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Trying to make BracketBusters picks is always one of the toughest things to do of the season, as some of the top schools from the non-Big Six conferences engage in battle and they are tough to pit against each other. This year, there are a ton of teams that are trying to make a case for being in the NCAA Tournament in the event that they don’t win their conference tournaments this coming year. Here are the teams that you should really be watching out for this weekend as we roll closer to March Madness.
George Mason Patriots: The good news for the Patriots is that they probably don’t need this win at Northern Iowa to get into the field one way or the other. They’ve already got 22 wins and are on a great winning streak. Heck, they’re the only team in the country with 20 wins against the NCAA basketball odds, too! This is team that will also get into the field of 68 based on history, as obviously, this was the team that made the great run to the Final Four a few years ago, knocking off some of the biggest teams in the field along the way. The Pats have won 10 in a row by double digits. Cameron Long is the man to watch, as he is averaging 15.3 points per game on the season.
Old Dominion Monarchs: Much like George Mason, the Monarchs are probably going dancing one way or the other. The road win at VCU last Saturday probably sealed the deal, especially since it came by double digits. Cleveland State won’t be an easy foe, but it is definitely a game that should be won. If that happens, or if there are really any combination of three more wins or one more big win along the way, ODU should be just fine. Frank Hassell is a double-double man seemingly every night, as he is averaging 13.9 points and 9.5 rebounds, both team highs.
VCU Rams: If there is a third team out in the CAA, Virginia Commonwealth is that team. The Rams suffered horrible back to back home losses to George Mason and ODU, and now, they are really at the mercy of the Selection Committee if they don’t come up with the automatic ticket ot the dance. It seems like a win over Wichita State and at least two wins in the CAA Tournament might be the only other path to the dance.
Cleveland State Vikings: No one seems to be talking about Cleveland State as a potential tourney team, but with the weakening bubble, there’s no way that we can leave it out, especially since it was given a real no-lose situation this weekend at ODU. A win would be tremendous, and it would give the Vikes a solid win. The two victories over Wright State were great, but those two losses to Butler could be damning. This is a must win for at-large consideration, but the Vikings probably need to inch near 30 wins to have a reasonable chance of getting into the dance without the Horizon auto-bid one way or the other.
Valparaiso Crusaders: Valpo probably doesn’t stand a chance of getting into the field of 68 without the Horizon title in tote, especially after losing to Wisconsin Milwaukee on Thursday. Perhaps four more wins in the regular season and a trip to the Horizon finale at least makes the case, but in all likelihood, this duel against Missouri State, a fellow bubble dweller, is going to be nothing more than an exhibition. Brandon Wood is one of the best guards that you probably don’t know anything about in the Horizon League, and he might shine on Saturday.
Wichita State Shockers: The Shockers could be the best of the bunch in BracketBusters this season, as they already have 22 wins and are well on their way to either a first or second place finish in the regular season in the Missouri Valley Conference. They’ve got the big time draw against Virginia Commonwealth on Friday night and really, really have to have this game or the game at SMS on February 26th to have a chance of snaring an at large bid, one would think. If you like defense, you’ll love Wichita State, as it is holding teams down to just 61.5 points per game and just had a streak of five straight games allowing 57 points or fewer snapped on Tuesday in a win at Evansville.
Missouri State Bears: The Bears are in the field right now, just by the skin of their teeth, and just like Wichita State, it’s probably either a win in BracketBusters, or a win in that clash against the Shockers that is going to get them in the field of 68 one way or the other. Missouri State is just 6-5 on the road this year, and most of its damage has come against some of the better teams in the conference. This is a bad draw against Valpo, a team that A) is great at home and B) doesn’t have the same sort of computer numbers that VCU has for Wichita State. Kyle Weems, who is averaging 16.7 points per game, really needs to step up and help the Bears in this one on Saturday.
Northern Iowa Panthers: Since the Panthers will have a double digit number in their loss column coming into Selection Sunday if they don’t have the automatic bid sewn up, many have knocked them off of the at large bubble for the dance. However, we’re just not that sure that this team is already buried six feet under. Drawing George Mason was a gift in BracketBusters, especially at home. It’s definitely a winnable game for a team that is 12-2 this year at home, and it comes against a team with a great RPI to build the strength of schedule with. A win and four straight before the MVC finale could at least give UNI a shot, especially if it is impressive in this victory on Saturday night. The only problem is that Jake Koch is really the only big time name that you’ll probably remember from last year’s team, which upset the Kansas Jayhawks in the second round of the dance.
St. Mary’s Gaels: Especially with Gonzaga sitting BracketBusters out, this is a great chance for the Gaels to make their case that they are the best mid-major team in the nation. The problem is that they are coming off of a devastating loss against San Diego, one that could prove crippling by year’s end, especially with a game against the Zags coming up next week. Utah State was the perfect draw, as it set up a battle between two big time teams that should both get into the field regardless. Mickey McConnell and company aren’t going to be taking anything for granted though, as St. Mary’s could easily end up with eight losses and not get into the dance.
Utah State Aggies: If the Aggies lose this one and they don’t get into the NCAA Tournament with a 27-5 record, they have no one to blame but themselves. They would have four losses against RPI Top 100 teams against no wins, and one unsightly loss against Idaho on the year. That ’0′ in the RPI Top 100 wins category just has to change in this one. There is no team that has more on the line on Saturday than does Utah State, as a win would validate a chance at the NCAA Tournament without the WAC title. We realize that the truth of the matter is that none of this should matter, as the Aggies should have no problem getting through the WAC Tournament, but this game at St. Mary’s would give them at least a bit of a safety net and could provide them with a trap door to get into the field of 68 even without the league’s auto bid.