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Re: 3-20-09
Scott Rickenbach’s March Madness Game #851 – 2* (Top Play) Wisconsin Badgers (+) vs Florida State @ 9:55 PM ET – In a 12 vs 5 match-up, you would not expect to see a line this low. Also, Florida State won 25 games this season while the Badgers won just 19. Additionally, the ACC is held in higher regard than the Big Ten. So, what’s with this line? It’s all about the match-ups! Wisconsin, under Coach Bo Ryan is very difficult to prepare for when you’re not use to seeing them. That is the concern for Florida State in this match-up. No matter how much you try to emulate what their offense does – in practice – it’s still not the same as dealing with it in live game action. We have a strong feeling here that the Badgers offense is going to give Florida State a lot of trouble. So, both defenses come in, deservedly, receiving a lot of respect. However, only one, Wisconsin, is likely to be successful in their match-ups here. The Seminoles defense is going to get thrown out of whack by the unusual way in which the Badgers offense operates. It’s unconventional and it can be a headache for opponents. Wisconsin has built up some nice momentum heading into the Big Dance. After an ugly 2-6 run in January, they rebounded nicely and ended up in fourth place in the Big Ten. They play a very stingy man-to-man defense and they ended up with some of the top defensive numbers in the country. Their defense is absolutely going to frustrate the Noles in this match-up. Note that the Badgers went 14-1 this season when they limited their opponents to 60 points or less and we can honestly see that coming here. Even though the Seminoles have good size, Marcus Landry is a very strong post defender. Also, on the perimeter, the Badgers have frustrated opponents into making just 32% of their shots from three point land this season. We look for Coach Ryan to hold a significant “X’s and O’s edge” over Florida State Coach Leonard Hamilton. Also, this is the Noles first trip to the Big Dance in over ten years and they just don’t have true “tournament experience” under their belts. Also, guard Toney Douglas is a senior and a fantastic scorer but, other than Douglas and Uche Echefu, the Seminoles rely very heavily on freshman and sophomores. This is a weakness as they face a Badgers team that went to the Sweet Sixteen last season. The Badgers have two juniors, Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon, as well as two seniors, Joe Krabbenhoft and Landry, that they rely heavily on. There is a wealth of experience with these players and their sophomore players also gained valuable experience with last year’s post-season run. The Noles will be the “trendy choice” here but when you factor in tactical match-ups as well as experience, Florida State is very likely to get frustrated here and we foresee a “traditional” 12 vs 5 upset here! Play Wisconsin plus the points as a Top Play selection.
Scott Rickenbach’s March Madness Game #851 – 2* (Top Play) Wisconsin Badgers (+) vs Florida State @ 9:55 PM ET – In a 12 vs 5 match-up, you would not expect to see a line this low. Also, Florida State won 25 games this season while the Badgers won just 19. Additionally, the ACC is held in higher regard than the Big Ten. So, what’s with this line? It’s all about the match-ups! Wisconsin, under Coach Bo Ryan is very difficult to prepare for when you’re not use to seeing them. That is the concern for Florida State in this match-up. No matter how much you try to emulate what their offense does – in practice – it’s still not the same as dealing with it in live game action. We have a strong feeling here that the Badgers offense is going to give Florida State a lot of trouble. So, both defenses come in, deservedly, receiving a lot of respect. However, only one, Wisconsin, is likely to be successful in their match-ups here. The Seminoles defense is going to get thrown out of whack by the unusual way in which the Badgers offense operates. It’s unconventional and it can be a headache for opponents. Wisconsin has built up some nice momentum heading into the Big Dance. After an ugly 2-6 run in January, they rebounded nicely and ended up in fourth place in the Big Ten. They play a very stingy man-to-man defense and they ended up with some of the top defensive numbers in the country. Their defense is absolutely going to frustrate the Noles in this match-up. Note that the Badgers went 14-1 this season when they limited their opponents to 60 points or less and we can honestly see that coming here. Even though the Seminoles have good size, Marcus Landry is a very strong post defender. Also, on the perimeter, the Badgers have frustrated opponents into making just 32% of their shots from three point land this season. We look for Coach Ryan to hold a significant “X’s and O’s edge” over Florida State Coach Leonard Hamilton. Also, this is the Noles first trip to the Big Dance in over ten years and they just don’t have true “tournament experience” under their belts. Also, guard Toney Douglas is a senior and a fantastic scorer but, other than Douglas and Uche Echefu, the Seminoles rely very heavily on freshman and sophomores. This is a weakness as they face a Badgers team that went to the Sweet Sixteen last season. The Badgers have two juniors, Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon, as well as two seniors, Joe Krabbenhoft and Landry, that they rely heavily on. There is a wealth of experience with these players and their sophomore players also gained valuable experience with last year’s post-season run. The Noles will be the “trendy choice” here but when you factor in tactical match-ups as well as experience, Florida State is very likely to get frustrated here and we foresee a “traditional” 12 vs 5 upset here! Play Wisconsin plus the points as a Top Play selection.
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