Daylight Savings Day is synonymous with Selection Sunday.
Every year, like clockwork, watching the NCAA tournament bracket be unveiled while it’s still light out at 6pm screams “Spring is here” – and thankfully we got to experience that again on Sunday evening.
The tickets are punched and the bracket is set, now the only thing left to do is bet on it. Here are the odds on who will win the 2023 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, courtesy of our exclusive wagering partners at FanDuel Sportsbook:
Odds to win the 2023 NCAA Tournament
Houston +550
Alabama +750
Kansas +850
Purdue +1000
UCLA +1400
Arizona +1500
UConn +1600
Gonzaga +1800
Texas +1800
The full list of odds can be found HERE.
Though March is normally the month for upsets, once we get down to the Final Four in April there tends to only be a handful of teams that can win it all. Here are five that I think can do it:
5. Gonzaga (+1800)
Oh Gonzaga, I just can’t quit you.
The Bulldogs have flown under the radar in 2023 compared to years past – and that might be right where head coach Mark Few wants them. They still finished the season 28-5 and won a fourth consecutive West Coast Conference championship, and will likely be a top-three seed in the tournament.
In his fourth season in Spokane, forward Drew Timme is scoring 20.9 points per game, shooting 62.4% from the field, and has led the Zags to nine straight wins heading into the tournament. He’s complimented by Julian Strawther, their second-leading scorer at 15.1 PPG, and several other role players in Anton Watson and Malachi Smith that can help this team win down the stretch.
4. Kansas (+850)
Though Kansas is the reigning National Champion, they’re coming off of a brutal 20-point loss to Texas in the BIG12 Championship game on Saturday and the status of head coach Bill Self is still up in the air heading into the tournament due to health reasons.
That being said, they know how to win in the postseason (as we saw in 2022), and Gradey Dick isn’t ready to become a top-10 pick in the NBA Draft without a national title under his belt. Look for Kansas to come out swinging next week and prove that they’re back once again.
3. Alabama (+750)
Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide won their second SEC Championship in three seasons on Sunday and look ready to once again make a real push in the NCAA Tournament.
Forward Brandon Miller is a superstar basketball player. The 6’9″ 200-pound freshman is averaging 19.5 points and 8.2 rebounds for Alabama this year and has been a major factor in them being a top-five team practically all season long. Though they’re not incredibly flashy, they’re a team I wouldn’t want to play in March.
2. Houston (+550)
Kelvin Sampson and the Houston Cougars have turned themselves into a force in the college basketball world recently and haven’t looked back. Their ferocious defense and ability to score 75+ points on a per-game basis has catapulted them to a 30-3 record this season while also going 17-2 in the AAC.
Marcus Sasser is the glue of this team. Basketball is ultimately a player’s game, and the Cougars go as he goes. If Sasser can get going like he did during Houston’s 2021 Final Four run, then there’s a chance they finish the job this time in 2023.
1. UCLA (+1400)
The Bruins lost a tight PAC12 Championship to Arizona on Saturday night but have proved time and time again this season that they can fight with the best of them in college basketball.
Despite losing one of the best defenders in the country in Jaylen Clark to an Achilles tear last week, Tyger Campbell and Jaime Jaquez still have the ability to carry this UCLA team over the finish line. Not only do I think they’re the best team in the country – but their +1400 odds are way too good to pass up.
Mick Cronin’s Bruins are my pick to win the whole thing this year. Go get those odds now at FanDuel.com/Boston.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @PatriotsCLNS for the latest up-to-date Patriots news!
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