Now that we are entering the second-half of conference play, talk of March Madness rapidly begins to settle into the picture. And with it the forever ongoing controversy of which teams will make it to the Big Dance and which ones will be left

Home, looking instead to hitch a ride into the NIT sock hop.

For the time being we'll let the talking heads and online analysts beat this horse to death. Instead, we'll prepare ourselves by keeping a pulse on how the major conferences are faring this season - from a pointspread perspective - as we ready our selves for both events with a review of strengths and weaknesses from a conference perspective.

The numbers below are all ATS (Against The Spread) and are for all games played through Sunday, January 27th. Let's check the Tale of the Tape…

ACC

Home 47-37-2
Away 36-29-2
As favs 67-53-2
As dogs 28-28-2
Vs Non Cons 65-51-2
Noteworthy 6-14-2 off DD loss

BIG EAST

Home 53-67-1
Away 43-46-2
As favs 69-86-1
As dogs 45-45-1
Vs Non Cons 58-74-3
Noteworthy 4-14 DD favs off SUATS win

BIG 10

Home 36-56-2
Away 38-24-1
As favs 46-54-3
As dogs 33-38-1
Vs Non Cons 43-56-4
Noteworthy 5-19-1 with single revenge from LY

BIG 12

Home 46-32-1
Away 23-31-1
As favs 51-39-1
As dogs 30-36-1
Vs Non Cons 57-47-1
Noteworthy 17-7 vs opp off BB losses

CUSA

Home 36-31-5
Away 25-30-4
As favs 40-32-5
As dogs 33-40-4
Vs Non Cons 47-45-5
Noteworthy 16-6-1 dogs vs opp off loss

HORIZON

Home 39-37-1
Away 44-36-1
As favs 34-39-1
As dogs 55-37-1
Vs Non Cons 43-30
Noteworthy 25-8 dogs vs opp off BB SUATS wins

MAC

Home 47-31
Away 41-51
As favs 39-41
As dogs 54-54-1
Vs Non Cons 57-59-1
Noteworthy 7-17 off SU dog win

MVC

Home 42-37-4
Away 34-39-2
As favs 49-45-3
As dogs 32-31-3
Vs Non Cons 39-38-3
Noteworthy 7-17-3 off DD loss

MWC

Home 33-26-2
Away 30-29-1
As favs 42-35-1
As dogs 28-25-2
Vs Non Cons 47-36-3
Noteworthy 14-7-2

Home of DD win

PAC 10

Home 43-46-2
Away 38-21-2
As favs 60-50-4
As dogs 26-28-1
Vs Non Cons 51-43-5
Noteworthy 17-4-2 as road favorites

SEC

Home 39-46-2
Away 22-28
As favs 51-52-2
As dogs 23-33
Vs Non Cons 47-59-2
Noteworthy 15-6 off DD loss

SUN BELT

Home 40-42
Away 51-48-1
As favs 40-41
As dogs 58-52-1
Vs Non Cons 41-36-1
Noteworthy 4-11 as DD favs

WAC

Home 23-40-1
Away 29-34-1
As favs 24-34-1
As dogs 31-43-1
Vs Non Cons 26-48-2
Noteworthy 5-13 as DD favs

Most interesting is the lack of success by three major conference in games outside league play (Big 10, Big East and WAC), while only two conferences stand heads and shoulders above all other in non-conference clashes (ACC and Horizon).

By keeping a pulse on the sparring sessions that take place from now until the regular season ends you can put yourself into position to deliver a knockout punch this post-season.