2014 CBI Gambling Online
There’s no denying that Selection Sunday and the NCAA Tournament get the most attention during March Madness, but the CBI is the postseason event that will kick off first. Prestigious programs such as Maryland and Indiana declined invitations, which bodes well for a handful of teams already in the contest. [ad-4468020]
UTEP
The most intriguing part about picking CBI winners is that you must incorporate home-court advantage into your decision. Everybody has a shot to win, but there are a handful of squads you should look to when analyzing who has the best advantage.
The UTEP Miners went 23-10 in the regular season, including 12-4 in conference play. They average 69.4 points per game, which is only good enough for 223rd in the nation, but their defense is where they make their name, giving up just 63.4 points per outing—the 34th-best mark in the country.
UTEP’s biggest performance of the year actually came in a loss. It fell by four to Kansas back on Nov. 30—the same Kansas team that is now a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Historically, UTEP is has performed well in the CBI. They made it to the Finals in 2009 before falling to the Oregon State Beavers.
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Oregon State
Speaking of the Beavers, they’re another squad to keep an eye on in this year’s CBI.
The Pac-12 may not be as top-heavy as it once seemed, but contests against UCLA, Oregon and, of course, No. 1-ranked Arizona will prove to be the regular-season tests they needed to prepare for this contest. The last time the Beavers played the Arizona Wildcats was on March 5. Arizona was the third-ranked team in the country at the time, and the Beavers fell by just five points.
The CBI will be the final time Roberto Nelson, Angus Brandt and Devon Collier will play together, giving the squad even more motivation to go out with a bang.
Texas A&M
The Texas A&M Aggies may be the lowest-ranked top seed in the CBI, but their defense is what should will them to a solid showing.
On the year, the Aggies made up for their anemic offense by allowing just 63.4 points per contest. That was good enough for 36th nationwide, and it’s what will help the stifle opposing offenses in the CBI.
The Aggies are set to host three mid-majors, giving them the edge.
Penn State
The Penn State Nittany Lions went just 15-17 on the season, but going 2-0 against the Ohio State Buckeyes will give them confidence entering postseason action. They also notched wins over Nebraska and Indiana, which can only help their case.
Consider D.J. Newbill one of the most dangerous players in the field. He averaged 17.8 points and 4.9 rebounds this year, and if it comes down to having the best player, Penn State will have the advantage most nights.
