Duke, Kentucky back on top in odds to win next year’s NCAA Tournament



Experience won out in this year’s NCAA Tournament, as two teams filled with rosters of upperclassmen delivered one of the best national championship games of all-time Monday night.

Experience won out in this year's NCAA Tournament, as two teams filled with rosters of upperclassmen delivered one of the best national championship games of all-time Monday night.

College basketball's balance of power might tip back in the direction of freshman phenoms next year judging by the Las Vegas odds. Several sports books opened wagering on the 2017 national championship Tuesday, and the teams with the most incoming talent were unanimously on top.

Westgate Las Vegas Superbook listed Duke at the lowest odds, 9-to-2, with Kentucky following closely at 6-to-1. The Wildcats and Blue Devils are listed No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in both ESPN.com's and Rivals.com's class of 2016 recruiting rankings.

Duke brings in ESPN's top-two rated freshmen in big man Harry Giles and swingman Jayson Tatum. Kentucky has three of the next six β€” guards Malik Monk and De'Aaron Fox to go with forward Bam Adebayo β€” as part of a class coach John Calipari declared, "maybe his best ever."

Villanova will look to again threaten the one-and-done approach, as the team with the third-lowest odds. The defending champions bring back six of eight rotation players, including leading scorer Josh Hart and Monday night's buzzer-beater Kris Jenkins.

The Wildcats opened at 12-to-1 before this season, behind only a handful of teams including the favorite and eventual runner-up Tar Heels.

One last major decision could shake up the top of the 2017 futures board. Rivals' No. 1 recruit Josh Jackson has yet to commit.

The shooting guard is picking among Kansas, Michigan State and Arizona. Jackson's decision could have an effect similar to the last top-rated recruit who waited this late to make his choice.

Before the 2013-14 season, Kansas went from 25- to 10-to-1 in a single day after securing the commitment of Andrew Wiggins. The Jayhawks fizzled out of the NCAA Tournament in the second round that year while Connecticut followed senior Shabazz Napier's lead to overcome 100-to-1 odds and win the title.

That's yet another example that the NBA Draft-ready freshmen don't always win.

Check below for the Superbook's odds on nearly 150 teams to win the 2017 national championship. I've bolded a couple spots of potential value.

Duke β€” 9-to-2

Kentucky β€” 6-to-1

Villanova β€” 8-to-1

Louisville β€” 10-to-1

Kansas β€” 10-to-1

Michigan State β€” 12-to-1

North Carolina β€” 15-to-1

Indiana β€” 20-to-1

Virginia β€” 20-to-1

Xavier β€” 20-to-1

Oregon β€” 20-to-1

Arizona β€” 20-to-1

Wisconsin β€” 30-to-1

West Virginia β€” 30-to-1

Maryland β€” 40-to-1

Purdue β€” 40-to-1

Connecticut β€” 40-to-1

Iowa State β€” 50-to-1

Miami β€” 50-to-1

Seton Hall β€” 50-to-1

Texas β€” 60-to-1

Gonzaga β€” 80-to-1

Syracuse β€” 80-to-1

UCLA β€” 80-to-1

Texas A&M β€” 80-to-1

Baylor β€” 80-to-1

Oklahoma β€” 80-to-1

Utah β€” 80-to-1

Butler β€” 100-to-1

Iowa β€” 100-to-1

Michigan β€” 100-to-1

Wichita State β€” 100-to-1

Florida β€” 100-to-1

Arizona State β€” 100-to-1

Mississippi State β€” 100-to-1

SMU β€” 100-to-1

Cincinnati β€” 100-to-1

VCU β€” 200-to-1

Notre Dame β€” 200-to-1

Florida State β€” 200-to-1

Creighton β€” 200-to-1

Georgetown β€” 200-to-1

Ohio State β€” 200-to-1

Colorado β€” 200-to-1

USC β€”200-to-1

Dayton β€” 200-to-1

San Diego State β€” 200-to-1

South Carolina β€” 200-to-1

Saint Mary's β€” 200-to-1

Vanderbilt β€” 200-to-1

Tennessee β€” 200-to-1

Harvard β€” 200-to-1

California β€” 200-to-1

Auburn β€” 300-to-1

Oregon State β€” 300-to-1

BYU β€” 300-to-1

Rhode Island β€” 300-to-1

Clemson β€” 300-to-1

Pittsburgh β€” 300-to-1

Providence β€” 300-to-1

Texas Tech β€” 300-to-1

UNLV β€” 300-to-1

NC State β€” 300-to-1

Northwestern β€” 300-to-1

Nebraska β€” 300-to-1

Colorado State β€” 300-to-1

LSU β€” 300-to-1

Ole Miss β€” 300-to-1

Georgia β€” 300-to-1

Arkansas β€” 300-to-1

Alabama β€” 300-to-1

Virginia Tech β€” 300-to-1

Georgia Tech β€” 300-to-1

Wake Forest β€” 300-to-1

Minnesota β€” 300-to-1

Fresno State β€” 300-to-1

Memphis β€” 300-to-1

Marquette β€” 300-to-1

Kansas State β€” 300-to-1

Oklahoma State β€” 300-to-1

Princeton β€” 300-to-1

Boise State β€” 300-to-1

Houston β€” 300-to-1

Tulsa β€” 300-to-1

Davidson β€” 300-to-1

Oakland β€” 500-to-1

Washington β€” 500-to-1

Temple β€” 500-to-1

Saint Bonaventure β€” 500-to-1

DePaul β€” 500-to-1

Saint John's β€” 500-to-1

Penn State β€” 500-to-1

New Mexico β€” 500-to-1

Missouri β€” 500-to-1

Stanford β€” 500-to-1

Valparaiso β€” 1000-to-1

George Washington β€” 1000-to-1

Richmond β€” 1000-to-1

Saint Joseph's β€” 1000-to-1

Massachusetts β€” 1000-to-1

Rutgers β€” 1000-to-1

Yale β€” 1000-to-1

Monmouth β€” 1000-to-1

Iona β€” 1000-to-1

Northern Iowa β€” 1000-to-1

Utah State β€” 1000-to-1

Middle Tennessee State β€” 1000-to-1

Louisiana Tech β€” 1000-to-1

Old Dominion β€” 1000-to-1

Marshall β€” 1000-to-1

Evansville β€” 1000-to-1

Illinois State β€” 1000-to-1

Akron β€” 1000-to-1

Stephen F. Austin β€” 1000-to-1

Chattanooga β€” 1000-to-1

South Dakota State β€” 1000-to-1

North Dakota State β€” 1000-to-1

Texas-Arlington β€” 1000-to-1

TCU β€” 1000-to-1

Ohio β€” 1000-to-1

Buffalo β€” 1000-to-1

Toledo β€” 1000-to-1

Arkansas-Little Rock β€” 2000-to-1

Louisiana-Monroe β€” 2000-to-1

Louisiana-Lafayette β€” 2000-to-1

Georgia State β€” 2000-to-1

Pepperdine β€” 2000-to-1

New Mexico State β€” 2000-to-1

UAB β€” 2000-to-1

Weber State β€” 2000-to-1

Montana β€” 2000-to-1

Boston College β€” 2000-to-1

UTEP β€” 2000-to-1

Charlotte β€” 2000-to-1

Western Kentucky β€” 2000-to-1

UC Irvine β€” 2000-to-1

Long Beach State β€” 2000-to-1

UC Santa Barbara β€” 2000-to-1

Kent State β€” 2000-to-1

Central Michigan β€” 2000-to-1

Nevada β€” 2000-to-1

Wyoming β€” 2000-to-1

Belmont β€” 2000-to-1

Washington State β€” 2000-to-1

IPFW β€” 2000-to-1

Florida Gulf Coast β€” 2000-to-1

Morehead State β€” 2000-to-1

Cal State Bakersfield β€” 2000-to-

Field β€” 5000-to-1

This is a reprint from lasvegassun.com. to view the original, click here.


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