Posted on 3/11/2008 4:03:24 PM

NCAA March Madness Wagering - Previewing The ACC Tournament

By Charles Jay

The Atlantic Coast Conference tournament takes place March 13-16 at Charlotte. Here is a look at the field, as it is listed at BetUS Sportsbook:

BetUS March Madness Betting Odds

Team to win the Atlantic Coast Conference

Boston College +10000

Clemson +600

Duke +200

Florida State +3000

Georgia Tech +2000

Maryland +2000

Miami Florida +1500

North Carolina -110

North Carolina State +7500

Virginia +6500

Virginia Tech +1000

Wake Forest +3000

The team who will almost certainly gain entry into the NCAA tournament out of this conference is Clemson. Duke and North Carolina are definitely in. Maryland, Miami and Virginia Tech could be considered on the bubble, while Wake Forest has some outside possibilities.

Let's examine some of the teams:

CLEMSON (+600) is a team that can get hot all of a sudden and make a run, especially since Terrence Oglesby is such a dangerous long-range shooter. With others like K.C. Rivers and James Mays, the Tigers are one of the most talented teams in the conference. And they hit the offensive boards (to the tune of 14.5 per game). But this has been an inconsistent bunch, and it may be unreasonable to expect that it will compete a run through this field with a win against Duke or North Carolina almost certainly necessary..............MIAMI (+1500) has often found itself overmatched against the better teams in this league, although the Hurricanes have home victories over Clemson and Duke. The Duke game was a nail-biter after they jumped out to a huge second-half lead. A loss to Florida State this past weekend did not do a lot for their stock. But like Clemson, Miami has the shooter (Jack McClinton) who can get hot and carry a team. and McClinton is a better all-around offensive player than anyone Clemson, for example, possesses..........FLORIDA STATE (+3000) won four of its last five games as it tried to make its case for an at-large berth, and I've always been a fan of coach Leonard Hamilton. The Seminoles, who are one of the best free throw shooting teams in the country, have the kind of mental toughness necessary to make things interesting in a game or two........

WAKE FOREST (+3000) has a surprising freshman star in James Johnson, coming from the unlikely breeding ground of Wyoming, but the Deacons have hit just 66% from the foul line, which can be deadly in games like these........VIRGINIA TECH (+1000) closed very strong, and the Hokies can rise to the occasion and play defense. But the backcourt that got them to the second round of the NCAA tournament last season is gone, and they haven't had the easiest time replacing them........NORTH CAROLINA (-110) is obviously a clear favorite here, and if they win this tournament they would seem to have an inside track at the #1 overall seed, as the Heels are ranked #1 in the country.. With point guard Ty Lawson back in the lineup, this is a team that can dictate pace, and with Tyler Hansbrough digging in down low, opponents will have to have a strong presence to bang with him. That is one thing that DUKE (+200) doesn't really have. Of course, Coach K's team has plenty of shooters, and enough quickness to compete with North Carolina. If they can get hot from beyond the arc, they could win any game they play, but they don't offer any great value at this number..............If you're looking for longshots at these prices, MARYLAND (+2000), which lost four of its last five to close the season, is a team you may want to look at. The Terps are undervalued at 20/1, and you've got to remember that Gary Williams' teams have often over-achieved in this particular tourney. In addition, if you're good enough to win AT Chapel Hill, you are good enough to pull off a couple of upsets, at which point anything can happen. James Gist and Bambale Osby, who block more than four shots a game between them, provide useful size that might trouble a team like Duke and trade blows with the aforementioned Hansbrough.

Go to the BetUS.com online sportsbook today to bet on NCAA basketball. We have the most current NCAA basketball odds and lines, as well as player and game props. Join BetUS.com to experience the best in online sports betting action!

(Charles Jay of http://www.eBookies.com gives it the old college try as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)