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PrintGood news, Kentucky fans.
The college football season is still far from over, but at least the Wildcats are favorites to win a second straight SEC basketball title in preliminary odds released today by The Greek.
Gone are six NBA Draft picks—including Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the top two selections—from last year’s national championship team. But John Calipari reloaded as always with the top recruiting class in the country, including three 5-star blue chips.
Kentucky is a +150 favorite to win the SEC, with Florida (+285), Alabama (+650), Missouri (+800) and Tennessee (+800) all trailing behind.
Some other notable tidbits:
- Can anybody remember the last time a school other than Duke or North Carolina was favored to win the ACC? Neither can we. But NC State (+200) is slotted as the favorite this season after making the Sweet 16 last year. The Wolfpack return their five leading scorers, including C.J. Leslie, who averaged 14 points and 7 rebounds in 2011-12.
- Kansas State fans weren’t thrilled when the school replaced departed head coach Frank Martin with Bruce Weber, but the former Illinois coach might have success in his first year in Manhattan. The Wildcats are listed at 5-to-1 to win the Big 12 behind only Kansas (+175) and Texas (+175).
- Martin’s new school, South Carolina, isn’t expected to fare quite as well. The Gamecocks are listed at 20-to-1 to win the SEC, ahead of only Mississippi State (+2500) and Auburn (+5000).
- Indiana is the favorite at some books to win the national championship, but it will have to navigate a top-heavy Big Ten conference if it hopes to win the league crown. The Hoosiers are a 1.75-to-1 favorite, but Michigan State (+300), Michigan (+500), Ohio State (+500) and Wisconsin (+500) are all threats.
- What the heck happened to Villanova? It wasn’t too long ago that Jay Wright had that program humming with four Sweet 16 appearances in five years—including a Final Four run in 2009—but now the Wildcats are at the bottom of the barrel in the Big East. Coming off a disastrous 13-19 season, Villanova is listed at 25-to-1 to win the conference, ahead of only hopeless DePaul.
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ACC
NC State +200
Duke +250
North Carolina +300
Florida State +650
Miami +800
Virginia +1000
Georgia Tech +1200
Maryland +1500
Wake Forest +1500
Clemson +2000
Virginia Tech +4000
Boston College +5000
BIG EAST
Louisville +200
Pittsburgh +350
Notre Dame +500
Syracuse +500
Georgetown +650
Cincinnati +1200
Marquette +1200
St. John’s +1200
Providence +1800
Seton Hall +1800
South Florida +2000
Rutgers +2500
Villanova +2500
DePaul +5000
BIG TEN
Indiana +175
Michigan State +300
Michigan +500
Ohio State +500
Wisconsin +500
Illinois +1200
Minnesota +1200
Purdue +1500
Iowa +2000
Northwestern +3000
Penn State +3000
Nebraska +5000
BIG 12
Texas +175
Kansas +175
Kansas State +500
Baylor +800
Oklahoma +800
West Virginia +800
Oklahoma State +1000
Iowa State +1500
Texas Tech +3000
TCU +5000
PAC-12
Arizona +175
UCLA +200
Stanford +500
Colorado +800
USC +800
California +1000
Arizona State +1200
Washington +1200
Oregon +1500
Washington State +1800
Oregon State +2000
Utah +3000
SEC
Kentucky +150
Florida +285
Alabama +650
Missouri +800
Tennessee +800
Arkansas +1000
Georgia +1500
LSU +1500
Ole Miss +1500
South Carolina +2000
Texas A+M +2000
Vanderbilt +2000
Mississippi State +2500
Auburn +5000
