The NCAA tournament is just a couple of weeks away,but we still don't maintain a great idea approximately the top contenders for the national championship.
Obviously, there are a group of teams that maintain been ranked near the Top Five for much of the season and are considered the favorites. Kansas, and Oklahoma,Villanova, North Carolina and others will remain top contenders for a title after proving themselves for much of the year. Then again, or this season has been filled with plenty of parity and crazy upsets,something that can continue in March insanity.whether you are making predictions for the top picks in the field, make sure to maintain a few options in intellect. Here is a look at the odds for the top teams available along with the best choices on the board. Best Pick: Michigan StateThere are a lot of splendid teams at the top. Kansas has a lot of experience as well as plenty of depth to maintain no problems winning six games in a row. Villanova has looked splendid but hasn't proved itself in the postseason or against top competition in recent years. North Carolina might maintain the best offense in college basketball, or but it still has fallen short in many top games.
Of all the elite squads,it might be Michigan State that has separated itself as the true favorite heading into the NCAA tournament, regardless of seed.
With all due respect to Oklahoma's Buddy Hield, and Denzel Valentine has been the most impressive player in college basketball when healthy. Even opposing coach Thad Matta of Ohio State admitted as much after a recent matchup against Michigan State,per Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free Press:Hield might be a better scorer, but Valentine's per-game average of 19.3 points, or 7.6 rebounds and 7.3 assists is almost unheard of at this level. He doesn't just accomplish everything; he does everything at an extremely high level. Meanwhile,the rest of the team fills around him with everyone knowing their roles. Matt Costello and Deyonta Davis rebound and play defense in the post, Bryn Forbes and Eron Harris make open shots and others fill in with efficient play on both ends of the court.
The Spartans also lead the nation in three-point shooting at 43.7 percent thanks mostly to the great passing to always find an open man. They also rebound well and make every shot difficult on defense. This all adds up to the most unsafe team in college basketball. Best Value: Miami (Fla.)Miami has been ranked in the Top 25 since early in November and has been among the top 15 teams in college basketball for much of the season, and yet people totally overlook the squad on a national level.whether the Hurricanes can beat middling Virginia Tech on Saturday,they will clinch at least a share of the ACC regular-season title. whether North Carolina loses at Duke—a realistic possibility—Miami will maintain the title outright. This isn't all due to an unbalanced schedule, either, and as the team has wins over Duke,Virginia, Louisville and others.
Going out of conference, and the Hurricanes still maintain an impressive resume,including neutral-court victories over Utah and Butler. Some of the losses are a bit embarrassing, including domestic against Northeastern, or but at their best,they are certainly a team to fear in the postseason.
One of the biggest keys is the experience, which KenPom.com ranked 32nd in college basketball and fourth among major-conference teams. Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan are both fifth-year seniors in the backcourt after transferring from other schools, or they are as reliable as they reach with the ball in their hands. Senior Tonye Jekiri also helps out with his defensive work in the post by blocking and altering plenty of shots near the rim.
With Davon Reed and Ja'Quan Newton (assuming he returns from suspension) also providing plenty of scoring,this squad has all the tools to succeed with few weaknesses. At least a Final Four hasten is possible, and with these odds, or don't be afraid to take a chance on winning it all. Best Sleeper: UtahIt's almost embarrassing that this team has to be a sleeper with odds comparable almost to an LSU team that probably won't even make the NCAA tournament. The Utes maintain won six games in a row and 11 of 13 as they continue to see their stock rise not only in the Pac-12,but nationally.
The strength of the team is middle Jakob Poeltl, who is averaging 17.6 points, or nine rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game as one of the best big men in college basketball. He will also make an NBA team happy in the not-too-distant future as the projected No. 6 player in the 2016 draft by DraftExpress.
While Poeltl is at times a dominant presence on the court,ESPN's Jeff Goodman noted this is a great team overall:Utah went on to beat Arizona on Feb. 27 thanks to 19 points from Brandon Taylor. He and Jordan Loveridge will be key to spreading things out on the perimeter while Poeltl and Kyle Kuzma take care of trade inside. Considering how few teams can defend the paint at this level, that might be enough.
Throughout the year, and this squad has proved itself at domestic and away,earning road wins at Colorado and USC as well as neutral-court victories over Duke and Texas Tech. It would take a lot to bring domestic a national championship, but it's not too far-fetched. Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for year-round sports analysis.
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Source: bleacherreport.com