Thousands of people around the world are predicting their brackets for a chance to win the big bucks or the new 2011 car; right now as you read this someone is pondering on who they should advance in their bracket. And whenever they decide, it’s a prediction.

So, with that being said, what’s the best things to predict this March? Who is going to be upset? Who is going to the Final Four?

Here, I give you 50 predictions for this year’s 2010 NCAA Tournament.

Some you will agree with, others you will not; Some you will find humorous, others you will find yourself clueless. Either way, they are predictions!

1. The Winner of the Midwest Bracket Will Win the Tournament
Everyone knows the Midwest Region is the toughest region to play in this year, and whoever comes out of it will have definitely earned all those wins.
Teams like Kansas, Ohio State, Georgetown, Oklahoma State, Tennessee, and even Georgia Tech are lurking in this region. With that kind of firepower, anything could happen.
But the winner of this region goes on to be crowned champions.

2. Luke Harangody Starts for Notre Dame
Since returning from injury, Notre Dame big man Luke Harangody has been coming off the bench. Mike Brey said, "He’s been in a good groove coming off the bench for us lately."
And Brey is correct, but I think he comes to his senses and notices that if he wants to go deep, he will have to start Harangody.
If the Irish advance past the First Round, watch for Luke Harangody in the starting lineup the rest of the way.

3. UTEP Advances to the Sweet 16
Tony Barbee’s team has a good chance to make a run to the Sweet 16, and I sure believe they can.
In their first game, the Miners play Butler, who doesn’t match up very well with them. Matt Howard is about the only post presence Butler has, and UTEP should be able to take advantage of it.
If they advance, the probable matchup will be against Vanderbilt. I just don’t think Vandy can handle UTEP, especially with them being so hot.
Watch for the UTEP Miners in the second weekend of play.

4. Siena Beats Purdue
Siena is now a team that is accustomed to being in the Big Dance, and I think they will continue to upset this year.
Purdue is still searching for ways to score points without their leading scorer and team captain, Robbie Hummel. They just don’t seem to be the same team without him.
Siena has a nice mixture of speed and size that should give the Boilermakers trouble.
Advance Siena in your brackets.

5. Bob Huggins Will Wear a Suit and Tie
As fans, we hardly ever see this picture above from West Virginia coach Bob Huggins. It’s usually the same ‘ol windbreaker every game.
Well, I think that will change soon. Since his team has a very good chance to advance to the Final Four, don’t be surprised if Huggy Bear breaks out the suit above or even wears a tie.
He’ll start dressing for the occasion to impress people around the country.

6. Dick Vitale Gets Mad… Again!
On Selection Sunday, Dick Vitale wasn’t the happiest camper in the world. He made an argument for Virginia Tech to get in over Wake Forest and about blew his top off.
I have to say, I like seeing him getting mad and/or excited, and thank goodness because I don’t think that will be the last time we see him upset this year.
No telling what will happen to ruffle Dickie V’s feathers this time, but I sure hope I’m around to see it!
7.

Ohio Gives Georgetown a Scare
I’m sure most of you are thinking I’m crazy about this one, but I’m dead serious. As a Georgetown fan, I know their tendencies this season.
With that being said, I (along with many other Hoya fans) have seen the team play to the level of their opponents and somehow find a way to lose. For example take a look at the Rutgers game. Terrible.
They may be hot right now, but I don’t see their tendencies changing this season. Don’t be surprised if Ohio plays a close game against Georgetown.

8. Bruce Pearl Will Wear His Orange Blazer
Bruce Pearl has been known to pump up his team and the fans of Tennessee by wearing his orange blazer, and don’t be surprised to see that done this tournament. Traditionally, it is only worn against Vandy or Kentucky, but watch for the tradition to take a slight turn.
He’ll need to pump everybody up as much as he can this season.

9. President Obama Will Predict 65 Percent of the Bracket Correctly
Barack Obama has filled out yet another bracket. Last year, he correctly picked North Carolina to win it all, then again it was his favorite team.
In his Final Four, he has Kansas and Kansas State, along with Kentucky and Villanova. At least two of those should make the Final Four.
He may not be able to persuade the BCS yet, but perhaps he can persuade the tournament officials. Could he get the perfect bracket?

10. No One Will Predict Every Game of the Tournament Correct
Right now there is no telling how many people are tweaking their bracket picks or pondering on who should win a game, and why not? If you predict correct, you win all that money or car. Unfortunately for me and you, no one will predict all the games correctly and win the nice 2011 car.
All you will win will be is the congratulations of your fellow group members (If you win the group, that is).Otherwise, you get nothing.
Sorry fans, I don’t see this happening this season. Like the Cubbies, "Wait ’til Next Year!"

11. Michael Jordan Attends a Game
Yes, I predict he attends a game, even without his North Carolina Tar Heels making the tournament, nor his son’s Illinois team making it.
So why will he be there?
Because he is MJ.

12. Rick Pitino Breaks Out the Red Blazer or White Suit
Like Bruce Pearl, when the stage is big, don’t be surprised to see Louisville coach Rick Pitino to break out the exquisite accessories, aka his white suit or red blazer.
Heck, the red blazer worked against Syracuse, why not keep wearing it? I sure would!

13. A Team Shoots Under 30 Percent From the Free Throw Line
We’ve seen our share of bad free throw shooting teams and players; even the best players in the world can be terrible from the charity stripe. Just ask Shaquille O’Neal.
Anyway, we always see a couple of teams that hover around the 50 percent range from the line, but this year, I think we see terrible numbers from the line by one team, if not more.
Who knows, this could be the difference in a First Round loss and the Final Four.

14. There Will Be a Mascot Brawl
It could happen during a tight game or a game where the losing team is frustrated. The mascots will have their adrenaline pumping and all it only takes is one foam-headed moron to get it started. Some interesting fights would be New Mexico State’s Pistol Pete vs. Sparty the Spartan, the Clemson Tiger vs. the Missouri Tiger, Utah State’s Big Blue Bull vs. the Louisville Cardinal, and the Notre Dame Leprechaun vs. anybody.

15. New Mexico Will Be the Only MWC Team To Get Out of the First Round
Out of the four teams from the Mountain West Conference, we may only see New Mexico advance out of the first round. While all of the other teams are great, they probably got hit with some of the unluckiest first round matchups.
UNLV is playing Northern Iowa in a 8/9 matchup and Northern Iowa was expected by many to be the higher seed between the two. This one could come down to the wire and I wouldn’t be surprised if we witness the tournament’s first overtime game or buzzer beater here.
Brigham Young has not advanced out of the first round since 1992 and they may still have to wait. Florida is a tough squad to hang around with and could cause trouble. We are not saying BYU will lose, but it is a definite possibility.
San Diego State got shafted twice by the committee, not to mention some other things that are too profane.
Firstly they were seeded 11th but they won the Mountain West and have a better résumé than UNLV who they beat in the finals.
To make matters worse, they play a Tennessee team seeded sixth that beat Kansas and Kentucky and many argue that they should have been a four seed. SDSU has one of the toughest roads of the tournament likely having to play four championship favorites just to get to Indianapolis: Tennessee, Georgetown, Ohio State, and Kansas.

16. Arkansas Pine-Bluff Will Barely Be Beaten By Duke
Arkansas-Pine Bluff had a convincing win over the favourite in the play-in game, Winthrop.
In a bold, or maybe not so bold prediction as recent history has shown, Arkansas-Pine Bluff will lose in the last couple of minutes, perhaps with a buzzer beater.

17. The Winner of the NIT Publicly Says They Got Snubbed
The stigma of the NIT is a hard one to hold, but some players and coaches from tournament bubble teams that win the NIT just have to publicly say that they got snubbed from the big dance for a less deserving team.
They cannot just take the win and be happy for themselves. No, they will play the victim and shame the NIT. They never think that the NIT is a tournament for the best of the rest.
In no way does the NIT prove that you were better than a tournament team that got knocked out in the first round. We will never know, plain and simple.

18. A Coach Tries to Discipline an Opposing Player
Let’s rephrase that.
Steve Alford will discipline an opposing player.
He is a bit of a hot head and he did it earlier in the season to BYU’s Jonathan Tavernari after the game. A Washington player may be his most likely victim, ahem, student; just something about good old-fashioned western camaraderie.

19. Games Will Be Delayed Because of Sudden Arena Problems
This is one of a host’s and tournament’s biggest nightmares. There is nothing worse than delaying a game on a tight schedule, especially when network television is involved.
The most likely culprit would be a power failure. However there could be a ventilation problem, a roof could leak or the fire alarm could go off, whether there is really a fire or it is a prank.

20. We See At Least Five Buzzer Beaters
The best part of March Madness, or any basketball game, is the close finishes. You can’t get any closer than the buzzer beater.
Whether it is to win the game or send it to another frame, it is always the most exciting play possible. Fans of both teams are glued to the game, all their hearts skip a beat simultaneously, and in a fraction of a second it is over.
One group is riding a high they won’t ever forget, while the other is in the deepest of lows for being so close and failing.
This year will be no exception and expect at least five buzzer beaters. Pay attention to UNLV vs. Northern Iowa for a great chance at the first one.

21. Cal Makes the Sweet 16
Cal may not be considered an elite program this year, but they are definitely great when they are playing well. However, that is the problem.
They are streaky. You can’t get much streakier than a team in the Pac-10 this season. However, they do match up well against Louisville and could come out on top.
They could also beat Duke, who never seems to be able to withstand the tournament pressure as of late.
As said, they are a streaky team and if they get that far, that is probably as far as they get in this tournament.

22. Kansas State Cruises Through the West Region
Many consider Kansas State and not Syracuse to be the favorite in the West Region.
They should get by their first game, and then BYU or Florida, and anyone in Pitt’s pod, and then win in epic fashion over Syracuse.
As I side note there could be four Big East vs. Big 12 matchups in the Elite Eight.
In saying that, that could mean…

23. No Big Ten Teams Make the Elite Eight
Besides Ohio State, there is no team that is truly expected to make the Elite Eight. Let’s run down all the teams:

First, Ohio State is in what appears to be the toughest bracket. They likely have to play Oklahoma State/Georgia Tech, and Georgetown/Tennessee. Neither matchup will be easy.

Michigan State is in the same region and they have a tough road as well. New Mexico State won’t be a cakewalk and they will have immense trouble getting by Maryland and Kansas.

Wisconsin has a decent chance but they need to get past Temple or Cornell and then Kentucky, Texas or Wake Forest. Not an easy feat but perhaps slightly less difficult than Michigan State’s.

Purdue is a different story. On paper they are not in a difficult pod, but with their unimpressive play without Hummel, they will have to pull off a lot to get to the Elite Eight.

Minnesota is an 11 seed and is not expected to get by Xavier. If they do, it will be a great achievement, as well as if they can get past Pittsburgh and Kansas State.

24. Commentators Will Favor Evan Turner
Commentators are all over him, praising him for being the greatest player this year. It gets tiring hearing the same thing every time.
They will go a step further and they will talk about him when Ohio State is not even playing; they will even bring up that buzzer beater over Michigan at least three times.
Oh, did I mention they will call him the greatest ever each time he is on screen?

25. A Sideline Player/ Commentator Will Be Injured By a Diving Player
When the games are bigger and tighter and the ball is loose near the sideline, that usually means one thing: the closest player is going to dive out of bounds to save a possession and likely crash into a table, computer, or another person.
Some one will get injured, likely from falling off their chair or getting kneed in the head or body… Or worse.

26. The Maryland Terp Falls On Its Back And Can’t Get Up
This one is something all fans of opposing teams would love to see (and secretly some Maryland fans as well).
The giant tortoise looks so off balance it is only a matter of time before something or someone causes it to lose its balance and fall flat on its back.
There should be a betting pool for how long it takes for it to get up and whether it is assisted or not. Put me down for 10 seconds unassisted!

27. Upset Fans Throw Trash On Floor
It happened with Kentucky at South Carolina, as well as the more memorable incident at the Backyard Brawl where West Virginia fans threw garbage on the court and it hit Pitt’s assistant coach.
WVU was charged with a technical foul and Coach Huggins publicly called his fans stupid.
There may not be any home court games this time, but don’t be surprised if some fans get frustrated at the players or refs and get stupid as well.
Perhaps this foreshadows garbage being thrown if Kentucky and West Virginia meet.

28. The Final Four is Overshadowed By Professional Sports News
It happened in the World Series two years ago when A-Rod was talking about his contract and it could happen during the Final Four.
The most likely story will be that of Tiger Woods playing in the Masters. There could also be an MLB player busted for using performance enhancing drugs or sadly a player in the NHL gets mortally wounded or disabled among other headlines.

29. Refs Screw Up a Call and the Wrong Team Advances
Possibly the worst that could possibly happen is the referees blowing a call at the end of the game and handing the win to the wrong team.
The victim loses their legitimate shot at a title and the winner will have any subsequent wins, or championship, tainted.
It could be a questionable call like the difference between a block and a charge; or it could be missing a blatant foul; or starting the game clock before the ball is touched on the inbound.
What it will probably be is a player stepping out of bounds and it not getting called or the wrong team getting possession when the ball falls out of bounds.
We wouldn’t be surprised if it happens twice.
Don’t we love the guys in the striped shirts?

30. Temple Destroys Cornell
Cornell will be among the most selected underdogs to advance out of the first round and even go deeper in the tournament.
Many look back at their common opponent, Kansas. Kansas squeaked past Cornell but demolished Temple; don’t let those results fool you though.
Temple is a powerful team that had a bad game, and Cornell had one of their best games ever against a Kansas team that was looking ahead to Tennessee, as well as still living off the high of their win over Temple. Temple won’t let Cornell stay in it for long. Watch for Temple to win by at least 15.

32. Three Big East/ Big 12 Teams Will Play in the Final Four
Don’t be shocked to find three Big East or three Big 12 teams in the Final Four. These are the two top conferences this year and most of their representatives have legitimate shots.

In the Big East you could easily see #1 Syracuse, #2 West Virginia and #2 Villanova. Sleeper: #3 Georgetown. They have a difficult road, likely having to go through Tennessee, Ohio State, and Kansas.

In the Big 12 we could have #1 Kansas, #2 Kansas State and #3 Baylor. Sleeper: #8 Texas. If they get hot they could get past Wake Forest, Kentucky, and whoever else they meet.

Don’t be surprised if #3 Pittsburgh makes the final four instead of Syracuse or Kansas State, or if #5 Texas A&M makes it ahead of Villanova or Baylor.

33. Kansas Cruises to the Elite Eight
Don’t be foolish and knock off Kansas before the Elite Eight. Yes, this is mostly directed at those thousands of Spartan faithful.
Lehigh and UNLV/Northern Iowa should be a cakewalk. After that, the only worry they should have is if they meet Maryland, and even then they have too much talent all around to be out-played by a one-man team.

34. Baylor Makes the Final Four
Baylor is an interesting case.
They appear to have a favorable route to the Final Four, but all their likely opponents have the ability to step up and beat them.
In their Second Round matchup vs. Notre Dame or Old Dominion it may appear to be a sexy upset pick that could very well happen, but Notre Dame is a streaky team that was probably over-seeded and ODU may just be outclassed.
In the Sweet Sixteen it would be tough to count out Baylor vs. Richmond, St. Mary’s or Villanova.
In the Elite Eight, there is a good chance that Baylor does not play Duke, and thus be the favorite. Even if they play Duke you can still see the Bears edge one out.

35. Evan Turner Gets Posterized
Evan Turner will be remembered this tournament, no doubt.
Will it be for his dominance?
Possibly. However, here’s an even better idea:
He will be remebered because he will get dunked on huge. Who will it be? Cole Aldrich? Greg Monroe is the prime candidate. If they meet, put your money on it happening.

36. All Four No. 1s Will Not Make the Final Four
It is not difficult to fathom all four No. 1 seeds losing before the Final Four.
In the Midwest, Kansas could meet Georgetown, Ohio State, Tennessee or Oklahoma State in the Elite Eight. Kansas’s two losses this season came to the hands of Tennessee and Oklahoma State.
Syracuse could have the most difficult matchups of any of the No. 1 seeds in each round out West.

Vermont is a cupcake, but likely the most dangerous No. 16.
Gonzaga and Florida State are both dangerous and probably under-seeded. Butler or Vanderbilt could prove troublesome, and Kansas State or Pitt spells trouble.

In the East, Kentucky could have trouble as soon as the Second Round against Texas or Wake Forest. Texas matches up especially well if they stay consistent.
Temple or Wisconsin would also be a difficult game and they wouldn’t be much of a favorite against New Mexico or West Virginia.
Duke appears to have the easiest path after Kansas down South.

However, first we must remember that they are Duke and they always play close games in March. In all seriousness, California would be a dark horse and Louisville defeated Syracuse twice.
Any of the teams in the pod involving Texas A&M, Utah State, Purdue and Siena could give them a good game, and I could see anyone in the bottom half of the bracket besides Sam Houston State and Robert Morris beating them.

37. Xavier Makes a Deep Run
The Musketeers suit up in the bottom half of the West Region, and they very well could do some damage and make a deep run this March.
If they can get past Pitt in their Second Round matchup, they could be home free until they will probably play Kansas State in the Sweet 16.
Now that is another story…

38. A Coach/Player Gets in Trouble for Tweeting
A coach or player could get in trouble at halftime for tweeting.
According to the NCAA, any type of chatter back and forth via @replies that can be viewed in the public domain is not allowed. However, direct messaging on Twitter, which can only be viewed by the two people involved in the communicating, is permissible.
With that being said, expect someone to misinterpret the rules, post a public message, and get reprimanded.

39. Carmelo Anthony Will Watch a Syracuse Game Out West
Don’t be surprised if Melo makes a surprise appearance out West when the Orange play. Many may not be happy with Syracuse going out West, but it helps Carmelo’s chances of attending a game.
What else is there to do on an off day in the NBA?

40. We See a Great Georgetown/Tennessee Matchup in the Second Round
This game could easily be one of the best games we see in the tournament, and here’s why: Georgetown has been on a roll as of late, disregarding their recent loss in the Big East Championship game. Everything has started to click together just at the right time.
Tennessee has shown up for the big games so far this season. just ask Kentucky and Kansas. Could they add another power to their list?

41. Richmond and Old Dominion Play in the Sweet 16
No, I’m not crazy. This could indeed happen. Just look at Richmond and Old Dominion’s road to the Elite Eight:
Richmond has to get through St. Mary’s and Villanova/Robert Morris, both of which are very winnable games. Richmond has the talent to get to the Elite Eight, if not the Final Four.
Old Dominion is really running under the radar, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them beat both Notre Dame and Baylor/Sam Houston State. They can beat the bigger schools; they’ve done so this season.

42. A Surprise Mid-Major Coach Gets a Job Offer From a Larger School
We see this every year: a Cinderella.
Mix that with the recent coaching firings, and I think we could see a quick hire by a bigger school if a coach suddenly does well in the tournament.
A name that really sticks out to me is UTEP’s Tony Barbee, but I don’t consider Conference-USA a mid-major. Nevertheless, it could happen.

43. Georgia Tech Will Upset Ohio State
You shouldn’t be surprised with this one. I mean, just look at the Georgia Tech team, who has also took down Duke earlier in the year.
The Yellow Jackets have plenty of athletes to go around and they can easily shut down Evan Turner. What will Thad Matta do then?
I predict we will see all of that soon.
Yes, that means Georgia Tech shuts down Turner and beat the Buckeyes.

44. A Tennessee Player Gets Arrested During the Tournament
Funny, sad, and true is all wrapped in this one.
We know it’s possible to see student-athletes get out of control, and it just so happens that Tyler Smith and the Tennessee Vols are the most recent victims.
Will a Vol be arrested?
It’s possible, but don’t be surprised if other players from different teams are arrested.

45. We Will See a Rematch from the 1992 Final Four
So, college basketball fans and historians, you know what that means!
A rematch between two of the most hallowed programs in all of sports, Duke and Kentucky.
If this does happen, it will have a lot to live up to. Will we see another great buzzer beater to bolt one team to the championship game?
It’s possible. So, why not?

46. We WILL NOT See the Whole Kentucky Team Do the John Wall Dance
Sorry Kentucky faithful, the whole team won’t be doing the famous John Wall Dance. You know what that means right?
You may recall Coach Calipari saying that if they won the tournament, then they would all do the John Wall Dance. Well….
The Wildcats WILL NOT win the NCAA Tournament. Sorry!
But….

47.) But the Team That Beats Kentucky Will Do the John Wall Dance
This could really happen.
An excited underdog could blatantly rub it in Kentucky’s face and do John Wall’s own dance. How bad that would make Kentucky feel!
Glad that’s not my team there.
So, who will that masked fiend of a team be?
Should be very interesting to see who it turns out being.

48. And To Cap It Off, Kentucky is the First No. 1 Seed to be Beaten
By now, you’re probably thinking I’m a Kentucky hater; however, I’m not. It’s just how the cookie crumbles, Kentucky fans.
To prove my point, check out Kentucky’s bracket:
Once they get by East Tennessee State, they have to play either Wake Forest or Texas, both capable of beating them.

Wake Forest has a great young group of athletes that matchup very well with the Wildcats.
And don’t forget that Texas once was the top team in the nation this season. They can pull an upset. The pieces are definitely there in Pittman, Bradley, and James.

49. Ashley Judd Cries When Kentucky Gets Beaten
Ashley Judd, you have indeed became a trademark for Kentucky basketball, but this is no Cinderella story. You won’t see your Cats win a championship.
What will make it worse is that you, along with millions of fans all over the world, will cry and mourn the loss of not only 2010 Tournament Title hopes, but you will also mourn the loss of John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins as they play their last game in Kentucky blue.
Bye-bye to those two guys, as they set their sights on the NBA Draft Lottery in June.

50. The Championship Game Will Be a Shootout

With the Big 12 being a top conference in basketball this season, we may see something like a Big 12 football game in the 2010 Championship Game.
Both teams in the game will play hard on the offensive end of the floor and make dazzling play after dazzling play; a dunk here, a dunk there; even add a no-look pass every possession; everything will be quite flashy.
And for the defense, it will be nonexistent.
Expect around the 200-point mark, but you can give or take a few.

These Big 12 schools know how to play in a shootout!

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• Kansas 2/3
• Kentucky 7/5
• Syracuse 11/4
• Duke 11/4
• Ohio State 19/4
• West Virginia 4/1
• Kansas State 8/1
• Villanova 15/2
• Georgetown 8/1
• New Mexico 14/1
• Pittsburgh 20/1
• Baylor 12/1
• Maryland 12/1
• Wisconsin 16/1
• Vanderbilt 30/1
• Purdue 25/1
• Michigan State 10/1
• Temple 25/1
• Butler 30/1
• Texas A&M 40/1
• Tennessee 20/1
• Marquette 30/1
• Xavier 30/1
• Notre Dame 30/1
• Oklahoma State 40/1
• Clemson 60/1
• BYU 40/1
• Richmond 120/1
• UNLV 100/1
• Texas 40/1
• Gonzaga 40/1
• California 40/1
• Northern Iowa 100/1
• Wake Forest 60/1
• Florida State 80/1
• Louisville 30/1
• Georgia Tech 40/1
• Missouri 40/1
• Florida 50/1
• St Marys CA 120/1
• San Diego State 100/1
• Washington 60/1
• Minnesota 80/1
• Old Dominion 120/1
• New Mexico State 120/1
• Cornell 120/1
• UTEP 80/1
• Utah State 140/1
• Houston 100/1
• Wofford 400/1
• Murray State 140/1
• Siena 120/1
• Ohio 100/1
• Montana 400/1
• Oakland 200/1
• Sam Houston 200/1
• UC Santa Barbara 300/1
• Morgan State 400/1
• North Texas 300/1
• Robert Morris 400/1
• Lehigh 400/1
• Eastern Tennessee State 400/1
• Vermont 300/1
• Arkansas Pine Bluff 400/1
• Winthrop 400/1

New No. 1

The Syracuse Orange are this week’s top team after toppling Big East rival Villanova at home Saturday night. The last time the Orange topped the national poll was following their 2003 title. Syracuse took a 95-77 win over the Wildcats as a 4.5-point home favorite and got some help from Kansas and Kentucky, who fell to conference foes Saturday. The Orange have won three straight games since losing to Louisville back on Valentine’s Day, covering the spread in each of those victories.

Even though Saturday’s win all but punched Syracuse’s ticket to the dance as a No. 1 seed, head coach Jim Boeheim still has much work to do before the Big East tournament begins. Keeping his team focused and cautious of a letdown spot might not be easy with a feisty St. John’s squad on tap this Tuesday and the Cardinals, who knocked off the Orange 66-60 in the Carrier Dome, waiting in the final game of the regular season.

Rising

The Ohio State Buckeyes jumped from No. 9 to sixth in this week’s Top 25. The Buckeyes earned wins over the Penn State Nittany Lions and Michigan Wolverines this week, going 1-1 against the spread as favorites in both games. Ohio State is just one win away from claiming the Big Ten regular season title. It has an important showdown with the Illinois Fighting Illini at home Tuesday night. The Buckeyes already have a win over the Illini this season, defeating their conference foes 72-53 as 2-point road favorites in Champaign on Valentine’s Day.

Tuesday’s game could provide sharp bettors with some extra value. Four seniors will be honored on Senior Night and it could very well be the final game for star guard Evan Turner in front of the fans in Columbus. Turner, who is averaging just under 20 points per game, is a front runner for the Wooden Award and will be a lottery pick if he decides to declare for the NBA draft after his junior year at OSU. There have been conflicting reports on Turner’s future with the Buckeyes, making Tuesday’s game even more important.

Falling

The Georgetown Hoyas tumbled from No. 11 in the polls to No. 19 after losing a shocker to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday. Georgetown opened the week with a victory over Louisville, winning 70-60 as 4-point road underdogs in Freedom Hall. The 78-64 loss to the Irish was followed by a one-sided defeat to the West Virginia Mountaineers Monday night, which won’t sit well with poll voters for next week’s Top 25. That was the Hoyas’ fourth loss in five games in which they are just 1-4 against the spread.

Georgetown is back home in the Verizon Center against the Cincinnati Bearcats this coming Saturday. The Hoyas are a solid 11-4 at home but have gone just 5-7 ATS in Washington D.C. Georgetown hasn’t faced the Bearcats yet this season but remembers last year’s 64-62 overtime win against Cincinnati. Greg Monroe scored 13 points in that win and is coming off a 22-point, nine-rebound performance against the Mountaineers Monday.

Should be in

The Ivy League doesn’t get much love from poll voters, hence the Cornell Big Red getting snubbed in this week’s national rankings after winning back-to-back games over Dartmouth and Princeton this week and extending their winning streak to five games. Voters aren’t the only ones unimpressed with the Big Red’s streak. Bettors have cashed in on just one of those five games and have been dealt losses in three straight outings. While Cornell ranks just 71st in RPI and doesn’t face a tough conference slate, the Big Red could prove voters wrong in the early stages of the NCAA Tournament.

Eight players are taking in their final two regular season games of their college careers this week when the team travels to Brown and Yale. One of those seniors making their swan song is sharp-shooting guard Ryan Wittman, who is challenging for Ivy League Player of the Year. Wittman is averaging more than 17 points per game this year and has the range to burn some big-name opponents this March. Cornell is expected to draw a No. 13 seed come Selection Sunday.

We are about a month away from the start of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, yet the oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com have already put up odds on several schools as to “If They Will Be a #1 Seeded Team” come tournament time. 

According to Sportsbook.com spokesman Dave Staley, “There really is quite a lot of parity in college basketball this season, and the only team our linesmakers believe that has a very good chance of being a #1 seed is Kansas. The Jayhawks are -550 favorites to secure a #1 seed when the tournament selection show is announced on Sunday March 14.”

The next team that oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com think could obtain a #1 seed in the NCAA Basketball Tournament are the Kentucky Wildcats.  The Yes is -160 here,  so if you think Kentucky will be a #1 seed in the tournament, then you would need to risk $160 to win $100. The Wildcats are led by freshman John Wall, who has a good chance of winning the Wooden Award as player of the year in college basketball.  Wall is almost a certainty to be drafted #1 overall in the 2010 NBA Draft.

One team that seemed like they were a certainty to get a #1 seed in the tournament was Syracuse, until they suffered an embarrassing home loss to Louisville this past Sunday.  The odds on the Yes that  Syracuse will lock up a #1 seed  are currently listed at -135.  Staley added that “There’s no denying that teams like Syracuse and Villanova have a ton of talent, especially with their guards, but it’s going to be difficult for both these programs to keep playing at a high level.  It wouldn’t surprise me much at all if either of these teams lost in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament, because the conference is that good this season.”

Will Kansas be a #1 Seed?Yes -550No +325 Will Kentucky be a #1 Seed?Yes -160No +120 Will Syracuse be a #1 Seed?Yes -135No -105 Will Villanova be a #1 Seed?Yes -115No -125 Will Duke be a #1 Seed?Yes -105No -135 Will Purdue be a #1 Seed?Yes +140No -190  

The fun at Sportsbook.com doesn’t just stop with the game itself, but they have a ton of player and game props everyday for all the high profile college basketball games.  Also, be sure to check out all the great Olympic props and futures we have for the Winter Games in Vancouver.

March Madness Future Bets

1. Pittsburgh Panthers +600 – - They just beat Connecticut on the road and their best player, DeJuan Blair, is starting to dominate. By halftime against the Huskies he had over 10 points and 10 rebounds. That was against Hasheem Thabeet who is considered one of the best players in college basketball. This team is rock solid.

2. Oklahoma Sooners +800 – - With Blake Griffin on your team, you always have a shot to win. The Sooners will dominate lesser opponents and no double or triple team can contain Griffin who racked up 40 points and 23 rebounds in his last game. If Griffin stays healthy, they are a legit team to win the whole thing. Oklahoma should gather more steam by pummeling Texas on the road this Saturday.

3. North Carolina Tar Heels +240 – - The hype at the beginning of the season caused their odds to plummet to where they are right now in the sportsbook. I still like NC to win the whole thing because of Tyler Hansbrough, their experience, and Coach Roy Williams, but the odds just don’t justify their chances. They’re going to have to play against some tough squads in the NCAA Tournament.

4. Michigan State Spartans +2000 – - Sure, they tend to lose focus in games…for now. Coach Tom Izzo is just warming his fellas up for a solid NCAA Tournament run. Their odds are fantastic and Izzo has won the tourney before with lesser teams.

5. Villanova Wildcats +3500 – - They are still underrated and will remain so as long as they play in the Big East. ‘Nova has the guard play and nice inside game to get it done. That Big East schedule will prepare them for the Big Dance and they’ve got experience. The Wildcats are a nice long shot play.

6. Louisville Cardinals +2000 - – Like Tom Izzo, Coach Rick Pitino just knows how to get his team ready for the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals are a top team that just needs to remain focused in order to make a solid run in the tourney. They’ve got a shot. Pitino will make sure of it.

7. UCLA Bruins +2000 – - Unless they have to tackle ASU, who has beaten them twice this season, UCLA should be right there in the final two weekends of the tournament. UCLA regularly makes the Final Four. Maybe, it’s time for them to get over the hump and gather in their first championship in a long time.

8. Connecticut Huskies +650 – - The Huskies will struggle now that Pitt has exposed them as a soft team, but there’s no doubting their talent and Coach Jim Calhoun as won two championships already. The Huskies should begin to tighten up some until the start of the tournament by beating up the South Florida Bulls on Saturday.

9. Wake Forest Demon Deacons +1800 – - Wake Forest is going off at higher odds than Duke but from my perspective Wake is the second best team in the ACC after North Carolina, not the Blue Devils. Wake is much more athletic than Duke and has terrific guard play. The Demon Deacons could make a nice long run in the NCAA Tournament. Watch how they beat the Blue Devils this Sunday and then make your wager. (link to Wake vs. Duke game article)

10. Arizona State Sun Devils +4000 – - Don’t laugh. What is the one thing that NCAA Tournament watchers say a team has to have in order to make a run in the Big Dance? Terrific guard play. Well, the Sun Devils have one of the best, if not the best, guard in college basketball in James Harden. This team isn’t a joke.

March Madness Betting – Show Me The Money!

Novice basketball fans wait every March for the tradition, excitement and upsets that make up the Madness of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament. Office pools become a big hit, usually won by the workplaces’ biggest geek or female making picks based on team’s uniform colors, but what more serious online basketball betting enthusiasts want is March Madness ATS winners or underdogs owning money line online betting value.

Selection Sunday (March 15) is just a little more than two weeks away, the shoe in game being held on March 17 and with Round 1 tipping of March 19, it’s certainly not too soon to look at which team has made bettor’s the most money, followed by a look at their history in the Big Dance and chance at becoming a money-making Cinderella.

When you think of money-makers, March Madness and online college basketball betting, teams rich in tournament history tradition such as Kansas, North Carolina, UCLA and Duke immediately come to mind. While their annual high seeds make it tempting to have them advancing deep into your bracket, and seemingly worth investing in each time out during the regular season and Big Dance, don’t be fooled because often bigger isn’t always better.

In fact, this season’s most profitable team is the Weber State Wildcats located in Ogden, UT with a student body count of roughly 16,000. The Big Sky-leading Wildcats own an NCAA-best ATS record of 17-5-0, having covered the spread in eight straight games. But be careful investing to heavily in them making it nine consecutive. They have two games remaining with conference foes and hold a three-game lead at 13-1 SU over second-place Montana, who Weber State beat last week to clinch the Big Sky title and secure home court advantage for next month’s league tournament.

At 19-8 SU overall, they’re locked into the tournament as this year’s current most profitable team. With everything wrapped up, the Wildcats’ remaining opponents could become sound selections if you bet on NCAA basketball, as Weber State may rest players and-or work on different schemes in preparation of tournament action. Their next game is at home on Saturday against Sacramento State, starting at 9:00pm EST. But don’t forget when the tournament tips off, they’ll be back to playing at their bankroll building expectations.

The team last competed in March Madness in 2007. The Wildcats have appeared 14 times in the Big Dance, going 6-15 SU. During the span Weber State has produced two of the tournament’s biggest shockers. In 1995, No. 14 seed Weber State upset No. 3 seed Michigan St. And in 1999, the Wildcats faced perennial powerhouse North Carolina in Round 1, as the Tar Heels being one of the favorites to claim the.

North Carolina was making its 25th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and had won every first round game since 1980. Weber State was the heavy underdogs against the Tar Heels, but weren’t intimidated which was solidified by a 76-74 victory.

Don’t expect Weber State to make its way into the Final Four, though they do have potential to wear the slippers as this year’s Cinderella. And, if you bet on college basketball, don’t over look them when the madness rolls around and you’re scrolling through the BetUS March Madness odds. They’ll be the higher seed in the first round, meaning most likely the Wildcats will be getting points as the underdogs.

Below is the next four biggest money-making teams on the year:

2—No. 15 Kansas Jayhawks (16-5-1 ATS) Next game: Sunday 2:00pm EST vs. No. 8 Missouri
3—Auburn Tigers (16-5-0 ATS) Next game: Saturday 6:00pm EST at Mississippi St.
4—Citadel Cadets (15-5-1 ATS) Next game: Saturday 7:00pm EST vs. Wofford
5—Drexel Dragons (18-8-0 ATS) Next game: Saturday 7:00pm EST at William & Mary

Even if the defending national champion’s coach gets a chance to be on the sideline in Detroit again, he won’t like the look and feel of the setup. Previous tournaments in football stadiums have had the floor in one end of the field.

“I don’t think it’s a good basketball venue,” Kansas coach Bill Self in an interview with the Associated Press. “It’s no comparison to San Antonio in terms of the crowd being involved. The NCAA, the person supervising the transformation of the home of the NFL’s Detroit Lions, a driving force behind the design of the stadium and local officials respectfully disagree.

“If you’re coaching, playing or watching a game here for the first time, the vastness might seem awkward because it’s not something anybody is used to,” Detroit Local Organizing Committee executive director Bill Ryan told the AP on Wednesday. “As time goes on and this becomes the norm, I think people will like it.” If they don’t, it might not matter anyway.

“What we’re doing at this Final Four is what we’re going to be doing in the foreseeable future,” said L.J. Wright, NCAA director of the Division I men’s basketball championship. “Among the things the committee likes about the new setup is, we’re going to have 400-plus students from each of the four schools on the floor behind the baskets.

“Those students can come to both sessions—all three games—for $20 total. Last year in San Antonio, if you bought a seat in the same place it cost $220.” The NCAA can afford to create the cost-effective seats because it plans to have nearly 30,000 more fans per day than attended last year’s Final Four at the Alamodome.

About 72,000 spectators are expected to be at Ford Field on both April 4 for the semifinals and April 6 for the championship game. The current attendance record for a championship matchup is 64,959, set in 1987 when Keith Smart’s jumper lifted Indiana to a title over Syracuse at the Superdome in New Orleans.

When the NCAA’s inaugural tournament ended in 1939, Oregon beat Ohio State at Patten Gymnasium in Evanston, Ill, for the title in front of 5,500 fans. It wasn’t until 1971 that more than 20,000 fans watched a final game.

College basketball’s signature event hasn’t been held in a traditional basketball arena since 1996 in East Rutherford, N.J., and it likely won’t return to a cozy venue again. State-of-the art football stadiums in Indianapolis and Houston will host the next two Final Fours and again in 2015 and 2016.

In those football-first facilities—and Ford Field—the hardwood will be at the 50 instead of toward an end zone with curtains cutting off some sections as was done in previous years.

When Kansas beat Davidson last year on a court 29 inches off the ground, a regional attendance record of 57,563 was set.  “There was nothing about it that I cared for,” he said two months ago after playing at Michigan State. “It was really bland when we were there and I really disliked the raised court. “I don’t like it, but I would give anything to have a chance to experience it again. It will be totally different for the Final Four.”

The NCAA is banking on that.

In addition to the buzz generated by a Final Four and 75,000 fans, an eight-sided videoboard with 65-foot-wide monitors will bring the action closer to those in the upper deck and the lucky ones in the lower level should have improved sight lines. A newly created seating system will flow from away from the court and into the lower level of the stadium as it did last year, but the pitch has been increased by as much as 5 inches.

“We learned a lot from the regional, hearing comments and complaints about sight lines,” said Ford Field’s senior director of facility management Bob Gardner, who is helping to oversee the assembly of the seating system this week. “Last year, the system went over the field wall and into the 12 rows of existing seating in the seating bowl and we had to remove 2,900 seats.

“Now, its going up 23 rows and we’re removing almost 5,000 seats so that nobody will have to see the back of anybody’s head.” Ford Field opened in 2002 as the new home for the Lions—next door to the Tigers’ Comerica Park in the heart of downtown—and Kentucky beat Michigan State a year later before a world-record 78,129 fans. It was transformed into a basketball venue again last year for the NCAA tournament and this season when North Carolina routed Michigan State. On the inside, you can catch a glimpse of the Motor City’s skyline through a 65-foot high glass wall in a unique venue that also incorporates a warehouse built in 1920.

Ford Field looks like a 1.8 million square foot loft apartment with exposed brick, heating and cooling ducts along with plenty of natural light pouring through windows and translucent panels. The Final Four will be the latest in a line of marquee events hosted by the impressive stadium, following a Super Bowl and concerts featuring the Rolling Stones and Eminem. “It’s exciting because it reflects the vision the Ford family had for the venue being about more than 10 Lions games a year,” said Lions president Tom Lewand, who supervised the design and construction of Ford Field. “When we had BasketBowl with Michigan State and Kentucky here, the NCAA was skeptical and before being pleasantly surprised by it.

“Now, we’re fundamentally transforming the way one of the greatest events in sports is played and that’s significant and rewarding for us.”