Mad, The (2006)

March 17 is, of course, the day everyone is Irish, and is also the midpoint between the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament (March 16-19, 2006). You are a fool if you do not know who is April 1 when the Final Four competition begins with the NCAA national championship is determined on April 3.

It is a crazy time of year and all around college basketball embraces the madness of my heart. If you intend to bet on March Madness-the greatest sporting event of the month, and one of the most heavily completed each year you might want some facts when choosing your materials or make a team on the team challenge.

March Madness has 65 teams from some of the best known and also some of the lesser known conferences Hoop college. Of course, you will see teams from the prestigious Atlantic Coast, Big East, PAC-10, SEC, Big 12 and Big 10, and you will also find various conferences represented as Atlantic Metro, Big Sky, Big South and East America . Most fans have heard of and know something about the teams more competitive conference, but schools in conferences that are not monitored during the year are often difficult even for experts to analyze.

In the first round, seeds from the bottom up fight against the seed with the results are generally predictable, the top seeds in most cases not win. However, as far as covering goes, that's another story. When you look at the teams of lower rank underdog conferences rarely win, but about half the time they beat the spread, which states "upset" for the bettor.

Whether you are planning the first round or focused on the Sweet Sixteen, which is when your choice is extremely difficult, here are some guidelines to help you make productive paris.

Ranked number 1? Big Deal

Over the past 20 years, the national team is number one in the tournament has won only three times. Since 1966, the three best teams in NCAA all competed in the Final Four once. Let's face it, most teams participating in March Madness are very good and when you get down to it, what is the difference between the team and seventh-ranked first? Not much. This is particularly true in a sport where, during the regular season, there was practically no head-to-head matches between the original participants in the tournament. An additional flight in the ointment this year's changes are numerous conferences that the teams have, with more than a half-dozen contenders perennial March Madness switching leagues.

The key is do your homework. Inquire about the teams and find one or two experts who crunched the numbers for you and really analyze each club depending on how they performed in various situations.

Some things will not change (probably):

Teams that play well on the road tend to do well in March Madness frenzy, where almost every team, except for seeds, the game far from comfortable, familiar surroundings. So if a team has been a road warrior all season, they will probably continue to be that animal even Mars and perhaps in April.

During March Madness teams usually strengthen the scene to a very high level. If throughout the regular season a team has played and beaten good teams consistently, chances are they will continue to do so from March 14 to April 3. It is a hard, grueling tournament, and you want to back teams that can mount the challenge every time. Who are they? They tend to be clubs that have been building all season.

More experience and less talent will often beat more talented and less experienced. Why? The nature of March Madness. The teams are under great pressure, playing in arenas and unknown to the national honor against teams they have never.