Kentucky, which came seconds away from reaching the 2017 Final Four, is expected to cut down the nets in 2018, according to Las Vegas betting odds.
The Wildcats open as 10-1 favorites to win the national championship. De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk, the backcourt that guided Kentucky to the Elite Eight, have both declared for the NBA Draft. Bam Adebayo is expected to follow them to the professional ranks. But Cal’s freshman class of Hamidou Diallo, Quade Green, Nick Richards, PJ Washington, Jarred Vanderbilt, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will join returnees Weynen Gabriel, Isaac Humprhies, and perhaps, Isaiah Briscoe. Kentucky also may not be done with recruiting at this point.
Duke, Louisville, North Carolina, Kansas, Gonzaga, and Villanova are all right behind at 12-1 odds. Those six teams are followed by the schools listed below:
Arizona 20/1
Michigan 20/1
Indiana 20/1
Wichita State 20/1
Florida 20/1
Butler 20/1
Michigan State 20/1
West Virginia 30/1
Virginia 30/1
Oklahoma 30/1
Florida State 40/1
St. Mary’s 40/1
UCLA 40/1
Baylor 50/1
Miami 50/1