2023 March Madness Title Odds for Men's Top Contenders Entering March

Who will cut down the nets at the conclusion of the 2023 NCAA men's basketball tournament?

The latest AP poll was released on Monday, and the Houston Cougars held onto their No. 1 spot in the rankings for the second week in a row. They previously unseated the Alabama Crimson Tide, who checked in at No. 2.

For several weeks before that, the top spot belonged to the Purdue Boilermakers, but a recent rough patch has dropped them all the way down to No. 5. The Kansas Jayhawks (No. 3) and UCLA Bruins (No. 4) rounded out the current Top Five.

According to the latest odds from DraftKings, those five teams also currently have the best odds of winning the NCAA tournament. However, there is no shortage of other teams available to place a wager on. The Drake Bulldogs at +50000, anyone?

Here, we've taken a closer look at the title odds of the top 10 teams in the latest AP poll, and included their current title odds.

Record: 25-5 (14-2 in WCC)

NET Ranking: 9

Prior to this year, Gonzaga had not lost multiple conference games in the same season since the 2015-16 campaign. This year's Bulldogs lost to Loyola Marymount at home on Jan. 19 and Saint Mary's on the road on Feb. 4.

They avenged the Saint Mary's defeat on Saturday with a 77-68 victory, but this still doesn't look like the same Bulldogs team we've seen in recent years in terms of sheer dominance, even with All-American candidate Drew Timme leading the way.

The 6'10" senior is averaging 21.2 points on 61.6 percent shooting to anchor an offensive attack that ranks No. 1 in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency, but the defense has been another story.

The Bulldogs are allowing 73.9 points per game, up from 66.2 per game last season, and they check in just 88th in adjusted defensive efficiency. Blowout losses early in the season against Texas (93-74) and Purdue (84-66) also raise questions about whether this is a truly elite team, though the Bulldogs do have a 5-4 record in Quad 1 games.

Record: 22-7 (11-5 in Big 12)

NET Ranking: 10

With a nine-man rotation that features six seniors, the Texas Longhorns have navigated the firing of head coach Chris Beard to put up a stellar 11-5 record in a stacked Big 12 conference under interim head coach Rodney Terry.

The Longhorns have a 10-7 record in Quad 1 games, including home victories over fellow AP Top 10 teams Gonzaga and Baylor. They close out the regular season with a chance to make a statement at home against Big 12 leader Kansas.

Texas does not lean too heavily on one scorer. Four players are averaging in double figures, led by Marcus Carr (16.8 PPG) and Sir'Jabari Rice (12.1 PPG), and the Longhorns rank 18th in the nation with 16.4 assists per game.

That lack of a go-to scorer can be a double-edged sword, especially for a team that doesn't shoot the three ball particularly well, as it can be difficult to come from behind without an individual creator. They have proved capable of beating anyone, though, and have risen toward the top tier of a deep conference.

Record: 24-5 (13-5 in Pac-12)

NET Ranking: 11

The good: The Arizona Wildcats are 7-2 in Quad 1 games, including wins over Tennessee (NET: 3) and UCLA (NET: 4).

The bad: They also have three Quad 2 losses, two of which have come this month on the road against Stanford (NET: 106) and at home against Arizona State (NET: 61).

The regular-season finale against UCLA at Pauley Pavilion will serve as a good barometer of whether this team is a legitimate national title threat. It was a low-scoring affair when the two teams met in January, with the Wildcats grinding out a 58-52 win.

With 6'11" forward Ąžuolas Tubelis (19.6 PPG, 9.1 RPG) and 7'0" center Oumar Ballo (14.3 PPG, 8.8 RPG) inside, the Wildcats are one of the best rebounding teams in the country. They also check in No. 6 in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency.

When everything is clicking, Arizona is as good as any team in the country. But there are a few more blemishes on the Wildcats' resume than some of the other top-tier title contenders.

Record: 21-8 (10-6 in Big 12)

NET Ranking: 12

Since stumbling to an 0-3 start in conference play, the Baylor Bears have rattled off a 10-3 record in the rugged Big 12. All three of their most recent losses have come on the road against ranked teams.

The health of 5-star freshman Keyonte George is going to be a major X-factor down the stretch after he left Saturday's game against Texas with an ankle sprain. He missed Monday's game against Oklahoma State but is "day-to-day," according to the team.

The Bears still managed to pull out an 81-72 victory over the Longhorns, but George is the team's leading scorer at 16.3 points per game. Not having him at 100 percent in the postseason would be a major blow.

With that said, it's worth noting that Baylor has gone 7-0 when George scores fewer than 10 points. There is plenty of other talent on a roster that ranks No. 2 in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency and shoots a healthy 36.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Record: 23-6 (15-3 in Big East)

NET Ranking: 13

The Marquette Golden Eagles were unranked in the AP poll as recently as Jan. 2. However, they have been steadily climbing in recent weeks.

They have now made it all the way up to No. 6 on the strength of a four-game winning streak that included back-to-back Quad 1 wins over Xavier and Creighton.

The Golden Eagles also have a home win over UConn (NET: 8) and a 26-point blowout of Baylor (NET: 12) on their resume. Their only bad loss was a three-point defeat at home against Wisconsin (NET: 72) back at the beginning of December.

Their recent winning streak has given them a two-game lead in the Big East standings. They will go as far as an offense that ranks No. 3 in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency and averages 80.8 points per game carries them.

Record: 24-5 (13-5 in Big Ten)

NET Ranking: 5

The Purdue Boilermakers have spent six weeks at No. 1 in the AP poll this season, and they looked like the team to beat after sprinting out to a 22-1 record following a 20-point victory over Penn State on Feb. 1.

However, they have gone just 2-4 in their last six games. While all four were Quad 1 losses, it has nevertheless been a blow to their NCAA tournament outlook.

Center Zach Edey has been one of college basketball's biggest stars this season, averaging 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. He has been every bit as productive during the team's recent skid with 23.5 points and 12.5 rebounds during that six-game stretch.

The question is whether Purdue has enough talent around him to make a legitimate title push. The Boilermakers are shooting only 33.1 percent from three-point range (251st in NCAA), and Fletcher Lover is the only other player averaging double figures at 11.8 points per game.

A defense that ranks 19th in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency could be the key to Purdue's March Madness run.

Record: 25-4 (16-2 in Pac-12)

NET Ranking: 4

With all five starters returning from a team that reached the Final Four as a No. 11 seed, the UCLA Bruins entered the 2021-22 season with lofty expectations. They ultimately settled for a No. 4 seed in last year's NCAA tournament and a Sweet 16 exit against North Carolina.

Jaime Jaquez (17.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG) and Tyger Campbell (12.5 PPG, 4.7 APG) are now the only two left standing from that starting group, while Jaylen Clark (13.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG) and David Singleton (9.2 PPG) were also role players on that team. That core has the Bruins on track for a potential No. 1 seed this time around.

With a 7-4 record in Quad 1 games, the Bruins already have a strong resume. Beating Pac-12 rival Arizona in the regular-season finale would be an additional feather in their cap in pursuit of a top seed.

The Bruins have plenty of offensive weapons, but defense is their biggest strength. They rank No. 2 in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency and allow just 59.7 points per game, the seventh-lowest mark in the nation. They are 25-1 on the year when they hold opponents under 75 points.

Record: 24-5 (12-4 in Big 12)

NET Ranking: 6

With a 15-5 record in Quad 1 games, the Kansas Jayhawks have five more Quad 1 victories than any other team this season.

Jalen Wilson (19.6 PPG) leads the Big 12 in scoring, Gradey Dick (14.9 PPG, 41.8 3PT%) is one of the best freshmen in the country, and the trio of KJ Adams, Kevin McCullar and Dajuan Harris round out a starting five that stacks up to any in the country.

If the Jayhawks have a glaring hole, it's depth.

Only two other players outside the starting lineup average double-digit minutes per game. The starters account for nearly 80 percent of the team's total minutes played on the year.

This is a well-rounded group with legitimate national title aspirations, but if multiple players get into early foul trouble, Kansas could be forced to lean on some reserves who have played sparingly this year.

Record: 25-4 (15-1 in SEC)

NET Ranking: 2

If you need a case for the Alabama Crimson Tide as bona fide title contenders, look no further than their 71-65 victory over the AP poll's current No. 1 team and title favorite Houston back on Dec. 10.

That is the crown jewel of a resume that includes a 9-4 record in Quad 1 games and a nearly perfect 15-1 run through SEC conference play. Their only loss came on the road against Tennessee, the No. 12 team in the latest AP poll.

Freshman Brandon Miller (19.7 PPG, 8.0 RPG) is an All-American candidate, and he fronts a young starting lineup that includes two other freshmen, one sophomore and junior point guard Mark Sears.

That inexperience could be Alabama's biggest red flag heading into March Madness, though it's tough to argue with the results so far.

One thing worth keeping an eye on: The Crimson Tide rank fifth in the nation in three-point attempts per game (29.1) but just 161st in three-point percentage (34.8). That combination can be a recipe for disaster when shooters go cold in the NCAA tournament.

Record: 27-2 (15-1 in AAC)

NET Ranking: 1

The Houston Cougars have not been to the national title game since Hakeem Olajuwon was patrolling the paint during the 1983-84 season. But with trips to the Final Four and the Elite Eight in the past two seasons, they are knocking on the door.

Houston is the only team in the nation that ranks in KenPom's top 10 in both offensive efficiency (No. 4) and defensive efficiency (No. 6). The Cougars have an average margin of victory of nearly 20 points thanks to a defense that leads the country with just 55.9 points allowed per game.

Marcus Sasser (17.0 PPG, 3.3 APG, 1.7 SPG) is one of the best guards in the country, but this is not a team built on star power. Everyone plays their respective role extremely well.

The only reason for pause is the fact that the Cougars have played only five Quad 1 games. Are they as battle-tested as a team like Kansas with 20 Quad 1 contests under its belt heading into the NCAA tournament?