After the 2020 NCAA Tournament was canceled in March, college basketball fans have been salty and ready for a return. The basketball season is back with a bang and tons of great action over the first week. Here is a look at our NCAA Basketball men’s championship contenders.
There are several solid teams, and we want to run over some of the top contenders here. Take a look at the current and updated betting odds for the 2021 national title when you bet online.
Gonzaga Bulldogs +800
Mark Few likely his best team. The Bulldogs made quick and easy work of their first couple of opponents to start the season, including the Kansas Jayhawks.
The Bulldogs have scored 96 points per game in their first two. This looks like a team that is going to be impossible to beat in conference play.
Before that, the Bulldogs see non-conference action against West Virginia and Baylor. Gonzaga is listed as the betting favorite at +800 when looking at the college basketball odds.
Villanova Wildcats +900
The Wildcats took an early-season loss in an overtime affair against Virginia Tech. The Wildcats have a seasoned team that will continue to get better.
Villanova was tested early, while many other programs saw cupcakes. Jay Wright and his crew took on Boston College, Arizona State, and then Virginia Tech in the season’s first few days. The Wildcats will be a big contender once the Big East season begins.
Baylor Bears +1200
Scott Drew and his Baylor Bears have seen all sorts of issues to start this season. This is going to be one of the best teams but NCAAB COVID-19 news has slowed them down to start.
The Bears then got back on track with wins over Louisiana-Lafayette and Washington. In those two wins, Baylor scored 99 points per game. The Bears will see back-to-back games against Illinois and Gonzaga this week, which should truly test them.
Kentucky Wildcats +1700
John Calipari and his young Wildcats made college basketball news when they took an early-season loss. Kentucky lost at home to Davidson despite leading at halftime.
Kentucky has loved what it has seen out of guard Brandon Boston, who is averaging 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Terrence Clarke has been another bright spot for Kentucky, scoring in double-digits in both games along with rebounds per contest.
Kentucky is young but talented and listed at +1700.
Virginia Cavaliers +1800
The defending NCAA Basketball men’s championship contenders? Maybe. Well, they are the last one to win a title.
The Cavaliers are another team with an early-season loss. The Cavaliers smashed Towson but took a setback to San Francisco.
It was a surprising loss, but the Dons are going to end up being pretty solid. Virginia will see a tough test on Dec. 9 when it takes on Michigan State and then gets into ACC action on Dec. 16 against Wake Forest.
Duke Blue Devils +1800
Coach Mike Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils have played just one game early on. The Blue Devils were tested at home by Coppin State.
In that win, Duke saw DJ Steward pour in 24 points, while Jalen Johnson added 19. Johnson also added 19 rebounds.
The Blue Devils are listed at +1800 but are a team that is never out of it when it comes to winning national titles, which is something to remember when making your college basketball picks.
Enjoy the college basketball season. These are the top six, but you never know. Keep an eye on the dark horses and others as March arrives. It’s all about who is playing hot and who is not. Good luck!
