2022-23 college basketball futures odds: North Carolina, Kentucky open as title favorites with season tipping off Monday

The 2022-23 college basketball season begins today at noon with at trio of games, topped by Mississippi Valley State at No. 5 Baylor, which is a 41-point favorite at Caesars Sportsbook. Since 2005, favorites of 20 or more points in Game 1 have gone 197-150-5 (57%) against the spread. The Bears are +1600 to win the national title, but the two favorites are Kentucky and North Carolina at +900 at Caesars.

I'm honestly surprised the Tar Heels aren't the clear favorites. They are No. 1 in both polls and bring back four starters from last year's team that led Kansas by 15 at halftime in the title game only to lose 72-69. Armando Bacot could have been a first-round NBA draft pick but decided to return to Chapel Hill and is a +900 third favorite to win the Wooden Award behind Gonzaga's Drew Timme (+650), whom I think has been playing college basketball since 2010, and Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe (+750), who won it last season.

Coach Hubert Davis also welcomes Northwestern transfer Pete Nance, who averaged 14.6 points while shooting 45.2% from beyond the arc last season. UNC opens tonight at home vs. UNC Wilmington. I'm not sure the Heels will be underdogs once all season, barring injury.

Kentucky has underachieved in the NCAA Tournament in recent years under John Calipari. The Wildcats were 26-8 last year but were stunned by No. 15 Saint Peter's in the first round of the Big Dance, one of the biggest upsets in tournament history. The Peacocks became the 10th No. 15 seed to win a first-round game since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985 and handed Kentucky its first opening-round loss under Calipari. It's still been since 2015 since Calipari reached the Final Four.

Tshiebwe had 28 double-doubles, including 16 straight to end the season, and averaged 17.4 points and 15.1 rebounds -- leading the nation in the latter category. He is the first Wooden Award winner since North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough in 2008 to return to college. UK, ranked fourth in the preseason AP poll, hosts Howard tonight.

Houston (+1000), Gonzaga (+1000) and UCLA (+1200) round out the title favorites. The Cougars are absolutely loaded. They were 32-6 last year and reached the Elite Eight, losing to Villanova. The team's best player, guard Marcus Sasser, didn't play after Dec. 22 due to injury but will be ready to go this year. Houston is third in the AP Top 25, the highest preseason ranking for the school since the memorable 1983-84 team. UH hosts Northern Colorado, which is a good team, tonight. Houston has won its last 13 season openers by an average of 25.4 points per game.

This season's Final Four will be held at NRG Stadium in Houston. 

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