With March Madness rapidly approaching, it’s time to start taking a closer look at what’s going on in the college basketball scene and what we think are the best bets.  There’s still a lot of movement to be seen, but a clearer picture is starting to emerge and several teams are working on a solid run that will almost certainly guarantee them a spot in the final brackets.

SI College Basketball Best Bets

As far as which team will be able to go all the way to grab the title, there is still a lot of action ahead to determine the finalists.  However, the Duke Blue Devils and Gonzaga Bulldogs sit at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the AP rankings, and are well on their way.  The Blue Devils are 5-1 in the ACC and won’t have any problems making an appearance.  Gonzaga is first in the West Coast conference, where the team has a perfect 4-0 record so far, including a win streak of ten.  The Bulldogs are definitely going to the Final Four.  As far as taking the title, these share odds in the NCAAB of +1000 and lead the rest of the pack.

The Kansas Jayhawks are looking good, even though they just lost to the Baylor Bears.  That isn’t too surprising, given the run the Bears have seen so far, and the Jayhawks just bounced back with a win against the Oklahoma Sooners, 66-52.   They sit in third place in the Big 12 and are currently facing +1100 odds to take the national title this year.

Tied with the Jayhawks are the Louisville Cardinals and Michigan State Spartans.  The results for both teams have been mixed lately, and they will need to turn up the heat if they want to be serious contenders for a run on the championship.  Right now, they are only looking at a possible spot in the playoffs, with good odds of being eliminated once there.

Baylor deserves more respect than it is getting.  It saw a strong performance last year and is currently on a 12-game winning streak as they sit on top of the Big 12.  However, the Bears are only getting +1400 to take the title, but this is going to move rapidly over the next two weeks.

The Oregon Ducks are also looking good, now sitting at 14-3 and second in the PAC 12.  The Ducks are often only given a sideway glance from oddsmakers, but they continuously to give strong performances.  They haven’t been able to go all the way in recent years, but things might change this March.  Currently at +1600 to win, the line is going to move in their favor, but they will still be seen as a long shot.

Long Odds On Florida State

One of the biggest surprises is the lack of interest given to the Florida State Seminoles.  They have won their last seven games and are third in the ACC.  Some are saying that the team could be the best in the conference this year, but the numbers aren’t backing up those claims.  The Seminoles have been given odds of +4000 to go all the way, and in our college basketball best bets, we think they’re worth the risk.  There’s still a lot of action left in the season, but they have a decent schedule ahead that will allow them to improve their 14-2 record even more.

Another team that deserves a little more attention than it has been getting is the Auburn Tigers.  They made it to the Final Four last year and are in good shape once again.  They are still undefeated this year – one of only two teams that can make that claim – and are averaging over 82 points a game.  The +3000 they have been given to win the title doesn’t reflect the talent, but could reflect a nice payday for gamblers who go in for the kill.