Things You'll Need:
- Basketball Videos
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Step 1
Learn how well the teams played toward the end of their season. "You can have road bumps along the way," says Larry Conley, a veteran color analyst for ESPN, "but toward the end you need solid performances. This gives your teams confidence as they enter the tournament."
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Step 2
Take a look at team depth. "When you're playing good teams every successive weekend, it's difficult on your club," Conley says. Teams need the ability to reach eight to nine men deep in their roster if necessary.
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Step 3
Examine whether the team has solid guards. "I really like basketball teams that have good, experienced guards," Conley says. "If I see a club that has junior and senior guards, I'll often go with them. They have more of an effect during the tournament."
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Step 4
Study each team's style of play. Is it a perimeter team? Can the players penetrate and utilize the low post? Are they defending zone or man-to-man?
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Step 5
Know the teams' personnel. Some players get flustered under pressure, while others shine. Understand the coaches. Historically, how do they lead their teams against similar opponents?
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Step 6
Find out how many times (and when) the coach, any players and the school itself has visited the tournament. Pressure takes many forms, including the societal pressure of a community excited over a team's first tournament appearance in several years. Pressure can crack anyone.
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Step 7
Discover who will be playing closer to home. A team's fan base can tip the scales.
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Step 8
Keep an eye on the rating percentage index number provided by the NCAA.
