College Basketball - March Madness
Sports
Feb 7, 2001, 18:19
By Gambling Online Magazine http://www.gamblingonlinemagazine.com
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Ask any fan which college basketball team is the best in the land and the answer will be: Duke, definitely; Arizona all the way; Illinois rules; make way for Maryland; wait til you see Wyoming! That's what fandom is all about. A player's parents, an alumnus, a booster, a pep band member, a resident of the town the team calls home, all support "their team" with bumper stickers, flags, T-shirts and caps with the school logo displayed prominently and proudly.
Ask the sports bettor the same question and he's probably going to ask, "Who are they playing?"
For all of them, the game goes on. And as time fast forwards toward the end of March, the attitude turns to near frenzy. What appeared to be merely a passionate pastime, surpassing baseball and even professional football in interest. Eyes - and heart - focus (this year) on the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis where the top 64 teams in the NCAA, by virtue of their win-loss records, strength of schedule, power ratings, and conference tournament and title (automatic) secure a spot in the brackets for the NCAA college basketball championship showdown - otherwise known as March Madness.
Conference titles are wonderful, but the real bragging rights come form slam-dunking, rebounding, and fast breaking away with the NCAA Tournament Championship.
Before the tournament gets down to the "Sweet Sixteen", look for the following teams to be in contention- listed in alphabetical order rather than predicted order of finish because, after all, we're talking a 64-team elimination here and just about anything can happen as these teams work their way through the brackets.
Alabama: With four players who can average double figures and a 6-foot, seven inch Naismith High School Player of the Year Award at forward, if the Tide can overcome it's miserable road record, they can walk away with the Western Division title of the SEC.
Arizona: Here's the team that could wear the NCAA crown this season, despite what they whistle in Dixie, or anywhere else.
Arkansas: The Razorbacks bring four starters to the court and they're expected to finish on top in SEC West, if they can start as well as they finished last year.
Duke: The Blue Devils, always a contender, seems to have what it takes to finish on top again in the tough ACC.
Florida and Tennessee: The Volunteers or Gators; the Gators or Volunteers; or a potential upset from the Kentuckey Wildcats in the SEC-East -they're all possible.
Illinois: If Michigan somehow, by a devastating mishap, doesn't finish on top in the Big Ten, the Fighting Illinois will be right there waiting to fill the vacancy. With five returning starters and all the depth you could ask for, they might just nudge the Spartans out of first place.
Iowa State, Kansas, and Oklahoma: Who says the Big Ten is the conference in college hoops? Don't tell it to the Jayhawks - or the Sooners or the Cyclones. They'll finish first, second and/or third in the Big 12, trouble free.
Michigan State: The Big Ten is where it's at if you ask the casual fan of the game, and the Spartans expect to perptuate that belief.
North Carolina: A changing of the guard might hinder the Tar Heels in the beginning of the season. If so, they can't expect to get the best of Duke in the conference race.
Notre Dame: After a successful premiere season under Matt Doherty, the Fighting Irish and new coach Mike Brey want to prove their 22-15 record wasn't a fluke and could upset Seton Hall if their players can adjust to the new man top.
Seton Hall: The Atlantic 10 Pirates, coming off a distressing loss to Oklahoma State at the Sweet 16 level of the NCAA Championships last year, return to action with all the pieces of the puzzle. They have matured slowly under Coach Tommy Amaker and are now set to take this division and possibly get to the Final Four.
South Florida: Way ahead of the pack in Conference USA's National Division.
Utah: Some pundits are putting Utah way ahead of the race in the Mountain West; others expect UNLV get the best of both worlds: Division and Tournament.
And finally, the sleepers, the teams who could fool everyone and climb all the way to the Final Four: Kansas Jayhawks in the Big 12, Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big 10, Maryland Terrapins in the ACC.
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