Characteristics of Schools that Go Deep into March Madness

How can you tell a Team is going to be a Contender?

The NCAA Basketball Tournament features 68 teams and 67 games. And although the number of teams and the range of games may seem random, they aren’t. The basic idea is that the best teams are given the biggest advantage as they take on the weakest teams in this single elimination tourney. What are some of the characteristics of teams that tend to boogie the longest in the Big Dance? Here are a few to consider.

Characteristics of Teams that Go Deep

  • Number one seeds. Need we say more?
  • They won their conference championship.
  • They won high-pressure regular season games out of conference.
  • They have at least two marquee players.
  • They shoot lots of fouls and convert a high percentage of them.
  • They don’t foul much.
  • They went deep last time and four of five starters have returned.
  • They have been amazingly consistent.
  • They don’t rely on one super player to do it all.

What to Do

First, you need to identify the teams that can potentially go deep according to the attributes listed above. Then you want to see how they have done against the spread this season. Additionally, you must once again do a thorough analysis of each game.

They Win but don’t Cover

Let’s say you wager on a few teams in round one and they win but do not cover? What should you do next time? That really depends on a few things and it involves a process that includes:

  • Listening to post-game interviews with the head coach.
  • Analyzing what happened in the game that stopped them from beating the spread.
  • Analyzing the next matchup to see if the next team offers the same challenges.
  • Considering the spread in relationship to the matchup.
  • Analyzing how their new opponent won their game and how their schemes and players may affect the outcome and the spread.

The Moneyline

If after all of your work, you find that you’re unsure of the spread, you may want to go with the moneyline. Sometimes that’s your only alternative. If you’re sure of the winner and you can fine a line (sometimes you can’t), then bet on it.