The business part of the college basketball season is really underway now as virtually everyone has started their conference schedules. A lot can happen between now and March, and it is going to be interesting to see how it all shakes out. The Michigan State Spartans continue to look like the team to beat. As long as they can keep their turnovers to a minimum, they might be unstoppable come March Madness. The Duke Blue Devils are the No. 2 ranked team, the Villanova Wildcats are the No. 3 and the Arizona State Sun Devils – one of the surprise teams this year – is No. 4. They’re finally in the power rankings as the odds makers have to respect what they’ve done so far this season.
The field is listed at +5000. Stats as of Thursday, January 4th.
1. Michigan State Spartans
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +450
The Spartans (14-1, 2-0 Big Ten) had an easy week, thrashing Cleveland State and Savannah State at home, and then they’ll host Maryland before heading to Ohio State, then it is back home for Rutgers. The Spartans beat Cleveland State 111-61 and Savannah State 108-52, and they have now scored 100 points or more in four straight games. That bodes well heading into the meat of their Big Ten schedule.
2. Duke Blue Devils
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +450
The Blue Devils (13-1, 1-1 ACC) held off Florida State at home, then they’ll travel to North Carolina State and Pittsburgh this week. The Blue Devils came back from a four-point halftime deficit to beat Florida State 100-93 at home behind 32 points and 21 rebounds from Marvin Bagley, and Duke outrebounded Florida State 53-35. Still, the Blue Devils have a lot of work to do on the defensive end of the floor, where they’re tied for 221st in the country in points allowed. That could eventually come back to bite them.
3. Villanova Wildcats
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +800
The Wildcats (13-1, 1-1 Big East) took their first loss of the season as they fell 101-93 at Butler, and they’ll host Marquette and Xavier this week. The Wildcats were outrebounded 37-26, and they shot 12-of-35 from beyond the arc, while Butler shot 15-of-22. That is a recipe for a loss and it should keep the Wildcats grounded as the Big East slate really starts to get going.
4. Kansas Jayhawks
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +1000
The Jayhawks (11-3, 1-1 Big 12) won at Texas, then lost at home to Texas Tech, and they’ll head to TCU next before they host Iowa State. Kansas was red-hot from the three-point line against Texas, making 17 of their 35 attempts. But they went cold against Texas Tech, making just six of their 26 attempts and they have now lost twice at home for the first time since the 2006-2007 season. The Jayhawks need to find more consistency to be a real national-title contender.
5. Arizona Wildcats
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +1000
The Wildcats (11-3, 1-0 Pac-12) won their showdown with rivals Arizona State at home, and they’ll travel to Utah and Colorado next. Deandre Ayton came up huge in an 84-78 win over Arizona State, putting up 23 points and 19 rebounds with three blocks. With a horse like Ayton in the paint, the Wildcats just need to be more consistent from the perimeter to be a true threat in March.
6. Kentucky Wildcats
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +1200
The Wildcats (12-2, 2-0 SEC) trounced Louisville at home in their annual showdown, then beat Georgia at home and LSU on the road. They’ll head to Tennessee next and then it is back home to host Texas A&M. The Wildcats had someone different lead the way in each game, which is encouraging, but they don’t have that one great player that is going to put the team on his back when the going gets tough, at least not yet. Their defense picked up during a busy week as well as the Wildcats allowed an average of 66 points in their three games.
7. Oklahoma Sooners
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +1500
The Sooners (12-1, 2-0 Big 12) won at TCU and then beat Oklahoma State at home, but they head to West Virginia this week as well as a home game against Texas Tech. Trae Young is earning lots of plaudits as he is averaging 29.4 points and 10.6 so far this season, and he just missed a triple-double against Oklahoma State as he put up 27 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Some are calling him the new Stephen Curry, but Young has to sustain something close to this pace before he reaches that level.
8. North Carolina Tar Heels
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +1500
The Tar Heels (12-3, 1-1 ACC) beat Wake Forest at home, then lost at Florida State and they’ll stay on the road to visit Virginia before heading back home to host Boston College. The Tar Heels managed to get away with 12 turnovers in their win over Wake Forest, but 15 turnovers doomed them in their loss to Florida State. The defending national champions have a lot of work to do as the ACC schedule starts to warm up, but they have the talent and experience to do it.
9. Florida Gators
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +1500
The Gators (10-4, 2-0 SEC) won at home over Vanderbily and then again at Texas Tech. The Gators will remain on the road to visit Missouri and then they’ll go home to hole Mississippi State. Egor Koulechov had a solid week for the Gators, putting up 22 points and eight rebounds in the win over Vanderbilt and then another 19 points against Texas A&M, shooing 5-of-6 from the three-point line. As a team, the Gators shot 17-of-28 from beyond the arc, which is what you have to do if you’re only going to go to the free-throw line once (they missed that one attempt).
10. Arizona State Sun Devils
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +1800
The Sun Devils (12-1, 0-1 Pac-12) came up short in their road loss at Arizona, and they’ll be on the road this week at Colorado and Utah. Tra Holder did his part, pouring in 31 points with five rebounds, but the Sun Devils as a team shot 37.9% from the field and 32% from the three-point line. However, there are still a lot of positives for the Sun Devils and they will definitely see the Wildcats again; possibly more than once.
The 2018 March Madness futures are out. There has been plenty of news to keep up with in the offseason but keep an eye on the betting lines as they move around at Diamond Sportsbook! Get the latest college basketball betting lines right here.
