College Hoops Futures Odds and Review

They may only be ranked No. 2 in the country but the Kentucky Wildcats are No. 1 for the oddsmakers on the college basketball futures right now. The Wildcats will try to live up to those odds and their high ranking this weekend when they face the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Wildcats are currently listed at 4/1 on the NCAAB futures at Bodog.ca. With an 18-1 record on the season and riding a 10-game win streak the Wildcats are rolling right now. Unfortunately for bettors that hasn't meant much ATS. During their 10-game winning streak the Wildcats are a pathetic 2-8 ATS. On the season Kentucky has gone only 5-13 ATS.

This weekend they'll face an Alabama team that will be playing their second game in three days. The Crimson Tide were to face Vanderbilt on Thursday night. The Wildcats are coming off an 86-63 rout of Arkansas in which they actually covered the spread as a 16.5-point chalk. Anthony Davis dominated in that game with 27 points and 14 rebounds. Kentucky has also dominated the matchup with Alabama for years with a 10-3 record SU and an 8-5 mark ATS in their last 13.

Looking at the rest of the current Top 25 college basketball rankings you might expect the next slot on the NCAAB futures to belong to Syracuse or Baylor. Despite their big seasons neither has risen that high in the oddsmakers rank just yet. Occupying the second spot on the futures list are both North Carolina and Ohio State at 5/1.

Let's start with the Tar Heels. It's probably been a rough couple of days at North Carolina as the Tar Heels prepare for their Thursday night matchup against Virginia Tech. Last week the Tar Heels were utterly embarrassed in a 90-57 loss to Florida State as a 5.5-point favorite. The Tar Heels shot a poor 37% in the blowout loss and saw their nine-game winning streak snapped.

UNC should have no trouble turning this around as a 7-point road favorite against a Hokies team that has lost three in a row.  In their last seven games against the Hokies the Tar Heels are 6-1 SU, but spread bettors should watchout as they are only 2-5 ATS.

The Buckeyes got some revenge against Indiana in their last game. Last week Ohio State topped Indiana 80-63 as a 13-point favorite to make up for a 74-40 upset loss to the Hoosiers earlier this season. Lenzelle Smith Jr. caught fire in the game, shooting 10-of-12, including 4-of-5 from three-point range to score a season-high 28 points. In his previous four games combined Smith had scored only 26 points.

The last time the Buckeyes faced the Cornhurskers they wiped them out  71-40 as a 22.5-point favorite. Another beatdown could be in the cards as Nebraska has only two wins in their last seven games.

Odds to win NCAAB championship at Bodog.ca (Top 10)
Kentucky 4/1
North Carolina 5/1
Ohio State 5/1
Syracuse 6/1
Duke 12/1
Connecticut 14/1
Baylor 16/1
Kansas 16/1
Michigan State 25/1
Missouri 25/1