Purdue New Betting Favorite to Win Men's Basketball National Championship
After a pair of wins over the Northwestern and Wisconsin last week, Purdue is now the betting favorite to win the NCAA men's college basketball national championship. It would be quite the March Madness redemption tour for the Boilermakers after last season.
Per SISportsbook.com, the Boilermakers are listed at plus-800 to take home the national title. The latest update comes after Purdue took down Northwestern 105-96 in overtime on Wednesday and defeated then-No. 6 Wisconsin 75-69 in Madison.
Purdue improved to 21-2 with a 10-2 mark in Big Ten play. The Boilers are ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press and USA TODAY Coaches Polls. They are behind UConn in both.
Reigning National Player of the Year Zach Edey has been dominant this season, averaging 23.1 points and 11.7 rebounds per contest. Braden Smith might be one of the best point guards in the country, averaging 12.4 points, 7.3 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game.
The addition of Lance Jones from the transfer portal has been huge, giving the Boilers a strong ball-handler and scorer. They've also got a sharp-shooter in Fletcher Loyer, a terrific sixth man in Mason Gillis and a defensive specialist with Ethan Morton.
All the pieces are in place for the Boilermakers to bounce back after losing to No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson last year. Is this finally the year Matt Painter's team breaks through?
Here are the 10 teams with the best odds to win the NCAA national championship this season, per SISportsbook.com:
Purdue Boilermakers
- Record: 21-2 (10-2 in Big Ten)
- Ranking: AP Poll: No. 2; Coaches Poll: No. 2
- Odds: Plus-800
UConn Huskies
- Record: 20-2 (10-1 in Big East)
- Ranking: AP Poll: No. 1; Coaches Poll: No. 1
- Odds: Plus-900
Houston Cougars
- Record: 19-3 (6-3 in Big 12)
- Ranking: AP Poll: No. 5; Coaches Poll: No. 5
- Odds: Plus-900
North Carolina Tar Heels
- Record: 18-4 (10-1 in ACC)
- Ranking: AP Poll: No. 3; Coaches Poll: No. 3
- Odds: Plus-1200
Auburn Tigers
- Record: 18-4 (7-2 in SEC)
- Ranking: AP Poll: No. 12; Coaches Poll: No. 11
- Odds: Plus-1400
Tennessee Volunteers
- Record: 16-5 (6-2 in SEC)
- Ranking: AP Poll: No. 6; Coaches Poll: No. 6
- Odds: Plus-1400
Arizona Wildcats
- Record: 17-5 (8-3 in Pac-12)
- Ranking: AP Poll: No. 8; Coaches Poll: No. 8
- Odds: Plus-1600
Kansas Jayhawks
- Record: 18-4 (6-3 in Big 12)
- Ranking: AP Poll: No. 4; Coaches Poll: No. 4
- Odds: Plus-1600
Alabama Crimson Tide
- Record: 16-6 (8-1 in SEC)
- Ranking: AP Poll: No. 16; Coaches Poll: No. 16
- Odds: Plus-2000
Marquette Golden Eagles
- Record: 17-5 (8-3 in Big East)
- Ranking: AP Poll: No. 7; Coaches Poll: No. 7
- Odds: Plus-2000
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- BIG TEN DAILY: There's still one moth left in the Big Ten regular season, but Illinois Fighting Illini star Coleman Hawkins is already prepared for a rematch with the Purdue Boilermakers. Could the conference title come down to their rematch in Champaign in March? CLICK HERE