1) Travel distance. It's key. Don't even attempt filling out a bracket without a heavy emphasis on distance traveled.
2) Defense, DEFENSE, DEFENSE!! Probably the most important aspect to winning in March. These moron pundits will try and sell you on teams like Creighton and Duke who can light it up but can't understand how to defend (In duke's defense - pun intended - they've gotten a shit load better as the year progressed).
- Here is the real takeaway, and why defense is key come march. Offense is built on rhythm and momentum. Two things that wont be happening much at all in this made for TV event. For the same reasons coaches take timeouts to break up momentum of a team on a run, the media timeouts which are plentiful and longer than usual will do the same thing. That is why, for all the NBA talent Lute Olson put into the league (He lead the NCAA's when he retired) - he only has one ring to show for it, and a lucky one at that.
The tournament artificially creates much closer games, and guess what wins in a close game down the stretch? It's getting key stops.
Defense, gents. I can't stress it enough.
I have a few more, would love to hear some other nuggets of wisdom about March betting/brackets.