With the 2020-21 college basketball season winding down and the start of March Madness getting closer by the day, it’s time to take a look at the most recent odds to win this year’s national championship tournament.
Whether you like one of the top favorites like No. 1 Gonzaga or No. 2 Baylor or your prefer a longer shot title contender like Virginia or Texas Tech, you’re going to get the expert insight you’ll need in order to make the most of your March Madness betting campaign. With that in mind, let’s have a closer look at our NCAA Basketball Analysis so you start planning your bets against their College Basketball National Championship odds.
Updated NCAA Basketball 2021 National Championship Odds
| 2021 College Basketball National Championship | Odds to Win |
|---|---|
| Gonzaga | +275 |
| Baylor | +300 |
| Michigan | +900 |
| Villanova | +1400 |
| Texas | +1500 |
| Iowa | +1500 |
| Alabama | +1600 |
| Illinois | +1800 |
| Houston | +2000 |
| Wisconsin | +2200 |
| Tennessee | +2400 |
| Florida State | +2400 |
| Virginia | +2400 |
| Texas Tech | +2500 |
| Ohio State | +2800 |
| Creighton | +3000 |
| West Virginia | +3300 |
| Kansas | +4500 |
| Oklahoma | +4500 |
| Oregon | +5500 |
| UConn | +6000 |
| Virginia Tech | +6600 |
| UCLA | +6600 |
| North Carolina | +6600 |
| Clemson | +6600 |
| Louisville | +6600 |
| Saint Louis | +6600 |
| Indiana | +6600 |
| USC | +6600 |
| Rutgers | +6600 |
They Put the ‘E’ in Elite
Analysis: Gonzaga (18-0) and Baylor (17-0) are clearly the cream of the cop in college basketball this season. The Zags rank first in scoring (92.7 ppg) and first in field goal shooting percentage (54.8%). Baylor ranks fourth in scoring (87.0 ppg) and an equally impressive 25th in points allowed (62.8 ppg).
No. 3 Michigan (13-1), No. 4 Villanova (12-2) and No. 8 Houston are the only other teams in the national rankings with two losses or less. The Wolverines rank 36th in scoring (79.7 ppg) and 63rd in points allowed (65.4 ppg). The Wildcats rank 50th in scoring (77.9 ppg) while limiting the opposition to 67.9 points per game defensively (118th). This quartet of title contenders represents my top four teams to reach the Final Four.
It Could Happen
- Houston (16-2)
- Ohio State (16-4)
- Illinois (13-5)
- Texas Tech (14-5)
- Virginia (13-3)
- Missouri (13-3)
Analysis: Houston looks as legitimate as the aforementioned four teams, but I have them just a cut below because the Cougars play a slightly lesser level of competition in the AAC than any of my top four teams. Still, I think Houston has a real shot to make a push for the national championship. Houston averages 76.2 points per game (79th), but has been downright jaw-dropping defensively in limiting the opposition to a paltry 56.9 points per game to rank second in points allowed.
Ohio State is ranked 58th in scoring (77.5 ppg), but has just three players that average double digits in scoring. Illinois ranks a phenomenal 19th in scoring (81.8 ppg) and has a real star in combo guard Ayo Dosunmu (21.2 ppg). The Fighting Illini’ have another likely NBA performer in behemoth center Kofi Cockburn (17.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg), but those are the only two players that average double figures in scoring for Illinois. Texas Tech and Virginia have elite defense that rank 14th and eighth respectively in points allowed. I love Missouri which averages a modest 74.8 points per game while allowing 69.9 points per contest defensively. For me, my top team out of this group is Houston, followed by…Mizzou!
An Uphill Battle Awaits
- West Virginia (13-5)
- Iowa (13-6)
- Wisconsin (14-6)
- Creighton (14-5)
- Oklahoma State (12-6)
West Virginia is wildly inconsistent. Case in point. The Mountaineers got spanked by now, unranked Kansas 79-65 in December but blasted the Jayhawks off the court 91-79 on Saturday. Iowa’s Luka Garza is a monster scorer (25.5 ppg) that will play at the next level, but the Hawkeyes only have two other players that average double figures in scoring.
Wisconsin has been limited to 62 points or less in three of its last five games and just doesn’t have enough offensive firepower.
Oklahoma State has a flat-out star in freshman guard Cade Cunningham (18.8 ppg), but only one other player that averages double figures in scoring.
For me, Creighton looks the most dangerous of any team in this group. The Bluejays rank 38th nationally in scoring (79.6 ppg) while allowing 70.2 points per game defensively. Creighton ranks 27th in field goal shooting percentage (48.4%) and 58th in three-point shooting percentage. Five players average double figures in scoring for a battle-tested Creighton squad.
No Way Jose
If you love seeing perennial powerhouse fall by the wayside, then you’re probably jumping for joy right now. Kansas, Duke, North Carolina and Kentucky are all getting smacked senseless this season. Sorry, not sorry!
Cinderella…Again
- Loyola-Chicago (17-3)
If you remember Loyola-Chicago, yes, this is the same small school that made a run to the 2018 Final Four that absolutely captivated the sports world that year. Well, the Ramblers are back and looking even better than they did a couple of years ago. Here’s hoping Loyola-Chicago can make another memorable Cinderella run in the national championship tournament.
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