Let the Madness Begin! To illuminate the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament begins Tuesday night with the First Four. And there are as many storylines as a gambler could want. Of course, Gonzaga is the opening favorite with the College Basketball odds. But the parity of the 2022 NCAA Tournament offers several realistic choices. March Madness is known for Cinderella stories. This year the Cinderella teams may not be in that class at all. Indeed, quality teams are getting overlooked. By contrast, some teams could be overrated and overpriced.
2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
| Date and Time: | March 15 through April 4, 2022 |
|---|---|
| TV Coverage: | CBS, TBS, truTV, TNT |
| 2022 March Madness Championship Odds at SBG: | Check Here for Updates |
Arizona Wildcats – The Power Sleeper?
Second-ranked Arizona remains a sleeper to much of the country. The Wildcats won the Pac-12 regular-season and tournament championships. And that was after the preseason sports betting future markets saw Arizona ignored by the public. Most important of all, the Wildcats were one of the most profitable teams on the board this season.
UCLA Slapped Down But Could Rise Again
Last year UCLA limped into the First Four. By the time the dust settled, the Bruins were in the Final Four. That success caused this blue blood name brand to catch plenty of attention from squares all season. UCLA finished second to Arizona in the regular season and tournament. Yet a good season has been considered a failure. At least for now. Wise Guys will keep a sharp eye on the potential betting value on the Bruins.
Kansas Returns to Blue Blood Form
The Kansas Jayhawks tied for the Big 12 championship in the regular season. And then, in the tournament, they won easily. Of great concern is KU’s poor March Madness betting value this season. Kansas finished the season in red ink. That is mostly because of their status as a name-brand team of the masses. Also, there is a lot of focus on the Jayhawks’ 80-62 home loss to Kentucky on January 29. Since then, the Jayhawks rallied to play their best ball of the season. Thus, KU may surprised as a beaten favorite.
Hoosiers!
Of course, the Indiana Hoosiers are always associated with the epic sports movie from 1987. At the end of the regular season, Indiana recovered from a terrible stretch to make the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. Indiana punched their ticket with wins over regular-season co-champions Wisconsin and Illinois. First-year head coach Mike Woodson played at IU for the legendary Bobby Knight. And he has taken the emphasis of defensive basketball to heart. Indiana visited the payout window in three of its final four games.
Hawkeyes Soaring into March Madness
At the onset of the season, Iowa was touted as a rebuilding team. Squares ignored the Hawkeyes for more promising brands. Subsequently, Iowa was under the radar all season. Consider that the Hawkeyes were one of the most profitable teams on the board this year. Iowa ranked 5th in the nation out of 350 teams for scoring offense. And Keegan Murray is becoming a national star.
Hokie Pokey
One of the early surprises in the Conference Tournament weekend was the Virginia Tech Hokies. Tech upset Duke in the ACC Championship Game in dominant fashion 82-67. Accordingly, the Hokies boast the nation’s 18th ranked scoring defense.