Betting

March Madness Infographic w/ Bracket Tips

CHN — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 08:32:43 -0700

The following NCAA Bracket Infographic is courtesy of Jen Rhee. Besides some interesting factoids, it will also help you pick a winning bracket.

Created by: Business Degree

Game Predictions: Arizona/Gonzaga, UNLV/Illinois and More

Greg Mengelt — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 22:50:08 -0800

Greg Mengelt previews & predicts 9 of Saturday's tightest and most interesting games. Also check out his rundown of all six Big 12 games, including Texas A&M vs Florida.

ARIZONA (7-3) VS. GONZAGA (6-2)

Time/TV: 4 p.m., CBS (Regional)

Line: Gonzaga -4.5.

Storylines: After strong starts, both teams have stumbled recently. Although Arizona is coming off what coach Sean Miller called his team’s “best win of the season" – a 63-47 win over Clemson – the Wildcats are 3-3 in their last six outings. After a 5-0 start, Gonzaga lost two straight, including a loss in Spokane to Michigan State, before beating Oral Roberts Thursday.

Key Matchup: Freshmen Nick Johnson and Josiah Turner of Arizona vs. Gonzaga’s Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell. Johnson and Turner are averaging 17.5 points between them, while the Bulldog freshmen guard tandem is scoring 22.4 per night.

The Bottom Line: It should be an interesting battle with some intriguing matchups. With the State Farm Battle taking place in Seattle, the Bulldogs have a slight edge.

The Pick: Gonzaga 71, Arizona 64.

INDIANA (9-0) VS. NOTRE DAME (7-4)

Time/TV: 4:30 p.m., ESPN2

Line: Indiana -8.5.

Storylines: Indiana is coming off its biggest win since a Final 4 run in 2002 and is 9-0 for the first time in 21 years. Graduation and injuries have the Irish struggling through the 2011 portion of their schedule.

Key Matchup: PGs Jerian Grant of Notre Dame and Indiana’s Jordy Hulls. Both point guards have been the engines that drive their teams. Grant, who sat out last year, is averaging 12.4 points, and team-bests at 4.2 assists and 14 steals. Hulls is shooting 57 percent from the field, 53 behind the 3-point line and has made all 11 of this free throw attempts.

The Bottom Line: The current Indiana players have never dealt with this kind of success. The Hoosiers may experience a letdown after a week off, but not enough to fall to the struggling Irish.

The Pick: Indiana 72, Notre Dame 62.

MISSISSIPPI STATE (10-1) AT DETROIT MERCY (5-7)

Time/TV: Noon, Fox Sports-Detroit

Line: Mississippi State -3.5

Storylines: Both teams had high expectations coming into the season. Only the Bulldogs have lived up to them. After an early home loss to Akron, Mississippi State has reeled off nine straight victories, including wins over Texas A&M, Arizona and West Virginia. Since some inexplicable losses early, the Titans seemed to have turned a corner and the return of Eli Holman has helped.

Key Matchup: Holman vs. Wendell Lewis. In two games this year, the senior has scored 30 points in 46 minutes and has seven offensive rebound and five blocked shots. With junior Renardo Sidney failing to live up to expectations, Lewis, who is also a junior, has come on strong of late. He is averaging eight points in his last five games and has 30 blocked shots on the season.

The Bottom Line: With Holman in the lineup, Detroit is balanced – and quite frankly – a little scary. Expect the Titans to get on a roll soon, and don’t be shocked if that starts today.

The Pick: Detroit Mercy 71, Mississippi State 68.

MISSISSIPPI (9-1) AT SOUTHERN MISS (7-2)

Time/TV: 4:30 p.m., Fox Sports Regional

Line: Southern Miss -2.5.

Storylines: Despite playing a weak schedule, Mississippi fans have to be thrilled with a 9-1 start. Now the Rebels add guards LaDarius White, who scored 16 points in his debut after meeting his first semester academic requirements, and Jalen Kendrick. Ole Miss now has the depth to compete for an NCAA bid. Southern Miss is ranked 12^th in the latest RPI.

Key Matchup: PGs Angelo Williams of Southern Miss and Mississippi’s Jarvis Summers. Both are solid, dependable floor leaders who can score.

The Bottom Line: Another game that should go down to the wire. Eagles’ go-to sophomore LaShay Page and the home-court advantage could be the difference.

The Pick: Southern Miss 73, Mississippi 69.

PURDUE (9-2) VS. BUTLER (4-6)

Time/TV: 2 P.M., CBS

Line: Purdue -10.

Storylines: Purdue and Butler have been two of the best programs in the country the past four years, but 2011-12 has been a different story. The lack of scoring options has been a liability for both, but particularly for Butler.

Key Matchup: Purdue’s Lewis Jackson vs. Butler’s Ronald Nored. Jackson and Nored are too of the best defensive point guards in the nation. Both are also outstanding leaders and distributors.

The Bottom Line: Jackson has a superior offensive game to Nored, and he also has better teammates. Purdue should pull away late for the win.

The Pick: Purdue 66, Butler 55.

UNLV (10-2) AT ILLINOIS (10-0)

Time/TV: 5 p.m., Big Ten Network

Line: Even.

Storylines: UNLV has struggled a bit lately, going 3-2 since an upset over then-No. 1 North Carolina on Nov. 26. Illinois remains unbeaten with decent wins over Maryland, Gonzaga and St. Bonaventure in the last three weeks. Illinois beat the Rebels 73-62 in the first round of last year’s NCAA Tournament.

Key Matchup: UNLV’s Oscar Bellfield vs. Illinois’ D.J. Richardson. Both teams will get production in the middle, so the game may be determined by which team gets a better performance from its best perimeter threat.

The Bottom Line: As the even line indicates, there is no real favorite in this one. UNLV has more explosive offensive players. That could be the difference.

The Pick: UNLV 71, Illinois 70.

VANDERBILT (6-3) VS INDIANA ST (7-2)

Time/TV: 5:30 p.m., CSS

Line: Vanderbilt -11.5.

Storylines: Vandy center Festus Ezeli is back and he couldn’t have returned soon enough. In his first game back, Ezeli scored 15 points in 21 minutes to rescue the Commodores from another disappointing loss at Davidson. Indiana State expects to figure in the Missouri Valley race. The balanced Sycamores are off to a good start, but they’re searching for a go-to player.

Key Matchup: Vanderbilt’s John Jenkins vs. ISU’s Jake Odum. Odum, who averages 9.4 points and 6.6 assists, will be tasked with trying to keep Jenkins from bombarding the Sycamores from the perimeter.

The Bottom Line: Ezeli’s return is bad news for the Sycamores.

The Pick: Vanderbilt 73, Indiana State 59.

VILLANOVA (6-4) AT ST. JOSEPH’S (7-3)

Time/TV: 8 p.m., CBS Sports Network

Line: St. Joseph’s -4.5

Storylines: St. Joseph’s is coming off its first win over a top-25 team in four years with an 80-71 triumph over Creighton. After opening the season 3-2, the Red Hawks have won four of five. After a 4-0 start, Villanova had dropped four of five before a 68-43 win over Boston U. Tuesday. One of those losses came at Temple in a Big 5 matchup. The Wildcats are 2-1 in Big 5 games, with a wins over Penn and LaSalle.

Key Matchup: Villanova’s Maalik Wayns vs. St. Joseph’s balance. Wayns has established himself as one of the most dependable go-to players in the country, while St. Joe’s has four players averaging in double-figures

The Bottom Line: Big 5 games are always competitive and this one will be, too. Villanova is used to these environs, and behind Wayns, will steal a road victory.

The Pick: Villanova 80, St. Joseph’s 77.

VIRGINIA TECH (7-3) VS. CAMPBELL (8-2)

Time/TV: 4 p.m., None

Line: X

Storylines: Campbell, which already has a win at Iowa, figures to compete with Coastal Carolina and Charleston Southern for the Big South title. The Hokies are 2-0 since oft-injured redshirt sophomore Cadarian Raines returned to the lineup.

Key Matchup: The boards. Virginia Tech has struggled against good rebounding teams, and every Camel – even the guards – go hard after boards.

The Bottom Line: The Camels will almost certainly be competitive and an upset isn’t out of the question.

The Pick: Virginia Tech 63, Campbell 56.

San Diego St vs Northern Colorado: Preview & Prediction

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:31:41 -0700

(2) San Diego State vs. (15) Northern Colorado

West Region - Tucson

March 17 - 4:40 TNT

San Diego State won't have to travel far if they're to get to their first-ever Final Four, with the path being Tucson to Anaheim to Houston. But the Aztecs have never won an NCAA Tournament game in their history, carrying an 0-6 record into the matchup with Big Sky champ Northern Colorado. The Bears, making their first-ever NCAA appearance, have an outstanding guard in senior Devon Beitzel but SDSU's experience in guarding Jimmer Fredette should help them out here. Kawhi Leonard is just one of the key players Steve Fisher relies on in the frontcourt and if they need a big shot guard D.J. Gay is the guy who gets the call more times than not. Look for SDSU to run into a zone defense or two and how well they execute against it will determine how far they go.

CHN Team Capsules (w/ stats, records, and rankings):

San Diego St

Northern Colorado

Stars to Watch:

Kawhi Leonard F (San Diego State)

Devon Beitzel (Northern Colorado)

Vegas Odds:

San Diego St -16

Predictions:

RealTimeRPI: San Diego St 69 - No Colorado 57

KenPom: San Diego St 74 - No Colorado 59

CollegeHoops.net Betting Pick: No Colorado

Faces Winner Of: Temple vs Penn State

Temple vs Penn St: Preview & Prediction

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:28:50 -0700

(7) Temple vs. (10) Penn State

West Region -Tucson

March 17 - 2:10 TNT

Two teams from the Keystone State all the way out in Tucson in this 7-10 battle. Temple won their last NCAA Tournament meeting in 2001 (Lynn Greer was outstanding for the Owls in that one). Fran Dunphy doesn't have the greatest track record in the Big Dance but he does have an experienced nucleus led by Lavoy Allen, Juan Fernandez and Ramone Moore. Ed DeChellis has an experienced team as well led by guard Talor Battle, but it's been a decade since the Nittany Lions made an NCAA Tournament appearance. Penn State took care of business when they needed to last week, winning three games before falling to Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament final.

CHN Team Capsules (w/ stats, records, and rankings):

Temple

Penn St

Stars to Watch:

G Talor Battle (Penn State)

F Lavoy Allen (Temple)

Vegas Odds:

Temple -2.5

Predictions:

RealTimeRPI: Temple 66 - Penn St 62

KenPom: Temple 62 - Penn St 61

CollegeHoops.net Betting Pick: Temple

Faces Winner Of: San Diego State vs Northern Colorado

Texas A&M vs Florida St: Preview & Prediction

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:25:44 -0700

(7) Texas A&M vs. (10) Florida St.

Southwest Region - Chicago

March 18 - 4:10 TBS

Chicago will feature two defensive slugfests as Texas A&M takes on Florida State in a game that may not reach the 60s. Texas A&M's guards don't have the greatest shooting percentages but Dash Harris and B.J. Holmes find ways to make key plays for head coach Mark Turgeon. Khris Middleton leads the team in scoring and fellow forwards David Lobeau and Nathan Walkup are right behind him. What Middleton does against the Seminoles will be something to watch especially if Chris Singleton is able to return. Derwin Kitchen has stepped up in Singleton's absence but there have been plenty of instances lately where the loss of their leading scorer and rebounder was apparent.

CHN Team Capsules (w/ stats, records, and rankings):

Florida St

Texas A&M

Stars to Watch:

F Khris Middleton (Texas A&M)

G Derwin Kitchen (Florida St)

Vegas Odds:

Texas A&M -1

Predictions:

KenPom: Florida St 62 - Texas A&M 61

CollegeHoops.net Betting Pick: Texas A&M

Faces Winner Of: Notre Dame vs Akron

Purdue vs St. Peter's: Preview & Prediction

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:21:57 -0700

(3) Purdue vs. (14) Saint Peter's

Southwest Region - Chicago

March 18 - 7:20 TNT

Purdue taking on Saint Peter's could be a half-court slugfest as both teams are very good defensive teams. The story of John Dunne's senior-led squad is one that's been told numerous times since their win in the MAAC Tournament. Their nucleus won five games as freshmen, and the climb from that valley to the NCAA Tournament has been a long and sometimes painful one. But in a matchup like this the edge tends to go to the team with more pro-level talents, and in center JaJuan Johnson the Boilermakers have one of the nation's best. E'Twaun Moore has been outstanding all season as well, but if Purdue is to get to Houston some of their supporting cast members will need to have an impact.

CHN Team Capsules (w/ stats, records, and rankings):

Purdue

St. Peter's

Stars to Watch:

F JaJuan Johnson (Purdue)

G Wesley Jenkins (Saint Peter's)

Vegas Odds:

Purdue -15

Predictions:

RealTimeRPI: Purdue 70 - St. Peter's 59

KenPom: Purdue 69 - St. Peter's 54

CollegeHoops.net Betting Pick: Purdue

Faces Winner Of: Georgetown vs USC/VCU

Georgetown vs USC/VCU: Preview & Prediction

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:17:28 -0700

(6) Georgetown vs. (11) USC/VCU

Southwest Region - Chicago

March 18 - 9:50 TNT

Dayton is where this subregional will begin with USC meeting VCU on Wednesday night with the winner moving on to face Georgetown. Both teams have had their credentials questioned with the Rams being a frequent whipping boy along with UAB. But Shaka Smart has a very good basketball team that doesn't lack for experience, led by point guard Joey Rodriguez and forward Jamie Skeen. USC has a good frontcourt comprised of Alex Stepheson and Nikola Vucevic, and wing Marcus Simmons was the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. Tempo will likely determine the matchup with a quicker pace favoring VCU. As for Georgetown, the question is how rusty will point guard Chris Wright be after missing the last two weeks with a broken hand. It was painfully obvious how much the Hoyas missed him offensively with Austin Freeman getting little in the way of consistent help. Can Georgetown duplicate last year's first round exit? Sure, but they can also win a game or two if all members of the rotation contribute in some way.

Stars to Watch:

G Austin Freeman (Georgetown)

F Nikola Vucevic (USC)

G Joey Rodriguez (VCU)

Vegas Odds:

USC -4.5 (vs VCU. No line for subsequent game vs Georgetown yet.)

Predictions:

RealTimeRPI: VCU 67 - USC 65

KenPom: USC 68 - VCU 63

CollegeHoops.net Betting Pick: VCU

Faces Winner Of: Purdue vs St. Peter's

Vanderbilt vs Richmond: Preview & Prediction

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:00:50 -0700

(5) Vanderbilt vs. (12) Richmond

Southwest Region - Denver

March 17 - 4:10 TBS

In their previous two NCAA appearances, Vanderbilt was a #4 seed paired up with a champion of a non-BCS leagues, and both times they went home. In 2008 Siena blew them out in a game that was more surprising for its margin than the fact that it happened. Last year it was Murray State that did the honors, knocking down a shot at the buzzer to beat the Commodores. Maybe being a five this time around is a good omen, but Kevin Stallings' team did not get an easy matchup. Richmond starts four seniors with guard Kevin Anderson and forward Justin Harper leading the charge, and they've held their last six opponents below 40% shooting from the field. Vandy is a tougher team than in seasons past but they've still had issues closing games out, especially away from Memorial Gym. This will be one of the trendier 12 vs 5 upsets on many brackets.

CHN Team Capsules (w/ stats, records, and rankings):

Vanderbilt

Richmond

Stars to Watch:

G John Jenkins (Vanderbilt)

G Kevin Anderson (Richmond)

Vegas Odds:

Vanderbilt -1.5

Predictions:

RealTimeRPI: Vanderbilt 66 - Richmond 63

KenPom: Vanderbilt 70 - Richmond 68

CollegeHoops.net Betting Pick: Richmond

Faces Winner Of: Louisville vs Morehead St

Louisville vs Morehead St: Preview & Prediction

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:57:14 -0700

(4) Louisville vs. (13) Morehead State

Southwest Region - Denver

March 17 - 1:40 TBS

Two schools that call the Bluegrass State home meet all the way out in Denver, in what could be an entertaining affair. The tandem of Kenneth Faried and Demonte Harper was an absolute handful throughout the OVC Tournament, and Morehead State has enough experience to know what to expect since quite a few of these players were on the 2009 team that lost to Louisville in the first round. Rick Pitino may not have any surefire NBA prospects on his roster but he's done one of his best coaching jobs with this group. The Cardinals will press, using guards Preston Knowles and Peyton Siva to ramp up the tempo. But their defense is about more than full-court pressure; the Cardinals will change up what they do at times within the same possession. Morehead State can win but they'll need to be smart with the basketball to do so.

CHN Team Capsules (w/ stats, records, and rankings):

Louisville

Morehead St

Stars to Watch:

G Kyle Kuric (Louisville)

C Kenneth Faried (Morehead State)

Vegas Odds:

Louisville -9.5

Predictions:

RealTimeRPI: Louisville 71 - Morehead St 64

KenPom: Louisville 71 - Morehead St 59

CollegeHoops.net Betting Pick: Morehead St

Faces Winner Of: Vanderbilt vs Richmond

UNLV vs Illinois: NCAA Preview & Prediction

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:52:21 -0700

(8) UNLV vs. (9) Illinois

Southwest Region - Tulsa

March 18 - 9:20 TBS

This close 8-9 matchup offers quite the contrast in terms of how the two teams enter the tournament. UNLV has played well in recent weeks, winning six straight before falling to San Diego State in the Mountain West semis. Illinois on the other hand has failed to to establish any kind of consistency, losing five of their last eight games. The Rebels do a good job of defending and have a number of versatile options on offense, led by wings Chace Stanback and Tre'Von Willis. The confusing aspect of the Illini's struggles is that they've got experience with Demetri McCamey, Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale leading the way. But are these guys capable of leading this talented group, or will they end their careers with a whimper? Toughness has been an issue for Illinois, and UNLV will test them in that area from the opening tip.

Stars to Watch:

G/F Chace Stanback (UNLV)

G Demetri McCamey (Illinois)

Faces Winner Of: Kansas vs Boston U

Vegas Odds:

UNLV -1.5

Predictions:

RealTimeRPI: UNLV 67 - Illinois 62

KenPom: Illinois 68 - UNLV 67

CollegeHoops.net Betting Pick: UNLV