Big 12 Futures Odds Betting – TCU Represents the Jayhawks

The Kansas Jayhawks have dominated the Big 12 for as long as I can remember. They dominated when I attended the University and have continued to do so for the 25+ years I’ve been able to call myself an alum. Even after winning both the regular season and tourney titles a season ago, oddsmakers deemed the Baylor Bears the team to beat in the 2022-23 college basketball betting season. All I have to say to that is Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

Through a near two months of play, it’s KU that continues to sit in the catbird seat of the conference standings with only a neutral court loss to the Tennessee Volunteers on the resume. Considering Rick Barnes’ kids chime in as the No. 2 team in the country per the current Pomeroy Ratings, that’s far from an embarrassing defeat. Until someone steps up and consistently shows an ability to dethrone the Jayhawks, the Big 12 will continue to be the program’s stomping ground.

But betting the current chalk to win the conference this far out from March is no fun! With that, let’s put the current Big 12 futures offerings over at BetRivers Sportsbook under the microscope and see if any deserve our attention with the thick of conference play set to pick up. The following are my recommended favorite, underdog, and longshot selections to add to the portfolio.

Bet Big 12 Futures Odds at BetRivers Sportsbook

Favorite to Bet: Kansas Jayhawks +125

Currently ranked No. 5 overall at KenPom behind only UCLA, UConn, Tennessee, and Houston, Bill Self once again has a dynamo at his disposal. The Jayhawks have already taken down Duke, NC State, Wisconsin, Seton Hall, Mizzou, and Indiana in non-conference play before rattling off a pair of Big 12 wins against Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. Having played to the 10^th hardest schedule strength in the nation, Kansas has lived to tell about it in going 13-1 SU and 6-8 against the spread though Tuesday night’s win and cover in Lubbock moved it to 5-2 ATS in the last seven.

The defending champions look to be rounding into form with Jalen Wilson leading the charge. The senior has averaged a team-high 21.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game all the while converting at a 33.7 clip from beyond the arc. He’s inarguably a candidate to take home the 2022-23 Wooden Award! Gradey Dick has taken on the role of the sharpshooter by way of hitting nearly 50 percent of his long range shots, while Texas Tech transfer Kevin McCullar has made huge contributions on a gamely basis in averaging 11.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. There’s even more where that came from which has Kansas rightfully installed the odds-on favorite to defend its title.

Underdog to Bet: TCU Horned Frogs +900

The Horned Frogs opened my eyes in a big way last season after earning a split with the Jayhawks in the regular season and nearly reaching the Sweet 16 before falling in overtime to the No. 1 seeded Arizona Wildcats in the Round of 32. Though Jamie Dixon’s kids left a bad taste in their CBB betting supporters’ mouths early on in managing just one point spread cover through the first five games, the team has rattled off eight straight victories since and covered the closing number at a 6-1-1 clip in those contests. The Pomeroy Ratings only have TCU ranked No. 36 overall right now, but I’ve got a feeling they race up the board should they take care of business @Baylor, Iowa State, @Texas, and Kansas State in the coming weeks.

The 1-2 punch of Mike Miles Jr. and Emanuel Miller is no joke! The former averages a team-high 18.6 points and 3.2 assists per game, while the latter clocks in with 14.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game – each is shooting better than 50 percent from the field! Bringing it all together is an unforgiving defense that allows just over 61 points a game (No. 32) and ranks No. 17 in efficiency per KenPom. It also ranks within the top-30 in both two and three-point defense. If there’s a Big 12 team that can run with the Jayhawks, the Horny Toads are it!

Longshot to Bet: Oklahoma +4000

Iowa State and Kansas State would’ve been in the running for this dart throw, but their solid starts to the season have dramatically reduced their respective rates of return at BetRivers. I still don’t think we’ve seen the best of what Porter Moser’s Sooners bring to the table. Their odds of winning the Big 12 remain 40-1 after getting out to a 9-4 overall start that includes dropping their Big 12 opener after dropping a tough hard-fought 70-69 decision to the Texas Longhorns. I’ve long been a fan of this Grant Sherfield kid from his days at Nevada, and the Groves brothers are ballers as well.

Owners of top-50 efficiencies at both ends of the court and playing to one of the tougher schedule strengths in the nation (No. 52), OU is currently being overlooked by oddsmakers!

Bet Big 12 College Basketball Futures Odds at BetRivers Sportsbook