{"id":3772,"date":"2009-03-12T09:10:00","date_gmt":"2009-03-12T14:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/2009\/03\/2009-march-madness-picks-and-predictions\/"},"modified":"2009-03-12T09:10:00","modified_gmt":"2009-03-12T14:10:00","slug":"2009-march-madness-picks-and-predictions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/2009\/03\/2009-march-madness-picks-and-predictions\/","title":{"rendered":"2009 March Madness Picks and Predictions"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=Section1>\n<p><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>The Forbes rich list is decreasing. However sports betting experts are thriving by joining the gold diggers at the <span class=SpellE>diggnation<\/span> for pro bettors <\/span><\/font><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font color=blue><span style='color:blue; font-weight:bold;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><a href=\"http:\/\/www.offshoreinsiders.com\/\">OffshoreInsiders.com<\/a><\/span><\/font><\/b>. It&#8217;s <span class=SpellE>grandcentral<\/span> for Grandmaster <a href=\"http:\/\/www.offshoreinsiders.com\/\">sports handicapper<\/a> Joe Duffy. <span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The ACC, Big Ten, and SEC begin their conference tourneys, and Tiger Woods tees it up at the <span class=SpellE>WGC<\/span>-CA Championship. <o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p><strong><b><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size: 9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>The march toward Madness . . .<\/span><\/font><\/b><\/strong><o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><a href=\"http:\/\/www.linetrackers.com\/\">Sportsbooks<\/a> brace as the ACC, Big Ten, and SEC conference tournaments all finally get underway on Thursday with opening-round <span class=SpellE>matchups<\/span>. The first day of ACC action at <\/span><\/font><st1:City><st1:place>Atlanta<\/st1:place><\/st1:City>&#8216;s Georgia Dome has <st1:City><st1:place>Miami<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> vs. Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech vs. <st1:place><st1:City>Clemson<\/st1:City>, <st1:State>NC<\/st1:State><\/st1:place> State vs. <st1:State><st1:place>Maryland<\/st1:place><\/st1:State>, and Virginia vs. <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Boston<\/st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>College<\/st1:PlaceType><\/st1:place>, while the Big Ten has Northwestern vs. <st1:State><st1:place>Minnesota<\/st1:place><\/st1:State>, <st1:State><st1:place>Iowa<\/st1:place><\/st1:State> vs. <st1:State><st1:place>Michigan<\/st1:place><\/st1:State>, and Indiana vs. <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Penn<\/st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>State<\/st1:PlaceType><\/st1:place> at the <span class=SpellE>Conseco<\/span> <span class=SpellE>Fieldhouse<\/span> in <st1:City><st1:place>Indianapolis<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> to get their tourney started on Thursday.<o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>Meanwhile, the SEC tournament gets going at the St. Pete Times Forum in <\/span><\/font><st1:City><st1:place>Tampa<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> on Thursday, with <st1:State><st1:place>Mississippi<\/st1:place><\/st1:State> vs. <st1:State><st1:place>Kentucky<\/st1:place><\/st1:State>, <st1:country-region><st1:place>Georgia<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region> vs. <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Mississippi<\/st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>State<\/st1:PlaceType><\/st1:place>, Vanderbilt vs. <st1:State><st1:place>Alabama<\/st1:place><\/st1:State>, and <st1:State><st1:place>Arkansas<\/st1:place><\/st1:State> vs. <st1:State><st1:place>Florida<\/st1:place><\/st1:State>. The other five major conference tourneys continue on Thursday as well, highlighted by marquee Big East teams <st1:place><st1:City>Pittsburgh<\/st1:City>, <st1:State>Connecticut<\/st1:State><\/st1:place>, <st1:City><st1:place>Louisville<\/st1:place><\/st1:City>, and Villanova finally seeing action.<o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>Other ranked teams set to hit the floor on Thursday include No. 6 Oklahoma, No. 11 Kansas, and No. 14 Missouri in the Big 12 tournament, No. 4 Memphis in the Conference USA tournament, No. 13 Washington, No. 15 UCLA, and No. 23 Arizona State in the Pac-10 tournament, and No. 25 <span class=SpellE>BYU<\/span> in the <span class=SpellE>MWC<\/span> tournament. As well, No. 19 Xavier will play their first game in the A-10 tourney.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-weight:bold;mso-bidi-font-weight: normal'>March Madness picks and predictions\u2026<o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/b><\/p>\n<p><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-weight:bold;mso-bidi-font-weight: normal'>ALERT: Stevie Vincent adds a PERFECT PLAY for early day action. <\/span><\/font><\/b>Since raising the bar on the definition of PERFECT PLAY, Stevie has actually gotten better if that&#8217;s possible. He goes 4-1 last night including sweeping Perfect Plays, <st1:PLACE><st1:PLACENAME><st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Oklahoma<\/st1:PLACENAME><\/st1:PlaceName>  <st1:PLACETYPE><st1:PlaceType>State<\/st1:PLACETYPE><\/st1:PLACE><\/st1:PlaceType><\/st1:place> plus the New Orleans NBA game over. <o:P><\/o:P><o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>Stevie has his Conference Tournament LOCK of the YEAR plus the just added PERFECT PLAY going Thursday among five winners. The top angle in each game is a combined 49-5 against the spread and you get the angles inside the plays. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.offshoreinsiders.com\/index.php?Page=Packages\">Click now to purchase<\/a> Stevie Vincent&#8217;s winners. He is the founder of forensic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/2007\/08\/betonsports360com_1.html\">sports handicapping<\/a>. <o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p><strong><b><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size: 9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>Tipping off on the hardwood&nbsp; . . .<\/span><\/font><\/b><\/strong><o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>The Spurs will host the Lakers in the first of two NBA games on the schedule for Thursday night. <\/span><\/font><st1:City><st1:place>San Antonio<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> and <st1:City><st1:place>Los Angeles<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> have met twice over the past two months, with each team winning at home. The Lakers rolled to a 99-85 home win as 7.5-point favorites on January 25, while the Spurs pulled out a 112-111 home win as 3-point favorites on January 14. The O\/U was 1-1 over those two contests.<o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>The second half of Thursday&#8217;s NBA doubleheader then sees <\/span><\/font><st1:City><st1:place>Cleveland<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> in <st1:City><st1:place>Phoenix<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> to battle the Suns. The Cavaliers and Suns met in <st1:City><st1:place>Cleveland<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> back on February 11, with LeBron James and <span class=GramE>company cruising to a 109-92 home win<\/span> as 9-point favorites. Mo Williams poured in 44 points for <st1:City><st1:place>Cleveland<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> in that victory, while James had 26 points. <span class=SpellE>Amare<\/span> <span class=SpellE>Stoudemire<\/span> had 27 points in a losing cause.<o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><strong><b><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size: 9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>Taking a trip around the rink . . .<\/span><\/font><\/b><\/strong><o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>The NHL loads up with 13 games on the schedule for Thursday night, including <\/span><\/font><st1:State><st1:place>Washington<\/st1:place><\/st1:State> at <st1:City><st1:place>Philadelphia<\/st1:place><\/st1:City>. The last time the Caps and Flyers met on the ice was back on February 24, when <st1:City><st1:place>Philadelphia<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> grabbed a 4-2 road victory. Jeff Carter, Scott <span class=SpellE>Hartnell<\/span>, <span class=SpellE>Arron<\/span> <span class=SpellE>Asham<\/span>, and Claude Giroux scored for the Flyers in that victory, while Alex Ovechkin and <span class=SpellE>Nicklas<\/span> <span class=SpellE>Backstrom<\/span> replied for the Capitals.<o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>Also on the busy Thursday slate: Ottawa at Boston, Phoenix at New Jersey, Pittsburgh at Columbus, Florida at Buffalo, the Islanders at Montreal, Tampa Bay at Toronto, the Rangers at Nashville, Carolina at Dallas, San Jose at St. Louis, Minnesota at Colorado, and Atlanta at Edmonton. As well, a pair of division leaders will meet on the ice in <\/span><\/font><st1:City><st1:place>Detroit<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> when the Wings get a visit from the Flames.<o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><strong><b><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size: 9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>Rounding out the Roundup . . .<\/span><\/font><\/b><\/strong><o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=2 color=\"#333333\" face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>Tiger Woods will be back on the course this week at Doral Golf Resort in Miami, Florida for the <span class=SpellE>WGC<\/span>-CA Championship, an event he has won six of the nine times it has been held. Vegas oddsmakers, then, have Woods pegged as the 5\/2 favorite to capture the trophy yet again, with Phil Mickelson behind him on the list at 8\/1. Geoff Ogilvy, who is the defending champ, is listed third at 10\/1 odds, where he&#8217;s tied with Sergio Garcia, while 2004 champ Ernie <span class=SpellE>Els<\/span> is sitting at 12\/1. Mike Weir, who came out on top in this event back in 2000, is listed at 40\/1 odds.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"blogger-post-footer\"><a\nhref=\"http:\/\/www.offshoreinsiders.com\/\"><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>OffshoreInsiders.com<\/b><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Forbes rich list is decreasing. However sports betting experts are thriving by joining the gold diggers at the diggnation for pro bettors OffshoreInsiders.com. It&#8217;s grandcentral for Grandmaster sports handicapper Joe Duffy. \u00a0 Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The ACC, Big Ten, and SEC begin their conference tourneys, and Tiger Woods tees it up &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/2009\/03\/2009-march-madness-picks-and-predictions\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">2009 March Madness Picks and Predictions<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3772"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3772\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}