That’s it. this is the year
Princeton I not Princetons. Murray State me not Murray State.
This year, for the first time ever, a 16th seed is going to topple a 1st seed. Mark it.
In a topsy-turvy world where the US appears to be doomed to the World Baseball Classic, where George W. Bush’s voodoo has seemingly faded across the nation, and where Michael Douglas has gone on record as believing that Brangelina is a bad idea (hey, Mikey, where’s your wife of 36 years sleeping tonight?), this would be the final straw. The cats would sleep with the dogs. Total chaos.
It will happen. The Southern University Jaguars have a tough 6-9 forward in Peter Cipriano who can give Shelden Williams everything he can handle, and a 40% experienced 3-point shooter named Deforrest-Riley Smith. They will get up and surprise Duke on Thursday night.
Or how about those Great Danes from Albany? First of all, even the UConn mascot doesn’t stand a chance. A husky against a Great Dane? Like. Sure, Albany may have lost to Harvard, but they kept UCLA close (imagine that). They’re eight deep and they’ve got a really good second-year forward named Brent Wilson who can dominate a game. Connecticut is arrogant. They think they are all of that.
And don’t forget Oral Roberts. Do you think Memphis has a chance against a God-ordained university? Remember back in the 1980s, when a televangelist named Oral Roberts told his audience that if they didn’t send money, God would “call him home”? Well, the American public responded, and the result was a huge financial empire and a university named after that televangelist. (“Televangelist U.” just didn’t have the same ring.) Jesus loves Ken Tutt and the Golden Eagles.
And finally, the biggest block of all, is Monmouth over Villanova. Did you see the Hawks absolutely crush the hapless Hampton on Tuesday night? These guys are good. They’re a really tight defensive squad, they’re 6-10 center (more than the Wildcats can tell) and they’ve been practicing their finger-in-the-eye routine for 48 hours straight. Can Allen Ray and Villanova cope with that?
No way. Mark it. At 16 beats at 1.
Or, you know, not.
What is your biggest surprise from the NCAA tournament qualifying process?
Greg Jorssen, BoDog.com: Where do I start? How does George Washington, the No. 6 team in the nation, finish at No. 8? They will now have to face Duke in Round 2, and what should be an early exit from the tournament. How come Cincinnati, a team with the fifth-toughest schedule in the nation and the 40th-highest RPI, doesn’t get in, but Air Force, a team that didn’t beat a top-50 team all season? yes enter? How does the Missouri Valley get four tickets, the same number as the ACC? Are you telling me that these two conferences are the same? Did Hofstra not pull it off despite beating George Mason twice in the last 10 days of the season? There are always questions about Selection Sunday; however, with that said, this was the worst job of a Selection Committee I have experienced in a long time.
Brian Gabrielle, BG Sports: As far as the selection process goes: I’m not leaving anything out of this club of crooked old men that they refer to as the Selection Committee. I’m disappointed, but not surprised, that service teams like Hofstra and Western Kentucky have been left out, and I find it ridiculous that programs like Arkansas and Alabama have been included. As far as seeding goes: how does Winthrop classify as a 15 seed? How does Tennessee get a 2 seed? How does Connecticut manage to roll out a red carpet to the Final Four with a bunch of creampuffs? In short: the same as always for this time of year.
What is the correct way for our readers to choose their supports? Should they aim for a certain number of surprises each round? Should they lean heavily on the favorites under the assumption that most of the time, the favorites win?
BG, BG Sports: When looking for surprises, stick with the teams that broke through rather than the teams that were allowed in through the back door.
RG, BoDog.com: A 12-seed will most likely outperform a 5-seed. This has happened every year for the last five years. My special surprise for Round 1 is Texas A&M defeating America’s Cinderella team, Syracuse. Yes, Syracuse. The same team that was a Gerry McNamara missed a 3-pointer against Cincinnati far from missing the tournament entirely. The same team that I predicted last week would not make it to the tournament. The same team you must have read what I wrote then proceeded to beat UConn, Georgetown and Pitt to win the Big East. Well, I think her Cinderella story is coming to an end early and you can take that to the bank.
The way I pick my bracket is to predict my Final Four teams and work backwards. I never have more than two 1-seeded teams in the Finals, so this year I’m going with UConn and Duke. ‘Nova is a question mark because of Ray’s eye, and Memphis doesn’t have the experience, nor were they tested in the regular season. Then I pick some annoying specials early on, especially in the second round. One really interesting fact I’ve heard in the last 24 hours is that in even-numbered years since 1990, a top-seeded team has been eliminated in the second round. And that’s only in even-numbered years, meaning that a seeded team hasn’t lost in the second round during odd-numbered years. I don’t think this year will be any different: Memphis will be sent packing early! You also need to account for trends, such as a 16th seed never beating a top seed. I don’t think you’ll see that happen in your life. In addition, you should also leave your heart at the door. If you hate Duke, which I do, don’t pick them to lose to George Washington in Round 2. Duke is a better team. Use your head at all times.
What are some of the best betting or parlay opportunities featured in March Madness?
BG, BG Sports: Moneyline parlay the #1 seed is guaranteed money. It works like a charm. That ticket is 20-0 for life.
RG, BoDog.com: Many punters flock to sportsbooks for the first time during March Madness, so they’re quick to throw money at favorites like Duke; however, they do not do their homework on the ATS logs. Duke had a terrible ATS year, going 13-17-1. Gonzaga finished 12-18. Teams like this are very popular with punters, and those punters simply raise the price to a point where it is higher than the actual difference in skill between the two teams. Spending the extra effort will go a long way when you factor in the differential. The second thing to pay close attention to is who the Cinderella teams are, as the lines tend to change for the wrong reasons due to the media attention they receive. Another opportunity is with Over/Under in the early rounds. Teams that are highly ranked tend not to play their starters as much when the game is out of control, so the score is much lower in earlier rounds compared to later rounds, when the best players are called up. to act throughout the game. Another thing is to try to ride the equipment that is hot as long as you can. Betting that they will finish their career may not pay off in the long run. Syracuse is as hot as it gets (even though I picked them to lose in the first round about two minutes ago). Finally, always take a look at where the games are being played. Some teams will have home field advantage due to the game being played close to their hometown. Ohio State has a first round game at Dayton Arena. Texas is playing in Dallas. Having the backing of your hometown fans often makes all the difference when it comes to picking against the spread.
