College basketball betting – Top-5 impact players

March Madness betting - It’s a pretty simple concept: before you bet college basketball at your sportsbook, get to know the players on both teams. It’s just a matter of doing your home work.

And, if you are the type of guy that procrastinates with home work and likes to cram last-minute, this list will help you out. Before you starting clicking away at your sports betting lines, here are some of the major impact players you need to know about before you bet.

Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut

College basketball betting fans know Hasheem Thabeet is among the best big men in NCAA basketball. Thabeet is often compared to Dikembe Mutombo and, considering his size, athleticism and defensive presence, it’s easy to make that comparison.

• College basketball betting: impact players that can change your bet

Sharps that bet on college basketball also know you need an inside presence to combine with perimeter shooting to go deep into the tournament and Thabeet is exactly that. As evidenced by his recent 25-point, 20 rebound, nine-block performance against Seton Hall, Thabeet can carry the Huskies when necessary, which is why he is one of the biggest impact players in the league.

Tyler Hansbrough/Ty Lawson, North Carolina

If you bet college basketball, know this: the North Carolina Tar Heels don’t go far without contributions from “Psycho T”, Tyler Hansbrough, but another key member on the team is point guard Ty Lawson.

Lawson average 6.4 assists per game and really transforms the Tar Heels from a bunch of talented players into a well-oiled machine. He can break almost anyone down from the dribble and he knows how to get his teammates involved.

Winning at college basketball betting often comes from great guard play to go deep into the tournament, and Lawson is among the best in that category.

There’s not much that needs to be said about Hansbrough, a potential Player Of The Year candidate. He dominates the paint and, if the Tar Heels do win it all, he will be a big reason.

Blake Griffin, Oklahoma

All NBA scouts, executives and any fans who regularly bet on college basketball, are aware of Griffin. Griffin is not only among the most dominant college basketball players, he is the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.

While Oklahoma has a decent team around him, without Griffin, the Sooners wouldn’t even be playing in the March Madness tournament, let alone competing in it.

Tyreke Evans, Memphis Tigers

College basketball betting fans know it’s been a quite year for freshmen contributions, but the man leading the way is Memphis Tigers guard Tyreke Evans. He has one of the most awkward releases around, but that hasn’t slowed him at all. He leads the high-flying Tigers with 16.9 points per game and chips in 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.

For a second straight year, Tigers fans will see their fate in the hands of a freshman. It turned out pretty good in 2008 when Derrick Rose led his team to the Finals. Evans is equally important as a freshman impact player this year and, without him, those who bet on college basketball won’t see the Tigers going past the Sweet Sixteen.

DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh Panthers

Most people who bet college basketball know that the Pitt Panthers are a well-rounded team. With Levance Fields and Sam Young are great perimeter assets, it is DeJuan Blair who is really the x-factor on this team.

Blair, a center, is the team’s main presence inside, a point he proved emphatically after putting up 22 points and 23 rebounds in the win against UConn. That performance was his second 20-20 outing of the year and no player has had a 20-20 game for Pittsburgh since 1992.  The Panthers need balance and with Blair dominating the interior, the Panthers have exactly what they need to go deep in the tournament.

For more analysis and articles on betting on college basketball, visit the betonline.com Betting Edge daily all the way to March Madness.

Washington Tucker was practically raised at Rucker Park. Though a freak knee injury cost him a major college basketball scholarship, his “sixth-sense” on the hardwood has translated into a spectacular career in basketball handicapping.