It’s Conference Championship weekend, and we have had plenty of surprising, seed-shifting, bubble-altering results.  VCU and Nevada going down open up two more possibilities for bid thievery, and the late (very late…I need a nap) overtime Oregon win over Arizona State opens up the very real possibility of yet another.

And the weird results kept pouring in.  Memphis and Wichita State knocked off UCF and Temple, leaving two bid thieves opposite each other in the AAC semifinals, Florida State knocked off Virginia and Duke snuck away with a thrilling 74-73 win over North Carolina while Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan State all marched on throws the #1 seed discussion into hyperdrive.

It’s the most magical time of the year, and we are just getting started!

Today’s Free Picks:

Tennessee Volunteers vs. Kentucky Wildcats -1

These two teams have met twice, with each notching blowout wins on their home floor only to be reciprocally humbled when traveling on the road. Today, we get the much-anticipated rubber match on a neutral floor.  The “floor” is in Tennessee, which bodes well for the Vols, but lets keep it 100 – Kentucky is never truly on the road in any neutral court setting.  Big Blue nation will be present and vocal.

So, who has the edge?

Kentucky and Tennessee have similar season stats.  Both are two games over .500 ATS on the season.  Both enter ranked in the top eight in the country, both took just three losses in conference, and both outscore their opponents by more than ten points per game.  Both are worthy #1 seeds, but only one will emerge today.  I love Tennessee’s senior leadership and veteran moxie.  They have size, denfed with strength and have legit big-time playmakers.  But Kentucky is red-hot and can bring athletes in waves.  They have better depth, which can be vital when playing on a short turn around, and enter the game with the better momentum.  Aside from the slip-up at Rocky Top, Kentucky has reeled off seven wins in a row.  Tennessee has lost three of their last eight, but in their defense, they were road losses at Kentucky, LSU and Auburn – literally the three best losses one could absorb in the SEC.

This should be a fantastic game; a true head-to-head test without gyms and home crowds factoring in the result.  So I’ll ride with the team with the higher overall talents level, Kentucky.  The Wildcats entered the season ranked #1 in some experts polls, then the Duke massacre erased them from the national collective conscious.  However, this is still a team with a loaded roster and a nice blend of some veterans to compliment the usual bevy of top-tier freshman talent.  Add in the splendid return of senior Reid Travis yesterday and Kentucky might be finally approaching their considerably high ceiling.

I like the Cats to win the rubber match today en route to a #1 seed and an SEC Tournament championship.

MY PICK:  KENTUCKY WILDCATS -1