The start of March was delayed a day thanks to the leap year, but it's now time for the madness to commence. The first round of the men's NCAA Tournament tips off three weeks from yesterday and the defending national champion UConn Huskies are the team to beat. Though coach Dan Hurley's team is No. 3 in the AP poll and KenPom and No. 4 in NET rankings, the Huskies (+500) are the betting favorites to cut down the nets again this April in Arizona.
No men's team has won back-to-back titles since the Florida Gators in 2006-07.
The Purdue Boilermakers (+700) and Houston Cougars (+700) are UConn's closest competition at the top of the polls and the betting market. Those three teams along, with the Arizona Wildcats (+1200), are all projected No.