The 2023 NCAA Tournament is roughly a month and a half away. It’s getting a lot closer. Seeding positions are becoming a little bit clearer, even though the full picture is still fluid. With the season being more than halfway over – teams have played close to 20 games out of the 30 to 35 they will eventually play (with the Final Four teams playing 38 to 40 games) – let’s take an early look at the favorites for March Madness. This view will change in the coming weeks, but it’s a first glimpse of the power structure in college basketball.
Alabama Crimson Tide Odds To Win NCAA Tournament At BAS: +1000
The Alabama Crimson Tide are among the favorites to win it all and there’s good reason for it. Coach Nate Oats blends pressure defense, depth in the lineup, and 3-point shooting in an aggressive, skilled package which is not easy to deal with. The man who has unquestionably made Alabama better than the Crimson Tide have ever been is Brandon Miller, a dynamic scorer who continuously makes the biggest, most important plays of games for this team.
Alabama has never previously been a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. This team is on track to achieve that milestone and make the school’s first Final Four ever. Alabama has the balance and depth to make a big March run, though it should be said that a team which shoots so many 3-pointers might have a bad shooting night. The Tide need to get to the free throw line and find ways to get easy points. That’s the part of their profile which leaves them somewhat vulnerable in March Madness.
UCLA Bruins Odds To Win NCAA Tournament At BAS: +1400
The Bruins plays great defense under head coach Mick Cronin, but more than that, they play great late-game defense. UCLA has locked down opponents late in games to seal wins. It happened against Kentucky, it happened against Washington State, it happened against USC, it happened against Colorado, it happened against Arizona State. UCLA was in trouble – or at least in the middle of a difficult game – in all of those contests, but found a late-game finishing kick in each of those instances. That’s the work of a veteran team with players who know what they need to do. UCLA is going to be a very tough out in March Madness.
Texas Longhorns Odds To Win At BAS: +2000
The Big 12 Conference is extremely deep and tough. At least one team from that conference will likely make the Final Four. Texas could be that team. Marcus Carr is the big-time shotmaker on the Longhorn roster. He can make decisive plays in crunch time and carry the scoring workload. Interim head coach Rodney Terry has done a fine job since taking over for previous coach Chris Beard, who was arrested and then fired. Texas has shown that it can take a punch, too; it came back from a nine-point deficit to beat Texas Tech, and it came back from a double-digit deficit to beat TCU. If a game goes in the wrong direction, Texas can rescue the game and make a comeback.
Houston Cougars Odds To Win NCAA Tournament At BAS: +725
The Cougars shot the ball horribly against Temple in a loss on Sunday, and many people will downgrade Houston as an NCAA national championship contender based on that result. The oddsmakers at BetAnySports.eu haven’t as they’re still favored to win it all.
This team still plays great defense. It still rebounds the ball well. It still has aggressive, tenacious players who make it hard for the opponent to function effectively. Houston will still be a very high seed, probably No. 2, at this March Madness tournament. It will definitely be able to make a run in the bracket.
