March Madness begins in the second week of March, and it’s the biggest event on the college basketball calendar. A total of 68 college teams from across the country will compete in the tournament, with each team looking to lift the NCAA Championship trophy on April 3.
This year, Selection Sunday begins on March 12, with all of the available teams seeded and placed in the bracket. In total, there are seven rounds of games, culminating in the Final Four before the final game. The tournament has been played since 1939, and it’s a huge event for basketball fans. As well as watching all the action live, you can also find the latest March Madness betting odds at Betway to place a bet on the tournament.
March Madness 2023 Top Teams
The March Madness tournament is mostly made up of teams that have won their postseason conference tournament. Each of the Division I conferences receives one invitation to give to each winning team. However, teams can also be invited based on pedigree. This takes place on Selection Sunday, revealing the final teams that will be taking part.
The Kansas Jayhawks will be looking to defend the men’s NCAA Championship this year, and they’re currently one of the favorites to win the tournament. Other top teams in the men’s competition include the Houston Cougars and Alabama Crimson Tide. In the women’s tournament, the South Carolina Gamecocks are the current favorites after finishing their regular season unbeaten.
While the Jayhawks and Cougars might be the top favorites, the March Madness tournament is full of surprises. Any team can win, and there are often big upsets. Here are some of the most interesting teams to watch this month.
Houston Cougars
Houston is the betting favorite to win the men’s tournament right now, and they have a big advantage in that the Final Four will be held on home ground. In recent tournaments, all of the winners have had a great balance between attack and defense, and the Cougars rank in the top ten in the country for both.
For the last two years, Houston has had great runs deep into the tournament, and this roster still has a lot of players with that experience. That puts the Cougars ahead for a lot of people and having an elite defense that isn’t afraid to get physical will also help.
Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas won last year’s March Madness, and they’re expected to go far this year too. Still, it’s a very rare feat to win the NCAA Championship twice in a row. The last time it was done was by the Florida Gators back in 2006 and 2007, although it’s definitely not impossible. Kansas currently has the highest number of Quad 1 wins at 15, significantly more than any other team.
As with the Cougars, the Jayhawks have a very balanced team, with lots of star players who are currently playing at their best. Jalen Wilson is one of the top players in the NCAA, while Gradey Dick is currently one of the top freshmen. The experience gained from winning last year could also make a big difference.
Alabama Crimson Tide
The Crimson Tide have had an incredibly strong season, and they’re currently expected to be the top seed. They would be most people’s favorites to win the Championship. However, the current legal issues surrounding Brandon Miller have cast something of a dark cloud over their hopes. Miller is perhaps the top college player in the country right now but has become embroiled in a murder investigation.
If Miller plays, the Crimson Tide will go far, and they already have a win over Houston earlier in the year. The main issue is that this controversy could hold the team back, with fans and media likely putting pressure on the players.
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