The 2022-2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball season ended with four-seed Connecticut winning their fifth title in a crazy upset filled March Madness tournament.
Here’s a look ahead at the upcoming 2023-2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball season with the first AP Top 25 poll out and the early sports betting odds.
What Happened: The 2022-2023 March Madness tournament ended with a Final Four that included a four seed, two five seeds and a nine seed, with a four seed ultimately winning.
This marked the first time there had been no top three seeds in Final Four history since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. The tournament also saw a 16-seed win over a 1-seed for only the second time since the field expanded to 64 teams.
With those items put in front of sports bettors and college basketball fans, rankings might not matter.
Connecticut was ranked just out of the Top 25 poll to start last season ranking 27th. San Diego State, who made the title game was ranked 19th. Miami was ranked outside the top 25 at 28th, and Florida Atlantic received zero preseason votes in the Top 25 poll.
The first AP poll of the season was released this week and finds the Kansas Jayhawks topping the list for the fourth time in preseason history. Last year, Kansas ranked fifth in the preseason and earned a one-seed in the tournament, only to lose in the second round.
Here’s a look at the top five from last year’s preseason rankings:
- North Carolina: didn’t qualify for NCAA Tournament
- Gonzaga: 3-seed, lost in Elite 8
- Houston: 1-seed, lost in Sweet 16
- Kentucky: 6-seed, lost in second round
- Kansas: 1-seed, lost in second round
All four of the number one overall inaugural poll rankings for Kansas have come under head coach Bill Self. Kansas won four NCAA Championships, including two in the last 15 years (2008, 2022). Those championships didn’t come when the team ranked first to start the season.
The number one inaugural poll rankings for Kansas were:
- 2004-2005: 3-seed, lost in first round
- 2009-2010: 1-seed, lost in second round
- 2018-2019: 4-seed, lost in second round
The Jayhawks received 46 of 63 first-place votes, one of five teams to earn first-place votes. Kansas will be led by three returning starters from last season. The Jayhawks also made a splash in the off season transfer window, landing Hunter Dickinson, who left the University of Michigan.
Dickinson averaged 18.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game last season, starting all 34 games for the Wolverines.
Duke landed 11 first-place votes and ranked second. Purdue had three first-place votes and ranks third. Michigan State at fourth and Connecticut at sixth were the other teams to get first-place votes.
Related Link: Perfect March Mandess Bracket? Don't Count On It, The Longshot And Potential Impossible Odds
Top 25 Poll and Betting Odds: While it is early for betting on a potential winner for the 2023-2024 season, sometimes the preseason is the best time to get odds on the top teams.
Connecticut had odds of +8,000 to win the NCAA Tournament in the preseason last year, paying out a profit of $8,000 on a $100 bet. The team entered the tournament with odds of +1,800, paying out a profit of $1,800 on a $100 bet.
Here’s a look at the first Top 25 AP poll and the betting odds on each team from sportsbook DraftKings Inc DKNG.
- Kansas: +1,000
- Duke: +1,100
- Purdue: +1,200
- Michigan State: +1,500
- Marquette: +1,800
- Connecticut: +1,600
- Houston: +2,000
- Creighton: +2,500
- Tennessee: +3,000
- Florida Atlantic: +4,000
- Gonzaga: +2,200
- Arizona: +2,000
- Miami (FL): +3,000
- Arkansas: +1,800
- Texas A&M: +5,500
- Kentucky: +1,400
- San Diego State: +8,000
- Texas: +2,200
- North Carolina: +2,200
- Baylor: +3,000
- USC: +3,000
- Villanova: +3,000
- St. Mary’s: +5,000
- Alabama: +2,000
- Illinois: +5,000
As bettors can see, the betting odds don’t follow the Top 25 poll in a straight line. While the top three teams in the poll are the three favorites at DraftKings, it is 16th ranked Kentucky that has the fourth-best odds to win the NCAA Tournament.
Texas, North Carolina and Alabama find themselves ranked in the back half of the Top 25 but among the top ten teams for odds.
Schools like Tennessee, Florida Atlantic and Miami are the opposite, ranking in the top half and listed among the 15th to 30th for odds.
San Diego State, Texas A&M and San Diego State find themselves listed with worse odds to win the NCAA Tournament than several unranked teams.
Many college basketball teams will kick off their seasons in early November and the Top 25 poll could change quickly with Duke taking on Michigan State and Kansas taking on Kentucky as part of the Champions Classic at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
The games will be broadcast on ESPN, a unit of The Walt Disney Company DIS and see four of the top 16 ranked teams facing off.
Read Next: This Bettor Turned $1 Into Massive Winnings On A 25-Team College Basketball Parlay
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