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UCLA and Tennessee lead way into NCAA Conference Championships |
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Written by Martin Bishop
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Wednesday, 12 March 2008 |
“NCAA Championship Week” signifies the beginning of a torrid stretch for college hoops fans and bettors, as conference championship tournaments take place across the country. UCLA will look to continue their stranglehold on the Pac-10, while Tennessee is the cream of the crop in the SEC.
The Pac-10 has three teams currently in the top 25, powered by conference favorites UCLA. The Bruins received some favorable calls in their final two games of the season, but that is no knock on their talent. Top to bottom, UCLA are one of the deepest teams in the country and have a bonafide low-post star in freshman Kevin Love. Stanford fell just short in their bid to upset the Bruins, and they could surprise some people in the NCAA tournament if twin brothers Brook and Robin Lopez play to their massive potential.
 Washington State have flown under the radar for most of the season, but with their defense, the Cougars could be a thorn in the side of the top two teams. USC has freshman phenom O.J. Mayo, and the Trojans are tremendously talented but very young and inexperienced. If they can limit their turnovers, USC can play with any team in the nation. But the Bruins appear to be too strong for their conference rivals, and a win in the Pac-10 tournament will sew up a top seed in the NCAAs for UCLA.
The Volunteers were one of the best in the country over the final two months of the season, winning nine of their final ten games and even holding the No.1 spot in the nation for a brief period. Their win at Memphis proved that the Vols could play with the top teams, and head coach Bruce Pearl has done as good a job as anyone in the land. Mississippi State barely got any press this season, but they cruised to first place in the SEC West behind a balanced offensive attack. Kentucky was another streaky school this season, as the Wildcats won 11 of their last 13 games.
However, the loss of Patrick Patterson is probably one that will not be fully felt until the later rounds of this tournament, as well as the NCAA tournament. Vanderbilt knocked Tennessee out of the No.1 spot, and Shan Foster is getting hot just at the right time as he has the ability to carry the Commodores on his back. Look for a Vanderbilt-Tennessee rematch in the SEC finals, with the Volunteers avenging their loss to the Commodores to claim the conference title.
For more props and odds on NCAA basketball as we approach “March Madness”, visit BetOnline.com for the most exciting experience in the sports betting industry.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 March 2008 )
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