'canes, Gaels Lead List Of March Madness Bubble Teams
March Madness betting is almost complete, as the conference tournaments will all be over this weekend, and Selection Sunday hands out the remaining bids. Here is a look at five teams who need big performances in their tournaments, and those who bet on sports should pay attention, because it's often the bubble teams that can emerge as Cinderella for the "Big Dance".
Miami
The Hurricanes were a preseason top-25 team, but they endured a brutal nine-game stretch in which they won only twice, and lost three overtime games. Outside of home wins over Florida State and Wake Forest, the Hurricanes haven't really beat anyone this year, and they have to be one of the biggest sportsbook disappointments this year.
Saint Mary's
The Gaels were hurt by a nine-game injury to star guard Patty Mills, and a massive loss to Gonzaga in the West Coast tournament was the last thing they needed. The Gaels have two solid wins on their resume, against Utah State and San Diego State, but will that be enough?
Florida
The Gators were back-to-back champions in 2007, but they find themselves in trouble in 2009. The weakness of the SEC doesn't help any, and neither does a disgusting loss to an awful Georgia team, albeit on the road. Beating Washington and South Carolina should count for something, but even if they make the Tournament, the Gators are probably a year away from being serious March Madness betting contenders.
Arizona
Inconsistency has tamed the Wildcats this year, as a three-game losing skid was followed by a seven-game winning streak, and then they lost four straight before beating lowly Stanford. Splitting their meetings with UCLA and USC is a good thing, as well as wins over Washington, Gonzaga and Kansas, but a terrible road record and a sweep at the hands of Arizona State could be their downfall. The Wildcats are probably the toughest call for voters to make.
Michigan
The Wolverines had one of the toughest schedules in the country, and came out okay with wins over Duke and UCLA. However, they were inconsistent in the Big Ten, and losing to a really bad Iowa team doesn't help matters. The Wolverines can probably get in with a single win in the Big 10 Tournament, but March Madness betting players are advised to stay away, as Michigan was very poor when away from home.
