The Super Bowl has come and gone, as has the NBA All-Star Weekend. For some people that can only mean one thing – March Madness is upon us. We may have a few weeks until the actual event but it is now when you should be thinking about who to back for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball tournament.
Selection Sunday isn’t even coming up for a little while but the best online sports betting sites are already doing some brisk business and there could be some value to be had as we don’t even know the identities of the 68 teams in the hunt. Here are five teams we think could go far in the tournament this year.
Houston Cougars
Houston was many people’s outside shot last year, but the Cougars couldn’t get past Villanova in the Elite Eight. That was a real shame after beating number one seed Arizona in the regional semifinals. But this year could be different and there is a real feeling that the Cougars could be cutting down the nets at the start of April.
Most rankings have Houston at the top, so there may not be any incredible value in backing this team. But all those experts can’t be wrong, can they? Playing weaker teams in the AAC is a downside but Houston can boast the best defense in the country. With the Final Four in Houston, a national championship just seems like fate.
Purdue Boilermakers
With center Zach Edey, Purdue has to be considered for the title, even if that loss to Northwestern will have some people reconsidering their early picks. There could also be some trepidation about the number of freshmen on the court. But they have played with maturity beyond their years this season.
A stumble at the worst possible moment will only lengthen the odds for the Boilermakers and this should be a team that you keep a close eye on. It doesn’t give away silly fouls and allow opponents to get back into games – and with Edey, Purdue has the best player in the game. Ignore the Boilermakers at your peril.
Texas Longhorns
The Longhorns have dealt with some major off-court issues this season and come through to be one of the favorites to make the Final Four. That alone should be enough to at least pique your interest. Add to that the age on the roster and Texas has the experience to go all the way too.
There have been some very good wins recently – against the likes of Baylor and TCU – and when the threes go down, this team seems unstoppable. Although it is not a really impressive shooting starting five, Texas is good from the free-throw line and gets there a lot. Definitely worth considering this year.
Kansas Jayhawks
Back-to-back national champions anyone? No one has done that since the Florida Gators in 2007, but there are some good reasons for believing that the Jayhawks could emulate that feat in 2023. With the points and talent shared around the teams, Kansas is a little different from many of the big names.
Dajuan Harris Jr. is probably the focal point of the Jayhawks team, and a lot will depend on how effective opponents are in stopping him play. There will be other players that can step up but if Harris is able to dictate the play, Kansas might be able to make a little bit of history.
UCLA Bruins
You may have got this far and wondered where the likes of Alabama or Gonzaga are. Picking out five from such an open field will always cause controversy, but we think UCLA is worth mentioning this year. With the probability of a number two seed and a team that forces turnovers at a frightening rate, the Bruins could be the ones.
This may not be the prettiest basketball ever to win a national championship, but the way that UCLA dominate games will cause a lot of opponents trouble. If Amari Bailey gets going we could be in for a real treat. But, even without the freshman, the Bruins could go further than the sweet 16 of last year.
