We're entering March this week which means it's close to March Madness time.
As the bubble talk heats up and you start to think about your bracket picks -- save at least one spot for OKTC's challenge -- what has Las Vegas thought of the 2012 action. Who has risen and who has fallen and who are the favorites headed in to the tournament?
Well, ask and ye shall receive.
Our buddy Todd Fuhrman at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas has the goods. I'm listing teams by favorite
Kentucky 9 to 5
Syracuse 4.5 to 1
Michigan State 5 to 1
North Carolina 7 to 1
Duke 7 to 1
Kansas 9 to 1
Missouri 12 to 1
Ohio State 12 to 1
Vanderbilt 28 to 1
Baylor 30 to 1
Marquette 35 to 1
Wichita State 35 to 1
Florida 35 to 1
Texas 40 to 1
Georgetown 40 to 1
Michigan 50 to 1
Florida State 50 to 1
Gonzaga 75 to 1
New Mexico 75 to 1
Notre Dame 75 to 1
UConn 90 to 1
Wisconsin 90 to 1
Memphis 100 to 1
Temple 100 to 1
St. Mary's 150 to 1
Washington 125 to 1
California 125 to 1
Xavier 125 to 1
Cincinnati 175 to 1
West Virginia 200 to 1
Alabama 200 to 1
Pittsburgh 200 to 1
Purdue 200 to 1
Texas 300 to 1
Butler 400 to 1
UCLA 400 to 1
Minnesota 500 to 1
Kent State 600 to 1
Maryland 600 to 1
Arkansas 750 to 1
George Mason 1000 to 1
Clemson 1000 to 1
Old Dominion 1000 to 1
St. John's 1500 to 1
Illinois 1500 to 1
Texas A&M 2000 to 1
Villanova 3000 to 1
Southern Cal 7500 to 1
And if your team isn't listed you can get the field for 30 to 1
Now that we're to March I thought it would also be instructive to compare the best and worst performing teams based on Las Vegas's preseason expectations. In other words, whose odds have improved the most and whose odds have worsened the most.
The 7 Best
Missouri: opened at 100 to 1 now at 12/1
Michigan State: opened at 30/1 now at 5/1
Kentucky: opened at 6 to 1 now at 9 to 5
Kansas: opened at 25 to 1 now at 9 to 1
Marquette: opened at 150 to 1 now at 35 to 1
Georgetown: opened at 125 to 1 now at 40 to 1
Wichita State: opened at 100 to 1 now at 35 to 1
Really, if you were being completely objective, your national coach of the year has to be Missouri's Frank Haith. He's outperformed Vegas this year more than any coach in America.
The 7 Worst:
Pittsburgh: opened at 12 to 1 now 200 to 1
Texas: opened at 20 to 1 now 300 to 1
Villanova: opened at 80 to 1 now 3000 to 1
Southern Cal: opened at 125 to 1 now 7500 to 1
Clemson: opened at 150 to 1 now 1000 to 1
Texas A&M opened at 150 to 1 now 2000 to
Illinois opened at 200 to 1 now 1500 to 1
...
We'll have the bracket challenge details up soon.
