Conference Tournament season is right around the corner with the NCAA Tournament lagging right behind. Artificial bragging rights have all been secured but for a few conferences across the country. That means it’s time to start breaking down the teams we know will make the Field of 68 for once the Madness of March comes up on the calendar. But what about the teams whose future is hanging in the balance? The Kentucky Wildcats were one of those teams before righting the ship the last few weeks. Betting odds to be selected to the 2023 March Madness Tournament are currently on the board at BetRivers Sportsbook, so let’s dig into them and see if we can’t add a few more shekels to the bottom line to invest with for when the rubber meets the road in a few weeks!
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North Carolina Tar Heels: Yes -115
Currently the 44th ranked team in the country per the most up to date Pomeroy Ratings, last year’s runner-ups chances of making another run are still unknown heading into the final two weeks of play. While 16-11 overall, the North Carolina Tar Heels have only managed an 8-8 record in the down ACC and failed to log a single Quadrant 1 win through nine tries.
Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology forecast currently has Armando Bacot and Co. as one of the first four teams out heading into games @Notre Dame, Virginia, @Florida State, and back home against Duke. Should Hubert Davis’ kids find a way to hold serve in the “Dean Dome” against the Cavaliers and Dookies, it’ll be darn near close to impossible for the Selection Committee to not offer up Carolina a seat at the table.
Clemson Tigers: No -200
At one point this season, Brad Brownell’s Clemson Tigers were the toast of the ACC. But then they went out and dropped four of their last five games – the most recent being an embarrassing 83-73 loss as 10.5-point favorites at Louisville – to drop all the way into fourth place. The Tigers 3-3 record against Quad 1 opponents does absolutely nothing to boost the resume – which includes losses to Iowa and Loyola Chicago in non-con play.
Hunter Tyson and his mates best shot of sneaking into the field before the ACC Tourney would be to log wins at either NC State and/or Virginia on the road since the home matchups against Syracuse and Notre Dame would do nothing to move the needle. It’s looking like another NIT appearance is in the program’s future provided it doesn’t cut the nets down in Greensboro.
Wisconsin Badgers: Yes -115
An NCAA Tournament without the Wisconsin Badgers just doesn’t feel like an NCAA Tournament. The program has only missed out on Big Dance festivities five times since I was a senior in high school! While the team still brings it at the defensive end of the court (No. 28), the offense is what’s hindered Greg Gard’s squad all season long. That however could be changing now that Connor Essegian has started to come into his own to become a consistent scoring threat game in and game out.
Though Bucky Badger stands 2-2 SU its last four games, the two losses came to Rutgers by a point and to Nebraska in overtime on the road a game removed from winning an overtime thriller in Happy Valley the game prior. A good showing in its next three games against Iowa, @Michigan, and Purdue will give this team the self-confidence needed to make a surprise run in the Big Ten Tournament. The opportunity is there for Wiscy to solidify a spot in the dance, and I don’t think Tyler Wahl and Co. let it slip through their fingers.
West Virginia Mountaineers: No +150
I’ve been at a loss for words about the West Virginia Mountaineers all season long. Regardless of the fact that Bob Huggins’ kids only stand 16-12 SU and have amassed a 5-10 record in Big 12 play, the Mounty’s are still looked upon favorably by analytic sites like KenPom. Even though it just snapped a three-game losing streak last time out by skunking Oklahoma State, WVU ranks out No. 21 in the country per the current Pomeroy Ratings.
All the while managing a poor 5-11 record against Quadrant 1 opponents! What you’ll notice there however is that it’s run up against upper tiered opponents a total of 16 times. That has everything to do with it being a member of the Big 12 that could arguably send all but two of ten members to the Dance. The conference is no joke as evidenced by three teams – Kansas, Baylor, and Texas – all clocking in with potential No. 1 or 2 seeds per ESPN’s Bracketology. Sorry, but this team has been riding the B12 coat tails far too long, and I ultimately foresee Texas Tech jumping them to become the eighth Big 12 team that punches a ticket to the Dance.
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