With the beautiful madness we’ve come to expect and enjoy each and every March, which is less than a month away, it’s time to take a fresh look at the teams expected to make noise in the 2020 postseason. It’s no surprise that perennial contenders such as Gonzaga, Duke, Kansas, Louisville, and Michigan State are among the favourites to battle it out for the championship as of this writing, but each season we have some lesser known programs emerge and surprise fans.
This season, that role has been played by top-ranked Baylor, San Diego State (the only undefeated Division I team in the nation), and Dayton, who’ve been playing phenomenal basketball and have found themselves in the favourites mix as a result. In this college basketball installment, we update the top favourites, contenders, and underdogs for the national championship.
Not having lost since November 29 while also leading the nation in scoring (88.5 PPG) as well as margin of victory (21.7 average scoring margin), the Bulldogs (25-1 SU) are right at the top of the NCAA basketball odds for the national championship at +900 title odds.
Speaking of not losing, the Baylor Bears (22-1 SU) haven't lost since their second game of the season on November 8 to the Washington Huskies. Baylor has been perfect since then, prevailing over five ranked opponents and occupying the top position in the national standings. Look for the Bears to contend in March, with their odds to win the national championship pegged at +1000 as of press time.
Led by Vernon Carey Jr. (17.5 PPG) and Tre Jones (15.6 PPG), Duke (21-3 SU) is enjoying a six game winning streak following a tough mid-January in which they suffered back-to-back losses to Louisville and an unranked Clemson squad. The seventh-ranked Blue Devils are always a prominent feature in March, so their NCAA basketball betting odds remain strong at +1000.
Winners of 12 of their last 14 contests, including three victories over Top 10 opponents, the Seton Hall Pirates (18-6 SU) are bona fide contenders for the championship. Senior guard Myles Powell is a big reason why, scoring 21.4 points per game average in his 2019-20 campaign.
The Auburn Tigers (22-2 SU) possess one of the best records in the country and will look to inflict damage on their opponents come tournament time. The NCAA basketball lines have the Tigers pegged as a solid contender for the title at +2500 odds.
Leading the Big Ten conference standings are the Maryland Terrapins with a 10-3 conference record (20-4 overall). Raising their level of play in the face of strong competition, Mark Turgeon's squad has won three tilts against ranked opponents in Ohio State, Iowa (won one, lost one) and Illinois. Look for some fight out of Maryland in the postseason.
The Alabama Crimson Tide (13-11 SU) is an incredibly fun team to watch in college basketball. They rank second in the nation in scoring, behind only Gonzaga, at 83.0 points per game. While they're a long shot to win the title at +15000 odds, they'll pose a threat if they get on a hot shooting streak.
The frisky Sun Devils (16-7 SU) have won five out of their previous six contests, including a 66-65 victory over the Arizona Wildcats. They’re an intriguing March Madness proposition should they make the tournament. This underdog could be worth a flyer at +15000 NCAA championship odds.
Notching an impressive 69-59 win against ranked West Virginia on February 8, the Sooners (16-8 SU) are looking for another push that would propel them into the NCAA tournament. Keep your eye on two huge upcoming matchups for Oklahoma against third-ranked Kansas on February 15 and top-ranked Baylor on February 18. If they're competitive against these elite squads, you can expect their +25000 title odds to improve.
*Odds as of February 19