2009 March Madness Tournament Preview
Written March 16, 2009 by Jack Jones
With Selection Sunday in the review mirror and the 2009 NCAA tournament brackets having been set it’s time to take a look at what this year’s madness will bring. Bodog is offering a 10% signup bonus to all new depositors for the NCAA tournament.
There are three No. 1 seeds coming out of the Big East this year, with Louisville being given the top billing. Not even losses in the first round of the conference tournament could keep Pitt and UConn from grabbing top seeds, while Memphis got shafted in the eyes of many by being given the No. 2 out West.
Only four mid-majors this year received at-large bids, with the biggest snub being San Diego State, No. 35 in the RPI, being left out in place of Arizona, who was 19-13 and ranked 62nd in the RPI. That means there are more teams that the average bettor is familiar with and I think it will translate into fewer upsets.
Let’s take a look at the top six teams that the guys at Bodog feel like have the best chance of advancing deep into the tournament. You can also check out my 2009 NCAA expert bracket picks to see who I’m taking with my selections.
Memphis – This team is 31-3 and is coming off a deep run in last year’s tournament that saw them fall to Kansas in the title game. This is the top defensive team in the country, but can also put up the points as long as teams aren’t sagging off and forcing the Tigers to shoot.
North Carolina – There were huge expectations on this team to perform this year and while they are 28-4, some say that was a disappointment. The team is struggling on defense and allowing opponents to shoot 35% from behind the arc.
UConn – The Huskies lost in the six overtime battle to Syracuse for an early exit out of the Big East tournament, and have lost two games to Pitt coming down the stretch. Hasheem Thabeet’s interior defense has to worry any opponent as he is blocking 4.6 shots per game.
Louisville – The top seed in the tournament has won 10 straight games and won the Big East tournament in the process. The Cardinals are ranked only behind Memphis in terms of defense, but they do a poor job of shooting free throws, which is important in closing out these close tournament games.
Gonzaga – Little love here from the tournament committee for Gonzaga as they stand in line for a Sweet 16 matchup with the Tar Heels. The Zags had an excellent season at 26-5 and lost a tough game in overtime to UConn back in December. The West Coast Conference was down this year, which could hurt this team now that they will be playing tougher competition.
Pittsburgh – The Panthers have the second best offense in the nation behind only North Carolina. The problems here are the team shoots just 67% from the line, and they give up too many threes. The outside shot doomed Pitt against Villanova and Providence, as did foul trouble. This team has a tough path to the Final Four, but with their talent both inside and out could put them in line for a title run.
If you want to beat the NCAA basketball spreads to finish out the year then make sure you sign up for the college basketball picks offered by our handicappers. They will work day and night to finish off your season of NCAA basketball betting on a positive note.
If you liked this article, you may also be interested in:
- 2009 March Madness Betting Preview
- Tennessee Chattanooga vs UConn: March Madness Preview
- March Madness Bubble Teams: Big East
- 2009 March Madness Predictions
- March Madness History
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