Betting On March Madness – Handicapping The Final Four

If you’re betting on March Madness, you have been bitten by one of these four teams as this could be the most unlikely Final Four in the history of the NCAA Tournament. A No.3 (Connecticut), a No.4 (Kentucky), a No.8 (Butler) and a No.11 (VCU) will fight for the right to cut down the nets, and both games should go down to the wire.

VCU Butler Betting – Saturday, 6:09 PM ET

The Bulldogs are 2.5-point favorites after yet another close win, and what Butler has done is amazing. After losing a player to the lottery after last year’s run to the title game, no one expected Butler to be here once again, so can we call Butler the new version of Gonzaga? Because it appears as though VCU has taken over the role of this year’s Butler after rolling through the South region, culminated by a 10-point win over Kansas that wasn’t even that close. The Rams have been the story of March Madness, even bigger than Butler’s return to the Final Four because VCU have been romping over people; a one-point overtime victory over Florida State is the only game in which they didn’t beat a team by 10 points or more, not bad for a team that had to play their way into the bracket. VCU has been doing it with long-range shooting, hitting 45.1% from beyond the arc, and if the Bulldogs can’t slow that down, it’s going to be a long night for Butler. We’re going with VCU to continue their run.

UConn Kentucky Betting – Saturday, 8:49 PM ET

The Wildcats are 2-point favorites in the “programs you may recognize” side of the Final Four, as Kentucky is here for the 14th time, while UConn is here for the third time in seven years. NBA scouts have tuned into UConn to watch Kemba Walker, and he has been great for the Huskies (who are 12-0 in three tournaments this season), but Jeremy Lamb has played the best basketball of his freshman year, which gives Walker space to do his thing. The Wildcats battled hard to win all of their games, but they saved their best in wins over Ohio State, the top overall seed, and North Carolina, two teams that could easily be here at this point. The matchup of Walker against Brandon Knight at the point is a clash of two of the most exciting players in the Tournament, but we think Kentucky has more weapons on offense and more importantly, they’ve improved their defense in the postseason. It’s tough to bet against UConn given the run they’re on, but the Wildcats are athletic and disciplined enough to hold the Huskies off in your online sportsbook.

2011 March Madness Betting – Can Florida Slow Down Jimmer?

2011 March Madness betting players should be familiar with BYU’s Jimmer Fredette, who is the favorite to win the national Player of the Year award, and he has been spectacular in the Cougars’ first two games of the NCAA Tournament. But Fredette will face a very stiff test on Thursday night in the Southeast region in New Orleans, when they take on a balanced Florida squad.

BYU Florida Betting – Thursday, 7:27 PM ET

The third-seeded Cougars are making their sixth appearance in the Sweet 16 after an 89-67 rout of Gonzaga, and it’s also their first time in this section of the NCAA Tournament since 1981. Fredette had 34 points, his sixth game in the last seven with 30 points or more, and he also added six assists for the Cougars, who shot 52.5% from the field and hit 14 of their 28 three-point attempts. Many who write a March Madness blog figured the Cougars wouldn’t have a shot after the Brandon Davies suspension, but Fredette is showing why he is one of the best college players to come along in recent memory.

The second-seeded Gators are a more balanced squad, but Erving Walker put the team on his back in a 73-65 win over UCLA, scoring 10 of Florida’s last 12 points. Walker scored 21 points overall, but he had to step up when fellow guard Kenny Boynton hurt his ankle in the second half. Boynton came back to play, but he wasn’t himself, so Walker took it upon himself to make some big shots for the Gators, who shot 50% from the field, and they also shot 13-of-17 from the foul line, a part of their game that many thought would be their Achilles Heel. As long as the Gators continue to make them when it counts, no one will remember how bad they were in the regular season.

We’re willing to bet 5dimes that this will be the best game on Thursday night’s slate, and the Gators come in as a 2.5-point favorite. These two have met once, in the first round of last year’s Tournament, and BYU came away with a 99-92 double-overtime victory in which Fredette had 37 points, while Boynton had 27 for the Gators, who shot themselves in the foot with 21 turnovers. We’re betting on the Gators to avenge last year’s loss because they’ll do a better defensive job on Fredette, even if they have to sacrifice some of their offense. We also haven’t seen the best of Florida’s Chandler Parsons yet, and the forward is one of the most versatile players in the country. The Gators will have a bigger advantage in the post with Davies not in the lineup, and that will be enough to give Florida a win in your online sportsbook.

Bet On March Madness – Trojans Aim To Avoid Upset-Minded Rams

Those who bet on March Madness are still trying to figure out the “First Four” play-in games, which will put the last four teams in the NCAA basketball bracket, and one of the most controversial picks will be out to prove they deserve a place on Wednesday night. Many feel VCU shouldn’t be in the field, and the Rams will look to prove them wrong against USC in Dayton. The winner gets the 11th seed in the Southwest, where they will face Georgetown in Chicago.

USC VCU Betting – Wednesday, 9:00 PM ET

The Trojans (19-14, 10-8 Pac-10) lost a tight game against Arizona in the Pac-10 semifinals, but the bigger news surrounding the team was the suspension of coach Kevin O’Neill, who got into a confrontation with a booster from Arizona, where he used to coach. O’Neill missed that game against the Wildcats, and even soccer betting players will tell you that it’s a tough for a team to go on without their leader. O’Neill will be back for this game, and the Trojans will have to move past that incident as they were playing very well before that game. Nikola Vucevic has eight double-doubles in his last nine games, and he will be a load for VCU to handle.

The Rams (23-11, 12-6 Colonial) fell to Old Dominion in the final of the Colonial tournament, and they’ve been shaky down the stretch with five losses in their last eight games. Jamie Skeen and Bradford Burgess are VCU’s biggest offensive threats and very efficient, but outside of those two the Rams are a terrible shooting team. VCU lives and dies by the three-point shot, which makes up for their lack of size, and they’re one of the worst rebounding teams in the country. However, they can force turnovers and that keeps them in games.

Betting services have the Trojans as a 4.5-point favorite in Dayton in their first game against the Rams, and we like USC to bounce back from their loss against Arizona. They can control the paint with Vucevic, who will help them slow down the game, and the Trojans are also a solid defensive team who can get out on VCU’s three-point shooters. We’re also going with momentum because the Rams have been inconsistent down the stretch, although they did show some heart by making the loss to Old Dominion respectable after an 18-point deficit, but USC has played very well to get to this point with wins over Arizona and on the road at Washington. VCU hasn’t been a Tournament team over the last month and a half, and they’ll going to struggle to find their form quickly before tip-off on Wednesday. Look for a massive helping of Vucevic as USC rolls to an online sports betting win.

College Basketball Betting – A Look At The Player Of The Year Contenders

Nolan Smith, Those who bet on March Madness will be looking for a team that has a player who can carry their squad in tight games, and a player like that would certainly be a Player of the Year candidate. Here is our list of who we think will come up in the discussion for the Naismith College Player of the Year, which was won by Ohio State junior forward Evan Turner last year.

Jimmer Fredette, BYU

Fredette, a senior guard, leads the nation in scoring and he’s added playmaking to his game in order to boost his chances at the next level. But there is no one in the country who can score like Fredette, and BYU will need him even more after the controversial suspension of forward Brandon Davies. If you were a horse betting player wagering on a race, Fredette would be the leading steed to get to the finish line.

Duke

The senior guard for the defending national champions is 12th in the country in scoring, but he’s increased his rebounding and assists totals, and he’s taken over the ballhandling load after freshman Kyrie Irving went down with a toe injury. His shooting percentage is at his best since his freshman year, and it would be a major upset if he wasn’t named the ACC Player of the Year. Expect Smith to get some votes for the Naismith.

Kemba Walker, Connecticut

Walker cooled off after a torrid start to the season, but still finished the regular season fifth in points scored nationally. The junior guard has failed to score in double digits just once this season, and it could be argued that Walker is the most important player to his team because the Huskies are extremely young behind him. In the Big East, UConn would likely be finished without Walker.

JuJuan Johnson, Purdue

When Robbie Hummel was lost to a knee injury, a lot of people took their 5dimes off the Boilermakers to make any noise in the Big Ten, but Johnson didn’t listen, and the senior forward may be the best big man in the country. Johnson is 17th nationally in scoring, and he’s active on the glass along with being a shotblocking presence in the paint. He’s still a little thin for the next level, but right now, Johnson is one of the top five players in college hoops.

Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

Johnson’s main competition for best big man comes from his own conference, as Sullinger has been a monster in his freshman season in Columbus. Sullinger has 14 double-doubles this season, and he may have the best post moves of anyone in the country. He has also been surprisingly adept at finding the open man, which is needed in the Ohio State offense with their group of three-point shooters. Much like Ohio State’s odds for the national title, look for Sullinger to near the top of POY favorites in your online sports betting book.

NCAA Basketball Betting – Tigers Look To Avoid Upset-Minded Cornhuskers

Those who bet on March Madness can see their brackets forming more and more by the day, but it could be shaken up on Tuesday when Missouri heads to Lincoln to face a Nebraska squad that may have sealed their fate with a tough overtime loss in their last game, but have already taken down a top team at home in the Big 12.

Missouri Nebraska Betting – Tuesday, 8:00 PM ET

The Tigers (22-7, 8-6) fell 80-70 on the road to a streaking Kansas State team, and they couldn’t get anything going from the floor, hitting 40.7% of their attempts, and they were pounded on the glass as the Tigers were outrebounded 34-21. Marcus Denmon was the high man with 22 points for the Tigers, who may need some help to clinch a first-round bye in the Big 12 tournament, but Missouri may be worth a darkhorse pick later this month if you’re looking for a sports betting bonus. The Tigers are a scary team when they can dictate the pace of the game, which Kansas State didn’t allow them to do, and the Tigers also struggle on the road, where they are 1-6 SU this season.

The Cornhuskers (18-10, 6-8) may have sealed their fate with an 83-82 overtime loss at Iowa State, a game that they lost at the foul line. Nebraska was only 6-of-13 from the charity stripe, while the Cyclones were 19-of-22, and the Cornhuskers even had to fight back from an eight-point halftime deficit. Lance Jeter had a huge game with 27 points, 10 boards and five assists, while Jorge Brian-Diaz added 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Cornhuskers, who obviously underestimated the Cyclones, who have the worst record in the Big 12, and it may have cost Nebraska a chance to make their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 1998.

We’re willing to bet 5dimes that the Cornhuskers will be the home favorites in this contest, as they have lost just once in Lincoln this year, falling to Kansas. Ask Texas if the Cornhuskers are a tough team at home, as they lost by three at Nebraska on February 19th, and now the Cornhuskers are more dangerous because they have nothing to lose. Nebraska is 3-2 SU and ATS in their last five at home against the Tigers, who don’t want to fall down the Big 12 pecking order, and they don’t want go into their regular-season finale against Kansas with a two-game losing streak. The Cornhuskers fell 77-69 in Columbia on January 12th, getting 27 points from Denmon, but we think the roles will be reversed in Lincoln, and keep Nebraska on the outside of the NCAA Tournament bubble. Take the Cornhuskers in your online sports betting picks.