The 2020-21 NCAA basketball season started on November 25, and there have already been some huge games played. This upcoming week features several key matchups that feature Top-25 opponents.
Number 9 Duke will take on number 13 Michigan State on Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Number 6 Kansas and number 10 Kentucky will meet up in Indianapolis on Tuesday night as well.
These four teams play in the Champions Classic each year, but the COVID-19 pandemic has forced that event to be canceled.
On Wednesday night, No. 2 Baylor will take on No. 8 Illinois in the Jimmy V Classic. Tennessee and Gonzaga were also supposed to meet up that night, but that game has been canceled.
Saturday night will feature the top two ranked teams in the country going head-to-head when Gonzaga takes on Baylor. Betting lines for all of this week’s action are not yet out at this time, but this should be a tremendous week for college basketball bettors.
Big Upsets in First Week
A pair of top-five teams have already suffered upsets in the first week of action, and it could be a crazy year in college basketball. Virginia and Villanova are both Final Four contenders this season, but each team ended the first week with an upset loss.
The San Francisco Dons were 14.5 point underdogs on Friday against the Virginia Cavaliers, but they were able to come away with a 61-60 win over the No. 4 team in the country. Virginia is still the reigning national champions after the 2020 NCAA Tournament was canceled.
On Saturday night, the third-ranked team in the country, Villanova, suffered an 81-73 loss at the hands of Virginia Tech. The Hokies were 9-5-point underdogs entering the game, but they were able to take control of the game in overtime.
Odds to Win National Championship
The odds to win the 2021 National Championship are out, and there are a number of “blue blood” programs at the top of the list. The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the current favorites to win the title, with odds listed at +700.
Villanova (+850), Baylor (+1000), Iowa (+1000), and Virginia (+1100) round out the current top-five. These odds will continue to be updated throughout the season, and early losses by both UVA and Villanova could affect these for next week.
Big Ten Conference Has Star Power
The Wooden Award is given out to the most outstanding player in college basketball each season, and odds have been set for this honor as well. The Big Ten Conference currently has the two early favorites, but these odds will change many times throughout the season.
Iowa center Luka Garza is currently the favorite at +300 to win the Wooden Award, and he was a first-team All-American a season ago. Illinois guard Ayo Dosunmu is next on the list at +500, and he was a pre-season All-American this season.
Jared Butler (+550), Cade Cunningham (+1200), and Gonzaga teammates Corey Kispert and Drew Timme, both at +2000, round out the early list.
