Dean Etheridge
The team of the moment in the NCAAB seems to be the Connecticut Huskies. The Huskies are 13-0 this season, and they are now up to second favorites in the betting to win the 2023 men’s Championship with the best college basketball betting sites.
The Huskies’ rise in recent weeks has been phenomenal. Their recent 75-54 win away to the Florida Gators prompted talk in the media about whether Dan Hurley’s team is currently the best team in the country, and if they should be ranked number one?
As of now, they are ranked three, but with the Huskies now 13-0, and looking set to make that 14 wins in a row when they face Georgetown on Tuesday evening, it’s surely only a matter of time before they rise to the top of the rankings if their current form continues.
Betting to win the 2023 NCAA Basketball Championship
The best college basketball betting sites have certainly sat up and taken notice. Hurley’s team are now the clear second favorites at +1100 to win the 2023 Championship, and they are fast closing in on the current favorites, the Houston Cougars who are +700 with BetOnline.
| NCAAB Tournament Winner Betting 2023 |  |  |  |
| Houston Cougars | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Connecticut | +1100 | +1100 | +1100 |
| Gonzaga | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| UCLA | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Texas | +1800 | +1900 | +1900 |
| Kentucky Wildcats | +1800 | +1700 | +1850 |
| Purdue | +1900 | +1800 | +1800 |
| Baylor | +1800 | +1750 | +1600 |
| Duke | +1800 | +1700 | +1900 |
| Tennessee | +1800 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Arizona | +1800 | +2000 | +1800 |
Following behind the Cougars and the Huskies in third position in the latest odds is Gonzaga at +1600. The Bulldogs have had a bit of a mixed season, and have at times been the favorites, and then on other occasions have found themselves well outside the top rated sides.
They’re currently on a four game winning streak that culminated with a magnificent win over the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday night.
The Bulldogs, ranked 15 at the time, defeated the Crimson Tide who were at the time ranked 10, by 100 points to 90 at the Legacy Arena. A win which has also caught the attention of the top NCAAB sportsbooks, who now have them into third favorites.
Roll 𝐙𝐀𝐆𝐒 😏 pic.twitter.com/DurE9Jwa3V
— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) December 17, 2022
What’s next for the betting favorites?
Starting with the Houston Cougars, Kelvin Sampson’s team is next in action on Wednesday night when they host the McNeese State Cowboys at the Ferttita Center. The Cowboys are 3-9, and in their most recent match lost by a double digits score (86-67) to Southern Miss.
Put bluntly, this should be another double digits defeat for the Cowboys, and probably a far larger one.
For the record, the Cougars are 12-1 this season. They’ve just won 69-61 away to the Virginia Cowboys last weekend, in what was a very impressive win over the fifth ranked side.
No. 5 Houston Cougars basketball shines in 69-61 victory against No. 2 Virginia.
Jarace Walker had 17 points & 7 rebounds. Marcus Sasser & Tramon Mark had 13 points each.@UHCougarMBK @AYanez_5 https://t.co/G5gvx5Rn9Z
— Gallery Sports (@gallerysports) December 17, 2022
Unbeaten Connecticut put 100% record on the line
Connecticut will be expecting to extend their 100% win record when they host Georgetown on Tuesday evening. In their last outing, Georgetown were defeated 102-89 at home to the Xavier Musketeers.
The Huskies have had an amazing start to the season. But with a 5-7 record, Georgetown will have their work cut out at the Gampel Pavilion, as they attempt to stop the march of Connecticut.
Connecticut’s last match was a 68-46 win over the Butler Bulldogs in Indianapolis last weekend. A win that saw them extend their record to 13-0. This win came after another impressive victory, a 114-63 thrashing of Long Island University just over one week ago.
Connecticut’s biggest win of the season to date was also against the Alabama Crimson Tide. Just under a month ago, Hurley’s team went to Alabama and defeated the Crimson Tide 82-67, this was a real standout result, and the one that got the Huskies really shortening in the betting markets.
The match against Georgetown is Dan Hurley’s team’s last fixture before Christmas. It’s hard to see anything other than another win for the Huskies. They do need to be careful though. The last thing they want to do is go into Christmas with an unnecessary defeat against their name. It’s extremely difficult to see that happening though.
Gonzaga should make it five wins in a row this week
As for Gonzaga, they will look to make it five wins in a row when they face Montana on Tuesday night in Washington. Like with the Cougars and Huskies next opponents, Montana isn’t expected to trouble Mark Few’s Bulldogs.
Montana Grizzlies have a 6-5 record this season, and in their most recent match up they defeated Prairie View 81-76. It would be a major shock if the three leading sides in the betting don’t all record wins this week.
Our Pick
A lot has already happened in the college basketball season already. We started off expecting the Tar Heels to be a force, but they have slipped down the betting and are now +2800, showing how hard it is to make March Mandess bets from a long way out.
Looking at the current situation though, it’s hard not to be impressed with Connecticut. The way they’re going, their odds are only likely to shorten. And with the NCAAB being such an open event, it makes sense to hedge bets and place wagers on teams when they are at longer odds.
So even though it’s not necessarily a pick to win the NCAA Championship at this stage, a bet on Connecticut to win the championship is advised, as this covers more outcomes and improves our chances of making a profit over the course of the season.
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