Odds To Win 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament After First Week of Season

• Gonzaga (+800) is the favorite for the 2021 college basketball national title after opening the season with two big wins
  
• Kentucky saw their odds lengthen to +1700 after being upset at home by Richmond
  
• Iowa’s Luka Garza was nearly perfect (14 of 15) from the field, dropping 41 points against Southern U on Friday
  

Who knows if it’s here to stay but the college basketball season finally got underway last week with some big games across the county. Let’s look at the latest BetUS odds to win the 2021 NCAA Championship and recap all the action over the first couple days.

GONZAGA THE EARLY FAVORITE

Gonzaga (+800) got off to a hot start, defeating No. 6 Kansas and Auburn in back-to-back games on Thursday and Friday. The Bulldogs played their second game despite knowing that two members of their traveling party tested positive for COVID-19 – providing evidence that this college basketball season might not be long for this earth.

Viewed as the team to beat in the Big East, Villanova (+900) was upset by Virginia Tech in an 81-72 OT thriller on Saturday night. Jay Wright’s no. 3 ranked Wildcats play Saint Joseph’s on Wednesday after the game was moved from Monday as part of the schedule reshuffling resulting from Temple’s virus issues.

Kansas’ 12-point loss to No. 1 Gonzaga is the team’s largest loss in a season opener since 1983-84.

This is also the first time Kansas has allowed 100 points in a regulation game under Bill Self (Jayhawks last allowed 100 to Oklahoma in 1990). pic.twitter.com/2pNfiXqHz4

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 26, 2020

Baylor (+1200) won their first two contests without coach Scott Drew, who is in a 10-day isolation period after testing positive for COVID-19. With two wins in the Vegas Bubble, the Bears should be locked into No. 2 behind top-ranked Gonzaga, setting up a 1 vs. 2 showdown on Dec. 4 in Indianapolis.

KENTUCKY GOES DOWN

Kentucky (+1700) will likely fall out of the top ten after a 76-64 home loss to Richmond, who recorded the program’s first road victory over an Associated Press top-10 team on Sunday. The Wildcats face No. 6 Kansas on Tuesday night at the Champions Classic in Indianapolis.

After having its first game canceled amid COVID concerns, Duke (+1800) defeated Coppin State 81-71 in its season opener thanks to 19 points, 19 rebounds, and four blocks from freshman Jalen Johnson. On Tuesday, the Blue Devils host No. 13 Michigan State, who used relentless defense to go on a 26-0 run against Notre Dame on Saturday night, improving to 2-0 on the year.

Luka Garza.

🏀 36 PTS
🏀 12-12 FG
🏀 7 REB
🏀 3 BLKS

… in one half. 🔥

NPOY, @IowaHoops?pic.twitter.com/SVKFodZrq5

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) November 27, 2020

Luka Garza scored 41 points in a 103-76 victory against Southern on Friday, showing exactly why Iowa (+1800) will be a national championship contender this season. It was the 18th consecutive game of 20 or more points for Garza, the lone unanimous selection to the AP preseason All-America team.

The Hawkeyes’ first real test will come against No. 16 North Carolina next Tuesday, Dec. 8.