March Madness Betting: Bubble Trouble for Elite ProgramsMarch 10, 2008By Adrian Brijbassi Bodog Nation Contributing Writer A handful of power schools face the possibility of being left out of the NCAA tournament Kentucky, Florida, Arizona, Maryland, Syracuse. All have won NCAA tournament titles in the past 11 years, all linger on the bubble as the revelation of the 2008 March Madness bracket nears. As experienced college basketball bettors know, these teams from power conferences pose unique problems. They're usually loaded with raw talent, like the 2000 North Carolina team that went to the Final Four under Bill Guthridge as a No. 8 seed. They have the ability to get on unexpected rolls, like maligned Alabama did in the 2004 tournament, entering with a 17-12 record then ripping off three wins as an eight seed. But they can also flame out fast, as Seton Hall did two years ago, getting thumped by 20 points against Wichita State in the opening round after coming in as a potential Cinderella 10 seed from the Big East. And they usually have experienced coaches on their sidelines and loud cheering sections no matter where in the country they're dispatched to play. The easy answer to the question of how to bet bubble teams is to advise you to stay away. But that's no fun. So let's take a look at these five high-profile teams as they gear up for their respective conference tournaments this week and gauge which ones offer value should they make it to March Madness. Have you been studying up on your March Madness team and player statistics? Sign up to SBG Global and start winning today! 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Barring a major setback in the SEC tournament, Kentucky is in. Of the current bubble teams, the Wildcats are most capable of doing damage because they're playing like they belong in the tournament. Bubble teams are notoriously inconsistent. The Wildcats aren't. They've beaten Tennessee twice and Vanderbilt once. And since losing four games in a row at the start of December, they've dropped back-to-back games only once. March Madness Bet: If they don't get upset in the SEC tourney, Gillispie's squad will reach the main event. Florida Gators (21-10 overall, 8-8 SEC) Credit Billy Donovan for even getting the Gators into this position. That may seem odd to say, given that Florida won back-to-back championships. But the Gators saw their top-six players depart after last season's title run and were expected to be near the bottom of the SEC this year. Billy Donovan won't be three-peating. (AI Wire photo)They're only 1-7 against opponents with an RPI rating in the top 50, and that may be the key figure heading into Selection Sunday. March Madness Bet: Sunday's loss to Kentucky ends any hope of an at-large bid. So unless they have a magical run in the conference tournament, the Gators won't be an option to three-peat when you start to fill out your March Madness bracket. Arizona Wildcats (18-13 overall, 8-10 Pac-10) What benefits the Wildcats are the teams they've lost to. UCLA, USC, Washington State and Stanford are all bound for the NCAA tournament. The strength of the Pac-10 should benefit Arizona, which has three talented players - Jerryd Bayless, Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill - who can cause matchup problems for anyone. If Arizona doesn't make the tournament, it will end a remarkable run of 23 straight years in the Big Dance. A strong showing in the Pac-10 tourney probably gets the 'Cats in under interim coach Kevin O'Neill. But that's easier said than done in the toughest conference in college hoops. March Madness Bet: Arizona sneaks in. Now that the Madness has arrived, check out the 2008 March Madness predictions and start filling out your NCAA March Madness Bracket! Maryland Terrapins (18-13 overall, 8-8 ACC) You want an example of an inconsistent team? Look no further than the Terps. After stunning No. 1 North Carolina on Jan. 19, Maryland won four of its next five games. Then, they lost three of four. The Terps also failed to cover the point spread in their final three home games as a favorite. What does all that mean? You can trust Gary Williams' team to make you money about as much as you can bank on a Wall Street broker these days. March Madness Bet: Beating the Tar Heels isn't enough and the Terps sit. Syracuse Orange (19-12 overall, 9-9 Big East) Johnny Flynn gives Syracuse a chance. (AP Images)Jim Boeheim's squad entered the season with promise because he'd once again recruited a class of hot-shot freshmen. Point guard Johnny Flynn and forward Donte Greene played well but neither showed the ability to carry the Orange the way Carmelo Anthony did in his freshman season. The Orange, losers of five of their last eight games, stumble into the Big East tournament. Injuries and the inability to come up with enough wins against elite teams means Boeheim's bubble will likely burst for the second straight year. Oddsmakers list the Orange's March Madness odds at only 100/1. After upsetting Marquette on Saturday, there's still hope, though, because Syracuse is usually a tough out in the conference tournament at Madison Square Garden. March Madness Bet: A run to the Big East final could position the Orange to get in as a nine or 10 seed - otherwise it's back to the NIT. --- by Bodog at 1800-sports.com on March 18, 2008
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