jefferson County Civic Center in Birmingham, Ala.
No. 5 Mississippi State vs. No.12 Butler*
Mississippi State doesn't play pretty, and that's a good thing. The Bulldogs led the SEC in scoring defense (59.9 PPG) and field-goal defense (39.8 percent). MSU is led by the inside game of Mario Austin and perimeter skills of Derrick Zimmerman.
MSU is 21-9 SU (9-7 in SEC play) and 13-9-3 ATS. The school had impressive wins against Oklahoma and Xavier earlier this season. The Bulldogs? weakness could be their FT shooting (67.8 %), which hurt them late against Kentucky in the SEC championship.
Butler received an at-large bid after losing to Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the Horizon tournament. The Bulldogs are 25-5 SU and 12-13-1 ATS. All five of the losses were on the road.
This Bulldog team favors the perimeter game and big man Joel Cornett (11.3PPG, 6.3RPG) doesn?t like to bang. This could leave an edge to Austin and company.
In the classic No. 5 versus No. 12 upset special, this is the largest line among the four contests. Oddsmakers at LVSC opened MSU as a 7 1/2-point favorite, with the total listed at 123.
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No. 4 Louisville vs No. 13 Austin Peay
Conference USA champion Louisville won the tourney on its home floor with three straight victories. The Cardinals are 24-6 SU and 17-13 ATS. Despite its winning steak, the school is just 6-4 SU and 3-7 against the number in its last 10 contests.
Senior point guard Reece Gaines is the leader of this club and controls the tempo. The Cardinals are averaging 81.8 PPG and have eclipsed triple-digits three times and the 90-point barrier four times.
Austin Peay is 23-7 SU and 16-7-1 ATS. The Governors opened the season with an 81-80 overtime victory against Memphis but also got blown out by Missouri and Ole Miss. AP is not a deep team at all, which could cause problems with the Cardinals? up-tempo game.
Oddsmakers at LVSC opened Louisville as a 17-point favorite, with the total listed at 146.
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March 21: Fleet Center in Boston, Mass.
No. 6 Oklahoma State vs No. 11Pennsylvania
Oklahoma State lost in the quarterfinals of the Big XII tournament to Missouri. The Cowboys are 21-9 SU and 10-15 ATS.
Despite starting the season 17-1, OSU lost eight of its last 12 games.
The Cowboys have four players averaging double figures, with no one player standing out for Eddie Sutton?s troops. The club is averaging 69.7 PPG.
Penn has its best chance for a first-round upset in. The Quakers are 22-5 SU and 10-12-2 ATS.
Ugonna Onyekwe (16 PPG, 6.4 RPG) gives Penn a great athletic presence. The Quakers are hitting percent from the field and 40 percent from downtown.
Oddsmakers at LVSC opened Oklahoma State 4 1/2-point favorite, with the total listed at 127.
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No. 3 Syracuse vs No.14 Manhattan
Syracuse freshman Carmelo Anthony is averaging 22.7 PPG. (AP)
Syracuse blew any chance of a higher seed by losing to UConn in the semifinals of the Big East. The Orangemen have the most talented player in the country in Carmelo Anthony. The freshman is averaging 22.7 PPG and 10 RPG.
The ?Cuse is young and prefers to push the ball, averaging 80.1 PPG. Syracuse is a young team but does have impressive victories against Michigan State and Missouri.
Manhattan is 23-6 SU and 16-11 ATS. The Jaspers are led by Luis Flores (24.8 PPG) but are limited with the rest of their roster. Despite its lack of size, Manhattan has posted victories against St. John?s and Seton Hall.
The Jaspers were run off the court against Louisville, 89-62, earlier this season, a school that plays a similar style to Syracuse.
Oddsmakers opened Syracuse as an eight-point favorite, with the total listed at 145.
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March 21: St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Fla.
No. 7 St. Joseph?s vs No. 10 Auburn
St. Joseph?s is 23-6 SU and 18-10 ATS. The Hawks have impressive non-conference victories against Boston College and Gonzaga. SJU also swept the Big Five in Philadelphia with wins over Temple, Villanova, Lasalle and Penn.
The Hawks have a great backourt, led by with Jameer Nelson (19.3 PPG) and Delonte West (17.6 PPG). West (leg) has been playing with a stress fracture. St. Joe?s does not have a solid frontcourt and has been suspect on the glass.
Auburn should still be wondering how it got invited to the Dance. The Tigers are 5-9 in their last 14 games and possibly made the tournament with a win over Tennessee in the SEC quarterfinals. The school was 9-7 in conference play.
Senior Forward Marquis Daniels (17.9 PPG) can score on anybody and will probably have to take control. Auburn sometimes plays through the motions on defense, leading to easy buckets.
Oddsmakers opened St. Joseph?s as a three-point favorite, with the total listed at 130.
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No. 2 Wake Forest vs No.15 East Tennessee State
Wake Forest could be considered the worst of the No. 2 seeds. The Demon Deacons lost in the semifinals to N.C. State in their conference tournament. The school won seven straight games prior to this setback.
WFU is led by ACC player of the year Josh Howard (20 PPG, 8.3 RPG). The backcourt is young, but improving with newcomer Justin Gray.
East Tennessee State is 19-10 SU and 10-12 ATS. The Buccaneers are led Tim Smith, who is shooting a solid 42 percent from downtown. The team hits 73.1 percent from the line, so a close game could help ETSU late.
Oddsmakers at LVSC opened Wake Forest as a 14-point favorite, with the total listed at 159. The line dropped to 12 and the total dipping to 156 at most books on Wednesday.
No.1 Oklahoma vs. No. 16 South Carolina State
Oklahoma, winner of the Big XII championship, gets a deserving No. 1 seed in the East. The Sooners are 24-6 straight up and 13-11-1 against the spread. Senior point guard Hollis Price (19.7 PPG) is hitting 44 percent from downtown and 93 percent from the charity stripe.
Price and his backcourt mate Quannas White are both from New Orleans, where each of the 65 teams competing hopes to travel. The Sooners strength is their defense, which is allowing 60 PPG. The ?under? is 14-5 in games with a posted total.
Playing its opening game in Oklahoma City should create a homecourt advantage for the Sooners. Oklahoma was an impressive 19-1 in games played in Norman.
South Carolina State won the MEAC championship by defeating Hampton, 72-67. The Bulldogs have not played in a game with a posted line.
Oddsmakers at Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Oklahoma as a 25-point favorite, with the total listed at 136.
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No.8 California vs. No. 9 North Carolina State
California is 21-8 SU and 14-11-2 ATS. The Golden Bears have an explosive player in forward Joe Shipp. The senior led the Pac-10 with 20.3 points per game.
Cal was an impressive 13-1 SU at home, with its only loss coming against Arizona. The Bears like to push the ball, averaging 74.5 PPG. The ?over? is 10-5 with posted totals. One weakness that could hurt California in a close game is its 68 percent FT shooting.
N.C. State is a team that can build on its last loss or move forward. The Wolfpack are still overcoming an 84-77 loss to Duke in the ACC title game in which they blew a 15-point lead with less than 10 minutes to play.
The ?Pack are 18-12 SU and 17-8 ATS. Playmaker Julius Hodge (17.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG) is one of the best players in the country. The Harlem product is confident, but at times erratic. N.C. State plays a three-forward offense and doesn?t rely on a low post game at all. The club shoots and impressive 77 percent from the free throw line.
Oddsmakers at LVSC opened N.C. State as a one-point favorite, with the total listed at 136.
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March 21: Jefferson County Civic Center in Birmingham, Ala.
No. 5 Mississippi State vs. No.12 Butler*
Mississippi State doesn't play pretty, and that's a good thing. The Bulldogs led the SEC in scoring defense (59.9 PPG) and field-goal defense (39.8 percent). MSU is led by the inside game of Mario Austin and perimeter skills of Derrick Zimmerman.
MSU is 21-9 SU (9-7 in SEC play) and 13-9-3 ATS. The school had impressive wins against Oklahoma and Xavier earlier this season. The Bulldogs? weakness could be their FT shooting (67.8 %), which hurt them late against Kentucky in the SEC championship.
Butler received an at-large bid after losing to Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the Horizon tournament. The Bulldogs are 25-5 SU and 12-13-1 ATS. All five of the losses were on the road.
This Bulldog team favors the perimeter game and big man Joel Cornett (11.3PPG, 6.3RPG) doesn?t like to bang. This could leave an edge to Austin and company.
In the classic No. 5 versus No. 12 upset special, this is the largest line among the four contests. Oddsmakers at LVSC opened MSU as a 7 1/2-point favorite, with the total listed at 123.
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No. 4 Louisville vs No. 13 Austin Peay
Conference USA champion Louisville won the tourney on its home floor with three straight victories. The Cardinals are 24-6 SU and 17-13 ATS. Despite its winning steak, the school is just 6-4 SU and 3-7 against the number in its last 10 contests.
Senior point guard Reece Gaines is the leader of this club and controls the tempo. The Cardinals are averaging 81.8 PPG and have eclipsed triple-digits three times and the 90-point barrier four times.
Austin Peay is 23-7 SU and 16-7-1 ATS. The Governors opened the season with an 81-80 overtime victory against Memphis but also got blown out by Missouri and Ole Miss. AP is not a deep team at all, which could cause problems with the Cardinals? up-tempo game.
Oddsmakers at LVSC opened Louisville as a 17-point favorite, with the total listed at 146.
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March 21: Fleet Center in Boston, Mass.
No. 6 Oklahoma State vs No. 11Pennsylvania
Oklahoma State lost in the quarterfinals of the Big XII tournament to Missouri. The Cowboys are 21-9 SU and 10-15 ATS.
Despite starting the season 17-1, OSU lost eight of its last 12 games.
The Cowboys have four players averaging double figures, with no one player standing out for Eddie Sutton?s troops. The club is averaging 69.7 PPG.
Penn has its best chance for a first-round upset in. The Quakers are 22-5 SU and 10-12-2 ATS.
Ugonna Onyekwe (16 PPG, 6.4 RPG) gives Penn a great athletic presence. The Quakers are hitting percent from the field and 40 percent from downtown.
Oddsmakers at LVSC opened Oklahoma State 4 1/2-point favorite, with the total listed at 127.
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No. 3 Syracuse vs No.14 Manhattan
Syracuse freshman Carmelo Anthony is averaging 22.7 PPG. (AP)
Syracuse blew any chance of a higher seed by losing to UConn in the semifinals of the Big East. The Orangemen have the most talented player in the country in Carmelo Anthony. The freshman is averaging 22.7 PPG and 10 RPG.
The ?Cuse is young and prefers to push the ball, averaging 80.1 PPG. Syracuse is a young team but does have impressive victories against Michigan State and Missouri.
Manhattan is 23-6 SU and 16-11 ATS. The Jaspers are led by Luis Flores (24.8 PPG) but are limited with the rest of their roster. Despite its lack of size, Manhattan has posted victories against St. John?s and Seton Hall.
The Jaspers were run off the court against Louisville, 89-62, earlier this season, a school that plays a similar style to Syracuse.
Oddsmakers opened Syracuse as an eight-point favorite, with the total listed at 145.
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March 21: St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Fla.
No. 7 St. Joseph?s vs No. 10 Auburn
St. Joseph?s is 23-6 SU and 18-10 ATS. The Hawks have impressive non-conference victories against Boston College and Gonzaga. SJU also swept the Big Five in Philadelphia with wins over Temple, Villanova, Lasalle and Penn.
The Hawks have a great backourt, led by with Jameer Nelson (19.3 PPG) and Delonte West (17.6 PPG). West (leg) has been playing with a stress fracture. St. Joe?s does not have a solid frontcourt and has been suspect on the glass.
Auburn should still be wondering how it got invited to the Dance. The Tigers are 5-9 in their last 14 games and possibly made the tournament with a win over Tennessee in the SEC quarterfinals. The school was 9-7 in conference play.
Senior Forward Marquis Daniels (17.9 PPG) can score on anybody and will probably have to take control. Auburn sometimes plays through the motions on defense, leading to easy buckets.
Oddsmakers opened St. Joseph?s as a three-point favorite, with the total listed at 130.
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No. 2 Wake Forest vs No.15 East Tennessee State
Wake Forest could be considered the worst of the No. 2 seeds. The Demon Deacons lost in the semifinals to N.C. State in their conference tournament. The school won seven straight games prior to this setback.
WFU is led by ACC player of the year Josh Howard (20 PPG, 8.3 RPG). The backcourt is young, but improving with newcomer Justin Gray.
East Tennessee State is 19-10 SU and 10-12 ATS. The Buccaneers are led Tim Smith, who is shooting a solid 42 percent from downtown. The team hits 73.1 percent from the line, so a close game could help ETSU late.
Oddsmakers at LVSC opened Wake Forest as a 14-point favorite, with the total listed at 159. The line dropped to 12 and the total dipping to 156 at most books on Wednesday.
