Favorites for the NCAA March Madness

Last year during March Madness, we saw the Baylor Bears and the Gonzaga Bulldogs fight it out for the NCAA title with the Bears ultimately winning the tournament. So who are the favorites in 2022? Despite losing the deciding game last year, Gonzaga is still seen by many to be the team to beat.

We will now go through the favorites for the 2022 NCAA title.

Gonzaga

The Bulldogs were just one win away from the perfect season. Had Gonzaga won the title game, it would have been the first undefeated season since 1976. Its task will ultimately be harder this time around with a host of players selected in the NBA draft. Corey Kispert and Jalen Suggs are now in the pros but they still possess Drew Timme.

He was the teams leading scorer last year and is odds on to return. Add in Chet Holmgren, who is the nation’s top-ranked center and Gonzaga will have a superb chance to go one better in 2022.

Gonzaga was just the one win away from securing the first undefeated season since way back in 1976. Unfortunately, they got well beaten by Baylor in the title game. Gonzaga will have to do without a host of key players after they were selected into the NBA. The likes of Jalen Suggs and Corey Kispert are gone however Drew Timme who was the team’s leading scorer last year should be returning.

Michigan

Juwan Howard was rewarded for his fine season with the Wolverines with the Coach of the Year award. Howard led Michigan to the Elite Eight and he did this without arguably the team’s best player in Isaiah Livers.

Hunter Dickinson and Franz Wagner are some of the stars returning, so Michigan looks to be at the pointy end of the competition in March. It is a league that is hugely determined by coaching and Michigan has one of the best. The Wolverines will be a good chance at the title this upcoming season.

Ohio State

Last year, the Buckeyes were on the wrong side of the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history. Losing to Oral Roberts who at the time was the 15th seed. Despite that, Ohio will have a lot of its talent back in 2022. E.J. Liddell who averaged 16 points and six rebounds last season along with Duane Washington, who also averaged 16 points, the Buckeyes are one of the favorites for 2022.

Villanova

Beaten by the eventual champ in Baylor, Villanova will be back again in March with many of its young stars returning for 2022. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl put up some good numbers (16 points and eight rebounds a game) and he will be expected to do the same in 2022. Jay Wright, who has won more National titles than times he has missed the tournament since 2004, will be needed to bring the proper coaching to his young side.

Something that perhaps has gone unnoticed is that Villanova will welcome three four-star recruits for 2022. So, it will have some weapons to do some damage in March.

These are just some of the favorites for the 2022 March Madness title. However, as we know, as the season goes on, these could change drastically.