posted March 4, 2009 at 19:51 EST in March Madness Articles
March Mayhem Betting - Who Will Wear This Year's Slippers?
by Robby Maddux
Each year, the sports betting nation takes part in March Madness, which is arguably the best tournament in all of sports. Whether you're a hardcore college basketball betting wise guy who wagers dimes per game with BetUS, or a casual spectator that annually contributes $5 in hopes of filling out the winning bracket at your place of work, the NCAA tournament delivers gambling ambitions of many sorts in one form or the other.
Betting March Madness is as common as the tournament itself and bettors of all shapes and sizes has his or her own method of selecting hopeful winners, ranging from in-depth handicapping techniques - practiced by the more serious of gamblers - to the office gal's selections made based on a team's uniform colors. The Big Dance certainly plays many variations of tunes, delighting gamblers and thrill seekers from all walks of life. But one thing everyone has in common, and enjoys during the madness, is a good underdog story titled - Cinderella.
Cinderella's arise annually which is only one great aspect of March Madness, though they usually play role as "bracket busters". If you bet on college basketball and support the BetUS NCAA basketball odds favorites, you hope she fails to appear at the first-round ball where underdog Cinderella teams are born. However, if you invest in Cinderella hopefuls and boat load of points oddsmakers fit them with, you're the first to ask her to be on your side at the Big Dance.
A few years ago, George Mason became a household name and captivated hoop lover's imaginations by knocking off several top teams, including powerhouse Connecticut, in the process of reaching the final four. Last year, Stephen Curry and Davidson enabled the country to once again witness David downing numerous Goliaths. Here's five teams having respectable shots at wearing the glass slippers in 2009.
Weber State clinched the Big Sky title and secured home court advantage for the conference tournament, earning a first-round bye and will host the top four teams in the tournament March 10-12. They finished league play at 15-1 and their overall record of 21-8 SU produced the most money in all of NCAA basketball with a 19-5 ATS mark.
Weber St. has a well-rounded team with multiple scoring options in Kellen McCoy (14.1 ppg) and Damian Lillard (11.7 ppg) highlighted by four players averaging double digits, making the Wilcats a balanced team. While they have struggled against top competition this season, they have the potential to pull of a huge upset as they are firing on all cylinders. They finished the regular season winning 12 straight and covered in ten. The Wildcats have appeared 14 times in the Big Dance, going 6-15 SU.
Any team with a guy named Stephen Curry (28.4 ppg) suiting up for them has a shot to beat any of the highest of seeds. He is the nation’s leading scorer who hit the 20-point in 15 straight games as the best pure scorer in the country, and he has the sweetest stroke in college hoops that helped him reach the 2,500-point mark for his career in the regular season finale. The Wildcats won the Southern - South championship and will be looking to earn its fourth straight conference tournament title on March 6-9.
Along with Curry, Davidson boasts a solid lineup with Andrew Lovedale (12.5 ppg), defensive specialist Max Paulhus Gosselin, and an experienced coach - Bob McKillop. They finished 25-6 overall and 18-2 in conference action, going 12-15-1 ATS on the year. Davidson has Big Dance experience and high expectations after 2008's March Madness run. The only question here is if the Wildcats again roar deep into the tournament, after last season's magical run, will they be considered a true Cinderella? This will be Davidson's tenth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, where they are 5-10 SU.
Behind the trio of Kenny Hasbrouck (14.8 ppg), Edwin Ubiles (14.7 ppg), and Alex Franklin (13.8 ppg), Siena boasts a team that can compete with any club in the country. With all three players averaging over 13 ppg, they have numerous scoring options and schemes, an attribute that is invaluable during March Madness.
Combined with solid depth, the Saints claimed the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title - a one-bid conference - with a 16-2 mark and finished the regular season at 23-7 overall. Sienna lost only two games since Jan. 9, going 13-2 during that span, and on the year they finished with an ATS record of 11-15-1. They went a perfect 14-0 at home and will host the MAAC tournament from March 7-9. Since 1988, the team has appeared in four NCAA Tournaments and is 2-2 SU.
The duo of Kyle Spain (14.6 ppg) and Lorenzo Wade (14.0 ppg) provide San Diego State with two dangerous scoring threats. Also, they both have the size to compete with larger, more athletic and bigger clubs. The Aztecs have repeatedly shown the competitive drive to compete against heavily-favored teams, leading them to a 12-10-1 ATS record.
San Diego State is currently fourth in the Mountain West at 9-5 and 19-8 overall with two games remaining versus Colorado St. on Wednesday and UNLV on Saturday - both at home at 10:00pm EST. Due to an experienced lineup, they will not be intimidated in the bright lights of the Big Dance. The Mountain West Conference tournament is March 10-14. This will be San Diego State's sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, where they are 0-5 SU.
Ryan Wittman, along with his 18.5 ppg, provides this Ivy League Champion team currently at 9-3 instant scoring credibility. However, it is their depth and team chemistry that gives them true underdog potential, producing an overall record of 19-9 with two games remaining against Pennsylvania on Friday and Princeton on Saturday - both at home at 7:00pm EST.
Along with Wittman, Cornell boasts solid depth with Louis Dale (13.6 ppg) and Jeff Foote (12.2 ppg). Cornell, despite playing in a weak Ivy League Conference, has the potential to send some quality teams packing early if overlooked. The Ivy League is the only conference that doesn't hold a tournament and sends its regular season champion to the Big Dance, which this year will be Cornell. The 2008 tournament was the Big Red's fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Their combined record is 0-3 SU.
