Kansas slides into top 5 in NCAA national championship odds
Kansas Jayhawks center Udoka Azubuike controls the ball during the first half of the State Farm Champions Classic. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)
January 4th, 2020
As Kansas heads into Big 12 conference play, it also enters the top five teams with the best odds to win the national championship. The Jayhawks have seen some fluctuation in the odds throughout the season, but are surging once again ahead of this weekend’s game against West Virginia.
Odds to win the national championship
| Team | 2020 NCAA Championship Odds |
|---|
Louisville Cardinals | +900 |
Gonzaga Bulldogs | +1000 |
Ohio State Buckeyes | +1000 |
Kansas Jayhawks | +1000 |
Duke Blue Devils | +1000 |
They started out at +1200 on September 3 and dropped to +1400 on November 1. But in the last week, they’ve moved back to, and all the way to +1000.
The Jayhawks emerged from a tough non-conference schedule with a record of 10-2, the only two losses coming to No. 2 Duke and No. 10 Villanova. Those two losses were by a combined three points.
Moving into conference play
While head coach Bill Self has said the Big 12 is wide open, Kansas has won it 14 of the last 15 years, and 16 of the last 18. The biggest threats to adding another one of those trophies to the case are found in No. 6 Baylor and No. 22 Texas Tech, both of which share home-and-home series with Kansas this Spring.The Jayhawks emerged from a tough non-conference schedule with a record of 10-2, the only two losses coming to No. 2 Duke and No. 10 Villanova. Those two losses were by a combined three points.
Duke's post doubles were extremely effective last night. They big-to-big doubled on the flight of the pass the entire game.
— Jordan Sperber (@hoopvision68) November 6, 2019
Kansas scored 0 back-to-the basket post points and just 4 points directly off passes out of the double team: pic.twitter.com/p042poxmJL
Wilson improving
It was also reported this week that freshman Jalen Wilson is returning to individual practice, after leaving earlier this season with a broken ankle.Wilson was a top prospect for Self’s crew headed into the season, but left during Kansas’s second game of the season, against UNC Greensboro, and later underwent surgery in November to repair the broken ankle.
While Kansas and Wilson weigh whether he’ll return or take a redshirt for the season, Self announced during a Thursday press conference that Wilson is on schedule for his recovery and could return during conference play.
#KUbball freshman Jalen Wilson is on the court but going at what KU coach Bill Self described as "a snail's pace" Still a couple of weeks away from being cleared fully. Self said no decision has been made about red-shirting him. All depends on health & how he fits in when back...
— Matt Tait (@mctait) January 2, 2020
His return would mean more guard depth and added offense to an already solid conference and national title contender.
Kansas’s improved odds put them with No.5 Ohio State, No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 2 Duke all at +1000 to win it all, just behind No. 7 Louisville at +900.
If Wilson rejoins the ranks, and Kansas gets some big wins against ranked conference opponents, those odds could get even better, as Kansas makes its way on the road to Atlanta.
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