March Madness: It's Almost Tournament Time

With Selection Sunday approaching we get ready to examine the college basketball landscape. On March 17, 2019 the selection committee will designate the 68 teams that will make the cut as the bracket is created. It is a favorite time for sports fans to get together, watch games, and enjoy one of the best times of the year in sports, March Madness!

Dangerous Teams

One of the driving factors that make the tournament so interesting is the fact that it is very unpredictable, but one of the teams that everyone expects to make a run at this year’s NCAA college basketball tournament is Duke…

…Duke is a perennial powerhouse in college basketball, but this year’s team is something special. Just last week they survived a 23-point second half deficit to come back and beat Louisville as they continue to surprise basketball fans everywhere. Mike Krzyzewski did a phenomenal job recruiting over the offseason getting players like Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett, and Cam Reddish to commit to Duke University’s basketball program. The power forward Zion Williamson stands out to say the least. He is a 6’7” 285 lb. freshman complete with speed, power, and an unbelievable jumping ability. He is truly a man playing amongst boys, and he will most likely be the first overall NBA draft pick in this upcoming NBA draft.

Gonzaga is currently sitting in the number 2 spot as they quietly continue to once again dominate the West Coast Conference. It seems that every year Gonzaga seems to remain under the radar during the regular season, and then they become one of the favorites in the bracket come tournament time. Last year they ended March Madness with a loss to #9 Florida State in the sweet sixteen, and in 2017 they disappointingly lost to North Carolina in the National Championship Game to finish the season as the runner up in the tournament. Look for Gonzaga led by head coach Mark Few to make some noise this March.

Other Contenders

#4 Kentucky and #5 Tennessee are two other heavyweights in the current NCAA men’s basketball forum. These two teams faced off against each other this past Saturday in Rupp Arena. Kentucky led by guards Jordan Bone, Admiral Schofield, and forward Grant Williams (who all scored just under 20 points) handily beat Tennessee over the weekend. Look forward to these two SEC rivals to be powerful opponents during the upcoming college basketball playoffs.

Other notable squads, we should pay attention to come March include:

• Virginia
• Nevada
• Michigan
• North Carolina
• Houston
• Michigan State
• Marquette
• Kansas
• LSU
• Texas Tech
• Purdue
• Florida State
• Villanova
• Louisville

Odds to Win the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship

As of February 18, 2019, the NCAA Men’s Tournament odds according to Sportsbetting.ag are as follows:

Author: David Green