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At long last, the college basketball season is finally upon us, and there are some familiar names atop the title oddsboard.
Baylor and Gonzaga - both of whom flirted with potential No. 1 seeds before the NCAA Tournament was canceled in March - are tied for the top spot with Villanova, a team many see as the country's best. Those three are followed closely by Iowa, led by early Wooden Award favorite Luka Garza in a stacked Big Ten conference.
At this point in the year, though, it's rarely a good time to bet chalk. Many of these teams will see similar prices ahead of the tournament, while others will tumble down the oddsboard as injuries or poor play threaten their season. Conversely, now's the best time to buy low on high-upside teams with legit title profiles.
Here are the title odds for the 2020-21 season (shorter than 100-1) with our five favorite value plays entering the year.
| TEAM | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Baylor | +800 |
| Gonzaga | +800 |
| Villanova | +800 |
| Iowa | +900 |
| Duke | +1200 |
| Kansas | +1200 |
| Virginia | +1200 |
| Kentucky | +1500 |
| Michigan State | +1500 |
| Illinois | +1800 |
| North Carolina | +1800 |
| Florida State | +2000 |
| Oregon | +2000 |
| West Virginia | +2000 |
| Creighton | +2200 |
| Louisville | +2500 |
| Ohio State | +2500 |
| Texas Tech | +2500 |
| Wisconsin | +2800 |
| Tennessee | +3000 |
| Arizona State | +3500 |
| Houston | +3500 |
| Richmond | +4000 |
| Michigan | +4500 |
| Florida | +5000 |
| Indiana | +5000 |
| Texas | +5000 |
| Auburn | +6000 |
| Connecticut | +6000 |
| Stanford | +6000 |
| UCLA | +6000 |
| LSU | +6500 |
| Maryland | +6500 |
| Alabama | +7500 |
| Arizona | +7500 |
| Northern Iowa | +7500 |
| San Diego State | +7500 |
| USC | +7500 |
| Butler | +8000 |
| Purdue | +8000 |
| BYU | +9000 |
| Marquette | +9000 |
Texas Tech (+2500)
Texas Tech is technically still the defending runner-up after last season's tournament was canceled, and this team is built in a similar mold. The Red Raiders brought in a top-10 recruiting class this year, headlined by three four-stars. They also added top transfers Mac McClung (Georgetown) and Marcus Santos-Silva (VCU) to solidify one of the NCAA's deepest rotations.
Texas Tech was an elite defensive team last year despite its disappointing record, and the influx of talent should provide a major offensive boost. This squad is as switchable and versatile as the 2018-19 group, and with a stellar coach in Chris Beard leading the way, there's obvious value at 25-1.
Arizona State (+3500)
It's all about projecting the highest possible upsides when betting title odds before the season. Arizona State's ceiling is as high as anyone's. The backcourt of Remy Martin, Alonzo Verge, and five-star freshman Josh Christopher is as explosive as any in the country, while the rest of the Sun Devils' No. 7 recruiting class should provide enough reinforcements up front.
Given the uncertainty with Oregon's roster, you could make the case that Arizona State is the favorite out of the Pac-12, which provides some comfort about an NCAA Tournament berth. And if Bobby Hurley's group gets into the Big Dance, it has the dynamite upside to make a deep run.
Texas (+5000)
This is my favorite value play on the board, and it isn't particularly close. Texas is the most experienced team in the country and added five-star forward Greg Brown into the mix. It also ranks No. 1 in T-Rank's preseason projections and No. 9 in KenPom's preseason ratings.
So how in the world are the Longhorns priced at 50-1, tied for the 25th-longest odds on the board? This team had the potential to be dangerous entering last season's conference tournament. If Shaka Smart's experienced rotation improves from a year ago, watch out.
Stanford (+6000)
There's nothing incredibly sexy about this Stanford team, but this price is selling the roster short. Ziaire Williams was a borderline top-five prospect in this year's class, while Oscar da Silva is a force inside and could be the best player in this conference if he maintains his pace from a year ago.
The Cardinal basketball team ranked seventh in adjusted defensive efficiency a year ago, but its inefficient offense was an anchor down the stretch. Can Williams help ignite this group and key a balanced title contender? At 60-1, I'm willing to find out.
Alabama (+7500)
I'm a big fan of what Nate Oats did at Buffalo, and he got the most out of an Alabama roster that didn't have the depth or top-end talent to truly compete last season. That changes this year, as Oats' staff snagged the nation's No. 11 recruiting class, headlined by four-star guard Joshua Primo - ranked 21st by 247Sports - and 6-foot-11 forward Alex Tchikou, who should have an immediate impact on the Crimson Tide's shaky defense.
If Villanova transfer and former five-star recruit Jahvon Quinerly develops into a star after a year on the sidelines, it will transform a team that suddenly has the depth to compete regularly. At these odds, Alabama is a must-buy.
(Odds source: theScore Bet)
C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.
