Best Bets: College basketball futures and win totals you have to bet

By Rob DausterNov 2, 2019, 7:53 AM EDT

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College basketball season is just around the corner, which means that time is running out for you to lock in your preseason futures bets.

We’ve looked at the best bets that are available previously in this space. Since then, the odds have changed, meaning that the teams that are worth investing in have changed somewhat as well.

Here are the best national title futures, the best longshots, a couple of worthwhile fades and my favorite win total over/unders.

Odds are via a legal sports book in New Jersey.

BEST FUTURES

MICHIGAN STATE (9-1)

I have Michigan State listed here because of the price. At most books, the Spartans are somewhere in the 5-1 or 6-1 range. Considering the fact that they are the consensus preseason No. 1 team in the country, it makes sense that they would be priced there. What doesn’t make sense is where they are getting 9-1 odds. That’s the line that is available to me. If you can get Michigan State at 9-1, that’s worth it. If the Spartans are 5-1 or 6-1 where you wager, then I would pass at this point.

KANSAS (11-1)

The Jayhawks are currently priced as the sixth best team in the country. For my money, they are one of the consensus top three teams in the sport, along with Michigan State and Kentucky. They are also a veteran group with an elite point guard in Devon Dotson, plenty of talent on the wings and arguably the most unstoppable force in America in Udoka Azubuike. At 11-1, they are mispriced and worth the investment.

LOUISVILLE (14-1)

It’s as simple as this: Louisville is, for my money, the best team in the ACC. They are currently priced as the third-best team in the ACC and closer to a top ten team in America than a top five team. There are some questions about their point guard play. There are some concerns about their health, with David Johnson and Malik Williams banged up. And yes, Chris Mack is probably the best coach in the America that doesn’t have a Final Four on his resume. But I think you can make the argument that this is the best team he has ever had. No better time than now to get there.

FLORIDA (20-1)

The odds keep creeping down for Florida. I got the Gators at 50-1 before Kerry Blackshear announced that he will be playing his senior season in Gainesville, and then doubled down at 33-1 after he announced. They are now at 20-1, and I think this is still too cheap. This group has elite guard play, a McDonald’s All-Americans (Tre Mann, Scottie Lewis) that will complement the returning studs (Andrew Nembhard, Keyontae Johnson) and a coach that should be able to put all the pieces together. I think they’re clearly a top seven team in the country and right now, they are still not being priced that way.

OREGON (28-1)

Last week, the Ducks were still sitting at 33-1. That number has dropped a bit, but this is still a great price. Admittedly, I’m higher on the Ducks that most. But that’s because their head coach is one of the best in the country at getting new guys to buy into a role and he has an All-American point guard in senior Payton Pritchard leading the way. I think the Ducks should be priced around 18-1.

LONGSHOTS

OHIO STATE (40-1)

I am not as high on the Buckeyes as some people are, but I’m very surprised they are still available at 40-1 in some books. They have an All-American in Kaleb Wesson. They have plenty of talent on the wing, and if D.J. Carton lives up to the hype, they have one of the most exciting young guards in the country at the point. Oh, and should I mention that this Chris Holtmann guy coaching them is pretty good? They’re closer to a top 15 team in America than this, and I think that they should be priced at 25-1.

UTAH STATE (60-1)

I’ve already fired at the Aggies at 100-1 odds, and the number is still dropping. This is a team that is going to run through the Mountain West again this season. They are a pair of potential All-Americans and future NBA players in Neemias Queta and Sam Merrill. Throw in one of the better young coaches in the country in Craig Smith, and there is a lot to like in Logan. They’re still worth the flier.

HOUSTON (66-1)

My book has not yet adjusted to the fact that the Cougars have Quentin Grimes eligible immediately. I still think DeJon Jarreau is going to be their best guard, but adding a former top ten prospect is big. They are the best team in the American, but the payout betting on them is 4X the payout for betting on Memphis.

MARQUETTE (66-1)

The market has overcorrected on Marquette. They are too cheap. The reasoning is too long to type out. Watch this:

FADES

MEMPHIS (16-1)

Confession: I currently hold a ticket for a Memphis national title future.

The price?

50-1.

The current odds are just too expensive for my taste. I’ve made this point ad nauseum during the offseason, but this is a program that is going to end up starting five freshmen with seven freshmen and two sophomores in their ten-man rotation. Their best player – James Wiseman – may or may not have an ankle injury, or a shoulder injury, or something. I just have no interest in this group at 16-1.

DUKE (8-1) and NORTH CAROLINA (9-1)

These are easy fades for me. I certainly understand the upside, but I just think they’re too expensive at this point. My issues with Duke have to do with how the pieces are going to fit together (see the video below) and while I love Cole Anthony, I do think that asking the Tar Heels to win a national title with a completely is a big ask. If they were, say, 25-1, then it would be interesting. But as it currently stand, there are just two teams with lower odds than the Tar Heels: Duke and Kentucky. I cannot justify that cost.

KENTUCKY (8-1)

So Kentucky is not a full fade for me. I think that, come February, this is going to be one of the best teams in college basketball. I also think that, in November, they are going to take some lumps. I see this team having a similar learning curve to last year’s group. If you recall, they got smoked by Duke in the Champions Classic, struggled through a few buy games and then lost to Seton Hall in New York City before turning into the team that they were down the stretch. What I am going to do is wait for this line to drop and, hopefully, snag Kentucky at around 16-1 while eating Thanksgiving dinner.

WIN TOTALS

DUKE: Under 25.5

The ACC is going to be tough at the top this year, Duke has a roster that doesn’t exactly fit together all that well. In the last six years, since Coach K has gone all-in on the one-and-done movement, Duke has had more than 25 regular season wins twice. Once when they won the national title and once when they had Zion.

FLORIDA: Over 23.5

This best is fairly obvious. I love Florida this year. I have two Florida national title future. Of course I’m going to bet them to win 24 regular season games.

KANSAS: Over 24

Kansas is undervalued by the metrics. They are a consensus preseason top three team, and last season was the first time since 2014 that the Jayhawks didn’t win at least 24 regular season games. Since the 2006-07 season, Kansas has only won fewer than 24 fewer season games twice.

OREGON: Over 22

I think the Ducks are the best team in the Pac-12. They should be able to get to 23-8 pretty easily.

TEXAS: Over 18.5

This line is much lower than I expected it to be. I’m bullish on Texas this season. I think Shaka Smart finally has a bit of roster continuity and a team that looks to be older than in the past. They look like a team that will compete for top three in the Big 12, believe it or not. Getting to 19 wins seems very doable.

KENTUCKY: Under 24.5 (+110)

The odds are what makes this bet more attractive. I’m assuming that Kentucky is going to lose to Michigan State on opening night. They then have to play a full SEC schedule (Florida, Auburn and Tennessee twice and at LSU) plus Texas Tech away, Ohio State on a neutral and Louisville at home. That’s a lot of tough games. If they lose seven, you more than double your money.

GONZAGA: Under 27.5

Killian Tillie is banged up, Gonzaga’s starting backcourt is made up of grad transfers (Ryan Woolridge, Admon Gilder) that may or may not be good enough to play for a top ten team, Oumar Ballo has to redshirt and Brock Ravet is taking a leave of absence from the program. In the non-conference, they play at Washington, at Arizona and North Carolina at home plus the Battle 4 Atlantis, and that’s before you consider home-and-homes with a good BYU and a really good St. Mary’s. Four losses means the bet hits.

LOUISVILLE: Over 22.5 (-134)

I think Louisville is a top five team, I think they are the best team in the ACC and if they go 23-8, you win your bet. The odds aren’t ideal, but a win is a win is a win.

Purdue’s Edey returning to school at NBA draft deadline; Kentucky’s Tshiebwe stays in

Associated PressJun 1, 2023, 11:17 AM EDT

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Purdue’s Zach Edey decided it was the right call to go back to school instead of staying in the NBA draft. His predecessor as national player of the year, Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe, is sticking with his pro pursuit.

And Connecticut’s reign as NCAA champion will begin with multiple starters having left for the NBA draft and one returning after flirting with doing the same.

The 7-foot-4 Edey and UConn guard Tristen Newton were among the notable names to announce that they were withdrawing from the draft, the NCAA’s deadline for players who declared as early entrants to pull out and retain their college eligibility.

Edey’s decision came in social media posts from both the center and the Boilermakers program that earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament behind Edey, The Associated Press men’s national player of the year.

But Tshiebwe announced late in the afternoon that he would remain in the draft after a college career that included being named the AP national player of the year in 2022.

For the current champions, Newton (10.1 points, 4.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds) is returning after being one of four Huskies to declare for the draft after a run to UConn’s fifth national championship in early April. He scored a game-high 19 points to go with 10 rebounds in the victory over San Diego State in the title game.

The others were Final Four Most Outstanding Player Adama Sanogo, wing Jordan Hawkins and versatile guard Andre Jackson Jr. Sanogo (17.8 points) and Hawkins (16.3) have made it clear they have closed the door on their college careers, while team spokesman Phil Chardis said that Jackson (6.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists) would remain in the draft.

The Huskies have 247sports’ No. 3-ranked recruiting class for next year to restock the roster, led by McDonald’s All-American point guard Stephon Castle.

The NBA’s withdrawal deadline is June 12, but is moot when it comes to college players returning to school due to the NCAA’s earlier timeline to retain playing eligibility.

STAYING IN SCHOOL

TREY ALEXANDER: Creighton gets back a 6-4 guard who averaged 13.6 points and shot 41% from 3-point range in his first full season as a starter.

ADEM BONA: The 6-foot-10 forward and Pac-12 freshman of the year is returning to UCLA after starting 32 games as a rookie and averaging 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks – with coach Mick Cronin praising his toughness for “competing through multiple injuries for as long as he could” in a statement Wednesday.

EDEY: He averaged 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists while shooting 60.7% from the field. His presence alone helps Purdue be a factor in the Big Ten race.

JOSIAH-JORDAN JAMES: The 6-6 guard went through the NBA G League Combine and had workouts with multiple teams before opting to return to Tennessee for a fifth season alongside teammate Santiago Vescovi.

JUDAH MINTZ: The 6-3 freshman averaged 16.3 points and 4.6 assists for Syracuse, ranking third among Division I freshmen in scoring behind only Alabama’s Brandon Miller and Lamar’s Nate Calmese.

OWLS’ RETURNEES: Florida Atlantic got good news after its surprise Final Four run with the return leading scorers Johnell Davis (13.8) and Alijah Martin (13.4). ESPN first reported their decisions, while Martin later posted a social media statement.

TERRENCE SHANNON JR.: Illinois got a big boost with Shannon announcing his night in a social media post. The 6-6 guard is returning for a fifth college season after averaging 17.2 points.

SPARTANS’ RETURNEES: Michigan State announced that guards Jaden Akins and A.J. Hoggard have withdrawn from the NBA draft. Standout guard Tyson Walker had previously withdrawn in April, setting up Tom Izzo to have five of his top scorers back.

GOING PRO

KOBE BROWN: Missouri’s 6-8 swingman opted against returning for a fifth college season after being an AP first-team all-Southeastern Conference pick averaging 15.8 points last season.

JAYLEN CLARK: The third-year UCLA guard averaged 13.0 points and 6.0 rebounds while leading the Pac-12 with 2.6 steals en route to being named Naismith national defensive player of the year. Cronin called him a winner with strong intangibles who made UCLA “a better program because he chose to be a Bruin.”

BRICE SENSABAUGH: The Ohio State freshman averaged 16.3 points and 5.4 rebounds in 31 games before missing his final two in the Big Ten Tournament due to a knee injury. He’s a potential first-round prospect.

TSHIEBWE: The 6-9, 260-pound forward is a tough interior presence who led the country in rebounds for two straight seasons (15.1 in 2022, 13.7 in 2023) while racking up 48 double-doubles. But he faces an uncertain next stop and is projected at best as a second-round prospect.

North Carolina transfer Caleb Love commits to Arizona

Associated PressMay 31, 2023, 10:59 AM EDT

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Caleb Love is now headed to Arizona.

The North Carolina transfer tweeted, less than a month after decommitting from Michigan, that he will play next season with the Wildcats.

“Caleb is a tremendously talented guard who has significant experience playing college basketball at a high level,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said in a statement. “We look forward to helping Caleb grow his game at Arizona. And as we near the completion of the roster for the upcoming season, we feel great about how everything has come together. Now it’s time for the real work to start.”

A 6-foot-4 guard, Love averaged 14.6 points and 3.3 assists in three seasons at North Carolina. He averaged 17.6 points in seven NCAA Tournament games, helping lead the Tar Heels to the 2022 national championship game.

Love entered the transfer portal after leading North Carolina with 73 3-pointers as a junior and initially committed to Michigan. He decommitted from the Wolverines earlier this month, reportedly due to an admissions issue involving academic credits.

Love narrowed his transfer targets to three schools before choosing to play at Arizona over Gonzaga and Texas.

Love will likely start on a team that will have dynamic perimeter players, including Pelle Larsson, Kylan Boswell and Alabama transfer Jaden Bradley.

Biden celebrates LSU women’s and UConn men’s basketball teams at separate White House events

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 11:56 PM EDT

Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK

WASHINGTON – All of the past drama and sore feelings associated with Louisiana State’s invitation to the White House were seemingly forgotten or set aside Friday as President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcomed the championship women’s basketball team to the mansion with smiles, hugs and lavish praise all around.

The visit had once appeared in jeopardy after Jill Biden suggested that the losing Iowa team be invited, too. But none of that was mentioned as both Bidens heralded the players for their performance and the way they have helped advance women’s sports.

“Folks, we witnessed history,” the president said. “In this team, we saw hope, we saw pride and we saw purpose. It matters.”

The ceremony was halted for about 10 minutes after forward Sa’Myah Smith appeared to collapse as she and her teammates stood behind Biden. A wheelchair was brought in and coach Kim Mulkey assured the audience that Smith was fine.

LSU said in a statement that Smith felt overheated, nauseous and thought she might faint. She was evaluated by LSU and White House medical staff and was later able to rejoin the team. “She is feeling well, in good spirits, and will undergo further evaluation once back in Baton Rouge,” the LSU statement said.

Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, Biden said, more than half of all college students are women, and there are now 10 times more female athletes in college and high school. He said most sports stories are still about men, and that that needs to change.

Title IX prohibits discrimination based on sex in federally funded education programs and activities.

“Folks, we need to support women sports, not just during the championship run but during the entire year,” President Biden said.

After the Tigers beat Iowa for the NCAA title in April in a game the first lady attended, she caused an uproar by suggesting that the Hawkeyes also come to the White House.

LSU star Angel Reese called the idea “A JOKE” and said she would prefer to visit with former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, instead. The LSU team largely is Black, while Iowa’s top player, Caitlin Clark, is white, as are most of her teammates.

Nothing came of Jill Biden’s idea and the White House only invited the Tigers. Reese ultimately said she would not skip the White House visit. She and co-captain Emily Ward presented team jerseys bearing the number “46” to Biden and the first lady. Hugs were exchanged.

Jill Biden also lavished praise on the team, saying the players showed “what it means to be a champion.”

“In this room, I see the absolute best of the best,” she said, adding that watching them play was “pure magic.”

“Every basket was pure joy and I kept thinking about how far women’s sports have come,” the first lady added, noting that she grew up before Title IX was passed. “We’ve made so much progress and we still have so much more work to do.”

The president added that “the way in which women’s sports has come along is just incredible. It’s really neat to see, since I’ve got four granddaughters.”

After Smith was helped to a wheelchair, Mulkey told the audience the player was OK.

“As you can see, we leave our mark where we go,” Mulkey joked. “Sa’Myah is fine. She’s kind of, right now, embarrassed.”

A few members of Congress and Biden aides past and present with Louisiana roots dropped what they were doing to attend the East Room event, including White House budget director Shalanda Young. Young is in the thick of negotiations with House Republicans to reach a deal by the middle of next week to stave off what would be a globally calamitous U.S. financial default if the U.S. can no longer borrow the money it needs to pay its bills.

The president, who wore a necktie in the shade of LSU’s purple, said Young, who grew up in Baton Rouge, told him, “I’m leaving the talks to be here.” Rep. Garret Graves, one of the House GOP negotiators, also attended.

Biden closed sports Friday by changing to a blue tie and welcoming the UConn’s men’s championship team for its own celebration. The Huskies won their fifth national title by defeating San Diego State, 76-59, in April.

“Congratulations to the whole UConn nation,” he said.

Marquette’s Prosper says he will stay in draft rather than returning to school

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 7:08 PM EDT

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

MILWAUKEE — Olivier-Maxence Prosper announced he is keeping his name under NBA draft consideration rather than returning to Marquette.

The 6-foot-8 forward announced his decision.

“Thank you Marquette nation, my coaches, my teammates and support staff for embracing me from day one,” Prosper said in an Instagram post. “My time at Marquette has been incredible. With that being said, I will remain in the 2023 NBA Draft. I’m excited for what comes next. On to the next chapter…”

Prosper had announced last month he was entering the draft. He still could have returned to school and maintained his college eligibility by withdrawing from the draft by May 31. Prosper’s announcement indicates he instead is going ahead with his plans to turn pro.

Prosper averaged 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds last season while helping Marquette go 29-7 and win the Big East’s regular-season and tournament titles. Marquette’s season ended with a 69-60 loss to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32.

He played two seasons at Marquette after transferring from Clemson, where he spent one season.

Kansas’ Kevin McCullar Jr. returning for last season of eligibility

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 9:18 PM EDT

Jeffrey Becker/USA TODAY Sports

Kevin McCullar Jr. said that he will return to Kansas for his final year of eligibility, likely rounding out a roster that could make the Jayhawks the preseason No. 1 next season.

McCullar transferred from Texas Tech to Kansas for last season, when he started 33 of 34 games and averaged 10.7 points and 7.0 rebounds. He was also among the nation’s leaders in steals, and along with being selected to the Big 12’s all-defensive team, the 6-foot-6 forward was a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award.

“To be able to play in front of the best fans in the country; to play for the best coach in the nation, I truly believe we have the pieces to hang another banner in the Phog,” McCullar said in announcing his return.

Along with McCullar, the Jayhawks return starters Dajuan Harris Jr. and K.J. Adams from a team that went 28–8, won the Big 12 regular-season title and was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where it lost to Arkansas in the second round.

Perhaps more importantly, the Jayhawks landed Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson, widely considered the best player in the portal, to anchor a lineup that was missing a true big man. They also grabbed former five-star prospect Arterio Morris, who left Texas, and Towson’s Nick Timberlake, who emerged last season as one of the best 3-point shooters in the country.

The Jayhawks also have an elite recruiting class arriving that is headlined by five-star recruit Elmarko Jackson.

McCullar declared for the draft but, after getting feedback from scouts, decided to return. He was a redshirt senior last season, but he has another year of eligibility because part of his career was played during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is a big day for Kansas basketball,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “Kevin is not only a terrific player but a terrific teammate. He fit in so well in year one and we’re excited about what he’ll do with our program from a leadership standpoint.”