The Butler Bulldogs and the VCU Rams are arguably two of the most unlikely teams to ever make it to the Final Four. Here at Bankroll Sports, we have all of the ins and outs that you need to know about the first of the two national semifinals in Houston, TX.

Trends Of Note
The Rams have absolutely stormed through five games in the NCAA Tournament this year, accounting for five covers on the March Madness odds and five outright victories as underdogs, something that is just unprecedented by any standards in most any sport. They are now 9-0 ATS over the course of their last nine NCAA Tournament games overall, though they have never been in this type of a spotlight before in school history. However, if there is one bugaboo surrounding this team, it is that it is just 1-4 ATS over the course of its last five games played on Saturdays.

Butler has had a remarkable run as well, and it has some significantly more important NCAA basketball trends on its side. Sure, the Dogs are 4-0 SU and ATS as well in this tournament, something that is absolutely remarkable, but more importantly, they are 17-5 ATS over the course of their last 22 games played in the dance, many of which have come under Head Coach Brad Stevens. The Bulldogs are a whopping 21-4-2 ATS in their last 27 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600, and they are 40-16-2 ATS in their last 58 games played outside of the Horizon League. Butler is also 15-2 ATS in its last 17 neutral site games, which includes some great duels against fantastic teams both in and out of conference.

Players To Watch
For VCU, the men to really watch out for are Jamie Skeen and Bradford Burgess. These two make the perfect inside, outside combination, and they can both do a ton of damage from all over the course. Burgess actually had his quietest game against the Kansas Jayhawks over the weekend, as he only scored nine points. However, just like we saw against the Florida State Seminoles, he can be unconscious from beyond the arc and just knock down triples like it’s nothing. Skeen, a transfer from the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, stood toe to toe with Markieff Morris and Marcus Morris on Sunday, and the end result was one of his best games of the year with 26 points and 10 boards. He rarely takes time off in games, and he can stretch the entire court as well.

Of course, Butler has its own version of a dynamic inside, outside twosome with Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack. These two were key in the run to the finale last year in the dance, and they are both doing it once again. Howard is the gritty player that really probably doesn’t have all that much talent, but can really get the job done just through hard work. He’s always getting those tough boards, and he’s got a great shot from the outside as well. Howard has six straight games with at least 14 points scored, something that is really key for his team. Mack can just go off as he did against the Florida Gators, scoring 27 points on Saturday in the Elite 8. He also had 30 against the Pitt Panthers. The better the foe, the better this man plays, and this should be his time to shine now that he doesn’t have to split outside shots with the departed Gordon Hayward.

Keys to the Game
The trick for VCU is going to be three point shooting. March Madness betting fans know that this is the key to these mid major teams equalizing against the big boys, and the Rams have taken full advantage of it. Just listen to these three point stats from the games in this tournament… 12-of-25 against Kansas, 12-of-26 against Florida State, 8-of-21 against Purdue, 12-of-25 against Georgetown, 9-of-24 against USC… and all of this comes for a team that was shooting less than 36 percent from beyond the arc at the start of this tournament!

For Butler, obviously, defending the triple is going to be of paramount importance, but it seems like keeping Howard on the court is the bigger key. Howard is really the grit of this club, and if he isn’t in the fold, Butler is hard pressed to find a replacement for him. Over the course of the last two seasons in the dance, the Bulldogs were just significantly better with Howard out there than with him on the bench, and if he can stay out there, he should be able to provide Skeen with a heck of a battle in the paint. It’s not about the numbers. It’s just about keeping him and his presence out there on the court at all times.

The NCAA Tournament continues into its second weekend starting on Thursday, and before you make your Sweet 16 picks, be sure to check out this March Madness trends and picks sheet to help you out through the big weekend on the collegiate hardwood.

Thursday, March 24th, 7:15 ET: #3 Connecticut Huskies vs. #2 San Diego State Aztecs
March Madness Odds: Connecticut -1
March Madness Trends of Note
The Huskies have covered four straight games as favorites
Connecticut is 6-0 ATS in its last six against teams with a winning percentage above .600
The Aztecs are 21-8-1 ATS in their last 30 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600

NCAA Tournament Notes
The Huskies are putting on one of the more remarkable runs that we have ever seen a team go on in the postseason, as they won seven games and covered seven spreads in a span of just 12 days against some of the best teams in the land. Kemba Walker just seems to be unconscious right now, and the argument could be made that he is the most important player left in this tournament. The Aztecs have only won two NCAA Tournament games in their history, both of which happened to be here in this tournament. SDSU will have the decided home court advantage playing in Anaheim. These two teams have never met before on the hardwood.

Thursday, March 24th, 7:27 ET: #3 BYU Cougars vs. #2 Florida Gators
March Madness Odds: Florida -3
March Madness Trends of Note
BYU is just 30-62-2 ATS in its last 94 games as an underdog
The Gators are 6-0 ATS in their last six NCAA Tournament games as favorites
Florida is 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven games following an SU victory

NCAA Tournament Notes
Could it be sweet revenge in the Sweet 16 for the Gators? Head Coach Billy Donovan hopes so, as these Cougars knocked the Gators out of the dance last season the first round in a 99-92 game that was decided in overtime. Both of these teams look remarkably similar to their forms from last season, as the only real absence from last year is Brandon Davies, who was kicked off of the BYU roster a few weeks ago. Still, the Gators have a great history here in the Sweet 16, and they are trying to make it back to their fourth Final Four in the Donovan era. BYU is just trying to prove that it belongs and that it should have been the No. 2 seed of these two teams in this region.

Thursday, March 24th, 9:45 ET: #5 Arizona Wildcats vs. #1 Duke Blue Devils
March Madness Odds: Duke -8.5
March Madness Trends of Note
The Wildcats are just 1-5 ATS in their last six games against the ACC
Duke has covered five in a row against the Pac-10
The Blue Devils are 6-2 ATS in their last eight NCAA Tournament games

NCAA Tournament Notes
The Blue Devils have all to play for right now, as they are just four steps away from retaining their National Championship, something that many didn’t give them that great of a chance to do just last week. The trick is going to be coping with the long trip out to Anaheim, as Arizona will have a decided home court edge, just as SDSU will against UConn earlier in the night. The Wildcats have now won two games thanks to the prowess of Derrick Williams in the post, and he is going to be the key, while the Dookies are going to hope that the good health of Kyrie Irving can set them apart in this one. These two last met in 2001 in the National Championship Game, and Duke knocked off the Wildcats 82-72 as short four point underdogs.

Thursday, March 24th, 9:57 ET: #8 Butler Bulldogs vs. #4 Wisconsin Badgers
March Madness Odds: Wisconsin -4.5
March Madness Trends of Note
Butler has covered six straight March Madness betting battles
Wisconsin is 5-1 ATS in its last six games played outside of the Big Ten
The Bulldogs are 21-5-2 ATS in their last 28 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600

NCAA Tournament Notes
Butler really has a great chance of pulling off the upset in this one if it can shoot the ball as well as it has in its first two games in this tournament against the Old Dominion Monarchs and Pittsburgh Panthers, especially late in games from long range. This is largely the same team that was in the finale last season that lost by a whisker, save for the fact that sharpshooter Gordon Hayward is now in the NBA. The Badgers haven’t had a great history once they reach this point in the dance, but they do have a tremendous defensive team and one that can really shoot free throws in clutch spots. If it’s a close game, Wisconsin will have the huge upper hand. Back in January 2001, Butler went into the Kohl Center and knocked off the Badgers 58-44 in the most recent meeting of these two Midwest schools.

Friday, March 25th, 7:15 ET: #11 Marquette Golden Eagles vs. #2 North Carolina Tar Heels
March Madness Odds: North Carolina -4.5
March Madness Trends of Note
The Golden Eagles are 23-11 ATS in their last 34 games against teams with a winning percentage greater than .600.
North Carolina is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games in the NCAA Tournament
The Tar Heels are 0-4-1 ATS in their last five games overall

NCAA Tournament Notes
UNC really has had the look of an incredibly dominating team of late, as it really hasn’t played a truly remarkable game since the regular season finale against the Duke Blue Devils. Still, the Heels have a great set of bigs to work with that can get the job done on the inside (John Henson and Tyler Zeller) and on the outside (Harrison Barnes). Marquette is quickly developing into the sweetheart of this tournament, especially knowing that it has 14 losses to its credit already this season. Still, of all of the Big East teams that were in this field, this is clearly the least likely one to do any further damage and would be the most surprising team to reach the Final Four.

Friday, March 25th, 7:27 ET: #12 Richmond Spiders vs. #1 Kansas Jayhawks
March Madness Odds: Kansas -10.5
March Madness Trends of Note
The Spiders are 10-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall
Kansas is 4-0 ATS in its last four games against the Atlantic 10
The Jayhawks are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 NCAA Tournament tussles as favorites of 7.0-12.5 points

NCAA Tournament Notes
These two teams do have a history with one another, and you can bet that the Spiders will not be intimidated by going against the No. 1 seed in the Southwest Bracket. Richmond won at Allen Fieldhouse back in 2004, scoring a 69-68 triumph. Little did we know that Kansas was going to eventually roll off 69 straight wins there through this season. Still, these two teams are built totally differently, as the Spiders really need to play this game in the 60s to have success, while the Jayhawks are content to run and gun into the 70s or even into the 80s. Kansas, of course, is still working to try to erase the memory of that brutal loss in the second round last year to the Northern Iowa Panthers, and you can bet that Head Coach Bill Self will have this team ready even though Richmond is another “mid major” team.

Friday, March 25th, 9:45 ET: #4 Kentucky Wildcats vs. #1 Ohio State Buckeyes
March Madness Odds: Ohio State -5.5
March Madness Trends of Note
The Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in their last five games against the Big Ten
Ohio State is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games following an SU win of 20 or more points
The Buckeyes are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 March Madness matches as favorites

NCAA Tournament Notes
This is one of the most intriguing games of the entire tournament to date, as this one pits one of the No. 1 seeds from last year’s tournament in Kentucky, against the No. 1 overall seed in the dance in Ohio State. The talent is there for these two to really put on a tremendous show, as both teams definitely have the full complement of big guys and sharpshooters. Either one could win a game in the 50s just as easily as it could win one in the 90s. One thing is for sure, and that’s that there certainly will be no lack of talent on display. Both of these teams have played some absolutely fantastic basketball to reach this point, and you can bet that both will want to put their best foot forward to get into the Elite 8.

Friday, March 25th, 9:57 ET: #11 VCU Rams vs. #10 Florida State Seminoles
March Madness Odds: Florida State -3.5
March Madness Trends of Note
The Rams are a perfect 7-0 ATS in their last seven games in the NCAA Tournament
VCU is 5-1 ATS in its last six games against ACC opponents
Florida State is 2-6 ATS in its last eight neutral site games as a favorite

NCAA Tournament Notes
This is certainly the most unlikely of the eight matchups in the Sweet 16, as it isn’t all that often that we see a pair of double digit seeds pitted against each other, especially this late on. The Rams are the Cinderella stories for sure, as they had to come out of the First Four to reach this point. They’ve done so with great shooting from the outside and a tenacious full court defense, and the Georgetown Hoyas and Purdue Boilermakers haven’t even stayed remotely close to them. As a result, Head Coach Shaka Smart, who is suddenly the hottest young coaching commodity out there, has his team in the Sweet 16 for the first time Florida State had never won an NCAA Tournament game under Head Coach Leonard Hamilton before this year. This is its first trip to the Sweet 16 since 1998 when it was ironically also a double digit seed. Chris Singleton is hoping to be able to make full contributions for the Seminoles this week after playing limited minutes in the first two rounds of the dance. FSU’s defense has been second to none in this tournament, as the Texas A&M Aggies and Notre Dame Fighting Irish just had no chance of getting around this very athletic team.

The NCAA Tournament starts in less than 24 hours, and here at Bankroll Sports, we’re trying our best to figure out how many games each conference will be able to win with our March Madness picks. Check out these props and tons more over at Hollywood Sportsbook!

Pac-10 Over 3.5 Tournament Wins Over 3.5: We tend to believe that this is a conference to watch in this tournament, just like it was last year when the Washington Huskies made it through to the Sweet 16. Washington might be another Sweet 16 type of team this season due to the fact that it has a relatively favorable draw against other teams that are willing to run up and down the court. Arizona, if it can get into the second weekend, will basically be getting to play games in its own backyard in Anaheim, while UCLA not only will get Michigan State in the first round, but could get a rematch against the Florida Gators as well from the NCAA Tournament title game from a few years ago. This conference should be able to eke out four wins, at bare minimum in the dance.

Atlantic 10 Tournament Wins Under 2: The A-10 has a great history in this tournament, but this might not be the year for the conference to get the job done. All of these teams have reasonably difficult first round games, and all three might be finished before we even get into the weekend. Both the Xavier Musketeers and Temple Owls will be favorites in their opening round games, while the Richmond Spiders, the league champs are going to be trendy as well, but we just aren’t so sure that any of them are going to get into the Sweet 16 on this campaign. Don’t be shocked if the number that this conference ends up hitting in the dance is just one win.

Mountain West Tournament Wins Over 5: The problem that we have with this bet is that we aren’t so sure that either the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels or the BYU Cougars are going to be able to get us that much. However, in spite of the fact that the San Diego State Aztecs haven’t won a tourney game in their history, they should have no problems escaping the first weekend in two de facto home games in Tucson, and from there, they only have to travel to the Honda Center in Anaheim. The defense has been great for this team, and there is a great chance that this could be a club getting three or four of these wins on their own. If BYU gets into the Sweet 16, this should be a slam dunk.

Big XII Tournament Wins Over 7.5: If you’re a believer that the Kansas Jayhawks are at least Final Four material like we are, this really should be a slam dunk. After all, just in the first round of the tourney, the Jayhawks, Texas Longhorns, Texas A&M Aggies, and Kansas State Wildcats are all favorites, and the Missouri Tigers are one of the trendy upset picks. Could this actually be in the bank by the end of the weekend? You betcha. Kansas, Texas, and even K-State have great chances to get into the Sweet 16, and if that happens, there won’t be a heck of a lot more than really has to be done to get the job done at this number.

March Madness picks kick off on Tuesday with the first round of games in Dayton, OH. Today, we analyze the odds to win the Southwest Region and all of the March Madness betting lines for the big event!

The team that maybe should have been the No. 1 overall seed in this tournament was the Kansas Jayhawks (2 to 1 Odds to Win Southwest Region at BetUS Sportsbook). This is an NCAA Tournament about redemption for Rock Chalk after last year’s debacle and embarrassment of getting knocked out in the second round of the dance. Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris are arguably the best duo of inside players in the entire nation, and in a bracket that could be very shallow and narrow, this is a dangerous, dangerous team.

There really aren’t many teams outside of the box of the top seeds that can probably win this bracket. Before this season started, the Purdue Boilermakers (5 to 1 NCAA Tournament Odds at BetUS Sportsbook) would have been one of the favorites for the Final Four. We know that Robbie Hummel isn’t here anymore after tearing his ACL, but JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore are still two of the best players in this entire bracket. Don’t be surprised if one of the preseason favorites turns out to ultimately be one of the last teams standing in the Elite 8, or maybe even the Final Four.

If there’s a team that can go on a roll, it is the Georgetown Hoyas (30 to 1 March Madness odds at BetUS Sportsbook). The Hoyas would be in great shape this season if they had Chris Wright, but he has been out of the lineup for the last few weeks. Georgetown’s issue here though, is that it limps into the NCAA Tournament off of four straight losses. Still, Julian Wright, Austin Freeman, and company have the complete package of players, and this crew really can catch fire in a hurry and do a ton of damage.

2011 Southwest Region Odds @ BetUS Sportsbook (as of 3/13/11):
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Kansas Jayhawks 2 to 1
Notre Dame Fighting Irish 4 to 1
Purdue Boilermakers 5 to 1
Louisville Cardinals 5 to 1
Vanderbilt Commodores 35 to 1
Georgetown Hoyas 30 to 1
Texas A&M Aggies 80 to 1
UNLV Runnin’ Rebels 30 to 1
Illinois Fighting Illini 30 to 1
Florida State Seminoles 80 to 1
USC Trojans 100 to 1
VCU Rams 150 to 1
Richmond Spiders 100 to 1
Morehead State Eagles 150 to 1
St. Peter’s Peacocks 150 to 1
Akron Zips 200 to 1
Boston U Terriers 200 to 1

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March Madness picks kick off on Tuesday with the first round of games in Dayton, OH. Today, we analyze the odds to win the Southeast Region and all of the March Madness betting lines for the big event!

Haven’t we seen this story somewhere before? The Pittsburgh Panthers (2.50 to 1 Odds to Win Southeast Region at BetUS Sportsbook) end up as a really high seed in the NCAA Tournament, they rough it through a few early games, and then get beaten in a squeaker by another fantastic team. Get used to that story. That’s probably how this one will end up playing out again this season.

If you’re looking for the team with all of the experience in the Southeast Region, you go with the Florida Gators (4 to 1 NCAA Tournament Odds at BetUS Sportsbook). The blue and orange have all five of their starters back from last year’s team. There are a lot of past demons for this team to conquer in this bracket, including the team that beat it last year (BYU), the one that it beat for the National Championship a few years back (UCLA), and the one that once beat it for a title (Michigan State) though, so this is going to be a harsh road to Houston.

Ah, those tricky BYU Cougars (8 to 1 March Madness odds at BetUS Sportsbook)… Almost for certain, in the exact same season without getting Brandon Davies kicked off the team, the Cougs would have been a No. 2 seed (and Florida probably would’ve been the 3). However, the Selection Committee just didn’t buy into how good this team is. Well excuse us! All the Cougars have done this year is getting beaten by another No. 2 seed (San Diego State) and twice by the New Mexico Lobos, a solid team in their own right. Jimmer Fredette is the nation’s leading scorer, and he could easily end up dropping 40, or heck, even 50 on a team if the opponents aren’t careful.

The Kansas State Wildcats (12 to 1 Southeast Region Odds at BetUS Sportsbook) could be sneaky if Jacob Pullen gets going, though. Sure, the Cats are in that dreaded No. 5 hole, but this is a team that has already proven it can play with the best teams in the land, and Pullen can shoot the rock from just about anywhere on the court.

2011 Southeast Region Odds @ BetUS Sportsbook (as of 3/13/11):
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Pittsburgh Panthers 2.50 to 1
Florida Gators 4 to 1
BYU Cougars 8 to 1
Wisconsin Badgers 9 to 1
Kansas State Wildcats 12 to 1
St. John’s Red Storm 14 to 1
UCLA Bruins 40 to 1
Butler Bulldogs 70 to 1
Old Dominion Monarchs 45 to 1
Michigan State Spartans 28 to 1
Gonzaga Bulldogs 20 to 1
Utah State Aggies 20 to 1
Belmont Bruins 60 to 1
Wofford Terriers 150 to 1
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos 150 to 1
UNC Asheville Bulldogs 300 to 1
Arkansas Little Rock Trojans 300 to 1

March Madness picks kick off on Tuesday with the first round of games in Dayton, OH. Today, we analyze the odds to win the East Region and all of the March Madness betting lines for the big event!

The obvious team to try to come out of the East Region is the Ohio State Buckeyes (2.50 to 1 Odds to Win East Region at JustBet Sportsbook). The Buckeyes should have a relatively easy draw getting all the way into the Sweet 16, where they might run into some problems dealing with some of the bigger boys in the bracket. We tend to believe that these are great odds of a fantastic team, even though it is going to have to play in Newark, Big East country, potentially against a Big East team.

That Big East team to watch is the West Virginia Mountaineers (20 to 1 NCAA Tournament Odds at JustBet Sportsbook). The ‘Neers play fantastic defense, and they have some imminent stars. Even though Casey Mitchell was benched and stuck on the bench after getting suspended by Head Coach Bob Huggins, he still has the ability to really shine. These are great odds on a great team in this bracket.

On the other side of this bracket, the North Carolina Tar Heels (5.75 to 1 March Madness odds at JustBet Sportsbook) are the team to really look out for. There is no doubt that this team has all of the talent in the world, especially since Harrison Barnes has really come alive in his first (and only?) year on campus.

However, the dark horse in that half is the Xavier Musketeers (60 to 1 East Region Odds at JustBet Sportsbook). The X-Men have a great history in this tournament, and you know if you knock this team out of the dance, you did your job. Tu Holloway is one of the most underappreciated scorers in the nation.

2011 East Region Odds @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 3/13/11):
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Ohio State Buckeyes 2.50 to 1
North Carolina Tar Heels 5.75 to 1
Syracuse Orange 5 to 1
Kentucky Wildcats 4 to 1
West Virginia Mountaineers 20 to 1
Xavier Musketeers 60 to 1
Washington Huskies 15 to 1
George Mason Patriots 80 to 1
Villanova Wildcats 45 to 1
Georgia Bulldogs 100 to 1
Marquette Golden Eagles 45 to 1
UAB Blazers 200 to 1
Clemson Tigers 80 to 1
Princeton Tigers 200 to 1
Indiana State Sycamores 200 to 1
Long Island Blackbirds 300 to 1
Texas San Antonio Roadrunners 300 to 1
Alabama State Hornets 300 to 1

March Madness picks kick off on Tuesday with the first round of games in Dayton, OH. Today, we analyze the odds to win the West Region and all of the March Madness betting lines for the big event!

We really aren’t so sure that the Duke Blue Devils (2.30 to 1 Odds to Win West Region at SportBet Sportsbook) really deserve to be the favorites in the West Bracket. Sure, we know that the Dookies are the defending National Champions right now, and they earned the top seed in this bracket by winning the ACC Tournament, but something just doesn’t feel quite right about this team this season. There just isn’t that third man that can step up and help Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith, and unless someone else is going to really step up, inevitably, Duke will probably get picked off.

Ironically, the team to really watch out for is going to be one that has never won a game in school history, the San Diego State Aztecs (4 to 1 NCAA Tournament Odds at SportBet Sportsbook). The Aztecs certainly have their best team in their history, and they have a huge front line with a great defense. The only team that has beaten this squad this season is the BYU Cougars, and since these guys aren’t in this bracket, there shouldn’t be all that much to worry about… right? The good news is that SDSU never really has to leave home. It has its first two games in Tucson, and the regional finals in Anaheim. Don’t be shocked if Kawhi Leonard and company can make a big, big impact and potentially win this bracket.

The forgotten team in this bunch is the Arizona Wildcats (25 to 1 March Madness odds at SportBet Sportsbook). This is a team that is just chock full of offensive firepower, and there is a great big man on the inside in Derrick Williams. This could be a wide, wide open bracket, and just like San Diego State, there is going to be a huge home court advantage for the U of A in this dance.

Looking for a team to come out of nowhere to make the Final Four? It seems like a tremendous stretch, but what about the Oakland Golden Grizzlies (100 to 1 West Region Odds at SportBet Sportsbook)? Keith Benson and company can really, really run, as the Grizz have averaged 95.3 points per game over the course of their last six. Sure, they’re going to have to pull off upset after upset to get the job done, but they have already beaten the Tennessee Volunteers this season and might be able to do a lot of work here in the West Region as well.

2011 West Region Odds @ SportBet Sportsbook (as of 3/13/11):
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Duke Blue Devils 2.30 to 1
San Diego State Aztecs 4 to 1
Connecticut Huskies 6 to 1
Texas Longhorns 5 to 1
Arizona Wildcats 25 to 1
Cincinnati Bearcats 25 to 1
Temple Owls 40 to 1
Michigan Wolverines 85 to 1
Tennessee Volunteers 85 to 1
Penn State Nittany Lions 85 to 1
Missouri Tigers 33 to 1
Memphis Tigers 100 to 1
Oakland Golden Grizzlies 100 to 1
Bucknell Bison 200 to 1
Northern Colorado Bears 200 to 1
Hampton Pirates 200 to 1

(Printable March Madness Brackets; PDF – GIF) If you’re looking for the best March Madness bracket tips, you’ve certainly come to the right place! Here at Bankroll Sports, we’ve got all of the ins and outs covered for the hot tips that you need to look out for to make your bracket a winning one.

**Click Here For Free March Madness Bracket Contests**

The first and most obvious thing to remember when you are filling out your brackets is that there are going to be upsets. There will be at least one No. 12 beat a No. 5, and there will probably be at least one No. 13 or higher that takes down a Top 25 foe. Tens knocking off sevens are commonplace, and they’re even favored from time to time on the March Madness odds. Simply just trying to fill in chalk along the way probably isn’t going to win you too many NCAA Tournament bracket contests.

But how do you pick out those upsets? Look for some teams that have legitimate stars. The Wofford Terriers, the winners of the Southern Conference have a huge man in the paint they rely on named Noah Dahlman. Sure, Dahlman wouldn’t be expected to average 20.0 points per game over a 30 game schedule in the Big East, but players like this find ways to lead their teams in single games. Seeing a man like Dahlman going up against an undersized team could be just the mismatch that you’re looking for.

You also have to consider home court advantage. The Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Tar Heels are most likely going to be playing their first two games in Charlotte, NC. Needless to say, the Cameron Crazies are going to be out en masse, and any potential “neutral court advantage” that the little guys could be getting would be swallowed up by the ACC fans on Tobacco Road. This will happen all across the country, so be sure to look out.

In events where there is no home court advantage, fans generally want to see upsets. That means that No. 13 seeds that are on runs are going to sway the crowd on their side until they are finally squashed… unless they can withstand that pressure from the big boys… the deeper into the game the mid majors hang around, the more and more dangerous that they become.

Also, you have to remember that three point field goals are incredibly important. They’re the great equalizer for a lack of talent. Teams that can stroke three balls like none other tend to stick around longer in this tournament than most. Just look at the Cornell Big Red last season, as the Ivy League champs shot over 40 percent from beyond the arc for the season. Other times, it doesn’t take a full team, just a player or two. Case in point, Ali Farokhmanesh from last season with the Northern Iowa Panthers. He single handedly dragged down the top team in the country, the Kansas Jayhawks.

Though we all love Cinderella stories, we know that more often than not, when it comes down to the Final Four, you’re going to see the big time teams floating around. The way you pick those teams out is really simple. You need to find deep teams with at least 1-2 superstars that can take over games. However, be forewarned that a man like Kemba Walker for the Connecticut Huskies probably isn’t dominating the entire NCAA Tournament. A game or two, ok. But not the whole way. Well rounded teams with a star or two tend to do a heck of a lot better, just like the Duke Blue Devils did last season with Nolan Smith, Kyle Singler, and Jon Scheyer.

And that brings us to our final March Madness tip. We absolutely love teams with experience in this tournament. The Florida Gators have five returning starters. The Blue Devils have back two of their three studs from last year’s title team. The Butler Bulldogs are bringing back most of the team that was in the finale last season. The Michigan State Spartans, even though they have had a terrible year, have a ton of pieces from the puzzle from the Final Four team of two years ago…

Just keep these NCAA Tournament bracket tips in mind, and you’ll be sure to clean up in your 2011 NCAA Tournament free bracket contests this year!