Updated 2019 College Basketball Championship Odds – March 20th

The first two games of the 2019 NCAA men’s basketball tournament have come and gone. Belmont defeated Temple, 81-70, and will face Maryland on Thursday. Fairleigh Dickinson defeated Prairie View A&M, 82-76, and will Gonzaga on Thursday. The other two First Four matchups are set for Wednesday evening, and then the opening round of the tournament will take place on Thursday and Friday. We have your latest 2019 college basketball championship odds for the contenders (+10000 moneylines or better) for the tournament as well as our thoughts about some of the contenders.

Updated 2019 College Basketball Championship Odds – March 20th

It’s been a year… #MarchMadness wants you back. pic.twitter.com/Fo3bYOfxTH

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) 20 de marzo de 2019

Contender Odds to Win the 2019 College Basketball Championship

• Duke                                                                                                               +225
• Virginia                                                                                                           +550
• Gonzaga                                                                                                        +600
• North Carolina                                                                                               +800
• Kentucky, Michigan State                                                                            +1200
• Tennessee                                                                                                     +1400
• Michigan                                                                                                        +1600
• Texas Tech                                                                                                    +2000
• Auburn                                                                                                           +2500
• Florida State, Purdue, Virginia Tech                                                          +3300
• Houston, Iowa State, LSU                                                                            +4000
• Kansas, Kansas State, Louisville, Marquette,
• Villanova, Wisconsin                                                                                    +5000
• Buffalo, Florida, Syracuse                                                                           +6600
• Cincinnati, Maryland, Mississippi State, Nevada                                      +8000
• Wofford                                                                                                          +10000

Duke

The Blue Devils come in as a heavy favorite after their dominant performance in the ACC Tournament. Blue Devils fans were worried about their team’s prospects when Zion Williamson went down to injury on February 20, but his right knee has improved, and he put up 81 points in the team’s three tournament games. He also averaged 10 boards per game in tournament play and earned the MVP trophy for his performance. It’s hard to argue against Duke’s status as a huge favorite — and it’s tough to see who will stop them at this point in the season.

Gonzaga

The Bulldogs are also a 1-seed, but that loss to St. Mary’s in the final of the West Coast Conference was a shocker. The Gaels held Gonzaga to 47 points, which was likely the biggest surprise of the game, given the dynamic offense that Gonzaga has shown this season. St. Mary’s did this by slowing down the pace and contesting every shot, and Gonzaga got caught up in the change of rhythm and ended up forcing bad shots. This provides a blueprint for other teams to follow, so while Gonzaga may be able to steam through the early rounds, it’s hard to see them cutting down the nets as national champions.

Virginia

The Cavaliers are an enigma in the tournament. They had the same sort of shutdown defense last year that they do this year, but their offense is why they won’t go crashing out in the first round this year. Kyle Guy, Ty Jerome and De’Andre Hunter are the center of a terrific team that lost twice to Duke and only one other time against everyone else. They are the best in the nation when it comes to scoring per possession, but their slow pace means that they have fewer possessions per game — which means (like Gonzaga above) that when the pace grinds, they are vulnerable to the upset.

North Carolina

The Tar Heels have the fifth-quickest offense in the NCAA, led by Coby White. Luke Maye can nail down just about every mid-range jumper he takes, and Cam Johnson is one of the best three-point shooters in the nation. Their hustle is outstanding, as they get to offensive board after offensive board even though they don’t play many people taller than 6’10”. North Carolina also ranks eighth in the nation in assist percentage, showing the quality of their distribution. The weak link on offense is Kenny Williams, whose three-point percentage has dropped from 40 percent last year to 29 percent this year. He remains on the floor because of that shutdown defense — but will he have the ball in his hands at the wrong moment when the Tar Heels need a game-winning shot?

Michigan State

The Spartans look terrific on paper. Cassius Winston is the veteran point guard. Nick ward dominates the paint. Kenny Goins is a stretch four, and Matt McQuaid is the shutdown defender. Aaron Henry is the freshman phenom. The team leads the nation on assist rade and play stellar defense. Can they ride this resume to a title? They’re a popular dark horse.