As the best online betting sites continue to generate momentum heading into March Madness next month, fans can see some updated futures and bets that are starting to come into focus. Below, at VegasBetting, we had a question regarding our 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Title Pick. Will Gonzaga or Duke take home the national title? Or could Arizona or another college win the tournament? Let’s take a closer look.
| NCAAB Futures -- National Champion Odds |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Gonzaga | +620 | +525 |
| Auburn | +1050 | +800 |
| Duke | +1075 | +950 |
| Purdue | +1150 | +1100 |
| Baylor | +1175 | +1200 |
| Kentucky | +1300 | +950 |
| Arizona | +1450 | +1100 |
| Kansas | +1600 | +1200 |
| UCLA | +1900 | +1800 |
| Villanova | +2100 | +2200 |
The Gonzaga Bulldogs have found a way to top the odds once again and are again a pretty solid favorite. They were in this position last year as they got all the way to the Final before losing badly to the Baylor Bears. The question begs itself. Can they get there again? It does seem like the path is paved for another deep NCAA Basketball Tournament run.
At press time, Gonzaga is ranked second in the nation with a 19-2 record. Maybe a few regular-season losses will serve them better. Last year, everything was about the pressure of maintaining that undefeated record. This season is a different Gonzaga squad. The Bulldogs do look like they are pacing themselves a little better. By that Baylor game last year, it was a team that looked out of gas. Maybe Gonzaga did learn its lesson after all.
The Simple Rating System (SRS) done by College Basketball Reference measures the strength of schedule combined with point differential. Non-Division I games are thrown out if anyone is wondering. Gonzaga leads with a 28.5. So, that is partially why the updated futures have further tilted toward Gonzaga ever so slightly. It is because of the SRS metric mentioned above that most understand how much of a power the Bulldogs have been.
The fact that Mark Few and company are 70-4 in their last 74 games should not be lost by anyone. Drew Timme and Chet Holmgren have formed quite a 1-2 punch for the Bulldogs. This is now the coin flip portion of the NCAA Basketball Men’s National Title Picks starts. Naturally, the title has kind of teetered between teams like Duke, Auburn, and the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
When it comes to NCAA Men’s Basketball National Title Picks, one still has to look at the Duke Blue Devils. Yes, Duke has won its fair share of national titles but this is Mike Krzyzewski’s last year at the university. There is this increasing sense to prop up Duke. Is it a bit overkill? Do they actually have a chance to make the kind of run that will bring about a national title?
Now, Duke is 19-3 and currently ranked ninth in the nation. The Blue Devils are leading the ACC with a 9-2 mark and just came off a 20-point blowout road win. It was not just any win but one against rival North Carolina. Duke has won five straight games and their two previous losses in the conference came by just a combined total of three points. There is this growing sense (with an SRS of 21.1 and rising) that Duke does at least belong in the conversation.
Now, some have asked about the offensive thrust. Can Duke get more out of Paolo Banchero and Wendell Moore? Again, keep in mind, that these two are indeed Freshmen. They have come a long way in a short amount of time in a COVID world. Trevor Keels and Mark Williams have started to step up depth-wise but will need to provide a bit more offense come tournament time if Duke expects to make the Final Four and beyond. Clearly, the Blue Devils have some work to do.
That is the thing here. There is a little bit of growing intrigue with this Duke team. Few expected this kind of buzz but then again, it is the Blue Devils. They do have a way of rising up at the strangest times. If they can get by Virginia this week, lookout. Also, watch as their depth buoys them come tournament time. Duke will be a tough out and project to be a 2 seed in potentially a favorable region. Stay tuned.
It is easy to see why Gonzaga is a favorite but also why Duke is rising up the odds. The Gonzaga Bulldogs are a rising team again with arguably even more balanced than last season. Now, the Duke Blue Devils have become darlings in the sense of sentimentality. Reality dictates that Gonzaga is the favorite and hence our NCAA Men’s Basketball Title Pick.
Auburn, Purdue, and Arizona are just a few of the colleges very much in the picture for the National Title. Auburn is ranked top in the nation for now though some dismiss them as a contender. Purdue has been improving since absorbing some bad early losses. As for Arizona, they have the second-best SRS at 26.2 and though ranked seventh, maybe one of the most dangerous teams come tournament time.
Online betting sites like MyBookie are dangling some nice odds. Arizona is seeing numbers around +1450. Currently, that is a good bit better than some other sites which are offering shorter numbers considerably. Though we cannot count out UCLA either, our choice is clear.
Take the Gonzaga Bulldogs to win the NCAA Men’s Basketball National Title.
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