Bucs Odds Drop Following Brady’s Surprise Announcement
March 14, 2022
First Four Odds and Picks
March 14, 2022
For the first time in three years, we will have a true March Madness. Arenas will be packed with enthusiastic students and alumni looking to cheer on their teams, and millions of sports fans around the country will fill out their brackets with dollar signs dancing in their heads. There are four clear favorites entering this year’s NCAA Tournament, but which one of those is the best bet to win it all?
Odds to Win the 2022 NCAA Tournament at SugarHouse Sportsbook
Gonzaga +300
Arizona +600
Kentucky +600
Kansas +700
Baylor +1400
Duke +1400
Auburn +1700
Purdue +1800
Villanova +2000
Texas Tech +2500
UCLA +2500
Tennessee +2500
Houston +3300
Iowa +3300
All Other Teams are +4000 or More
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the clear favorites to win the NCAA Tournament by the college basketball odds. Gonzaga was the overall No. 1 seed and is the top team in the country according to Ken Pomeroy. Chet Holmgren is averaging 14.2 PPG and 9.6 RPG while knocking down 61% of his field goals and 41.2% of his threes, and he is expected to be one of the first three to four players taken in the 2022 NBA Draft. Drew Timme is one of the best players in college basketball, and Andrew Nembhard is one of the most steady guards in the country too. That could lead to Gonzaga finally winning a national championship this season, but there is better value on the board.
Arizona is finally dominating the Pac 12 once again. The Wildcats had a dream first season under Tommy Lloyd, winning the Pac 12 regular season title and tournament. They only lost three times in the regular season, and they are the second-best team in the country per Pomeroy.
Bennedict Mathurin has shined in his sophomore season and should be a lottery pick. The 6’6 guard from Montreal is averaging 17.4 PPG, and he can take over late in games like we saw in the Pac 12 Championship Game. Arizona also has a great frontcourt duo in Christian Koloko and Azuolas Tubelis. They have combined to average 26.6 PPG and 13.5 RPG while making over 60% of their two-point field goals. Arizona should have no trouble getting to the Sweet Sixteen, but the bottom half of the South Region is filled with very good teams that could all beat the Wildcats. There is some value in Arizona by the NCAAB betting odds, yet we need to see who the Wildcats will play in the Elite Eight.
Kentucky is one of the most tempting bets on the board. The Wildcats are a No. 2 seed, but they are in the same region as a No. 1 seed (Baylor) that is dealing with a ton of injuries. Oscar Tshiebwe is the favorite to win the Wooden Award, and he has been the most dominant player in the nation this season. Tshiebwe is an absolute force of nature in the frontcourt, averaging 17.0 PPG and 15.1 RPG while leading the country in rebounding and rebounding percentage. Kellan Grady and TyTy Washington Jr. are a solid backcourt duo, but Tshiebwe will determine how far the Wildcats make it in March Madness.
The team to back at its current price is Kansas though. The Jayhawks are the No. 1 seed in the weakest region in the NCAA Tournament. Kansas might be the worst No. 1 seed according to Pomeroy’s ratings, but Auburn is not a strong No. 2 seed and Wisconsin is the least dangerous No. 3 seed. Providence is only a two-point favorite per the college basketball live odds against No. 13 South Dakota State in its first-round game, highlighting the issues in the Midwest Region.
Additionally, the Jayhawks have a true playmaker in Ochai Agbaji who is averaging 19.7 PPG and 5.1 RPG while making 47.7% of his field goals and 40.5% of his threes. Kansas has largely disappointed in recent years, but this bracket is there’s to take.
A tempting longshot to take is Houston at +3300. The Cougars are a No. 5 seed in the South Region, but they are the fourth-best team in the country according to Pomeroy. They made it to the Final Four last year, and their three losses to teams other than Memphis this year came by a combined five points.
