2022 NCAA Tournament props: Baylor favored as first No. 1 seed eliminated, will not have leading scorer LJ Cryer to start Big Dance
Baylor will be without its leading scorer for at least the first two games of the NCAA Tournament.
On Tuesday, Caesars Sportsbook listed Kansas from the Midwest Region as the betting favorite to be the first top seed eliminated in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, but the new favorite is defending national champion Baylor from the East at +200, and it's probably not a coincidence that it became official today the Bears will remain without leading scorer LJ Cryer for at least the first two rounds.
The sophomore guard has played just once since late January – for only 15 minutes on Feb. 16 at Texas Tech – due to a foot injury, so it's not a huge shock he won't be ready until the Sweet 16 at the earliest if Baylor gets there. Cryer wasn't a big part of last season's title team but is averaging 13.5 points in 19 games this year while shooting an excellent 46.8 percent from deep. Baylor also lost junior big man Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua (8.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg) in February to a season-ending knee injury.
Baylor shouldn't need Cryer to beat No. 16 Norfolk State on Thursday but then would face either No. 8 North Carolina or No. 9 Marquette on Saturday.
Kansas is now the +220 second favorite on the first top seed eliminated prop. The Jayhawks face First Four winner and No. 16 seed Texas Southern on Thursday and then either San Diego State or Creighton on Saturday.
South No. 1 Arizona is +260 as it opens on Friday against the winner of tonight's No. 16 Wright State-No. 16 Bryant First Four matchup, and then the Cats would face either No. 8 Seton Hall or No. 9 TCU. That Round of 32 matchup would appear to be much easier for the Cats compared to Kansas facing either SDSU or Creighton.
Tournament favorite and West No. 1 Gonzaga is the +400 long shot on this prop, and the Zags have made it to at least the Sweet 16 in the past six NCAA Tournaments. They open vs. No. 16 Georgia State on Thursday and then get either No. 8 Boise State or No. 9 Memphis.
The Zags are +140 favorites to advance furthest of the top seeds, followed by Arizona (+260), Baylor (+330) and Kansas (+335). That a No. 1 seed wins the Big Dance is +100 with no at -120.
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