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Sleeper Squads
By Mike Rose
VegasInsider.com
It's the best week of the year for college basketball betting fans, as every team in every conference has a shot to play its way into the NCAA tournament. There are always clubs that come out of nowhere to steal bids, and we've got a look at some of the ones that can do some damage and blow up some bubbles in the process.
Rhode Island Rams (14-17, 16-11 ATS) – The Rams have covered their last five games, and they have gone 3-2 SU in those duels. Their only losses both came by three points to UMass and St. Joe's. Not only are the Minutemen up first, but next in line is GW. Both of those teams have already locked up their spot to the dance. With Rhode Island playing so well, the A-10 Tournament could get turned upside down, but this isn't the only team we think could prove to be problematic in Brooklyn.
La Salle Explorers (15-15, 7-19-1 ATS) – We know. That ATS record was atrocious this season for La Salle. However, last season, this team went from the First Four to the Sweet 16, and there are a lot of holdovers from that club. In fact, only Ramon Galloway is gone. Steve Zack is a better big man now, and the rest of the numbers are falling in line too, but the bottom line is that the A-10 has been a horror to try to win games in. Don't discount the possibility that, while Rhode Island is doing damage on one side of the bracket, La Salle might be blowing up the other, especially with as suspect as some of the teams at the top of the A-10 have been playing of late.
Northern Illinois Huskies (14-16, 16-11-1 ATS) - The Huskies served notice to the rest of the MAC when they upset Toledo a few weeks ago. They'll be favored against lowly Bowling Green to start off the MAC Tournament, and then it's off to a game with Buffalo, a very winnable fixture for a team which loves to take the air out of the basketball. The best part about the Huskies? They're 10-1-1 ATS in their last 12 games entering this tourney. Even if NIU doesn't win it, we know we don't want to fade it on the college basketball betting lines.
Nebraska Cornhuskers (18-11, 19-10 ATS) – Why? Do you have a better idea who is winning the Big Ten Tournament? The Cornhuskers are the fourth seed in this tournament, but they'll be dogs in every game which they play for sure. However, they already have upsets of Wisconsin and Michigan State of late, and they are 8-1 SU and 7-2 ATS in their last nine. Why “Nebrasketball” you ask? Why not?!
Alabama Crimson Tide (13-18, 11-14-3 ATS) – Florida is winning the SEC. We know this. There's a reason that the team didn't lose a conference game all season long. But if you look at the rest of the draw Alabama is set to face, and you realize that Trevor Releford is Alabama's answer to the crazy stuff which Marshall Henderson does for Ole Miss, you'll realize that maybe we're not so crazy. LSU seems destined to crash out of this tournament in a hurry, and up next would be Kentucky, who could beat Bama by 30 or lose by 20. The Tide’s covered their last three (including nearly beating Kentucky), and they at least have to think they can make it to the weekend at the Georgia Dome whether anyone else believes in them or not.
By Mike Rose
VegasInsider.com
It's the best week of the year for college basketball betting fans, as every team in every conference has a shot to play its way into the NCAA tournament. There are always clubs that come out of nowhere to steal bids, and we've got a look at some of the ones that can do some damage and blow up some bubbles in the process.
Rhode Island Rams (14-17, 16-11 ATS) – The Rams have covered their last five games, and they have gone 3-2 SU in those duels. Their only losses both came by three points to UMass and St. Joe's. Not only are the Minutemen up first, but next in line is GW. Both of those teams have already locked up their spot to the dance. With Rhode Island playing so well, the A-10 Tournament could get turned upside down, but this isn't the only team we think could prove to be problematic in Brooklyn.
La Salle Explorers (15-15, 7-19-1 ATS) – We know. That ATS record was atrocious this season for La Salle. However, last season, this team went from the First Four to the Sweet 16, and there are a lot of holdovers from that club. In fact, only Ramon Galloway is gone. Steve Zack is a better big man now, and the rest of the numbers are falling in line too, but the bottom line is that the A-10 has been a horror to try to win games in. Don't discount the possibility that, while Rhode Island is doing damage on one side of the bracket, La Salle might be blowing up the other, especially with as suspect as some of the teams at the top of the A-10 have been playing of late.
Northern Illinois Huskies (14-16, 16-11-1 ATS) - The Huskies served notice to the rest of the MAC when they upset Toledo a few weeks ago. They'll be favored against lowly Bowling Green to start off the MAC Tournament, and then it's off to a game with Buffalo, a very winnable fixture for a team which loves to take the air out of the basketball. The best part about the Huskies? They're 10-1-1 ATS in their last 12 games entering this tourney. Even if NIU doesn't win it, we know we don't want to fade it on the college basketball betting lines.
Nebraska Cornhuskers (18-11, 19-10 ATS) – Why? Do you have a better idea who is winning the Big Ten Tournament? The Cornhuskers are the fourth seed in this tournament, but they'll be dogs in every game which they play for sure. However, they already have upsets of Wisconsin and Michigan State of late, and they are 8-1 SU and 7-2 ATS in their last nine. Why “Nebrasketball” you ask? Why not?!
Alabama Crimson Tide (13-18, 11-14-3 ATS) – Florida is winning the SEC. We know this. There's a reason that the team didn't lose a conference game all season long. But if you look at the rest of the draw Alabama is set to face, and you realize that Trevor Releford is Alabama's answer to the crazy stuff which Marshall Henderson does for Ole Miss, you'll realize that maybe we're not so crazy. LSU seems destined to crash out of this tournament in a hurry, and up next would be Kentucky, who could beat Bama by 30 or lose by 20. The Tide’s covered their last three (including nearly beating Kentucky), and they at least have to think they can make it to the weekend at the Georgia Dome whether anyone else believes in them or not.
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