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Let’s get one thing straight before I get started with this little rant: Mississippi State and Minnesota don’t deserve to be in the NCAA Tournament in they don’t win their respective conferences on Sunday. But neither do Illinois, Florida, Rhode Island, Seton Hall, or any other teams that are sitting on this proverbial “bubble” that we have come to know and love.

Come to think of it, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Wake Forest, and probably about 12 other teams shouldn’t get the right to play for the National Championship either.

And you want to expand this field to 96 teams next year???

Regardless of whether I like it or not, the Golden Gophers and Bulldogs are both going to get to win their way onto the dance floor the old fashioned way: by winning their conference tournaments.

These two teams should both take lessons from the teams before them. Washington was considered a bubble team until it removed all doubt by winning the Pac-10. San Diego State could say the same thing with the Mountain West.

The other lesson that Mississippi State and Minnesota should take into consideration: Don’t complain if you don’t get into the field.

The Golden Gophers have some unsightly losses on their resume, including a 28-point defeat to Michigan which capped a season sweep for the Wolverines over Minnesota, a loss at Northwestern, and ‘L’s to Portland and Miami. Winning more than one legitimate road game (@ Illinois) in conference would’ve helped quite a bit, too.

Hey Mississippi State, why the heck are you losing at home to Rider? It doesn’t matter that that loss came on the first night of the regular season. It’s Rider! Tournament teams don’t lose to Western Kentucky or to Arkansas, Alabama, or Auburn in conference play. The only road wins in SEC play came at Ole Miss, LSU, and South Carolina.

Don’t get me wrong… Anyone that wins their conference tournament is deserving of a spot in the field of 65. It’s all of these bubble teams that annoy the heck out of me.

I’ll admit this much: I smirked just a bit when Utah State and UTEP both lost their conference finals, which is probably going to take a bid away from one of these teams that doesn’t deserve to go dancing.

And once again, I’d love nothing more than to see the Dawgs and Gophers take care of business, pull upsets in their conference finals, and take automatic bids to the dance. Then there will be two more teams deserving of their tickets to the NCAA Tournament, while more teams will be left at home, complaining that the system doesn’t work and that there should be more teams allowed in the NCAA Tournament.

But don’t worry, all of you 21-10 teams. When the field expands to 96 teams, you’ll all be in the tournament. Then all we’ll have complaining is all of the 18-14 teams why they’re not allowed to play for college basketball’s biggest prize.

Let the complaining and politicking begin! With just one week of game’s left to be played in the college basketball season, teams across the country are going to be groveling to the Selection Committee to try to make their case for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. We’re ranting all across the sports world here at Bankroll Sports, though, and here’s who we’re upset with this week.

Rap Sheet Picture of the Week

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, who was accused of yet another assault charge this week.

We’re coming right out with the gloves off. Hey Connecticut Huskies, do you really want to go dancing or not? Instead of whining about how hard your schedule was this year, why don’t you turn around and beat somebody? Or better yet, how about trying to figure out how to win a conference road game? After losing at Notre Dame and South Florida this past week, UConn doesn’t even remotely deserve consideration for an at-large bid to the dance, but you and I both know full well that wins against St. John’s on Tuesday and Marquette on Wednesday will probably somehow sneak the Huskies in the field.

Can someone explain to me what the heck the Arizona Cardinals and San Diego Chargers are doing? I understand that the Bolts wanted to cut ties with RB LaDainian Tomlinson before his career totally fell off the map, but what gives with trading DB Antonio Cromartie to the Jets for a song and a dance? Don’t you remember that it was New York’s defense which gave you all of those hassles in the playoffs last year? Do you think that unit is getting worse by giving them your second best defensive player?

And Arizona, what are you doing, too? You had the NFC West already neatly packaged for you even if QB Matt Leinart proved to be a total stiff. But you let WR Anquan Boldin, S Antrel Rolle, LB Karlos Dansby, and a host of others get away from you. Now, you’re no better than a .500 team in a lousy division… which may still be good enough to win the NFC West… which is worth ranting about in itself when you consider how good the NFC East and AFC South are…

To the Cleveland Cavaliers: If you’re going to get trounced by the Bucks by a touchdown without F LeBron James in the lineup, what does that tell you about your future if you let “The King” skip town? If your name wasn’t F Antawn Jamison (30 points) or G Delonte West (27 points), you didn’t score more than seven points in Milwaukee. What’s up with that? Oh that’s right. It’s just another example of how lousy the Cavs really are without their pride and joy in the lineup, and is a harsh reminder that this team had to be the worst in the NBA just to earn the right to land LeBron in the draft in the first place.

Finally, we’ll take a swipe at HC Phil Jackson, who called his F Pau Gasol “weak and sickly.” Now Phil, we know you’re the Zen master and all of that, but if I’m not mistaken, Gasol has put together double-doubles in four of his L/5 games, and has scored a total of 41 points in his L/3. Maybe it’s not your big man that is “weak and sickly” after all. Maybe it’s just your whole team. You’ve dropped three straight overall and now have both the Mavs and Nuggets in your rear view mirror trying to stalk you for the top spot in the Western Conference.

March Madness has officially kicked off, as conference tournaments are underway and the first official tickets to the dance will be handed out in the days to come. When it’s all said and done, there are 35 teams that won’t win their conference tournaments that are invited to the grandest dance in the world anyway.

Truth be told, a whole bunch of those spots have already been handed out for certain. Figure that these teams, without any shred of a doubt whatsoever, are already making plans for being in the brackets come Selection Sunday…

Atlantic 10 (3): Temple, Xavier, Rhode Island
ACC (1): Duke
Big XII (4): Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor, Texas
Big East (4): Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia, Pittsburgh
Big Ten (4): Ohio State, Purdue, Michigan State, Wisconsin
Mountain West (2): New Mexico, BYU
SEC (3): Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee

Now, we’ll argue that one of these teams from each conference is going to get their respective league’s automatic bid to the tourney. That makes 14 at-large bids that are certainly gone. If you’re team’s not on this list above and you think you’re going to the NCAA Tournament, you’d better pay really good attention to the rest of this article.

Everyone get out your Gonzaga shirt, your Murray State hat, your Northern Iowa socks, your Siena sweater, your Old Dominion shoes, and your Butler underwear.

In a perfect world, all six of these teams are just going to win their conference tournaments and take their automatic slots in the field. That would leave the other, oh, 40 or so of you out there the maximum possible 21 tickets to fight for.

However, this isn’t a perfect world, and this is what makes the madness of March so fantastic. In the event that the Zags, Racers, Panthers, Saints, Monarchs, and/or Bulldogs happens to lose a game in the next week or so in their conference tournaments, they’ll be thrust into the at-large pool with the rest of you suckers that are groveling to the Selection Committee to put you in the field of 65 in spite of the fact that you have obvious flaws on your resumes. In the cases of Gonzaga, Northern Iowa, and Butler, they’re not going to join the 40 of you that are praying to get in. They’re going to join the 14 that already know that they’re in the driver’s seat.

For Murray State, Siena, and Old Dominion, not winning their conference tournaments may leave them in the NIT. Or maybe it won’t. One thing is for certain, though. If you happened to lose to one of these three teams in the regular season (I’m looking at you Georgetown and Charlotte!), you’d better hope that that team gets into the field via the automatic bid, because if they don’t, you’re going to be subjected to having the Dikembe Mutombo finger waved at you for having lost the head-to-head series against a fellow bubble dweller.

The beauty about college basketball though, is that virtually everyone gets a chance. If you want to play in the NCAA Tournament, play your way into the field. Keep winning in your conference tournaments, and you’ll find your way onto the dance floor one way or the other.

If not and your bubble pops, don’t go blaming anyone but yourself.

Let the madness of March begin…

List of Current Odds to Win The 2010 NCAA Tournament Can Be Found Below!

March Madness odds differ from sportsbook to sportsbook, and when you’re trying to find which team you’d like to place your college basketball betting wagers on, it’s important to find the best numbers possible. Here’s at Bankroll Sports, we’re on top of everything and giving you your free NCAA Tournament picks to cash in on this spring.

**Click Here For The World’s Greatest Basketball Betting System**

Keep an eye on the Kentucky Wildcats. They’ve got one of the most well-rounded teams in the nation and have arguably the country’s most explosive player in G John Wall. Coming into this weekend, Wall is averaging 17.1 points and 6.4 assists per game. HC John Calipari has a great history of leading teams deep into the NCAA Tournament, and this year should be no exception. Fs Patrick Patterson and F DeMarcus Cousins also make up one of the best inside duos in the country as well, and assuming that the Cats ultimately end up with a #1 seed in the dance, they’re going to be a real steal at +300 at BoDog Sportsbook.
If you’re looking for some teams with longer odds to win the whole thing that may have some tremendous value later down the line, how about taking a look at some of these…

New Mexico Lobos +10000 at Oddsmaker (110% Bonus)
BYU Cougars +10000 at Oddsmaker (110% Bonus)
Xavier Musketeers +12500 at Oddsmaker (100% Bonus)
Northern Iowa Panthers +25000 at Oddsmaker (100% Bonus)
Missouri Tigers +20000 at Oddsmaker (110% Bonus)

The logic behind all of these teams are exactly the same. Each of these five teams are certainly going to make the NCAA Tournament. In the event of the Lobos and Cougars, they may be #3 or #4 seeds in the tourney. Xavier, Northern Iowa, and Missouri are probably all going to be favorites in the first round of the dance. All of these squads have the ability to reach the Sweet 16 without any hassles whatsoever, and add 100/1 or better on each, you may be able to put yourself in a position to make a ton of money just by scalping games if any of them do reach the Elite Eight or the Final Four.

On the flip side of things, there are a number of teams that you’re going to want to avoid as well when you’re banking on the NCAA Basketball Tournament Odds. There’s no way that you should invest in the defending national champs, the North Carolina Tar Heels. The Heels have virtually no chance of getting an at-large berth to the tourney, and unless they have a run to the ACC Championship in them, they probably won’t sniff the field. Even if it does get in, Carolina’s 75/1 or so probably isn’t anywhere near worth it. Virtually the same could be said about the Connecticut Huskies (+5000), Louisville Cardinals (+6000), and Memphis Tigers (+10000).

The books will also try to trap you by placing odds on the board on teams that probably aren’t even going to get a chance to lace up their dancing shoes. At least each of those teams listed above has a chance of making it to the Field of 65. BoDog Sportsbook currently has odds available on a number of teams that may not even make the NIT. Be sure to stay away from these at all costs, as there aren’t odds high enough on teams like Alabama and Boston College (both listed at 200-1) to make them worth betting on.

Current Odds to win the 2010 NCAA Tournament @ Oddsmaker (as of 2/20/10):
(Get a HUGE 100% Bonus up to $1000 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook When Using This Link)

Baylor +5000
Butler +7500
BYU +10000
California +7500
Clemson +7500
Connecticut +5000
Dayton +25000
Duke +1500
Florida State +20000
Georgetown +2000
Georgia Tech +10000
Gonzaga +3000
Illinois +7500
Kansas +150
Kansas State +1500
Kentucky +200
Louisville +6000
Marquette +15000
Maryland +5000
Michigan State +1200
Mississippi +7500
Mississippi State +12500
Missouri +20000
New Mexico +7500
Northern Iowa +20000
Old Dominion +25000
Ohio State +800
Oklahoma State +25000
Pittsburgh +4000
Purdue +1000
Rhode Island +20000
San Diego State +20000
Siena +12500
St. Mary’s +15000
Syracuse +300
Temple +12500
Tennessee +4000
Texas +800
Tulsa +25000
UAB +15000
UNLV +20000
UTEP +25000
Utah State +25000
Vanderbilt +12500
Villanova +500
Wake Forest +5000
West Virginia +1500
Wisconsin +4000
Xavier +12500

Current 2010 March Madness Odds @ Bodog Sportsbook (as of 2/20/10):
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Baylor 55/1
Butler 40/1
BYU 50/1
California 60/1
Cincinnati 100/1
Clemson 75/1
Connecticut 40/1
Dayton 100/1
Duke 15/1
Florida 100/1
Florida State 100/1
Georgetown 30/1
Georgia Tech 75/1
Gonzaga 50/1
Illinois 55/1
Kansas 2/1
Kansas State 28/1
Kentucky 4/1
Louisville 60/1
Marquette 100/1
Maryland 75/1
Memphis 100/1
Michigan 150/1
Michigan State 15/1
Minnesota 75/1
Mississippi 100/1
Mississippi State 60/1
Missouri 100/1
North Carolina 75/1
Notre Dame 75/1
Ohio State 15/1
Oklahoma State 80/1
Pittsburgh 50/1
Purdue 15/1
Siena 100/1
Syracuse 6/1
Tennessee 40/1
Texas 10/1
Texas A&M 100/1
Villanova 13/2
Virginia Tech 100/1
Wake Forest 60/1
Washington 60/1
West Virginia 20/1
Wisconsin 45/1
Xavier 60/1

The stage for the Final Four is set and we anxiously await one of the most famous spectacles in sports that will take place in Detroit, Michigan this Saturday. The road was definitely long and tough for the remaining teams left competing for a National Championship. Here at Bankrollsports, we nearly predicted all four teams in this year’s Final Four. The Louisville Cardinals were our pick out of the Midwest, but they fell one game short against Michigan State in the Elite Eight. However Connecticut, North Carolina, and our surprise team Villanova pulled through giving us a pretty impressive run. We will now turn the attention to the Final Four outlook and all the betting odds to take advantage of from the major sportsbooks like BetUS, Bodog, Justbet, and more. Take advantage of the final games of the season and close out the college basketball season by adding a few dollars to your wallet with considering some of these exciting prop bets.

Prop Bet #1 – Player to score most points

This prop bet is one that could be taken advantage of from many angles. Breaking down the way the Final Four is expected to unfold is that Michigan State and Connecticut could be in for a low scoring type game. While just on the other side, Villanova and North Carolina are extremely fast pace high scoring offenses that will likely rack up a lot of points. The game between North Carolina and Villanova is definitely best suited for a player to have a big night in scoring. While both teams have many weapons on offense, their guard play on both teams is extremely strong. We will take Tyler Hansbrough to be a big difference on the inside for the Tarheels. After all Hansbrough was the Player of the Year in 2008 and returned for his senior season to win a National Championship meaning now would be the perfect time for a veteran player to have a breakout performance.

Pick – Tyler Hansbrough (+200)
(Line @ BetUS Sportsbook – 100% Bonus Using This Link)

Prop Bet #2 – Team to score first 10 points first? (North Carolina or Villanova)

Here is a simple analysis of how both teams’ get started in basketball games. North Carolina tends to get off to slow starts despite their explosive potential. Villanova has really gotten off to strong starts the entire tournament outside of their very first game in round 1 against American. The Wildcats really play tenacious defense and fly around the ball. Villanova speed will be difficult for North Carolina to anticipate especially coming out of the gates. Take consideration that everyone is expecting the Tarheels to win the game and they are receiving heavy favoring odds in this prop bet. However, Villanova likely comes out surprising North Carolina with their quickness and gets to the 10 point mark first. North Carolina just may need some time to adjust and we believe they will lose the battle to 10, but may win the war.

Pick – Villanova (+120)
(Line @ Bodog Sportsbook – 10% “No-Commitment” Bonus Using This Link)

Prop Bet #3 – 10 three pointers Over/Under? (Connecticut vs. Michigan State)

Looking at the numbers on paper the under bet perhaps may look the most intriguing. Connecticut attempts less 3 point shots than any team left in the tournament while Michigan State is known to drain a few every outing. However, this match-up is expected to be a grudge match especially on the inside. Think about what usually happens in these types of game and that is the 3 point shot becomes the difference maker in the contest. Expect Michigan State to make their share of shots behind the arc, but also expect Connecticut to drain a lot more than normal as well.

Pick – Over 10 (-120)
(Line @ Bodog Sportsbook – 10% No-Commitment Bonus Using This Link)

Prop Bet #4 – Total Points for Kalin Lucas 13.5 O/U?

Goran Suton has been the most consistent performer for Michigan State throughout the tournament. Suton has posted right at 20 points against Louisville and Kansas in march to the Final Four. However, Suton will be meeting the 7’3 Hasheem Thabeet inside the paint in this particular match-up. While both players are extremely talented and can have big nights, expect them to make it difficult for the other. Without Suton posting big numbers, Michigan State will desperately need someone to step up. Kalin Lucas has led the team all year in scoring and this will be a perfect scenario for him to score some points. The question here is not if he will score over 13.5 points, but will he be able to score enough to get the Spartans the victory.

Pick – Over 13.5 -120
(Line @ Bodog Sportsbook – 10% No-Commitment Bonus Using This Link)

Prop Bet #5 – Odds to win the 2009 NCAA Tournament MVP

The final prop bet left on the board is likely the most exciting as well although difficult to predict. The Tournament MVP usually comes from a member from a team competing in the Championship game if not the National Championship team. Then you have to look at who is best suitable to be in the National Championship, who has played really well so far, and who is likely to play well in the Final Four. One name comes to mind that gives a check mark for all scenarios and this is Ty Lawson. Remember Lawson came into the Tournament hampered with an ankle injury. However, Lawson has really been the X factor for North Carolina in March and nobody has been able to defend the talented junior guard. Lawson is averaging 20 points per game in his 3 outings in the Tournament despite missing the first round. This pick revolves around a few expectations. First we are banking that the Tarheels overcome Villanova and make it to the Championship game. Second up to this point their has not been anyone more impressive than Lawson and who is playing better basketball at this point in the season. With that combination, Lawson should be fit for the MVP.

Pick – Ty Lawson 7/2
(Line @ Bodog Sportsbook – 10% No-Commitment Bonus Using This Link)

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The first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament flashed by so quick it was hard to evaluate how all the teams looked in their games. One of the most interesting aspects of the 2009 NCAA Tournament perhaps could be the lack of upsets compared to recent years. Outside of 12th seeded Arizona and 5th seeded Purdue, all of the remaining teams left in the March Madness venue have at least a 4th seeded ranking or higher. However, this means that all of these heavily favored teams will be squaring off in the next round meaning anything can happen. We take a look at the updated odds to win the 2009 NCAA Basketball Championship with our remaining sixteen teams and who you may what to consider placing a wager on to win it all.

The leading favorites to win the NCAA Tournament are the North Carolina Tarheels. The Tarheels are 3/1 favorites to win it all coming out of the South bracket. North Carolina was predicted by our initial NCAA Tournament predictions to at least make it to the Final Four. The reason is fairly simple and it is the South bracket is perhaps the weakest bracket in the Tournament if there ever were a weak bracket. The Tarheels get Gonzaga in the Sweet Sixteen and they should be able to take care of business. North Carolina’s lineup is so deep which makes them a favorable team to place a bet on. Ty Lawson is playing extremely well back from his injury and so is the rest of the star studded roster. All year people have regarded North Carolina as being the most talented team in the country and now they only have a few games left to back that claim.

One team receiving the least favorable odds to win the Championship is a team that many thought did not even deserve to be in the big dance. The Arizona Wildcats received severe criticism for being selected into the NCAA Tournament after losing 5 of their last 6 games this season with a mediocre at best record of 19-13. However, Arizona has silenced the critics early on in March Madness upsetting 5th seeded Utah and then beating no. 13 Cleveland State to earn their trip to the sweet sixteen. The Wildcats are receiving 50/1 odds to win the Championship meaning they would be a long shot, but jackpot style winning pick if they could pull of the Title run as heavy underdogs. Arizona may be worth just the slightest interest considering these guys still have a lot to prove. Possibly just placing like the smallest of bets in hopes of the big payoff. On the other hand, history tells us that the big underdogs are not ones to consider for a wager. There has only been one number 12 seed to ever make it to the Elite Eight and never has a number one seed won the National Championship. Then again college basketball seems to always re-write history in the NCAA Tournament.

One of our upset prediction teams to really make some noise in the NCAA Tournament is receiving very good odds to win it all. The Villanova Wildcats looked very solid blowing out UCLA by 20 points to earn a sweet sixteen bid. Villanova seems to be a big underdog to come out of the East bracket, but they just may be the team to pull of the feat. Villanova is receiving 22/1 odds to win the National Championship while also receiving 2.5/1 odds to win the East. Villanova as mentioned before could present a lot of problems for the Duke Blue Devils in their sweet sixteen battle set for this Thursday. If the Wildcats could pull of the victory, they could get a mid-season re-match with Pittsburgh. Villanova looked strong over the Panthers in that victory 67-57 and would be one of the only teams Pittsburgh may really hope they do not face. Anything is possible if Villanova can get the next two big wins considering they would be riding a huge wave of momentum entering the final four which makes 22/1 odds look profitable if everything was to play out.

One final aspect left to consider when determining who to place some money on to win the National Championship is the number 1 seeds and how they will play out. Number 1 seeded teams have backed up their pre-tournament rankings when looking at the history of the NCAA Tournament. 14 times in the last 30 years which is nearly 50% of the team does a number one seed win the National Championship. Last season for the first time ever the Final Four was composed of all number one seeds and that could happen again this year if everything were to play out. Taking a look at the number one seeds you have Pittsburgh at 6/1, Louisville Cardinals at 4/1, Connecticut Huskies at 6/1, and North Carolina Tar Heels at 3/1 odds to win it all. Basically giving fairly descent odds to any of the number 1 seeds you have a feeling will be able to win it all. Legitimate arguments can be made for all of these teams to have good chances to be crowned Champions of College Basketball. The hard thing to do is figuring out which team it will be now and making the most profit off your bet.

Here are the current odds to win the 2009 NCAA baskeball Championship for all the elite 8 teams from BetUS Sportsbook:

• Connecticut      +450
• Louisville      +300  
• Michigan State      +1500  
• Missouri      +1400  
• North Carolina      +250  
• Oklahoma      +1200  
• Pittsburgh      +550  
• Villanova      +900

March Madness has struck hard in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. There were plenty of exciting games and a few big upsets that surely have busted many people’s brackets. The unexpected is inescapable as we head into the second round of the tournament. Taking a look at how some of the team’s have played there are many things to evaluate after round one to give everyone an idea of what to expect in the days to come. We will take a look at the teams that looked good and those that really struggled in their opening performances. The biggest shocker of the opening round came from last nights upset where 13 seed Cleveland State took down a former number 1 from earlier this season no. 4 seed Wake Forest in a big win 84-69. Cleveland State dominated the game becoming the lowest seed to win in the first round.

One of the most interesting aspects of the opening round was how the Big East teams that really disappointed. The heralded conference put 9 teams in the top 25 at once this season and many thought they would really shine in the NCAA Tournament including some of our predictions. However, the majority of these schools underperformed to say the least. No. 6 seed West Virginia lost to the Dayton Flyers in a shocking defeat. Dayton controlled the entire part of the game and West Virginia never really got any type of rhythm knocking off one of the teams from the Big East that many figured would make a solid run in the tournament.

While the Mountaineers were the only Big East School to actually get beat, there were a few others that barely escaped upsets. One of our teams to watch for the NCAA Tournament which is the Marquette Golden Eagles held on in an exciting clutch win over 11 seed Utah State 58-57. Utah State held the Golden Eagles to their second lowest scoring total of the season narrowly missing what would have been a huge upset for the Aggies. Another Big East school that did not overly impress was the Villanova Wildcats at least for one half of play. Villanova trailed 14 seed American by 10 points at the half. However the Wildcats did come out and play well in the 2nd half coming back to win by 13 points. Still the performance was anything but convincing. These two schools were really expected to shine well in the Tournament, but have left many wondering if they will be able to make it past the next round.

The no. 6 seed UCLA Bruins barely escaped an embarrassing upset from Virginia Commonwealth. The Bruins only got 5 points from their entire bench in the disappointing performance and they will take on Villanova in round 2. After two disappointing performances from both teams, it will be interesting to see who steps up and plays like they were expected entering the tournament.

Nearly all the number 1 and 2 seeds took care of business like expected in the opening rounds. Pittsburgh beat East Tennessee State by only 10 points which was the closest margin of victory for any top seeded team. Number 2 rated teams Duke, Memphis, Oklahoma, and Michigan State all won without many problems. There was also not a single loss from the number 3 and 4 seeded teams outside of Wake Forest in the opening round.

Breaking down some of the most impressive teams in the first round were mainly some of the teams from out west residing in the Pac-10. No. 12 seed Arizona was one of the lowest rated seeds to pull off a first round upset over no. 5 seed Utah. The Wildcats strong showings from Nic Wise and Chase Budinger as they controlled the game from start to finish. There were many people who felt like Arizona was one of the least deserving teams to make the Tournament after losing 5 of their last 6 games of the season. However, the Wildcats silenced those critics from selection Sunday with a very impressive 84-71 victory as they move on to play Cleveland State.

The USC Trojans were another member from the Pac-10 that really looked good on Friday. USC hammered Boston College on Friday by a score of 72-55. Taj Gibson, DeMar DeRozan, and Dwight Lewis combined for more points than the entire Boston College team with 62 points. The Trojans momentum from the Pac-10 Tournament has definitely carried over into the NCAA Tournament and they could give Michigan State all they can handle in round 2. Do not be surprise if the momentum continues and they pull off another big win.

Another team to keep on the radar this week is Texas A&M. The Aggies looked strong in their 79-66 win over BYU on Thursday. Junior forward Bryan Davis led the scoring effort knocking down 21 points in the win over BYU. Unfortunately, Texas A&M gets no. 1 seed Connecticut next diminishing any big hopes for the run to continue. However, if Texas A&M can come out playing well they are the type team that could present problems for Connecticut. While an upset over top rated Connecticut seems near impossible, don’t be surprised if the Aggies hang around for a while. The question is how long will they be able to hang with the Huskies?

In final notes there were few more teams that came away from the opening two days on high praises. Late last night Wisconsin pulled off an overtime thriller against a solid Florida State team 61-59. Western Kentucky pulled off an upset of their own 76-72 over the Fighting Illini of Illinois These two teams were part of another group that many expected to a one and out, but will never have chances to continue their season. Be sure to check back in after the round two games as we will have a full break down of the sweet sixteen with a more in depth preview of what to expect as the tournament progresses.