Two Sports Forum: 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball

Discussion in 'Men's College Basketball' started by UncleRico, Feb 27, 2012.

  1. UncleRico

    UncleRico Suspended

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2010
    Messages:
    188
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Who Will Be The Third And Fourth Top Seeds In The NCAA Tournament?

    Sports betting experts and college basketball betting experts are already immersed in one of the more contentious debates of a season that is winding its way to the finish line, before the explosion of tournament basketball in the month of March: Which two teams will grab the final two number one seeds in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, which begins on Tuesday, March 13?

    The Kentucky Wildcats and the Syracuse Orange – who entered the middle of February with just one loss apiece – have nailed down the top two number one seeds in the Big Dance. Even if the Wildcats and Orange were to lose in their conference tournaments, their bodies of work are still far too strong for them to drop to the number two seed line on Selection Sunday, which is March 11. Syracuse will be the top seed in the East region, and Kentucky will be the top seed in either the South or Midwest region. The real debate begins with the other two number one seeds. The Duke Blue Devils shot up the charts when they beat North Carolina on the road, but then again, coach Mike Krzyzewski’s team lost at home to both Florida State and (especially) Miami. Add in a loss to Temple, and Duke is far from a lock for the top spot. Ohio State could certainly make a case for a No. 1 seed, but the Buckeyes are being pushed by Michigan State in the Big Ten Conference and will surely need to beat the Spartans outright if they want to feel good about their chances for a No. 1 slot. Missouri and Kansas also have legitimate claims to one of the remaining top seeds on the board. Kansas might beat Missouri this upcoming weekend, but one needs to remember that a victory would merely give the Jayhawks a season split with Mizzou. Kansas lost a game in Kansas City to Davidson from the Southern Conference, which means that the Jayhawks are not quite a lock for a top seed even if they do beat Missouri on Feb. 25.

    Let’s ask the question then in a more specific way:

    If Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference), Ohio State (Big Ten Conference), and either Kansas or Missouri (Big 12 Conference) all win their respective league tournaments or achieve at the same level in their conference tournaments, which two teams should get the remaining number one seeds in the NCAA Tournament?

    If you want to make a sports bet on the NCAA Tournament, the seedings certainly play a part in shaping the proceedings. This is why it’s important to pay attention to the seeds on Selection Sunday. However, as a word of caution, it’s also important to account for the draws. Basketball is a sport of matchups, especially so at the collegiate level, since this is a knockout tournament and not the best-of-seven-series festival known as the NBA Playoffs. Moreover, the NCAA Tournament is a neutral-site tournament, meaning that teams will get placed in different regions. Sometimes, a No. 1 seed in a remote geographical region is worse than getting a No. 2 seed in a geographically proximate location. Think about these topics as you decide which teams will fill out the four number one seeds in the 2012 edition of March Madness.
     

Share This Page