Every top 10 team in the preseason Coaches Poll that played in the opening week of college basketball regular season went a perfect 2-0. Hence that set up for a relatively chalky refresh to the first College Basketball betting regular-season rankings. The Coaches Poll on Monday afternoon started with North Carolina, Gonzaga, Houston, and the top 10 holding serve in their respective spots. But there were a few changes throughout the top 25 after multiple ranked teams. Including Villanova, Tennessee, and Oregon stumbling to 1-1 starts.
2022 College Basketball Top Contenders
| Date and Time: | Final Four is on April 1 and April 3, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Location: | NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas |
| 2022-23 National Championship Odds SBG: | Click Here |
Top Conference Contenders SBG Odds Overview
Atlantic Coast Conference
North Carolina and Duke salvaged a mediocre 2021-22 regular season for the conference by advancing to their historic Final Four pairing. Of course, it was Coach K’s last sportsbook matchup. The Tar Heels are the consensus No. 1 team in the polls after that run. But UNC might have a harder-than-expected time of it after dramatically outperforming their seed last March.
Big East Conference
Villanova’s decade of dominance might be at an end. But the projected conference winner Creighton still has some postseason proving to do. If the Bluejays stay healthy and committed at both ends of the court, they could play into April.
Big Ten Conference
At the onset, many sharps have Indiana as a “sleeper,” good enough to make a serious Final Four run. But it’s unlikely the Big Ten will break its two-decade-long national championship drought in March and April. Once again, the conference is more quantity than elite quality.
Big 12 Conference
In sum, three of our top eight teams (and five of the top 25) reside in the Big 12. Specifically, they are Baylor, Kansas, and Texas. The conference boasts the past two national champions and could have had a third from the canceled 2020 tournament. Indeed, the Big 12 is a perfect college basketball league as long as it remains together.
Mountain West Conference
First, the good news is that the Mountain West bagged four NCAA bids last season. But those teams went 0-4 in the tournament. However, all might be well in 2023. San Diego State is good enough to play into the second weekend and raise the MWC banner quite high.
Pac-12 Conference
Traditional West Coast fans need to enjoy this while it lasts. The Pac-12 is good enough to survive UCLA and USC departing for the Big Ten. But its basketball will never be the same without the Bruins. Naturally, UCLA is the team to beat in the Pac-12 this season.
Southeastern Conference
Certainly, the SEC has been the most improved basketball conference in the country for the past decade. And there are no signs that momentum is slowing down for 2022-23. Namely, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Auburn, and Alabama bring star power. While Texas A&M, Florida, and LSU could make moves too.
West Coast Conference
The best year in league history gave us the No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga. Additionally, they achieved a record No. 5 seed for Saint Mary’s. With the Zags and BYU in the fold, the WCC remains a sneaky multi-bid power.
2022-23 College Basketball National Championship SBG Free Picks
In this situation, Kentucky is overdue to reclaim its College Basketball Betting throne.
SBG Best Bet: Kentucky Wildcats.