Shoot The Rock – Betting Power College Basketball Tournaments and Free Picks

Betting College Basketball Tournaments and Free Picks

The big conferences take center stage this week, and GamblersWORLD has taken six of the top seven conferences according to KenPom, supplying you with useful betting information. We have the top seeds, odds, along with free picks and top betting tips.

Big 12 

*SEEDS*

1. Arizona (-105 odds)
2. Houston (+220)
3. Kansas (+800)
4. Texas Tech (13-1)
5. Iowa State  (+750)
6. TCU (60-1)
7. West Virginia (160-1)
8. UCF (500-1)
9. Cincinnati (45-1)
10. BYU  (150-1)

Winner: This won’t be our last chalky pick here. We are convinced Arizona can win not only the Big 12 tourney, but the whole thing in April. They have the offense as per usual, with different players able to take over in any given contest. What separates this coach Tommy Lloyd squad is a defense that plays 40 minutes. This helps them overcome empty scoring trips. You can never dismiss Houston; nonetheless, the defense, while as sound as ever, gives up points in the paint to stronger opponents.

Dark Horse: Based strictly on results and potential, Iowa State can win the Big 12 with a hot weekend of shooting, because the defense is sound.

Betting Tips: In the Big 12, watch for the outcomes of the games. Those decided by single digits find the winning club just 12-32 SU and 16-28 ATS in the next outing.

Big 12 semifinal favorites have a chalky feel at 19-3 SU and 16-6 ATS the past 11 tourneys.

Big East

*SEEDS*

1. St. John’s (+185 odds)
2. UConn (+100)
3. Villanova (+650)
4. Seton Hall (14-1)
5. Creighton (40-1)
6. DePaul (110-1)

Winner: Maybe Connecticut has peaked. We will find out this week in the Big Apple. Yet, the Huskies really have something to play for, and if coach Hurley can’t get through to this group this week, you have to wonder if UConn is even Elite 8 material. St. John’s could definitely do a double (regular and postseason winner), but we’ll say we get the Huskies at their best this weekend.

Dark Horse: Do we have to? St. John’s and Connecticut are so far superior to the rest of the conference that it’s hard to think Villanova or Seton Hall could beat both clubs to win the title. Nova and the Hall have the defense to make life hard on either opponent. However, the Wildcats’ better offense offers some hope for a pair of upsets.

Betting Tips: Watch for Big East tourney favorites in the -5 to -9.5 range. They are 25-13 SU, but the complete opposite against the number at 13-25 ATS, the last dozen at MSG.

Big East semifinal pooches crushing it at 15-5 ATS (9-11 SU).

Big East title matchups are on a 12-3 UNDER roll.

ACC

*SEEDS*

1. Duke (-350 odds)
2. Virginia (+650)
3. Miami (20-1)
4. North Carolina (22-1)
5. Clemson (40-1)
6. Louisville (+950)
7. N.C. State (50-1)
8. Florida State (130-1)

Winner: Duke losing starting point guard Caleb Foster to a broken right foot probably doesn’t hurt them enough to lose the ACC. Still, it opens the door, changing the player rotation and bench. At least the Blue Devils have time to work through the changes before next week if they keep winning. Nevertheless, Duke should appear less intimidating to foes in Charlotte.

Dark Horse: By seed, Louisville had potential, but losing ultra-talented Mikel Brown Jr. takes them out of the mix. If you want to REALLY think outside the box, Florida State finished 9-2 SU and made the most improvement of any team outside of Duke. If you find a – plays for ACC championship wager, that also could be a fun bet.

Betting Tips: ACC semifinal underdogs don’t always win (14-21 SU), but like Dos Equis beer, when you bet on them, they cover the spread at 25-7-3 ATS.

In this event, when you see totals of 140 or lower, think points as the OVER is on a 35-20 longer-term move.

Atlantic 10 

*SEEDS*

1. Saint Louis (+125 odds)
2. VCU (+180)
3. Saint Joseph’s (+1200)
4. Dayton (+750)
5. George Mason (+5000)
6. Davidson (+2500)
7. Duquesne (+6000)
8. Fordham (+20000)
9. George Washington (+1600)

Winner: VCU is clearly the second-best team in the A-10, and having lost twice to St. Louis, you know they would love to have another shot at them. Dayton doesn’t play well enough away from home for consideration. George Mason by price is attractive, yet hard to see them beating St. Louis and VCU.

Faulty Favorite: St. Louis closed 3-3 SU and played disinterestedly more than one might expect. The Billikens figure to be around an #8 or #9 seed this Sunday, and the outcome of the A-10 tourney is not going to move the needle enough by winning or not. St. Louis appears to have lost its edge.

Betting Tips: Atlantic 10 bettors should pay close attention to the quarterfinals, where favorites are on a run of 23-5 SU and 20-8 ATS.

Keep a watchful eye on the A-10 tourney total of 144 or greater. The reason, they are 22-10 to the OVER, which includes 4-0 in 2025.

SEC 

*SEEDS*

1. Florida (-180 odds)
2. Alabama (+850)
3. Arkansas (+600)
4. Vanderbilt (12-1)
5. Tennessee (+950)
6. Texas A&M (35-1)
7. Georgia (35-1)
8. Missouri (150-1)
9. Kentucky (45-1)
10. Texas (60-1)

Winner: Florida is one of the four teams currently with a legitimate opportunity to win the national championship. This is a completely different squad than a year ago and, in some ways, is more potent, if not as lethal. If there is one opponent who could knock off the Gators, it is the run-and-gun Crimson Tide. If Alabama starts dropping threes, that juices up the defense, and on a neutral floor, the Tide could make Florida uncomfortable.

Dark Horse: Vanderbilt and Tennessee are on the wrong side of the bracket with Florida. The Volunteers’ defense gives them a shot, and they are one of the few in the SEC who can muscle up with the Gators.

Betting Tips: In the SEC, the number 7 is lucky on wagers on particular aspects. Favorites of seven or more digits are on a 37-8 SU and 27-16-2 ATS runs. Th second part of the puzzle is these contests are 30-14-1 to the UNDER.

When the championship game arrives on Sunday, the favored squad is 8-2 and 7-3 ATS.

Big Ten

*SEEDS*

1. Michigan (-140 odds)
2. Nebraska (11-1)
3. Michigan State (+550)
4. Illinois (+425)
5. Wisconsin (35-1)
6. UCLA (35-1)
7. Purdue (11-1)
8. Ohio State (70-1)

Winner: Though Michigan lost to Duke, there is still a strong belief that the Wolverines are the best club in college basketball. They can play any style and beat opponents at what they like to do best, and have ample depth, even with backup guard L.J. Cason, who is done for the season with an injury. Michigan has exposed the weaknesses of the other possible contenders, and unless they fall asleep and someone makes 60% from the floor on the Wolverines, hard to pick against them.

Dark Horse: Seeing this event is in Chicago, Illinois is not a top defensive unit by any measure, but they can certainly run an excellent offense and rebound. They will have a decided home-court edge in every game they play. If they reach the semis against Michigan, they’ll have a shot to engineer the upset, and who knows from there.

Betting Tips: This conference is one of the few this week where playing off a bye is not helpful. Big Ten teams with rest are 25-14 SU, but only 13-28-2 ATS versus teams that already played in the last six tournaments.

The Big Ten tourney semifinals are 12-4 OVER most recently, including an 8-0 in higher scoring affairs.

Get more March Madness betting advice from Doug Upstone here and purchase Doug’s Premium picks here.