College Basketball Picks

We are only weeks away from March Madness. Crazy right?

What another great college basketball season it's been. The usual suspects, including the likes of Kentucky, Syracuse, Duke, Kansas and Ohio State, are among the nation's elite once more, but there's also some fresh blood too.

As it stands right now, the Wildcats are the number one team in the country. John Calipari continues to be a highly talented recruiter and his program is reaping the benefits majorly.

Kentucky has six players who will be playing their trade in the NBA at some point in the near future. Freshman Anthony Davis (14.0 PPG and 9.9 RPG) is improving with each passing game and is setting himself up nicely to be a top three pick in the draft.

One team we're not used to seeing in the top five is Missouri.

The Tigers are ranked number three at the moment and are tied with the Jayhawks for the top spot in the Big 12. Their guard-heavy lineup is proving to be too much for opponents to handle, with Marcus Denmon playing especially well this season.

Elsewhere in the AP Top 25, the Big East is highly represented once more. Syracuse, Georgetown, Marquette, Louisville and Notre Dame are all ranked.

In regards to college basketball picks, the Cardinals have been a strong team to back this season. They're 14-8-1 ATS thus far, making them one of the nation's best performing squads against the spread.

But let's get back to some more surprise teams.

UNLV has taken the country by storm this season, using an early win over powerhouse North Carolina to spark a great run. Mike Moser and company will undoubtedly be a tough outcome tournament time.

The Aztecs of San Diego State are playing great basketball as well. Together with the Runnin' Rebels and New Mexico, all of a sudden the Mountain West has become a fearsome conference for college hoops.

Probably the biggest surprise of the year has been Murray State, who only just recently lost their first game of the season. The Racers had started out a remarkable 24-0 thanks to a breakout year from Isaiah Canaan.

The best coaching jobs, in my opinion, have mainly come from the three big conferences: the Big East, Big 12 and Big Ten. Frank Haith should be applauded for the work he's done with Missouri, as should Bill Self who's transformed this Kansas team into a serious contender when not many thought they would be at the season's start. Tom Izzo's Michigan State Spartans have survived one of the country's toughest schedules and are somehow ranked in the top ten In the Big Ten, how about the work Mike Brey has done? Notre Dame has used a wonderful mid-season run to propel themselves into the spotlight, so kudos to Brey as well.

With not long left until the Big Dance arrives, this is the time when teams need to start reaching their full potential. It's sure to be another great March of college basketball picks for fans and upsets are bound to happen, as they always do. We'll see soon who can handle the pressure best.