Top 10 Teams Entering 2014 March Madness

Betting on March Madness is one of the most fun things there is in the sports calendar, but to make it right you need to know where the best teams are.  Upsets will happen, sure, but the tournament will reward talent and consistency as well, and there’s where you make your money.

Here are the Top 10 Teams Entering 2014 March Madness:

10. Michigan State (26-8, 12-6 Big Ten)

The Spartans won the Big Ten Tournament despite they ended the regular season with lots of doubts.  A team coached by Tom Izzo always has to be in the favorites.

9. Syracuse Orange (27-5 overall, 14-4 ACC)

Syracuse feeds of opponent’s turnovers, when they don’t manage to force them they get in trouble. The Orange won their first 25 games in a row, but since then, they have lost five of their last seven.  The team has talent but lacks confidence in the worst moment of the season.

8. Duke Blue Devils (26-8 overall, 13-5 ACC)

Jabari Parker is the guy you want to follow when watching Duke; he averages 18 points and eight rebounds per game.  The Blue Devils have the 27th best offense in all College Hoops, averaging 79.1 points per game; they also are inside the Top 10 of teams that scores 3-pointers, and allows the fewer 3-pointers.

7. Virginia Cavaliers (28-6 overall, 16-2 ACC)

Virginia’s defense could get them far in the tournament; they allow 20.8 points per game in the paint, fewest among major-conference teams, since January they held teams to 54.8 points per game, best in the College Basketball.

6. Louisville Cardinals (29-5 overall, 15-3 ACC)

I can’t leave out the current champions, right? The Cardinals have won 12 of their last 13 games; they seem to have saved the best for last.

5. Kansas Jayhawks (24-9 overall, 14-4 Big 12)

After getting upset by Iowa State, there are a lot of doubts about the Kansas Jayhawks.  They enter the tournament after dropping three of their last five. Kansas shoots 49.8 percent from the field, fourth-best in the nation, but their point guard position is shaky and that could give them problems.

 4. Villanova Wildcats (28-4 overall, 16-2 Big East)

The Wildcats controlled the Big East all season but failed against Seton Hall in the Big East tournament.  Before that loss, no one was giving the Wildcats any credit.

3. Arizona Wildcats (30-4 overall, 15-2 Pac 12)

Arizona had a good steady season but dropped two of their last three games, including a close defeat against UCLA in the tournament. Their defense hasn’t allowed more than 75 points per game.

2. Wichita State Shockers (34-0, 18-0 MVC)

Cinderella story or legitimate contender? Along with Arizona, Wichita State is the other team that hasn’t allowed more than 75 points in a game.  They are undefeated but have caught attention only in the last few weeks.

Wichita State’s path to the Final Four might be the hardest from a number one seed team

1. Florida Gators (32-2, 18-0 SEC)

Florida allows the fewest points (58.2), transition points (8.9) and points in the paint (22.6) per game in the entire SEC.  Their two losses came against Wisconsin and UConn; however, they haven’t loss since December 2nd.