The Daily Sweat: UConn is the early favorite in 2023-24 national championship odds

We’re only hours removed from UConn knocking off San Diego State to win its fifth national championship since 1999, but it’s never too early to look ahead to the next college basketball season.

The Huskies were a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament but were able to traverse through the field in dominant fashion, culminating with Monday night’s 76-59 win in Houston. But can they do it again?

Peeking ahead to the 2023-24 college basketball season, UConn is the betting favorite to win the national title again. The Huskies are atop the BetMGM odds board at +1100.

UConn will likely look much different next season. Jordan Hawkins seems like a surefire first-round pick and other key veterans like Adama Sanogo and Tristen Newton have decisions to make about their futures. Sanogo is a junior but could try to capitalize off such a strong season and go pro. Newton, meanwhile, has a fifth year of eligibility remaining.

On the other hand, key contributors like Alex Karaban, Donovan Clingan and Andre Jackson Jr. all look set to return. Not to mention, there’s a five-man recruiting class coming in headlined by five-star point guard Stephon Castle, a McDonald’s All-American who is ranked No. 10 overall in the class of 2023 by Rivals.com.

After UConn in next year’s odds are a pair of blue bloods — Duke at +1300 and Kentucky at +1400.

Duke won the ACC tournament title in Year 1 under Jon Scheyer but fell in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Blue Devils will lose a few to the NBA draft, but they won’t lack talent next season. Five more five-star freshmen will join the roster while a few key current freshmen — Mark Mitchell and Tyrese Proctor — have already vowed to return.

Speaking of talented freshmen, Kentucky has five coming in as well, four of which carry five-star ratings and are ranked in the top 10 in the class of 2023 at Rivals. DaJuan Wagner Jr. and Robert Dillingham should form an electric backcourt with Justin Edwards on the wing. And if Oscar Tshiebwe goes pro as expected, 7-footer Aaron Bradshaw could also start as a freshman.

Another SEC team, Alabama, is also listed at +1400 even though Brandon Miller, Noah Clowney and Jahvon Quinerly are off to the NBA. Still, the Crimson Tide bring back a lot of familiar faces next season and Nate Oats has already added Jaykwon Walton from Wichita State in the transfer portal.

Next are Purdue and Arizona at +1600. Both schools will be awaiting pro decisions from their best players — Zach Edey at Purdue and Azuolas Tubelis at Arizona. If Edey returns, virtually the entire roster for the Boilermakers will be back. Arizona’s roster will look different, but the Wildcats should be the Pac-12 favorites again if Tubelis comes back to pair with Oumar Ballo in the front court.

Marquette, meanwhile, is next at +2000. The Golden Eagles won the Big East regular season and tournament titles before a disappointing second-round loss in the NCAA tournament. The entire starting lineup should be back next season, led by All-American point guard Tyler Kolek. The Golden Eagles have a legitimate chance to be ranked No. 1 entering the 2023-24 season.

Here’s a more complete look at next season’s odds:

• UConn: +1100

• Duke: +1300

• Kentucky: +1400

• Alabama: +1400

• Arizona: +1600

• Purdue: +1600

• Marquette: +2000

• Kansas: +2200

• Houston: +2200

• Gonzaga: +2200

• UCLA: +2200

• Michigan State: +2500

• North Carolina: +2500

• Creighton: +2500

• Arkansas: +2500

• Miami: +3000

• Texas: +3300

• Tennessee: +3300

• TCU: +3300

• Florida Atlantic: +3300

• Baylor: +4000

• USC: +4000

• Auburn: +4000

What’s going on in the NBA?

The NBA gave college basketball the spotlight for a few weeks, but now it’s time to focus in on the home stretch of the regular season. That starts with a busy Tuesday night with 13 games.

The headliner is the Philadelphia 76ers hosting the Boston Celtics. The 76ers, coming off a disappointing performance in Milwaukee over the weekend, are 2.5-point favorites over the Celtics, who have won five of six.

Elsewhere, the streaking New Orleans Pelicans are 3.5-point favorites over the Sacramento Kings, who are looking to clinch a division title.

Additionally, there’s an interesting one in Brooklyn as the Nets are 1.5-point underdogs at home to a Minnesota Timberwolves team coming off a horrific home loss to Portland. Brooklyn has won four of five while Minnesota has lost three straight. That line seems fishy, doesn’t it?

Full night of MLB, NHL

The playoff push is in full swing in the NHL with 11 games on Tuesday night with 10 days remaining in the regular season.

There’s also a full night of baseball ahead, including the New York Yankees hosting the reeling Philadelphia Phillies. The reigning National League champions are off to an 0-4 start and are +125 underdogs in the Bronx.

There’s also an afternoon game out on the West Coast as the San Diego Padres host the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Padres have Yu Darvish on the mound and are -140 favorites.

Looking ahead to the Masters

The Masters begins on Thursday and Rory McIlroy (+700), Scottie Scheffler (+700) and Jon Rahm (+900) enter the tournament as the betting favorites. Scheffler won the Masters last year while McIlroy and Rahm are in pursuit of their first green jacket.

For a full breakdown of the field, click here.

What’s the best bet?

Coming off such a bad loss the other night, I like Minnesota in a bounce-back spot in Brooklyn. The Timberwolves are holding on for dear life to a spot in the play-in tournament and could really use a win. The Nets are coming off a pretty ugly win over the Jazz and have been relying on incredible performances from Mikal Bridges on a near-nightly basis.

I think this is a good spot to back the Wolves on the road. I’ll play the -115 moneyline rather than laying the 1.5.