By: Jay Bruce

Soon it will be time to fill those NCAA March Madness brackets out again.

Those who are looking for this year’s crop of small schools looking to pounce on the big dogs came to the right place. Back in 2006, nine small conference teams won their first round game and at least have won in each season since.

Before you go picking every small team in your bracket, take a look at these eight teams and decide for yourself whether they will be worth check marks and not X’s on your bracket?

Cornell Big Red

Cornell is a team that always flies under people’s radar. The Big Red have proven to the quite the road warrior this season, beating the likes of Alabama, Davidson, UMass, Drexel and Bucknell away from home. Cornell also lost a stunning 71-66 game at Kansas, leading the game most of the way before the Jayhawks turned the game around and pulled the win out.

Cornell is led by two talented veterans, senior three-point threat Ryan Wittman, who leads the team in scoring at 17.4 ppg, and big man Jeff Foote, who is a menace on the block.

In the past nine seasons, the Cornell posts an impressive 9-3 record in neutral site games, holding their opponent to just over 60 ppg in those victories.

UTEP Miners

Texas El Paso is one of those teams that are peaking at the right time.

As of March 1st, the Miners have reeled off 12 straight victories, not bad for a team that started the season at 10-5. UTEP got the monkey off its back by beating Conference USA foe Memphis by five points at the Tigers home gym.

The Miners may need to be Conference USA Tournament champs to make the big dance though. UTEP’s lost most of its crucial non conference games, with its only notable win coming against Oklahoma back in December.

The Miners are led by big man Derrick Caracter. The Louisville transfer proved to the world, and Rick Pitino, that given the minutes he could be productive. The junior has posted career numbers this season, with highs in points per game, free throw attempts and percentage, minutes, field goal attempts and percentage. Throw in Randy Culpepper, the UTEP scoring leader, and you’ve go a team you don’t want to see in the first round.

The Miners can score in bunches, rebound with the best of teams and thanks to their poised guard play, UTEP does not turn the ball over.

Butler Bulldogs

Butler currently holds the longest winning streak in the nation. At 18 straight wins, the Bulldogs ran the table on their Horizon opponents.

Only the fourth team in Horizon League history to complete its conference schedule unbeaten, Butler also finished the regular season with 26 wins for the sixth time in nine years.

With notable victories over bigger schools like Ohio State, Xavier, UCLA and Northwestern, Butler sees prepared for a tourney run.

While they’re not the defensive stalwart they used to be, the Bulldogs do keep the game in the low sixties and are ranked sixth in the nation in opponents rebounds per game.

Butler is ranked high this season and won’t sneak up on anybody, but count on them to possibly win a few games in the NCAA Tournament this year. They score in the paint and don’t give up rebounds. Do you smell the upset brewing?

Northern Iowa Panthers

NIU will be in its fifth NCAA Tournament in seven years.

The Panthers lack any stars. Their leading scorer, Adam Koch, averages a mere 12.3 points per game while leading assist man, Kwadzo Ahelegbe, manages only 2.8 assists per game.

So why is Northern Iowa so dangerous? Two reasons; defense and experience.

I am a big proponent of picking smaller teams that play good defense to win a fist round game, and what better team to pick than the Panthers? NIU is ranked No. 2 in the nation on the defensive side of the ball, holding opponents to 55.3 ppg. Whether you’re a run-and-gun style squad or a slower methodical team, the Panthers will not let you score, bad news for a team who may have only one or two scorers that carry a team.

Northern Iowa beat Boston College (81-69), Iowa State (63-60), and Iowa (67-50) en route to school record 25 wins.

Xavier Musketeers

With a recent notable victory over conference foe Richmond, Xavier not only launched itself into the Top 25 rankings, but also let college hoops fans know they are for real.

The stunning 78-76 double overtime victory has the Musketeers peaking just in time for the NCAA Tournament. Xavier hasn’t lost a first round game in the tourney since 2006, and is 8-1 in its last nine opening games.

The Musketeers have gone 13-2 since they suffered a 96-92 overtime loss at Wake Forest on Jan. 3. Early in the season it was obvious that XU lacked experience, but finishing the season 14-0 at home and winning its last five games, Xavier demonstrated the type of cohesiveness and mental toughness needed to go deep in the tournament.

Richmond Spiders

No stranger to upset hungry fans, Richmond showed their promise early and often this season.

Defeating big schools like Missouri, Mississippi State, Florida and conference enemy Temple, the Spiders love neutral site games. Richmond went 3-0 in such games this year, holding opponents to 52.3 points per game.

There are two things you don’t do against the Spiders, score and shoot at a high percentage. Richmond is ranked top 25 in the nation in opponents’ points per game (60.8), field goal percentage (39%) and three-point percentage (28.4%).

Richmond lost its last first-round tourney game, a 76-64 defeat at the hands of the Wisconsin Badgers.

Utah State Aggies

The No. 1 three-point shooting team in the nation, Utah State could be the cause of a lot of red ink when you check your brackets at the end of the 2010 NCAA Tournament.

The long-bombing Aggies are currently on a 13-game win streak, and have won 17 of their last 19 games.

With its only notable non-conference wins being against Wichita State and BYU, Utah State may need to win the WAC Tournament in order to make the big dance. The selection committee may award the Aggies for their recent winning ways, but could also shun the weak schedule they have played this season.

Temple Owls

I hate to add a third Atlantic 10 team in my eight-team discussion, but you can’t ignore Temple when filling out those brackets.

They are one of the best defensive teams in the country, holding opponents to 57 points per game. With defense comes turnovers, and with turnovers comes easy buckets. The Owls have three players with over 20 steals and four players with over 70 assists on the season. The two go hand in hand, and with guards like Ryan Brooks (14.6 ppg, 22 steals, 72 assists), Juan Fernandez (12.2 ppg, 26 steals, 98 assists), Ramone Moore (7.7 ppg, 11 steals, 42 assists) and Luiz Guzman (4.9 ppg, 20 steals, 93 assists), Temple has a chance to do some damage.

The Owls have lost their last two opening-round games, but with veteran guard play and a stellar defensive attack, an upset could be just what the doctor ordered for Temple.

To Wrap it Up

In conclusion, there are a few things you need to think about when picking your upsets.

Firstly, if a small school has three or four starters who are seniors, pick them to get an upset. Seniors always outplay their potential in big games, and for most small conference teams, the NBA is not an option for most of its players. They are going to play their heart out and sometimes that is a bad thing for the Goliath’s they are looking to slay.

Also, do some research and look at teams with no stars. Some small conference teams have only one star scorer, which usually ends in disaster when they face bigger, more athletic rivals. For example, this season my pick would be Northern Iowa. The Panthers play amazing defense and if you shut down one player, any one of the rest can kill you in any given game.

With three players averaging more than 10 points per game, three averaging more than 4.5 rebounds per game and five players shooting better than .750 from the free throw line, NIU could be your key to getting a head start on your office pool buddies.

By Andy Charles

Talk about bad timing on the Raptors behalf – the worst possible moment to go on a four-game losing run (after Monday’s horror show in Houston) just as your main rival starts to show the signs of doing something similar.

Still without Chris Bosh, the Raptors were at their defensive worst against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday when they went down one of their heaviest defeats of the season, 119-99 against a team that looks like a serious playoff contender in the Western Conference.

How much better would a 34-24 record have looked after Boston succumbed to the Nets (THE NETS!!!) to give them only a sixth win in 59 games with their mix of veterans and bench fodder looking just about ready to implode.

But Kevin Durant, back to 25+ point scoring form, Jeff Green and company gave the Raptors a lesson in finishing as they became the latest team to shoot over 50% and cruise into a 24-point lead before some kind of late rally from Toronto as they ‘won’ the final 12 minutes.

Being so far behind gave coach Jay Triano the chance to use his bench a little more, with none of the starters playing more than 28 minutes, but only really Sonny Weems (again) took advantage while Marco Belinelli was the only Raptor to finish the game on the positive side in terms of score while on the court.

But shooting 43% as a team against an opponent as efficient as the Thunder was always going to be a recipe for trouble according to NBA Tips, and without Bosh the Raptors obviously lack presence in the middle despite winning the rebound battle against one of the smaller teams in the league.

Most disappointing had to be Hedo Turkoglu, after playing well in the defeats by Cleveland and Portland, as he came off court after only 20 minutes and seven points. This after several NBA Betting experts had backed him to have another influential game.

Worse would follow against the Rockets, with a 116-92 defeat, when the starting five again flopped and scored a paltry 31 points in limited action with Triano giving the bench more time and four players responding with double figure scores.

The Raptors singularly failed to guard Aaron Brooks and Kevin Martin, who both had 28 points, as the Rockets stormed into a 32-point lead before taking the final 12 minutes off as well. Simply sickening for anyone who thought there might be a chance of a division title!

And the run certainly shows just how important Bosh is to the team – no Bosh in the playoffs, no fun, no wins and an early summer break for the rest of the squad. Let’s just pray that doesn’t happen!

By Andy Charles

Dwight Howard earned himself another place in the Orlando Magic record books on Wednesday night when he scored 30 points and 16 rebounds against the Houston Rockets for his 19th successive double-double.

Howard enjoyed a perfect night’s shooting from the floor, hitting all of his 11 attempts, and the rest of the Magic line-up responded well too as Orlando secured a massive road victory to retain their two-game lead over the pesky Atlanta Hawks in the Southeast Division.

But deservedly it was Howard making the headlines as he set his new franchise record to break a tie he had been in with the legendary Shaquille O’Neal, as well as becoming the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to score 30 points and 15 rebounds in a game in which he did not miss a shot!

Things did not look so bright as far as NBA Betting goes early in the game for Howard as he was forced to sit out long spells of the first half because of foul trouble, picking up two fouls inside the first 22 seconds and sitting out of the game until the start of the second period.

Since a poor shooting night against Denver back in the middle of January, Howard has been on fire, shooting below 50% in only four of his last 18 games and taking his run of games with 10+ rebounds to 21 in the meantime.

Jameer Nelson, Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis all scored in double figures in Houston as well, but there was no doubting coach Stan Van Gundy when he gave the plaudits to Howard after the victory, even if it came against a team struggling for form.

“He’s had stretches where he’s played well. Now he’s changed the way he plays. So he’s not forcing his way to the basket. He’s worked hard. He has made improvement and I think he’s going to play at a high level all of the time,” said Van Gundy.

Added to the statement victory over Cleveland earlier in the week it was a perfect start to a run of games that are all seen as winnable by NBA Tips, over the next three weeks, apart from a possible finals preview when the Lakers come to town (with a fit Kobe Bryant) on March 7.

By Andy Charles

Okay, so I was going to write all about the surprise moves that the Raptors made on trade deadline day, but that article would end…about here, so let’s have a look instead at what the other teams in the Atlantic managed to achieve.

Of the main interest to Toronto was what the Celtics would do, but in the end their only move proved to be pretty uninspiring as well as they shipped out Eddie House to the Knicks for Nate Robinson.

Robinson is serviceable enough (I guess) and Boston went on to beat the Lakers later in the day as well, but whether the move actually improves them I am not so sure.

Apparently Nate is not exactly the fun-loving character some believe him to be, and he had already gotten into Mike D’Antoni’s doghouse this season, playing sparingly but showing in games when he was given the chance that he could score in bunches.

But where is the playing time in Boston? Doc Rivers seems tied to Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen as his backcourt pairing, and although Robinson is a better player than House, he’s not the greatest defender in the world to be bringing off the bench and he has already admitted he wants to start.

The move basically leaves the Celtics in just about the same position they were in NBA Betting wise before the All-Star break, which is to say a team that is only clinging on to first place thanks to Toronto’s inability to put a run together.

Their veteran lineup really needs just one injury over the next couple of weeks and NBA Predictions suggest there is every chance a bad run could follow because their bench has proved to be relatively ineffective all season.

Philadelphia and New Jersey were deathly quiet, as befits teams that will either struggle or find it 100% impossible to make the playoffs, so the biggest moves were reserved for New York, where all the moves made were aimed at next season alone.

As well as Robinson, gone are Jared Jeffries, Jordan Hill, Larry Hughes, while Tracy McGrady arrives with his expiring contract that leaves the Knicks in place to make some big moves this offseason, plus they added a point guard who could really make an impact down the road in Sergio Rodriguez.

But the big news is that the Knicks now stand on $32m in salary cap room which could leave them with the space to make a run at two of the biggest three free agents who are due to come into the market – LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and (gulp) Chris Bosh!

So now the biggest hope for those clubs looking to make a run at the Atlantic Division in 2011 is that no-one wants to play at Madison Square Garden. Whatever happens either the Knicks are going to be much stronger or sadly the Raptors will be lacking.

Pretty slim pickens these days for Raptors news. It could heat up as the second half kicks off Wednesday night and of course the trade deadline is looming.

Here are 10 questions I want to get your thoughts on for the second half of the season.

Trade talks are bound to start heating up as the NBA’s deadline for moves on February moves closer and closer, and there is every chance that the Raptors will be players by then.

Although it seems unlikely that any big pieces will be moved there are players in the organisation who might just have to get their passports ready for a move back down to the United States.

Of the core of the Toronto line-up, only Jose Calderon would appear to be even a possible candidate for a trade, as you would have to hope that Bryan Colangelo would be telling suitors for Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani and (ideally) DeMar De Rozan where to get off even if they asked!

Jarrett Jack seems unlikely to be moved given his value to the team and Hedo Turkoglu’s long-term contract is highly unlikely to attract anyone after it was paid to a player who appears, on this season’s below-par figures alone, to have been overvalued.

Calderon’s value is a tough one to figure out when it comes to Basketball Predictions. An $8m contract for a pure point guard who was putting up All-Star numbers two seasons ago would seem to be perfect for any number of finals contenders, but he has been blighted by injury since.

Although he is now back in the rotation his value is nowhere near what it might have been but what exactly would the Raptors be looking for in exchange? Would it be a point guard swap, which seems to be the only thing really missing at the moment. But if so, wouldn’t it just be better to get Calderon back to 100% and take advantage of his skill set, something the team is used to.

Apart from DeRozan, who could bring a decent return but would be a tough sell for fans, it leaves the role players on the Toronto roster, with those on expiring deals (Amir Johnson, Antoine Wright, Rasho Nesterovic) most likely to be leaving.

Marcus Banks, earning $4.5m this year and next, seems set to stay with the Raptors but Reggie Evans could move out to a club seeking a defender with no scoring touch off the bench, if they can afford his $5m salary as part of a bigger deal.

NBA Betting expects Toronto to be looking for a decent defensive wing and not a lot more, as the recent run of results would suggest there isn’t an awful lot wrong with the team offensively at the moment. I’m sure there will be plenty of movement before February 18 though.

I might be getting a case of Raptor fever finally and this is a sickness I don’t mind having. The 09-10 season has been an odd one for me personally as I have less time to sit back and enjoy the Raps. The reason is our new son, Harrison, who for the most part is not down with watching basketball.

He has gear already and has been updated on how much we have to hate Vince Carter and the Boston Celtics but he just does not get it yet.

I have had a lot of inner hatred for the Raps after last year’s mess and I was not buying into this year’s team for the most part, until now.

The 29 wins at the break is amazing and it is great to see a plan coming to life. New players needed the time to settle in and if you look at the Raps from top to bottom, they have a lot of talent.

The turning point in my opinion had to be making Jack the starting PG. I was never a fan of Jose being a starting PG in this league. Calderon fits in with the second team so well, it gives the Raps a major advantage.

Chris Bosh is putting up MVP numbers and most importantly, staying healthy. His body is a tank and other than his high number of turnovers, he is living up to every expectation we could have.

Hedo is coating along and not having huge numbers but I am not going to get on his case. He was brought in for the playoffs and if he still has weak numbers then, then I will get on him.

He is that guy who will give us a chance against whoever we play in the opening round. He is just bored right now and things like “Ball” gate keep him amused for now.

Sonny Weems is quickly becoming one of my fave raps. I think I have finally shed that shiver I get when a Raps wing man takes a jumper. Sonny sticks it more often than not. Maybe it is because he looks a little like Joey Graham that makes me doubt him.

It is all coming together. A big three that can’t be stopped on most nights, a point guard duo that offers very different games and a bench that has a bit of an edge.

Now they could very well implode and lose a pile of games, it is hard to say but a home record like they got and an offense that keeps putting up big numbers is a good thing.

If this team ever played D for 48 minutes, they could knock off one of the top four teams.

I am saying it right now, I want the Celtics in the first round. I know we can’t beat them even with their backups in but that is what I want. It would be so sweet to crap on the Celts and end their little run. I want no part of LeBron or the Atlanta-letes. Orlando? Why would I want Vince to have one more shot at us? He is almost washed up and I don’t want to give him anymore chances to have success.

Man this is quite the post. Harry must be sleeping.

Anyways, the Raps at the break leave me very excited for the rest of the season.

Will they win 50?

What am I talking about? Police in Georgia say a 23-year-old guy grabbed a baseball bat inside of a Walmart store on Wednesday and smashed 29 flat-screen televisions.

WTF? I can think of many other things I would love to smash at Walmart.

Witnesses tell police he grabbed a metal baseball bat from the sporting goods section, then walked to the electronics department and destroyed the TVs on display.

Police say the televisions are valued at over $22,000.

What would you like to smash at Walmart if you could?