The East Region will send its last team to the Elite 8 on Thursday night, and the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Ohio State Buckeyes duke it out for that spot. We’re set to make our Sweet 16 predictions for the clash in Beantown.

2012 Sweet 16 Matchup: #6 Cincinnati Bearcats vs. #2 Ohio State Buckeyes
East Region Location: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Sweet 16 Date/Time: Thursday, March 22nd, 9:45 p.m.
Cincinnati vs. Ohio State Television Coverage: CBS

Key #1: Yancy Gates has to keep up with the Ohio State bigs
We give Yates all the credit in the world for getting to his 10 points and five boards in spite of the fact that he was battling foul trouble and a stout Florida State Seminoles defense. He had a huge impact on the game defensively, but the argument could be made that this is going to be an even tougher task. Deshaun Thomas and Jared Sullinger are both fantastic big men, and they are going to be a heck of a lot tougher of a draw on both sides of the court than Florida State’s big men were. Gates is a big time forward who can come up with that double-double on any given night. It’s not necessarily going to have to show up on the stat sheet, but Gates is going to have to stay out of foul trouble and be a real nuisance to these other two big boys on the other side of the court, or it will be a long game for the Bearcats.

Sweet 16 Odds at Wager Web Sportsbook
Cincinnati Bearcats +8
Ohio State Buckeyes -8
Over/Under 129.5
Click Here to Bet Your Sweet 16 Picks!

Key #2: Ohio State has to get out of its mind the struggles of past tourneys
The Buckeyes are going to be thinking all week long about the fact that they were eliminated last year by the Kentucky Wildcats right here at this juncture in the Sweet 16. In both situations, OSU was the team that was expected to advance last year over Kentucky, just as it is expected to do this time around as well. Everyone thought that Sullinger was going to head to the NBA, but he eschewed that opportunity to come back to the NCAA Tournament again with these Buckeyes. This is a team that has a heck of a lot more experience right now, and that could prove to be a real asset. That being said, it is a problem that cannot haunt Head Coach Thad Matta and the gang, as this is a team that always seems to be coming up just short of the ultimate goal.

Key #3: The Buckeyes have to be solid with the basketball
There isn’t a heck of a lot that the Buckeyes could complain over in the first two rounds of their tourney, but if there is a bugaboo, it is that they turn the ball over too much. OSU has 30 turnovers in two games, raising its average up to 11.7 turnovers per game. These Bearcats have been flat out awesome turning other teams over in March Madness. They have 28 turnovers already forced to their credit, and they pick up a lot of steals on a regular basis. Cashmere Wright had five steals on his own against Florida State, and if he and the rest of his teammates can get the job done and frustrate the Buckeyes, just as the Wildcats did last year, the Bearcats are going to have a shot at springing this upset.

Click Here to get the best March Madness picks that you’ll find on the internet, including our NCAA Tournament picks and the Sweet 16 picks for the rest of the NCAA Tournament game odds.

The Big East and Big Ten champs will collide in Phoenix on Thursday night for the second of the Sweet 16 encounters, and we are set to make our Michigan State Spartans vs. Louisville Cardinals picks for the second game on tap.

2012 Sweet 16 Matchup: #4 Louisville Cardinals vs. #1 Michigan State Spartans
West Region Location: US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ
Sweet 16 Date/Time: Thursday, March 22nd, 7:45 p.m.
Wisconsin vs. Syracuse Television Coverage: TBS

Key #1: Someone needs to stop Draymond Green
Simply put, Green is a monster. He is capable of going off for a triple-double every single time that he steps on the court, just as he did against the Long Island Blackbirds in the first game of this tournament. This is a man that personifies Michigan State basketball. He just does everything that needs to be done to put his team in a position to win games. Green averaged 16.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game this year, and we are really struggling to find someone that can really guard him in this Louisville lineup. We tend to think that Gorgui Dieng is going to be too slow to keep up with the shifty forward, and pretty much anyone else that tries to guard Green is going to be a bit undersized. It really isn’t a comfortable position for the Cards to be in, but it is a situation that the rest of the teams in the Big Ten have been dealing with for the last four years. Green is the one guy on the court on either side that can win this game by himself.

Sweet 16 Odds at Wager Web Sportsbook
Louisville Cardinals +5
Michigan State Spartans -5
Over/Under 125
Click Here to Bet Your Sweet 16 Picks!

Key #2: Louisville can’t lose its cool down the stretch
We have seen the Cardinals play two very close games here in the dance, and there were a number of tight encounters in the Big East Tournament as well. This is a team that really has to be careful though, as it doesn’t have the greatest history in the close games here in the dance. Just look at what the Morehead State Eagles were able to do to the Cardinals last year. It is clear that this is going to be a close game throughout in all likelihood, and the pressure can’t get to this Louisville team. We know that Michigan State has won some tight contests both at home and on the road this year, and with Green on the court, there is going to be no shortage of confidence and leadership on the Michigan State sidelines. Someone has to do that as well for Louisville in what amounts to probably be its toughest game of the year.

Key #3: Foul shooting can’t be the death for either of these teams
The winner of this game might be the team that ends up shooting the ball better from the charity stripe. It really isn’t often that a team can make a deep run in the dance without being a decent foul shooting team, and we know that neither of these squads meet that mold. The Cardinals only shoot 68.7 percent from the line as a team, while the Spartans are just at 69.5 percent. There isn’t a foul shooter on MSU’s roster that shot 80 percent, but we do know that both Green and Keith Appling are going to likely knock down the clutch shots when it is really needed. Kyle Kuric, Russ Smith, and Chris Smith are all at least 75 percent free throw shooters, but if they get into foul trouble themselves and don’t have the ball in their hands, the rest of this Louisville team is absolutely atrocious on free throws.

Click Here to get the best March Madness picks that you’ll find on the internet, including our NCAA Tournament picks and the Sweet 16 picks for the rest of the NCAA Tournament game odds.

Our Sweet 16 predictions kick off on Thursday night in the East Region, where the Syracuse Orange and the Wisconsin Badgers duke it out for the right to go to the Elite 8. Check out our Syracuse vs. Wisconsin keys to the game!

2012 Sweet 16 Matchup: #4 Wisconsin Badgers vs. #1 Syracuse Orange
East Region Location: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Sweet 16 Date/Time: Thursday, March 22nd, 7:15 p.m.
Wisconsin vs. Syracuse Television Coverage: CBS

Key #1: The Badgers have to keep the pace of this game down
We know that Syracuse isn’t going to be all that interested in running this game into the 70s against the Badgers, but it knows that it is going to want to try to get into offensive sets in a hurry to try to avoid settling in against that ferocious Wisconsin defense. These Badgers are simply awesome in transition defense, and there are very few cheap baskets that they allow. The Orange shoot the ball well at 46.6 percent from the floor, but this is a Wisconsin ‘D’ that is holding teams down to just 52.9 points per game and 38.5 percent shooting from the field and 28.8 percent from beyond the arc. The pace has to stay slow though, as the Badgers don’t have the offense to be able to put up 70-75 points against this stout defense, so it is imperative to try to limit the number of possessions in this game.

Sweet 16 Odds at Wager Web Sportsbook
Wisconsin Badgers +3.5
Syracuse Orange -3.5
Over/Under 120.5
Click Here to Bet Your Sweet 16 Picks!

Key #2: The Badgers can’t get three point happy
Syracuse has a great perimeter defense, and the way that it is eventually probably going to get beaten in this tournament is by a team that is able to pound the paint and the heart of that patented 2-3 zone, where Fab Melo is no longer standing due to his eligibility concerns. In the dance, Wisconsin has already jacked up a whopping 52 three-point shots, and that just isn’t going to be good enough against a team like this in all likelihood. The Orange have lanky defenders that can really be a pain to the Badgers who are trying to pick up points three at a time instead of two. Sure, if those shots are falling, it’s fantastic. However, it’s really hard against the 2-3 zone to shake loose and get open looks at threes, and if the Badgers just start chucking up contested long range shots, they’re going to get embarrassed in this clash.

Key #3: Syracuse has to keep the Wisconsin bigs off of the glass
We know that Wisconsin is going to take a lot of those long range shots that we mentioned before, and if Head Coach Jim Boeheim has to have a concern, it is about how his team hits the glass. The Kansas State Wildcats had a whopping 22 offensive rebounds against the Orange in the Round of 32, and though the game did end up with a bit of a lopsided score, there has to be a concern that KSU was able to get up 22 more shots than Syracuse did. Without Melo there to clean up the glass, there just aren’t that many players that have the ability to be dynamos on the boards, and if the Badgers are getting second chance buckets, they are going to be able to pull off the upset.

Click Here to get the best March Madness picks that you’ll find on the internet, including our NCAA Tournament picks and the Sweet 16 picks for the rest of the NCAA Tournament game odds.

Bankroll Sports is back again, making your lives as sports bettors and basketball fans easier, with our list of Free NCAA Sweet 16 Contests. Just as we did at the beginning of the NCAA Tournament, listing all of the free bracket contests on the web, we decided to put together a new list. This new list below lists all the second chance NCAA Tournament contests and Sweet 16 bracket contests for 2012. Make sure to be sure bookmark this list of free contests and make sure to check back often. We will be adding more contests to the list as we discover them. Again, take a look at our list below. If you know of any free NCAA sweet 16 contests or NCAA second chance contests, make sure to leave a comment and post a link to the contest so that we can add it to the list. Again, we at Bankroll Sports Handicapping, look after and take care of our visitors & clients. We make sure that our blog has the most useful content and information for our visitors. Our handicappers have had an outstanding streak of 10* releases in the first two full rounds of the NCAA Tournament. If you are struggling with your NCAA Tournament betting this year, and if you are looking for a good service that can help you turn things around, look no further. Thanks for visiting Bankroll Sports Picks!

Complete List of Free 2012 Sweet 16 Bracket Contests

Again, make sure to come back and check this list during week (updated often); Bookmark This Page (Internet Explorer Only) & Check back on Monday after the first weekend throughout the week up until the start of the Sweet 16 on Thursday, March 22nd, 2012!

Attention Bloggers & Other Site Owners: Please Do Not Copy & Paste This List. Do The Work Yourself!

• Yahoo! Sports
  1st Place: $5,000
  2nd Place Prizes: None
  Contest Grade: B
  2012 Sweet 16 Bracket Contest Link
• Cappersinfo.com
  1st Place: Logitech Harmony One Universal Remote
  2nd Place Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card
  Contest Grade: B+
  2012 Round Sweet 16 Contest Link
• CBS Sports Line
  1st Place: Chance To Win Trip To 2013 Final Four (Every round has a winner)
  2nd Place Prize: None
  Contest Grade: C-
  2012 Round By Round Bracket Contest Link
• Buffalo Trace Saloon
  1st Place: $3000 or Ultimate Trip to Kentucky Trace Distillary
  2nd Place Prize: None
  Contest Grade: B
  2012 Sweet 16 Bracket Contest Link

Have you spotted any free Sweet 16 contests or any second chance bracket contests latetly? If you have, then please reply to this post and give us a heads-up!

If you thought that the NCAA Tournament odds were all about the brackets, think again! Today, we are making our March Madness predictions for the top college basketball prop bets on the board. All of these NCAA Tournament prop bets are available at Bovada Sportsbook!

Total Number Of Buzzer Beaters in the Round Of 64 In The NCAA Tournament
We know that there are some big time games over the course of the NCAA Tournament, and there are a slew that are decided with shots that either miss or are made right at the end of games. The term, “buzzer beater,” is tough, though. The shot has to go in with 0:00 on the clock, and that isn’t always the case. There will probably be one over the course of the 63 games, and at 19/10, we’d rather back that than more than that at some other prices or zero at 5/7. Remember that we are only dealing with the first full round of games as well.

Which #1 Seed Will Be The First Eliminated From The NCAA Tournament?
Many think that the Syracuse Orange are the team that is going to be the top seed blanked first. That being said, we think that it is the Michigan State Spartans that will be the first to drop out of the dance. The Spartans have the toughest No. 16 seed matchup, and if there is going to be a top seed drop for the first time ever in the Round of 64, this is going to be the one to do it, because the Long Island Blackbirds aren’t your averaged No. 16 seed. Also, MSU has to go up against either the Memphis Tigers or the Saint Louis Billikens in the second round, and either way, that is an upset that could be waiting to happen.

How Man #14 Seeds Will Advance From The Round Of 64 in the NCAA Tournament?
Just consider this fact: The Belmont Bruins are only +3.5 against the Georgetown Hoyas… This is a terrible spread to say the least, and it is one that we are going to take full advantage of. At least one of the #14s is probably going to end up winning a game, as all four of them (whether the fourth be Iona or BYU) are capable of pulling off upsets against teams that we think are tremendously overrated.

Full List of 2012 NCAA Tournament Props @ Bovada Sportsbook (as of 3/13/12):
(Get a HUGE 20% Bonus at Bovada.lv When Using This Link)
How Many Buzzer Bears Will Occur During Round Of 64 In NCAA Tournament?
0 Buzzer Beaters 5/7
1 Buzzer Beater 19/10
2 Buzzer Beaters 6/1
3 Buzzer Beaters 10/1
4 Buzzer Beaters 18/1
5 Buzzer Beaters 40/1
6 or more Buzzer Beaters 50/1

Highest Margin Of Victory In Round of 64 Over 36.5 -130
Highest Margin Of Victory In Round of 64 Under 36.5 -110

Highest Point Total Scored By 1 Team In Round Of 64 Over 100.5 -140
Highest Point Total Scored By 1 Team In Round Of 64 Under 100.5 Even

#1 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament -115
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -115

#2 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament +200
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -260

Which #1 Seed Will Be Eliminated First From NCAA Tournament?
Kentucky +400
Syracuse +175
Michigan State +190
North Carolina +300

In What Round Will First #1 Seed Be Eliminated From NCAA Tournament?
Round Of 64 +800
Round Of 32 +150
Sweet 16 +120
Elite 8 +375
Final Four +2000

Over 0.5 #15 Seeds Win At Least One Game In NCAA Tournament +350
Under 0.5 #15 Seeds Win At Least One Game In NCAA Tournament -500

Over 0.5 #14 Seeds Win At Least One Game In NCAA Tournament +200
Under 0.5 #14 Seeds Win At Least One Game In NCAA Tournament -260

Over 0.5 #13 Seeds Win At Least One Game In NCAA Tournament -250
Under 0.5 #13 Seeds Win At Least One Game In NCAA Tournament +195

Over 0.5 #12 Seeds Win At Least One Game In NCAA Tournament -450
Under 0.5 #12 Seeds Win At Least One Game In NCAA Tournament +325

How Many #1 Seeds Will Be In The Final Four?
0 +500
1 +150
2 +175
3 +500
4 +2000

Over 1.5 #1 Seeds In Final Four -120
Under 1.5 #1 Seeds In Final Four -120

Over 2.5 #1 Seeds In Final Four +400
Under 2.5 #1 Seeds In Final Four -700

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Over 10.5 -120
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Under 10.5 -120

What Seed Will The 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Champion Be?
#1 5/6
#2 2/1
#3 12/1
#4 10/1
#5 14/1
#6 40/1
#7 35/1
#8 30/1
#9 60/1
#10 50/1
#11 75/1
#12 75/1
#13-#16 25/1

Which Conference Will the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Champion Come From?
Atlantic 10 75/1
ACC 4/1
Big 12 4/1
Big East 11/2
Big Ten 11/5
Mountain West 75/1
Pac-12 150/1
SEC 9/4
Any Other Conference 18/1

Our 2012 NCAA Tournament predictions are set to continue here at Bankroll Sports, and we are going to be making our March Madness prop picks for some of the great props that you can find on the board at 5Dimes Sportsbook!

Will a #1 Seed Win the NCAA Tournament?
The four No. 1 seeds aren’t all the favorites to win the dance. Sure, at -120, you can get the Kentucky Wildcats and the Syracuse Orange, who were clearly the top two teams in the land all season long. But would you rather have these four teams, or the Ohio State Buckeyes, Duke Blue Devils, Missouri Tigers, and Kansas Jayhawks? We think that we would rather have that second line at +225 than the top line at -120 even though Kentucky is clearly the favorite to win it all, especially knowing that almost any No. 2 seed would probably be favored over any of the other No. 1s, save for Kentucky if that’s what it came down to in the final game of the year.

Will an ACC Team Win the NCAA Tournament?
This is probably the most interesting of all of the NCAA Tournament props this year. The ACC has itself a No. 1 seed that is very talented with the North Carolina Tar Heels, and they are clearly one of the two teams that we can see winning the whole thing very easily this year. The Duke Blue Devils are a team that has a great draw that is going to likely last at least through the first weekend of the tournament, and the same could really be said about the Florida State Seminoles as well. Sure, we get the Virginia Cavaliers and the NC State Wolfpack for the heck of it as well, but those top three teams are certainly intriguing to say the least. We would love the ACC at +480 to win it all this year.

Will All Four #1 Seeds Be In the Final Four?
It is really amazing to think that all four seeds have been in the Final Four just one time in the history of this tournament. This year, we really don’t love the chances of any of the top ranked teams in brackets aside from the Kentucky Wildcats. We don’t really see how the Michigan State Spartans are going to get through the West when it is said and done, and we really aren’t sure whether the rest of the top seeds are going to get through their respective brackets as well. 40 to 1 looks like an enticing price, but it just isn’t going to happen this year.

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Over Over/Under 11.5
5Dimes is offering these sums all the way from 5.5 all the way up to 15.5, but this is the average numbers and is the one that we can get -108 and -112 on the over and under respectively. There are a lot of double digit seeds that we could see getting into the Final Four this year, and as a result, we think that the number is going to be over this total (and over all of the posted totals for what it is worth). Even a team like the Florida Gators, a No. 7 seed could really do a lot of damage and get into the Final Four, and if that’s the case, there is sure to be a very high number in the double digits for the total number of the seeds that are going to New Orleans.

Full List of 2012 NCAA Tournament Props @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 3/13/12):
(Get a HUGE 50% Bonus at 5Dimes.com When Using This Link)
#1 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament -120
Field Wins NCAA Tournament +100

#2 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament +225
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -265

#3 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament +1350
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -2000

#4 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament +2000
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -3000

#5 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament +1800
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -2800

#6 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament +4000
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -7000

#7 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament +6000
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -11000

#8 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament +4500
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -8000

#9 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament +6500
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -12000

#10 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament +6500
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -12000

#11 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament +8000
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -15000

#12 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament +10500
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -20000

#1-#2 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament -370
Field Wins NCAA Tournament +310

#1-#3 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament -525
Field Wins NCAA Tournament +415

#1-#4 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament -750
Field Wins NCAA Tournament +525

#1-#5 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament -1200
Field Wins NCAA Tournament +775

#1-#6 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament -1550
Field Wins NCAA Tournament +1025

#1-#7 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament -2000
Field Wins NCAA Tournament +1250

#1-#8 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament -2900
Field Wins NCAA Tournament +1900

#1-#9 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament -3800
Field Wins NCAA Tournament +2400

#1-#10 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament -6000
Field Wins NCAA Tournament +3500

#1-#11 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament -8000
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -4500

#1-#12 Seed Wins NCAA Tournament -11000
Field Wins NCAA Tournament +6000

East Region Team Wins NCAA Tournament +280
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -340

Midwest Region Team Wins NCAA Tournament +325
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -400

South Region Wins NCAA Tournament +190
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -230

West Region Team Wins NCAA Tournament +330
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -410

ACC Team Wins NCAA Tournament +480
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -660

Big East Team Wins NCAA Tournament +600
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -900

Big Ten Team Wins NCAA Tournament +280
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -340

Big 12 Team Wins NCAA Tournament +470
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -640

SEC Team Wins NCAA Tournament +240
Field Wins NCAA Tournament -280

Power Conference Team Wins NCAA Tournament -1450
Non-Power Conference Team Wins NCAA Tournament +1025

Automatic Bid Team Wins NCAA Tournament +310
At-Large Team Wins NCAA Tournament -370

All Four #1 Seeds In Final Four +4000
Any #2-#16 Seed In Final Four -7000

Exactly 3 #1 Seeds In Final Four +550
Not Exactly 3 #1 Seeds In Final Four -800

Exactly 2 #1 Seeds In Final Four +175
Not Exactly 2 #1 Seeds In Final Four -178

Exactly 1 #1 Seed In Final Four +157
Not Exactly 1 #1 Seed In Final Four -178

No #1 Seeds In Final Four +513
At Least 1 #1 Seed In Final Four -725

#1 Seeds In Final Four Over 2.5 +450
#1 Seeds In Final Four Under 2.5 -600

#1 Seeds In Final Four Over 1.5 -110
#1 Seeds In Final Four Under 1.5 -110

All #1 or #2 Seeds In Final Four +445
Any #3-#16 Seed In Final Four -590

Exactly 3 #1-#2 Seeds In Final Four +156
Not Exactly 3 #1-#2 Seeds In Final Four -176

Exactly 2 #1-#2 Seeds In Final Four +190
Not Exactly 2 #1-#2 Seeds In Final Four -230

Exactly 1 #1-#2 Seed In Final Four +583
Not Exactly 1 #1-#2 Seed In Final Four -865

No. #1-#2 Seeds In Final Four +4200
At Least One #1-#2 Seed In Final Four -7400

#1-#2 Seeds In Final Four Over 2.5 -127
#1-#2 Seeds In Final Four Under 2.5 +107

#1-#2 Seeds In Final Four Over 1.5 -730
#1-#2 Seeds In Final Four Under 1.5 +515

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is 5 +1375
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Not 5 -2050

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is 6 +1000
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Not 6 -1450

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is 7 +1025
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Not 7 -1450

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is 8 +1000
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Not 8 -1400

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is 9 +1035
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Not 9 -1470

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is 10 +1125
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Not 10 -1650

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is 11 +1225
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Not 11 -1800

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is 12 +1300
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Not 12 -1900

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is 13 +1400
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Not 13 -2100

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is 14 +1500
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Not 14 -2300

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is 15 +1625
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Not 15 -2550

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Over 5.5 -1500
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Under 5.5 +1050

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Over 6.5 -660
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Under 6.5 +480

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Over 7.5 -380
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Under 7.5 +315

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Over 8.5 -250
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Under 8.5 +210

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Over 9.5 -176
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Under 9.5 +156

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Over 10.5 -136
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Under 10.5 +116

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Over 11.5 -108
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Under 11.5 -112

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Over 12.5 +119
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Under 12.5 -139

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Over 13.5 +150
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Under 13.5 -170

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Over 14.5 +180
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Under 14.5 -220

Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Over 15.5 +225
Sum Of All Seeds In Final Four Is Under 15.5 -265

The Kentucky Wildcats and Connecticut Huskies met earlier this season at the Maui Invitational, and little did we know that this team that would go on to have a horrible record on the road and the other, which was unranked at the time, would be playing for the right to go to the National Championship Game. Check out how the Final Four odds stack up in this one!

Trends Of Note
Considering the fact that both of these teams ended up winning their conference tournaments this year, it’s no wonder why both have a heck of a lot of March Madness trends on their side in this one.

Kentucky has gone 5-1 ATS over the course of its last six games overall, and its only ATS loss in there was that escape from the Princeton Tigers in the first round of the tourney. UK is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 NCAA Tournament games as favorites. It is also 16-5-1 ATS in its last 22 games against Big East teams.

Connecticut has played six neutral site games in which it has been the underdog since the Big East Tournament, and it is a perfect 6-0 in those games. The Huskies are also 8-1 ATS since that magical run in the Big East Tournament started, and the lone failed attempt at a cover came against the Arizona Wildcats in the Elite 8. UConn is 7-2 ATS in its last nine NCAA Tournament odds battles and is 23-8 ATS in its last 31 games as an underdog. Head Coach Jim Calhoun and company are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 neutral site games overall and are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 against the SEC.

We’ve already mentioned the 84-67 win for UConn in this series at the Maui Invitational earlier this year, but there are also two other meetings that these teams have had since 2006. Kentucky won 64-61 at the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic last season at Madison Square Garden, while the Huskies pulled out an 87-83 win in the NCAA Tournament when these teams met in 2006.

Players To Watch
For Connecticut, this is a simple game plan. Get the ball in Kemba Walker’s hands and let him do his thing. Walker can really do anything and everything that is asked of him. He has averaged 23.9 points, 5.3 boards, and 4.5 assists per game this year, and he already has 74 swipes of the rock as well on the defensive end of the court. This is the leading scorer amongst players left standing in this tournament, and save for perhaps BYU Cougars’ Jimmer Fredette, there is no man in this entire tournament that is more feared than Walker. He also has played all but six minutes during the dance for Calhoun and company.

There are really only six men in the rotation for the Wildcats this season, and though men like Brandon Knight and Doron Lamb tend to get all of the accolades, Josh Harrellson is really the difference maker this year on this team. For a man that, for all intents and purposes, was nothing more than a stiff at the outset of the season, Harrellson has come on strong and averaged 14.8 points and 9.0 boards per game in the dance. He’s coming up with the big plays in the paint over and over again, and Calipari knows that his team would be forgotten if not for the play of Harrellson.

Keys to the Game
Connecticut has to find some players to step up aside from Walker. Jeremy Lamb, just a freshman, has really matured beyond his years in the postseason this year. He carried the team in the win against the DePaul Blue Demons, and since that point, he has had nine straight double digit scoring games. Lamb is a heck of a shooter, and he is likely going to end up being the man that has to take this team over after Walker is gone, and whether it is him or Alex Oriakhi that is picking up the slack, one of them just has to help out Walker.

For Kentucky, the trick is going to be staying out of foul trouble. When Walker is cutting to the basket on a regular basis, he tends to be able to lure some fouls out of some of the most disciplined teams in the nation. The Wildcats just cannot afford to do stupid things, because the team just isn’t deep enough. Calipari complained about turnovers and dumb fouls about this team all season long, and if those issues rear their ugly heads again in this one like they were at times this year, the Cats are in a ton of trouble.