MARCH IS HERE! .. & you know what that means! Famous for perhaps the biggest tournament in all sports in "March Madness," this month is my favorite sporting event for a reason. Firstly, however, teams must play through their respective Conference Tournaments. Here's your 2025 CBB Conference Tournament Guide: (Odds via. DraftKings Sportsbook ... Each will be posted when they become available.)-----------------------------------------------------Atlantic Sun Conference: (March 2, 3, 6, 9)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Jacob Ognacevic (Lipscomb / Foward) - 20.3 PTS, 1.5 AST, 8.0 REBJacari Lane (North Alabama / Guard) - 16.9 PTS, 4.2 AST, 3.1 REBDevontae Blanton (Eastern Kentucky / Forward) - 16.5 PTS, 4.6 AST, 6.2 REBRobert McCray (Jacksonville / Guard) - 16.2 PTS, 4.5 AST, 4.7 REBWill Pruitt (Lipscomb / Guard) - 13.0 PTS, 2.6 AST, 5.7 REB
What To Expect:
The Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament was the first to tip off (began on Sunday.) We saw Austin Peay come back from being down 18 early in the 1st to win by 21. In the other game, Central Arkansas was able to top Stetson in a game where one of its players dropped 37 points & 11 rebounds. His name is Nehemiah Turner and he averages only 3.8 in each of those categories this season. Could he deliver again on Monday and shock Lipscomb? I don't see it happening. The two favorites in this conference are Lipscomb (22-9, 14-4) & North Alabama (22-9, 14-4.) When they matched up this season, the home team won each game. Lipscomb would be at home in the final and I don't expect them to lose it.
Burns' Selection: Lipscomb (-170)Odds To Win:
Lipscomb (-170)North Alabama (+200)Florida Gulf Coast (+900)Jacksonville (+1500)Eastern Kentucky (+2500)Queens NC (+4500)Austin Peay (+15000)Central Arkansas (+25000)-----------------------------------------------------America East Conference : (March 8, 11, 15)
5 Players To Watch Out For: Earl Timberlake (Bryant / Guard) - 15.4 PTS, 4.7 AST, 8.6 REBMax Brooks (MA Lowell / Forward) - 15.8 PTS, 1.4 AST, 7.8 REBKellen Tynes (Maine / Guard) - 12.7 PTS, 4.7 AST, 3.5 REBTJ Hurley (Vermont / Guard) - 15.8 PTS, 1.3 AST, 2.5 REBRafael Pinzon (Bryant / Guard) - 18.6 PTS, 2.3 AST, 3.0 REBWhat To Expect:Last year's winner Vermont did not begin this year very well. As a matter of fact, the Catamounts were 11-11 at one point this season. Since that point, they've won eight consecutive times, which has led Vermont to the #2 seed heading into this year's tournament. Along with Vermont, Bryant sits at the top. The Bulldogs are a very fast paced team that can score the ball at ease. Rebounding is also huge for Bryant as it averages 40.7 boards a game, sitting eighth among all teams. Although it didn't perform all that great inside the conference, a team like MA-Lowell could possibly make some noise. It matches up well with Bryant as it lost by just one in the most recent matches. With this tournament being held at the campus sites though, I find it hard to see the top two teams not making it to the final.
Burns' Selection: Vermont (+230)
Odds To Win:Bryant (-150)Vermont (+230)Maine (+750)Albany NY (+2000)UMASS Lowell (+2200)Binghamton (+5000)UMBC (+12000)New Hampshire (+18000)-----------------------------------------------------
American Athletic Conference: (March 12-16)5 Players To Watch Out For:
PJ Haggerty (Memphis / Guard) - 21.3 PTS, 3.8 AST, 5.5 REBYaxel Lendeborg (UAB / Forward) - 17.6 PTS, 4.3 ATS, 10.9 REBJamal Mashburn Jr (Temple / Guard) - 22.0 PTS, 2.2 AST, 3.0 REBDain Dainja (Memphis / Forward) - 13.2 PTS, 1.8 AST, 6.7 REBRJ Felton (East Carolina / Guard) - 18.5 PTS, 2.5 AST, 6.9 REBWhat To Expect:This is going to be a very interesting Conference Tournament. In my eyes, there are plenty of teams that could come away with the title and berth to the Big Dance. Having said that Memphis is the only team that should be in no matter what happens. North Texas could be a team that sees itself in, if it goes far. But, with this tournament being played in Fort Worth, Texas, I believe that there are at least six or seven teams that could see themselves holding their heads high after the AAC Championship on Selection Sunday. If Mashburn is healthy for the Temple Owls, they could be a team that goes deep. Wichita State is nicknamed the Shockers for a reason. It's already beaten Memphis this season. Talking about Memphis, PJ Haggerty has been something special this season. In the end, whoever comes out on top, expect this tournament to be an all out war.
Burns' Selection: TO COME..Odds To Win:n/a-----------------------------------------------------
Atlantic 10 Conference: (March 12-16)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Max Shulga (VCU / Guard) - 15.2 PTS, 3.9 AST, 5.8 REBRobbie Avila (Saint Louis / Center) - 17.5 PTS, 4.0 AST, 6.9 REBMelvin Council (St. Bonaventure / Guard) - 14.6 PTS, 4.1 AST, 5.3 REBNate Santos (Dayton / Forward) - 14.2 PTS, 1.5 AST, 5.3 REBDarius Maddox (George Mason / Guard) - 13.4 PTS, 1.1 AST, 3.1 REBWhat To Expect:As dominant as Virginia Commonwealth has looked this season, nothing is guaranteed in March. This tournament is far from a guaranteed win for the Rams and they know it. The good thing for them though is that it should be safe whether it wins this tournament or not. Winning the the only thing on everyone's mind at this moment right now though. Dayton is always going to be a tough team to beat. George Mason has looked outstanding. Saint Louis is heating up and could be a massive problem. Will Sister Jean's Loyala Chicago go Rambling on to the dance? We'll just have to wait and find out. This tournament should be electric!
Burns' Selection: TO COME.. Odds To Win:n/a-----------------------------------------------------
Atlantic Coast Conference: (March 11-15)8 Players To Watch Out For:
Cooper Flagg (Duke / Forward) - 19.3 PTS, 4.1 AST, 17.6 REBKon Knueppel (Duke / Guard) - 13.5 PTS, 2.4 AST, 3.9 REBMaxime Raynaud (Stanford / Forward) - 20.2 PTS, 1.7 AST, 10.9 REBChase Hunter (Clemson / Guard) - 16.3 PTS, 2.6 AST, 2.9 REBHunter Sallis (Wake Forest / Guard) - 18.5 PTS, 2.8 AST, 5.1 REBChucky Hepburn (Louisville / Guard) - 16.3 PTS, 6.0 AST, 3.3 REBMarkus Burton (Notre Dame / Guard) - 21.1 PTS, 3.1 AST, 3.4 REBRJ Davis (North Carolina / Guard) - 17.2 PTS, 3.9 AST, 3.6 REBWhat To Expect:Even though Clemson was able to beat Duke in an epic matchup early this season, the Blue Devils are on a mission this season and I believe that there's no stopping them in this season's ACC Tournament. Cooper Flagg has lived up to the hype and then some. Pairing him with a three point shooter in Kon Knueppel has done Duke wonders. The rest of the Blue Devils are playing their part as well this season. If there is a slight glimmer of hope for any other teams in this tournament it would have to be Clemson (only team to beat Duke in ACC,) Louisville (who's extremely hot heading in,) and/or North Carolina (with the experience that the team has in RJ Davis.) Other teams will fight, but I'm not so sure that it will end up being enough.
Burns' Selection: TO COME..Odds To Win:n/a-----------------------------------------------------
Big 12 Conference: (March 11-15)8 Players To Watch Out For:
Hunter Dickinson (Kansas / Center) - 16.9 PTS, 1.9 AST, 9.8 REBL.J. Cryer (Houston / Guard) - 14.8 PTS, 2.0 AST, 2.2 REBJ.T. Toppin (Texas Tech / Forward) - 17.3 PTS, 1.0 AST, 9.0 REBChance McMilian (Texas Tech / Guard) - 14.9 PTS, 1.7 AST, 4.2 REBCaleb Love (Arizona / Guard) - 16.2 PTS, 3.5 AST, 4.3 REBCurtis Jones (Iowa State / Guard) - 16.8 PTS, 2.3 AST, 4.5 REBJ'Wan Roberts (Houston / Forward) - 11.3 PTS, 1.8 AST, 6.3 REBTamin Lipsey (Iowa State / Guard) - 10.6 PTS, 3.0 AST, 2.7 REBWhat To Expect:The Big 12 is always one of the best conferences in College Basketball. Loaded with talent across the board, just four out of 16 teams have losing records heading into the final week of regular season play. Kansas hasn't been its best this season, despite all of the talent that it brought in. Baylor is loaded with talent as well, and has been below-par. Teams like Texas Tech, Iowa State & Arizona (even after the slow start) have been great this season. But, all of the teams are currently chasing down one team. The Houston Cougars. Kelvin Sampson has been an absolute wizard at the helm of the Cougars. He owns a career record of higher than 77% at Houston and continues to win season after season. This is another one of his excellent rosters. Houston will be the favorite when the odds come out, but do NOT underestimate any of these teams in the Big 12.
Burns' Selection: TO COME..Odds To Win:n/a-----------------------------------------------------
Big East Conference: (March 12-15)
8 Players To Watch Out For: Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton / Center) - 19.1 PTS, 1.5 AST, 8.8 REBRJ Luis (St. John's / Guard/Forward) - 17.8 PTS, 2.3 AST, 6.9 REBKam Jones (Marquette / Guard) - 18.4 PTS, 6.2 ATS, 4.3 REBLiam McNeeley (UCONN / Forward) - 15.3 PTS, 2.5 AST, 6.3 REBEric Dixon (Villanova / Forward) - 23.6 PTS, 2.2 AST, 5.5 REBSteven Ashworth (Creighton / Guard) - 16.8 PTS, 6.9 AST, 4.1 REBZach Freemantle (Xavier / Forward) - 16.8 PTS, 2.0 AST, 7.1 REBKadary Richmond (St. John's / Guard) - 12.8 PTS, 5.1 AST, 5.9 REBWhat To Expect:Back 2 Back March Madness Champions, Connecticut, has been quite underwhelming this season. The Huskies most definitely still could pull off the unthinkable. However, it's going to be a tough task considering that they are currently not even top three in the Big East. Looking at the top of the standings, Rick Pitino has St. John's playing some of its best basketball in a very long time. That team is led by RJ Luis, who is one of the best mid-range shooters in the country and can knock down any shot that he's asked. Don't underestimate Creighton though. Always a tough out and Ryan Kalkbrenner might just be the best big man in the country. I'm expecting a very fascinating Big East Tourney and this should be very fun. Burns' Selection: TO COME.. Odds To Win: n/a-----------------------------------------------------
Big Sky Conference: (March 8-12)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Dylan Darling (Idaho State / Guard) - 19.4 PTS, 5.8 AST, 3.4 REBTrent McLaughlin (Northern Arizona) - 22.2 PTS, 3.4 AST, 3.6 REBLangston Reynolds (Northern Colorado / Guard) - 16.8 PTS, 3.5 AST, 5.9 REBBlaise Threatt (Weber State / Guard) - 19.8 PTS, 4.5 AST, 5.7 REBMoney Williams (Montana / Guard) - 13.1 PTS, 3.1 AST, 3.7 REBWhat To Expect:Some of the country's top scorers this season come out of the Big Sky Conference. Loaded with player talent, we could see a team that nobody expects to come out of this conference. UNCO & Montana are at the top of the standings with 14-3 records in Big Sky play. However, you cannot underestimate some of the middle of the pack teams like Idaho State & Montana State. Weber State could also be a sleeper team from the bottom of the standings. It's got a great player in Blaise Threatt who's averaging nearly 20, 5, 5 this season. This tournament should be very high scoring no matter what happens.
Burns' Selection: Weber State +6500 (UPSET ALERT)Odds To Win:Northern Colorado (+180)Montana (+270)Portland State (+425)Montana State (+700)Idaho State (+850)Idaho (+1900)Northern Arizona (+3500)Weber State (+6500)Eastern Washington (+7500)Sacramento State (+30000)-----------------------------------------------------
Big South Conference: (March 5, 7-9)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Kelton Talford (Winthrop / Forward) - 15.8 PTS, 0.9 AST, 7.7 REBKimani Hamilton (High Point / Forward) - 13.8 PTS, 2.3 AST, 4.7 REBKezza Giffa (High Point / Guard) - 14.6 PTS, 2.5 AST, 2.5 REBJordan Marsh (UNC Asheville / Guard) - 19.2 PTS, 3.6 AST, 4.3 REBTaje' Kelly (Charleston Southern / Forward) - 20.8 PTS, 2.1 AST, 8.9 REBWhat To Expect:Running away at the top of the Big South regular season standings was High Point this year. The Panthers have been one of the highest scoring teams in the country, despite not playing extremely fast. They shoot the ball at an extremely successful rate and have excellent free throw shooting as well. But, Winthrop is starting to heat up and the Eagles are also one of the best offensive teams, scoring wise. I don't see the teams at the bottom of this conference having much of a chance, if any (unlike the Big Sky.) However, if High Point's shooting percentages drop, it could most definitely be an early out for the Panthers. That being said, High Point shouldn't lose this tournament with how well it's been all season long. I expect Winthrop to be in the final against them.
Burns' Selection: High Point (-250)Odds To Win:
High Point (-250)Radford (+750)UNC Asheville (+900)Winthrop (+950)Longwood (+1400)Presbyterian (+3000)Charleston Souther (+7000)Gardner-Webb (+7500)USC Upstate (+25000)-----------------------------------------------------
Big 10 Conference: (March 12-16)8 Players To Watch Out For:
Vladislav Goldin (Michigan / Center) - 16.1 PTS, 1.1 AST, 6.5 REBJohn Tonje (Wisconsin / Guard) - 19.2 PTS, 1.7 AST, 4.9 REBOumar Ballo (Indiana / Center) - 13.4 PTS, 2.3 AST, 9.1 REBDerik Queen (Maryland / Center) - 15.9 PTS, 2.0 AST, 9.0 REBTrey Kaufman-Renn (Purdue / Forward) - 19.6 PTS, 2.3 AST, 6.0 REBBraden Smith (Purdue / Guard) - 16.0 PTS, 8.7 AST, 4.5 REBJackson Shelstad (Oregon / Guard) - 13.4 PTS, 2.7 AST, 3.0 REB Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois / Guard) - 15.4 PTS, 4.8 AST, 5.6 REBWhat To Expect:For a while this season, no team wanted to separate from the pack in the Big 10. Everyone was playing quite similar basketball (record wise) and we didn't know who was going to emerge as the top team. Well, Michigan State has played the best within the conference as we get down to the final couple of games. The Spartans are experienced and have a very good coach in Tom Izzo drawing plays up for them. Michigan is scary when it plays its dual-7footer lineup with Golden & Wolf. Maryland is one of my favorite teams to watch this season and could very well win this tournament as well. Let's also not forget about Purdue. The Boilermakers may be without Edey this season, but Kaufman-Renn has been lights out and Braden Smith is an absolute baller point guard. This one one of the most competitive Big 10 Conferences in a while and I can see many different teams coming out on top as Big 10 Tourney Champs.
Burns' Selection: TO COME.. Odds To Win:n/a-----------------------------------------------------
Big West Conference: (March 12-15)
5 Players To Watch Out For:
Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones (UC San Diego / Guard/Forward) - 19.8 PTS, 3.4 AST, 5.3 REBBarrington Hargress (UC Riverside / Guard) - 20.1 PTS, 3.9 AST, 2.3 REBTyler McGhie (UC San Diego / Guard/Forward) - 16.5 PTS, 1.8 AST, 3.9 REBTy Johnson (UC Davis / Guard) - 21.6 PTS, 2.8 AST, 4.3 REBBent Leuchten (UC Irvine / Center) - 15.6 PTS, 1.6 AST, 8.9 REBWhat To Expect:The Californian + Hawaii league is filled with top scorers in the country. Emerging out of nowhere, UC San Diego is going to be a problem in this season's tournament. The Tritons have won 11 consecutive games going into their final two this year. UC Irvine is also at the top winning just one game less than UC San Diego. When we head down the list of teams, there's a big drop off after UC Davis. Hawaii isn't so good and we most probably won't see another Long Beach State miracle into the Big Dance this season. I'm expecting the Matadors (Cal State Northridge) to give teams a run for their money, as well as UCSB. The most probable final should include the two top teams though in UC Irvine & UC San Diego.
Burns' Selection: TO COME.. Odds To Win:n/a-----------------------------------------------------
Coastal Athletic Association: (March 7-11)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Ante Brzovic (Charleston / Forward) - 18.5 PTS, 2.9 AST, 8.2 REBTyler Tejada (Towson / Guard/Forward) - 16.8 PTS, 0.8 AST, 3.8 REBRashad King (Northeastern / Guard) - 18.4 PTS, 3.4 AST, 6.0 REBT.K. Simpson (Elon / Guard) - 16.2 PTS, 2.6 AST, 3.2 REB Dylan Williamson (Towson / Guard) - 13.8 PTS, 2.6 AST, 2.3 REBWhat To Expect:
At the beginning of the season, I expected Charleston to be a lot better than it was. Having said that, the Cougars still had a very good season. Led by Brzovic, who is an absolute stud, Charleston cannot be counted out in this tournament whatsoever. Towson has been dominant this season against other CAA opponents, while averaging less than 70 PPG. UNC Wilmington has the best overall record out of the 14 teams in this conference as it rebounds the ball tremendously and shoots a very high percentage. Overall, this tournament is tight at the top of the group. I expect a hard fought Semis/Finals.
Burns' Selection: Charleston (+380)
Odds To Win:UNC Wilmington (+200)Charleston (+380)Towson (+400)William & Mary (+850)Campbell (+1300)Drexel (+1400)Elon (+1600)Northeaster (+1700)Hampton +2200)Hofstra (+3000Delaware +4500)Monmouth (+5000Stony Brook (+25000)North Carolina A&T (+2500)-----------------------------------------------------Conference-USA: (March 11-15)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Daniel Batcho (Louisiana Tech / Forward) - 17.3 PTS, 0.6 AST, 6.6 REBJaron Pierre (Jacksonville State / Guard) - 21.8 PTS, 3.8 AST, 5.4 REBZach Cleveland (Liberty / Forward) - 10.4 PTS, 5.0 AST, 6.5 REBDon McHenry (Western Kentucky / Guard) - 17.3 PTS, 1.7 AST, 3.2 REBLamar Wilkerson (Sam Houston State / Guard) - 19.7 PTS, 1.9 AST, 4.0 REBWhat To Expect:The Conference-USA doesn't get talked about too much. Although there are some strong teams in this conference like Liberty & MTSU, nobody really stands out. Jacksonville State actually leads the Conference with a game remaining but I expect Liberty to finish on top of this standings by Saturday, March 8th. Having said that, this tournament should be considered as a toss up, just like many of the conference tournaments this season. My initial lean is Liberty considering the overall record and ability to score at ease.
Burns' Selection: TO COME ..Odds To Win:n/a-----------------------------------------------------Horizon League: (March 4, 6, 10, 11)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Jalen Jackson (Purdue Fort Wayne / Guard) - 19.2 PTS, 3.2 AST, 4.2 REBKam Woods (Robert Morris / Guard) - 14.6 PTS, 5.1 AST, 4.7 REBTrey Robinson (Northern Kentucky / Guard) - 15.7 PTS, 1.8 AST, 6.1 REBNico Galette (Youngstown State / Guard) - 12.4 PTS, 3.0 AST, 7.1 REBJamichael Stillwell (Milwaukee / Forward) - 12.9 PTS, 1.2 AST, 10.8 REBWhat To Expect:All eleven teams make this Conference Tournament and it should be another exciting one. Seven out of the eleven teams won more games than they lost in Horizon League play. There are no outliers in here that stand out either. Robert Morris got the #1 seed so it essentially has the "best path." However, teams like Cleveland State & IPFW are very interesting as the Vikings create a lot of turnovers (averages 8.8 steals per game) while the Mastodons are extremely good at three point shooting (hits 10.4 per game.) Youngstown State should not be counted out and Northern Kentucky might just be an excellent long shot selection at +3000 coming into this tournament as the hottest team outside of Robert Morris (won four consecutive.)
Burns' Selection: Purdue Fort Wayne (+650)Odds To Win:
Robert Morris (+240)Milwaukee (+280)Cleveland State (+310)Purdue Fort Wayne (+650)Youngstown State (+750)Oakland (+1400)Wright State (+1600)Northern Kentucky (+3000)IUPUI (+20000)Green Bay (+25000)Detroit Mercy (+25000)-----------------------------------------------------
Ivy League: (March 15-16)5 Players To Watch Out For:
John Poulakidas (Yale / Guard) - 18.9 PTS, 1.3 AST, 3.4 REBNick Townsend (Yale / Forward) - 15.6 PTS, 3.5 AST, 7.3 REBXaivian Lee (Princeton / Guard) - 16.8 PTS, 5.2 AST, 5.9 REBRyan Cornish (Dartmouth / Guard) - 17.4 PTS, 3.3 AST, 4.8 REBBez Mbeng (Yale / Guard) - 13.4 PTS, 5.9 AST, 5.4 REBWhat To Expect:The Ivy League. Something about this league makes every single game so unpredictable. Princeton, who I thought was going to challenge Yale to be a top team in this conference, has fallen to the four seed with just one game remaining. Brown has an excellent player in Kino Lilly, but that won't matter if the Bears don't get into the tournament. The special thing about this tourney is that only four out of the eight teams get into it. Yale is most definitely going to be the favorite, having won every game but one this season against Ivy League opponents. The Bulldogs also have the experience after beating Auburn in the dance last season. I think Yale will pull through as the champs, but who knows with how things have played this season in the Ivy League.
Burns' Selection: TO COME.. Odds To Win:n/a-----------------------------------------------------
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference: (March 11-15)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Adam Clark (Merrimack / Guard) - 20.1 PTS, 5.7 AST, 4.4 REBAmarri Monroe (Quinnipiac / Forward) - 17.5 PTS, 1.6 AST, 9.2 REBJosh Pascarelli (Marist / Guard) - 16.4 PTS, 2.4 AST, 3.4 REBJustice Shoats (Siena / Guard) - 15.8 PTS, 4.4 AST, 2.8 REBDejour Reaves (Iona / Guard) - 16.6 PTS, 1.9 AST, 5.3 REBWhat To Expect:Other than Marist, every single team in this conference (the MAAC has 13 teams) has double digit losses. That being said, I don't expect the team (no matter who it is) that wins this tournament to go on and do damage in the NCAA Tourney. Quinnipiac played a tough out of season schedule, but sure managed to play well in MAAC games, with Amarri Monroe leading the charge. Merrimack's Adam Clark is not only a beast offensively, but also averages nearly three steals per game. It's hard to take any team in this conference as anything could happen. Nobody is a clear dominant force at all.
Burns' Selection: TO COME.. Odds To Win:n/a-----------------------------------------------------Mid-American Conference: (March 13-15)5 Players To Watch Out For:
VonCameron Davis (Kent State / Forward) - 15.3 PTS, 2.1 AST, 3.7 REBA.J. Clayton (Ohio / Forward) - 14.4 PTS, 1.0 AST, 5.4 REBDa'Sean Nelson (Eastern Michigan / Forward) - 16.4 PTS, 2.5 AST, 5.9 REBTavari Johnson (Akron / Guard) - 13.0 PTS, 4.0 AST, 2.0 REBKam Craft (Miami OH / Forward) - 13.3 PTS, 1.0 AST, 2.8 REBWhat To Expect:The MAC has been dominated by Akron this season. The Zips aren't the flashiest team and don't have the superstars that will go out and score 20+ points every game. But, they are resilient and they know how to win. Akron shoots the ball very well across the board and will score a boat load of points on you. If you are not a good defensive team, the playmaking and unselfishness of this team will hurt you. I see them winning this tournament and causing their first round matchup problems in March. Miami OH & Kent State probably have the best chance at beating them. However, I don't see that happening.
Burns' Selection: Akron (n/a)Odds To Win:n/a-----------------------------------------------------Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: (March 12-15)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Brian Moore (Norfolk State / Guard) - 18.7 PTS, 3.0 AST, 3.7 REBMartaz Robinson (Delaware State / Guard) - 16.7 PTS, 2.6 AST, 6.2 REBPo'Boigh King (NC Central / Guard) - 16.7 PTS, 1.6 AST, 2.9 REBBlake Harper (Howard / Guard) - 19.7 PTS, 3.6 AST, 6.5 REBMarcus Dockery (Howard / Guard) - 16.6 PTS, 2.2 AST, 2.6 REBWhat To Expect:Norfolk State was projected to finish at the top of the MEAC at the beginning of the season by many and are looking like it's going to finish as the top team as well. The Spartans do not shoot very many threes and are much better inside the arc. They play with a lot of physicality and will be a tough out. South Carolina State comes into this tournament scorching hot. The Bulldogs head into the final two games of their season on a seven game winning streak and have two very winnable games remaining. Howard has slightly disappointed as I saw it finishing a lot higher in the season standings. However, this is March and anything can happen.
Burns' Selection: TO COME.. Odds To Win:n/a-----------------------------------------------------Missouri Valley Conference: (March 6-9)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Duke Deen (Bradley / Guard) - 14.1 PTS, 3.8 AST, 3.5 REBTytan Anderson (Northern Iowa / Guard/Forward) - 15.3 PTS, 2.5 AST, 6.6 REBBennett Stirtz (Drake / Guard) - 18.9 PTS, 5.9 AST, 4.4 REBJohnny Kinziger (Illinois State / Guard) - 15.0 PTS, 3.0 AST, 3.8 REBCooper Schwieger (Valparaiso / Forward) - 15.5 PTS, 1.0 AST, 7.7 REBWhat To Expect:The Missouri Valley conference is locked and loaded up once again. Drake, a team that is filled with Division 2 guys from last season including its coach, has looked outstanding this season. The Bulldogs not only finished the season with only three losses, but its defense and slow playing style makes nobody feel comfortable whatsoever. Bradley has also been great this season finishing the year off with a massive win over UNI to claim the #2 seed. Talking about Northern Iowa, the Panthers aren't going to be an easy team to beat in this tournament off with how well it shoots the ball at consistent high rates. Belmont is also heating up off three consecutive victories. I like the favorites a lot and it's hard to pick anyone near the bottom in this conference. Drake advances to another NCAA Tournament.
Burns' Selection: Drake (-110)Odds To Win:
Drake (-110)Bradley (+340)Northern Iowa (+475)Belmont (+1200)Illinois State (+1500)Murray State (+2200)Illinois Chicago (+2800)Southern Illinois (+5000)Indiana State (+8000)Missouri State (+12000)Valparaiso (+18000)Evansville (+20000)-----------------------------------------------------Mountain West Conference: (March 12-15)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Donovan Dent (New Mexico / Guard) - 20.0 PTS, 6.5 AST, 2.5 REBTyson Degenhart (Boise State / Forward) - 18.1 PTS, 1.6 AST, 6.1 REBNique Clifford (Colorado State / Guard) - 17.9 PTS, 4.3 AST, 10.0 REBNick Davidson (Nevada / Forward) - 15.8 PTS, 2.9 AST, 6.3 REBIan Martinez (Utah State / Guard) - 17.0 PTS, 2.8 AST, 3.3 REBWhat To Expect:As San Diego State has dominated this conference over the past couple of seasons, this Aztecs team is not nearly as talented as some of those teams from the past. They didn't have the best of seasons meaning a Conference Tournament win is necessary for them to move on. With the experience factor and quality that the school creates, it's hard to count them out. But, there's so many other teams in contention this year like New Mexico who are currently atop the standings. Colorado State is the hottest team in the conference along with Boise State. UNLV will be a tough team to beat if it gets its best player back from injury in Dedan Tomas. & do NOT count out the Aggies of Utah State who have a 10-4 record in road/neutral games this season. This tournament will be fun.
Burns' Selection: TO COME.. Odds To Win:n/a-----------------------------------------------------Northeast Conference: (March 5, 8, 11)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Jeff Planutis (Mercyhurst / Forward) - 15.5 PTS, 1.7 AST, 2.5 REBMalachi Davis (Long Island / Guard) - 17.1 PTS, 3.2 AST, 2.9 REBTerrence Brown (Fairleigh Dickinson / Guard) - 20.6 PTS, 3.1 AST, 5.6 REBJordan Jones (Central Connecticut State / Guard) - 14.4 PTS, 3.6 AST, 3.3 REBDevin Haid (Central Connecticut State / Guard) - 13.7 PTS, 2.1 AST, 5.7 REBWhat To Expect:This season, the Northeast Conference is quite lopsided. There's a couple of teams in the middle of the pack that will think that they have a chance. However, when it's all said and done, they will remember what happened during the regular season. Central Connecticut State is by far the best team in this conference and I'm shocked that it's not an even bigger favorite to win the conference tournament. The Blue Devils have excellent guard play and have won 12 consecutive games coming into this tournament. Their defense is also phenomenal. LIU might have the second best chance at pulling through but it's just hard to see them winning against a CCSU team that is hungrier than ever.
Burns' Selection: Central Connecticut State (-250)Odds To Win:
Central Connecticut State (-250)Long Island (+370)Saint Francis PA (+1300)Fairleigh Diksinson (+1500)Stonehill (+3500)Wagner (+6000)Le Moyne (+10000)Chicago State (+40000)-----------------------------------------------------Ohio Valley Conference: (March 5-8)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Ray'Sean Taylor (SIU Edwardsville / Guard) - 19.2 PTS, 3.8 AST, 4.5 REBTarence Guinyard (UT Martin / Guard) - 16.2 PTS, 2.2 AST, 4.7 REBBrandon Weston (Tennessee State / Guard) - 16.0 PTS, 1.8 AST, 4.8 REBTeddy Washington (Southeast Missouri State / Guard) - 14.4 PTS, 2.5 AST, 5.4 REBJohnathan Lawson (Little Rock / Guard) - 15.3 PTS, 3.5 AST, 5.3 REBWhat To Expect:As the betting odds suggest, no team stands out as a clear dominant force in the Ohio Valley. In my eyes, there are four teams that can win this tournament and most definitely have a chance at doing so. Southeast Missouri State won the conference regular season title, which is always a great feat and good for confidence. SIU Edwardsville has an excellent record as well with an extraordinary player in Ray'Sean Taylor who leads all players in the OVC in scoring. Tennessee State is the next top team in the conference despite finishing "below" Little Rock on determination factors. The Tigers play very fast and are a nightmare for teams that rely on defense. Little Rock is the team that I expected to finish atop the conference at the beginning of this season and there's still a huge chance that this team wins this tournament in my eyes. The Trojans can be very efficient when they are clicking and have nearly five double digit scorers (the fifth is .2 PPG off.) This tournament will be fun, and a slight underdog could very well win it.
Burns' Selection: Little Rock (+500)Odds To Win:
Southeast Missouri State (+150)SIU Edwardsville (+270)Tennessee State (+400)Little Rock (+500)UT Martin (+3000)Tennessee Tech (+4000)Morehead State (+6000)Lindenwood (+6000)-----------------------------------------------------Patriot League: (March 4, 6, 9, 12)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Matt Rogers (American / Forward) - 17.2 PTS, 1.2 AST, 5.6 REBJeff Woodward (Colgate / Center) - 14.5 PTS, 3.0 AST, 7.7 REBNoah Williamson (Bucknell / Center) - 17.3 PTS, 1.6 AST, 7.6 REBJosh Bascoe (Bucknell / Guard) - 15.7 PTS, 4.4 AST, 3.7 REBAustin Benigni (Navy / Guard) - 18.3 PTS, 4.2 AST, 3.2 REBWhat To Expect:Coming into this season, Colgate was most likely most peoples favorite to win the Patriot League. Things didn't go so well for the Raiders this season finishing in the middle of the standings. Having said that though, they do still have some life. Not many teams in this league are very good and Ameircan/Bucknell both finished with 12+ losses this season. That being said, if Jeff Woodward can absolutely dominate the glass and paint, Colgate is going to be a nightmare. The favorites, the Bucknell Bison, are led by two great players in Noah Williamson & Josh Bascoe. American is the top seed despite averaging only 68.3 PPG this year. This conference simply isn't all that talented at the top. Expect the unexpected.
Burns' Selection: Colgate (+400)Odds To Win:
Bucknell (+110)American (+270)Colgate (+400)Navy (+1600)Boston (+1600)Army (+3000)Lafayette (+5000)Lehigh (+7500)Loyola Maryland (+10000)Holy Cross (+20000)-----------------------------------------------------Southeastern Conference: (March 12-16)8 Players To Watch Out For:
Johni Broome (Auburn / Forward/Center) - 18.4 PTS, 3.3 AST, 10.8 REBMark Sears (Alabama / Guard) - 19.1 PTS, 5.0 AST, 3.0 REBWalter Clayton (Florida / Guard) - 16.9 PTS, 4.0 AST, 3.7 REBJason Edwards (Vanderbilt / Guard) - 17.2 PTS, 1.4 AST, 1.8 REBOtega Oweh (Kentucky / Guard) - 15.7 PTS, 1.6 AST, 4.6 REBZakai Zeigler (Tennessee / Guard) - 13.7 PTS, 7.2 AST, 3.0 REBTre Johnson (Texas / Guard) - 20.6 PTS, 2.6 AST, 3.1 REBWade Taylor (Texas A&M / Guard) - 15.1 PTS, 4.6 AST, 2.9 REBWhat To Expect:The SEC is always one of my favourite conferences to watch, especially this season. With all of the talent from top to bottom, it's hard to pick a team that isn't good within this group of teams. However, there's four teams at the top that really stand out. Auburn is a guaranteed #1 seed no matter what happens in this tournament. With the loss to Tennessee, Alabama is on the cusp, along with Florida & Tennessee to be a back door #1 in the NCAA Tournament. The SEC will most likely have the most teams in the Big Dance and that means that there's skill everywhere. It's hard not seeing Auburn winning this tournament with how dominant it's been. But, don't underestimate anybody. Kentucky poses a threat to anyone and Texas A&M, despite its four consecutive losses, will be hard to beat. Ole Miss & Miss St are excellent teams as well.
Burns' Selection: TO COME..Odds To Win:n/a-----------------------------------------------------Southern Conference: (March 7-10)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Jaden Seymour (East Tennessee State / Forward) - 15.8 PTS, 2.1 AST, 6.6 REBQuimari Peterson (East Tennessee State / Guard) - 19.5 PTS, 3.7 AST, 4.5 REBHonor Huff (Chattanooga / Guard) - 14.7 PTS, 2.3 AST, 1.9 REBPJay Smith (Furman / Guard) - 17.2 PTS, 3.6 AST, 4.0 REBCorey Tripp (Wofford / Guard) - 14.3 PTS, 3.1 AST, 3.9 REBWhat To Expect:Six teams are all very close in the Southern Conference and should be considered as threats to win this tourney. ETSU has perhaps the best one-two punch combination in Jaden Seymour/Quimari Peterson. Having said that, Chattanooga finished the season having won 11 consecutive games and have some of the best shooting in the country. Samford is a very fast paced team that loves running up and down the court and draining threes as well. Really, a lot of the teams in this conference play similar basketball this season. High octane, shoot the three ball mentality. Overall, it should be a tournament with three point shooting galore and I expect it to be good. It's hard to take against one of the hottest teams in the nation though.
Burns' Selection: Chattanooga (+270)Odds To Win:
Chattanooga (+270)Samford (+330)UNC Greensboro (+380)Wofford (+500)East Tennessee State (+600)Furman (+750)Mercer (+7500)Virginia Military (+20000)West Carolina (+25000)The Citadel (+25000)-----------------------------------------------------Southland Conference: (March 9-12)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Garry Clark (Texas A&M Corpus Christi / Forward) - 14.8 PTS, 1.2 AST, 7.7 REBSam Hines (Southeastern Louisiana / Guard) - 16.5 PTS, 1.9 AST, 6.2 REBBryson Dawkins (Houston Christian / Guard) - 15.1 PTS, 1.3 AST, 4.9 REBJalin Anderson (Incarnate Word / Guard) - 14.5 PTS, 5.0 AST, 3.2 REBChristian Shumate (McNeese State / Forward) - 10.5 PTS, 0.9 AST, 6.5 REBWhat To Expect:After beginning the season with a lot of inconsistencies, losing to Liberty & South Dakota State, McNeese State didn't look to be the same dominant force that it was a season ago. However, something fuelled the Cowboys after their loss to Nicholls State in the first game of February. Since then, they've won eight consecutive games and will finish as the top seed in this year's tournament. There are no real standout players for McNeese other than Shumate who played with them in last year's tournament. The Cowboys are going to be a tough team to beat in both the Southland & NCAA Tourney. Don't be shocked if Texas A&M Corpus Christi gives them a tough game though.
Burns' Selection: McNeese State (-500)Odds To Win:McNeese State (-500)Lamar (+850)Nicholls State (+1200)Texas A&M Corpus Christi (+1800)Southeast Louisiana (+4000)Northwestern State (+5500)Incarnate Word (+11000)Houston Christian (+15000)-----------------------------------------------------SWAC Conference: (March 11-15)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Sterling Young (Florida A&M / Guard) - 16.7 PTS, 1.7 AST, 1.9 REBBrayon Freeman (Bethune-Cookman / Guard) - 16.3 PTS, 2.4 AST, 3.0 REBTrey Thomas (Bethune-Cookman / Guard) - 16.4 PTS, 2.3 AST, 3.5 REBCJ Hines (Alabama State / Guard) - 14.1 PTS, 2.4 AST, 3.0 REBTidjiane Dioumassi (Southern U / Guard) - 9.0 PTS, 5.0 AST, 3.8 REBWhat To Expect:Nobody in this conference has been great overall this season. Yes, Southern U will more than likely be the betting favorite to win the conference when the regular season concludes, and for good reason. However, the Jaguars still have double digit losses this season. That being said, they are the only team to have a winning overall record. That's a bit shocking. In my opinion, Texas Southern's ability to push the pace will help them a lot in this tournament. Jackson State isn't that bad either. Grambling State was projected to be near the top, but has been quite bad this year. If it gets in, maybe it makes some noise? I don't see any team beating the likes of Southern U in the end though. Burns' Selection: Southern U (n/a)Odds To Win:n/a-----------------------------------------------------
Summit League: (March 5-9)5 Players To Watch Out For:
Marquel Sutton (Omaha / Forward) - 18.8 PTS, 1.2 AST, 7.6 REBOscar Cluff (North Dakota State / Center) - 17.3 PTS, 2.9 AST, 12.2 REBTreysen Eaglestaff (North Dakota / Guard) - 18.3 PTS, 2.3 AST, 2.8 REBChase Forte (South Dakota / Guard) - 17.4 PTS, 3.3 AST, 4.4 REBJackson Moni (North Dakota Sate / Guard) - 20.6 PTS, 3.7 AST, 5.6 REBWhat To Expect:This might just be the most exciting tournament of them all. The Summit League, which is filled with talent across the board, is so well-balanced that anyone can win. Saint Thomas MN is the slight favorite coming in and I can see why. It's an excellent three point shooting team. However, the Tommies aren't eligible for March Madness if they win this tournament - meaning Omaha would get to auto-big as the Summit League reg season champs. Omaha is all the way down with the fourth best odds to win this, but you can't count it out at all. SDAK ST is great at rebounding with Oscar Cluff leading the charge. & NDSU shoots the most number of threes in the country, while hitting a lot of them. This is going to be fun. I cannot wait. Burns' Selection: South Dakota State (+300)Odds To Win:Saint Thomas MN (+225)North Dakota State (+260)South Dakota State (+300)Omaha (+450)South Dakota (+2200)North Dakota (+3500)UMKC (+4000)Denver (+5500)Oral Roberts (+20000)-----------------------------------------------------Sun Belt Conference: (March 4-10)
5 Players To Watch Out For: Mark Freeman (James Madison / Guard) - 15.2 PTS, 3.2 AST, 2.5 REBObinna Anochili-Killen (Marshall / Forward) - 14.0 PTS, 0.9 AST, 5.6 REBMyles Tate (Appalachian State / Guard) - 16.5 PTS, 5.4 AST, 5.2 REBTayton Cornerway (Troy / Guard) - 13.7 PTS, 5.0 AST, 4.7 REBTaryn Todd (Arkansas State / Guard) - 15.0 PTS, 3.3 AST, 4.7 REBWhat To Expect:The Sun Belt Conference is another one of these Conferences that is very tight at the top of the standings. Four teams finished with a 13-5 SBC record. The top four seeds had to be give out somehow and the bracket is now available. Having said that, Arkansas State claimed top spots with the most overall wins. It's a very good offensive team that will be difficult to stop with how many second chance points it gets (dominates the offensive/defensive glass.) Troy/South Alabama are average across the board in terms of stats, but Troy has won three straight coming in and USA's won B2B. JMU matched the 3pt shooting of ARK St, but doesn't have the same rebounding abilities. Marshall is very much alive in this race as well as I believe that the Thundering Herd's five double digit scorers have the ability to beat anyone from anyone. I'm going with a shocker bet and taking Marshall to win this one. Burns' Selection: Marshall (+2000)Odds To Win:Arkansas State (+200)South Alabama (+280)Troy (+350)James Madison (+380)Appalachian State (+1300)Marshall (+2000)Texas State (+3000)Georgia State (+20000)Georgia Southern (+35000)Louisiana Monroe (+50000)Louisiana (+50000)Coastal Carolina (+50000)-----------------------------------------------------
West Coast Conference: (March 6-11)
5 Players To Watch Out For: Graham Ike (Gonzaga / Forward) - 17.0 PTS, 1.4 AST, 7.4 REBMalik Thomas (San Francisco / Guard) - 19.1 PTS, 2.0 AST, 3.4 REBMarcus Williams (San Francisco / Guard) - 15.1 PTS, 4.3 AST, 3.6 REBAugustas Marciulionis (Saint Mary's / Guard) - 14.4 PTS, 6.1 AST, 2.8 REBRyan Nembhard (Gonzaga / Guard) - 10.9 PTS, 10.0 AST, 3.1 REBWhat To Expect:The West Coast Conference which now includes the likes of Oregon State & Washington State is being led once against by Gonzaga & Saint Mary's. All season long, those two programs have show the West Coast how to play the game of basketball. Like in the past, the Gaels' defense is as good as ever. Gonzaga plays a completely different style of basketball, averaging the second most PPG in the country behind Alabama at 87.6 PPG. The Zags average 50.4% from the field which is as good as any team as well. Santa Clara & San Francisco have great talent. But, I don't think either of them have enough strength to beat either of these top two sides.Burns' Selection: Saint Mary's (+130)Odds To Win:Gonzaga (-125)Saint Mary's (+130)Santa Clara (+1200)San Francisco (+2200)Oregon State (+5000)Washington State (+10000)Loyola Marymount (+25000)Portland (+30000)Pepperdine (+35000)Pacific (+35000)San Diego (+40000)-----------------------------------------------------
Western Athletic Conference: (March 11-15)
5 Players To Watch Out For: Tyon Grant-Foster (Grand Canyon / Guard) - 14.6 PTS, 2.1 AST, 6.2 REBDominique Daniels (Cal Baptist / Guard) - 20.0 PTS, 3.2 AST, 2.6 REBJamir Simpson (Southern Utah / Guard/Forward) - 16.7 PTS, 1.9 AST, 4.7 REBDominick Nelson (Utah Valley / Guard) - 14.9 PTS, 1.8 AST, 5.5 REBMatthew-Alexander Moncreiffe (Seattle / Forward) - 14.6 PTS, 1.2 AST, 9.6 REBWhat To Expect:Last season, the Grand Canyon Antelopes were the clear top team in this conference. Tyon Grant-Foster was nothing short of brilliant averaging 20+ PPG and more. This season he's taken a bit of a seat back. However, he's still the Lopes' top option and is a threat to go nuclear in any given game. Utah Valley currently sits atop the WAC standings with a one-game advantage. The Wolverines have been stellar, and are another great rebounding team. That's huge in a conference that isn't all that competitive other than the top two. Talking about that, I don't see any other team doing much damage in this tournament outside of those two. Seattle is solid but shouldn't be too much of a problem for either. Burns' Selection: TO COME..Odds To Win:n/a-----------------------------------------------------
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