Which Teams Will Make it to the 2017 NCAA Tournament?
It’s the greatest time of year for college basketball. Virtually every team everyone has a shot to claim an elusive spot in the NCAA Tournament (no matter how badly its previous season went), though obviously some more than others.
BookMaker.eu has opened up its odds to win each of the major conference tournaments, and we’ll break down down each conference and handicap a winner for each.
Odds To Win the ACC Tournament
- North Carolina +200
- Louisville +315
- Duke +365
- Virginia +700
- Florida State +950
- Notre Dame +1300
- Syracuse +1700
- Miami +2500
- Wake Forest +3200
- Virginia Tech +3500
- Clemson +3800
- Pittsburgh +3800
- Georgia Tech +3800
- Boston College +4500
- N.C. State +4500
Would any team winning this conference crown–outside of BC–really be all that surprising? You can argue for any of the 13 teams in this conference having a shot to gain an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
It’ll be tough to beat North Carolina for sure, but Florida State (+950) is intriguing as the conference’s No. 2 seed. The Seminoles will be the huge favorites over what will most likely be Virginia Tech or Wake Forest in the quarterfinals, which could open the door for a nice run.
Odds To Win the Pac-12 Tournament
- Oregon +160
- UCLA +175
- Arizona +265
- California +1000
- Utah +1700
- USC +3000
- Colorado +3100
- Stanford +4000
- Washington +4000
- Washington State +4000
- Arizona State +4100
- Oregon State +4300
The Pac-12 is the opposite of the ACC, as there are really only three teams with any realistic chance to win this tourney. Oregon, UCLA, and Arizona, we’re looking at you.
Given our options, we’ll take our chances with the Wildcats as the biggest dog of the three. Sure, the U of A hasn’t had the most solid stretch in the Pac-12, and the team was crushed when it paid the Ducks a visit in February, but this is a team built for playing rough and tough basketball. That kind of attitude is what wins conference tournaments.
Odds To Win The Big Ten Tournament
- Purdue +170
- Wisconsin +230
- Michigan +840
- Minnesota +850
- Michigan State +925
- Maryland +1300
- Northwestern +1400
- Indiana +1600
- Ohio State +2700
- Nebraska +3300
- Penn State +3300
- Iowa +3500
- Rutgers +3500
- Illinois +4500
We don’t understand why Maryland is set at 13-to-1 to win the Big Ten. Sure, the Terrapins aren’t as good as their 24-7 record suggests. They’re going to be the #3 seed in the Big Ten and expected to draw one of the big-time bubble teams in the quarters.
If you saw the shot Melo Trimble sank to beat Michigan State on the penultimate day of the regular season, it’s obvious what he brings to the table.
Wisconsin has been solid this year, and Purdue has overachieved, but Maryland has a tight enough team to run this conference tournament.
Odds To Win the Big XII Tournament
- Kansas +125
- West Virginia +200
- Baylor +600
- Iowa State +700
- Oklahoma State +1300
- TCU +2500
- Kansas State +2500
- Texas Tech +2500
- Texas +3000
- Oklahoma +3000
We tend to avoid backing a lot of chalk, but this is a case where we don’t see an alternative. The Kansas Jayhawks own the Big 12, even after their staggering overtime loss to Iowa State on February 4th. They’ve come back with eight consecutive wins since, and is something bettors will rally around.
There’s no such thing as a cheap game in this conference. Sure, West Virginia could absolutely win this tourney, but we’re getting Kansas and plus odds, and that’s good enough for us.
Odds To Win the Big East Tournament
- Villanova -110
- Butler +300
- Creighton +400
- Marquette +1100
- Xavier +1300
- Seton Hall +2000
- Providence +2500
- St. John’s +2700
- Georgetown +3000
- DePaul +4000
Butler has lost its way; Creighton doesn’t have its leading scorer. Xavier lost its own leading scorer to a gruesome knee injury, and its second best player has been dinged up throughout the entire second half of the season.
From this standpoint, Villanova might swing this whole championships.
And yes, while Seton Hall is the defending National Champions are fantastic and has a great chance to win this tourney, we can’t look away from that price of 25-to-1 on Providence. The Friars have been on fire over the last six games, and they might complete the circuit from fringy bubble team to Madison Square Garden.
Remember the name Rodney Bullock: he’ll be a force to reckon with over the course of next week.
Odds To Win the SEC Tournament
- Kentucky -105
- Florida +175
- South Carolina +1300
- Arkansas +1600
- Georgia +2000
- Vanderbilt +2000
- Alabama +3500
- Mississippi State +3500
- Tennessee +3500
- Texas A&M +3500
- Auburn +4000
- LSU +4500
- Missouri +4500
- Ole Miss +4500
In the SEC, there are a ton of teams that have a lot of work ahead of them. It is–without a doubt–the most underwhelming conference by a longshot. Other than Florida, there isn’t much exciting competition for bettors.
One thing’s for sure though: Kentucky is lightyears ahead of the competition.
Kentucky’s Malik Monk Is Unstoppable
Malik Monk is the best player on the court by a country mile, and he’ll likely be turning pro in a couple of months. He’s averaged 21.2 points per game this season and has come up with huge leads when his team needed him the most.
We get the feeling he’s going to let loose as a last impression if he does indeed head off to the NBA after his blistering freshmen year.
For more info, check out the latest NCAA March Madness tournament odds on our NCAAB live lines page.
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