As one season closes, another is set to begin in just a mere six months and it’s never too early to put a futures bet on who you think will be the group cutting down the nets at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta next April. The Virginia Cavaliers maintained the 2019 title, their first in history, but they sit third on the oddsboard, two spots behind the Kentucky Wildcats, that are the +500 favorite.
BetOnline has Kentucky since the favorite to win against the 2020 college hoops championship at +500 followed closely by Duke at +600, Virginia in +650, Michigan State in +800, and Michigan and North Carolina at +1200 to round out the top teams around the oddsboard.
Tread Lightly with Kentucky
Kentucky had a powerful 2018-19 campaign, putting with a 30-7 record en route to an Elite Eight berth before falling to Auburn in overtime. Undoubtedly head coach John Calipari will have the Wildcats playing at a high level, but he’ll have to enter the season with quite a different look. Four of Kentucky’s starting five will be likely to graduate or be drafted into the NBA as Reid Travis is a senior and P.J. Washington, Keldon Johnson and Tyler Herro will likely be going pro.
All isn’t lost, though, since the Wildcats have already done a good job recruiting for the upcoming season, procuring two 2019 McDonald’s All-Americans, shooting guard Tyrese Maxey and small forward Khalil Whitney. I expect sophomores Immanuel Quickley and E.J. Montgomery to lead the fee and will work well with the incoming freshmen. With their brand new look, I would be hesitant to put a wager on this bar at +500 at this point.
Kansas May be Well-Balanced and Experienced
Kansas had an extremely interesting 2018-19, revealing flashes of brilliance and being ranked in the top five at the AP poll for eight weeks, including 2 weeks at the top spot. Overall, the Jayhawks finished the year with a 26-10 record, falling to Auburn in the Round of 32. Kansas was a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde team when it came to home and away splits, heading a perfect 16-0 at Allen Fieldhouse but just 3-8 in true road games — very confusing results.
The Jayhawks had to battle through injuries, losing guard Lagerald Vick for its season in early February. He is a senior and will not be back . Furthermore, junior centre Udoka Azubuike played just nine games in 2018-19. However, Kansas, despite those big holes in the frontcourt and backcourt, still had a Round of 32 appearance. The Jayhawks should be feisty this forthcoming season as I do not expect Azubuike to be drafted and Vick will be their only loss, so chances of +2000 provide adequate price.
Auburn Providing Best Value
Head coach Bruce Pearl has to be proud of the effort his team put in last season, going 30-10, for example winning the SEC championship and falling just to eventual national champion Virginia 63-62 in the Final Four. The group had four seniors, including guard Bryce Brown, who led the team with 15.9 points per match.
On the other hand, the center of the group should return for the 2019-20 year, most notably Jared Harper and Chuma Okeke, who combined for 27.3 ppg. Harper led the team with 5.8 assists per game, while Okeke was the group leader with 6.8 rebounds per game. Additionally, Pearl has recruited five players who have signed letters of intent, such as little forward Isaac Okoro,who is the 37th-ranked recruit. I think this group is going to cause waves and +3300 could be a steal as we close March following year.
Here’s a look at the Complete list of chances for your 2020 college hoops championship:
2019-20 College BASKETBALL Champion Odds
Team Odds
Kentucky +500
Duke +600
Virginia +650
Michigan State +800
Michigan +1200
North Carolina +1200
Gonzaga +1400
Villanova +1600
Kansas +2000
Oregon +2200
Arizona +2500
Louisville +3300
Auburn +3300
Mississippi State +3300
Tennessee +3300
Texas +3300
Texas Tech +3300
Florida State +6600
Wisconsin +6600
UCLA +10000
USC +10000
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