March Madness Betting: Selection Sunday Seedings and Bracket Analysis

At the onset of the week, we have a familiar March Madness betting favorite.  Gonzaga is hoping to get into its third national championship game.  Also, the Zags think that the third time will be the charm.  But the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament may be the most balanced in history.  As we saw in the regular season, there is no clear-cut power brand.  But there are a host of good teams capable of cutting down the nets on April 4.  The public betting perception and its corresponding value will be fascinating to evaluate.

2022 NCAA Tournament

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No Surprises With the Top Seeds

First in the West are the Gonzaga Bulldogs.  The upstart Arizona Wildcats are the top Sportsbook online seed in the South.  Meanwhile, the defending national champion Baylor Bears is the East’s top seed.  And then, in the Midwest, the resurgent Kansas Jayhawks take top billing.  Gamblers and the college basketball community were satisfied with the top four seeds.  There was no debate or protest about the elite class of March Madness.

Second Seeds Bring Little Debate

Second seed in the West is Duke.  If 2022 March Madness betting chalk holds, Duke will face Gonzaga in the regional final.  Duke is a solid team, but they faded down the stretch.  In the same way, many college basketball observers believe the Atlantic Coast Conference is overrated and yesterday’s news.

In the East, the Kentucky Wildcats are the number-2 seed.  To be exact, Kentucky has become one of the most frustrating teams on the bet on NCAA basketball board.  Kentucky was 26-7 straight up but was a maddening 14-18-1 against the spread.  This quandary is a classic example of branding and the tax that gamblers pay for it.  Yet everyone knows that the Wildcats are loaded with top-shelf talent.  Coach Joh Calipari continues to deliver the highest-ranked recruiting classes in the nation.

In the South, the #2-seed is one of the most respected brands in college basketball.  Namely, the Villanova Wildcats bring national championship cache and one of the most respected coaches in the game.  Jay Wright has produced two national championships in his tenure with the Wildcats.  But the Big East Conference was not impressive this season.  Thus, there is a sense among sharps that Nova is getting name-brand treatment from the selection committee.

And then there is a team that many consider being on the level of a top seed.  Second in the Midwest is the Auburn Tigers.  Head coach Bruce Pearl took the Tigers to their first Final Four three years ago.  And this 2022 March Madness Betting edition is better than that team.

Teams To Watch at a Better Price

 Last year the Houston Cougars were something of a surprise Final Four team.  This year head coach Kelvin Sampson has proven that was no fluke.  Houston dominated the American Athletic Conference in winning the regular season and tournament championships.  The Cougars rank 7^th in the nation out of 350 teams for points allowed.  Houston is the 5-seed in the South.

The Iowa Hawkeyes won the Big Ten Tournament to catch attention and respect as the 5-seed in the Midwest.  Counter to Houston, the Hawkeyes succeed with one of the most prolific offenses in college basketball.  Iowa ranks 5^th in the country for scoring offense.  Keegan Murray burned the nets for 23.6 points per game.

And then there are the Illinois Fighting Illini as the 4-seed in the South.  On the whole, Illinois may boast the best player in the country in Kofi Cockburn.  But coach Brad Underwood is yet to turn his talented team into a consistent one.  At least not yet!