NCAAB Odds: 3 Favored in Race to March Madness

College basketball action tips off soon and now is the best time to find value.

The Best Bet

Out of the three favorites, we’re looking at North Carolina as the best bet. The Tar Heels have quality returning players and they have recruited well.

Returning to the national championship game after losing to Kansas 72-69 in the 2022 NCAA title game isn’t easy, but they should be able to build on that effort and go one better.

Bettors get +850 for North Carolina and that’s a fair preseason price. It could be the big shortener in college basketball betting markets, so bettors should jump on the early price.

Coach Hubert Davis believes the Tar Heels have the depth to make a deep run.

“We have depth,” Davis told 247Sports. “I know last year, especially down the stretch, we had a rotation of five or six. That won’t be the case this year. We’ve got guys coming off the bench that can play at the level that we need them to and to be able to contribute right away.

“We talked last year about guys getting more minutes this year and having an opportunity to compete for those minutes. Dontrez Styles came up big in the Baylor game, and there were parts throughout the year where we’re not successful without him being out there on the floor.”

There should be steady money coming for North Carolina, which looks well-placed to return to March Madness.

Consecutive Titles for Kansas?

It’s not easy to win back-to-back national championships, but Kansas isn’t like most teams.

The Jayhawks always lose talent to the NBA and they rebuild every year, so the +1200 line available shouldn’t be overlooked.

Jalen Wilson returns after averaging 11 points and Dajuan Harris is also in the lineup. However, picking up Kevin McCullar from Texas Tech could be enough to see them contend for the title.

“As I look to the next chapter of my career, if I decide to withdraw from the NBA Draft, I am thrilled to say that I will be playing for the University of Kansas and Coach (Bill) Self!” McCullar said. “At this stage of my life, KU offers me an opportunity to continue to improve my game while still being close to my family.”

McCullar adds a new dynamic to Kansas basketball and betting online markets could have to make an adjustment. The +1200 price is generous for the defending champions.

Indiana Firms for Upset

The Indiana Hoosiers have attracted attention after being backed into +3300 from a much larger opening quote.

The Hoosiers are one of the favorites to win the Big Ten and there are many who believe they could play in the Final Four for the first time in 21 years.

“The Hoosiers may be viewed as the favorite in the Big Ten by default, but you can’t argue with the facts: Indiana returns 90.9 percent of its scoring from a team that reached the NCAA Tournament last season and boasts a seasoned frontcourt with All-American Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson,” NCAAB analyst Jon Rothstein said.

“Xavier Johnson and Miller Kopp also return as starters while Jordan Geronimo, Trey Galloway, Tamar Bates are rotation players who return with game experience. Indiana also added a pair of five-star newcomers in freshmen Jalen Hood-Schifino and Malik Reneau. The talent base in Bloomington has drastically improved.”

They have been the best-backed team at large NCAAB odds and bettors could see more money come.