Men's college basketball betting: Three value bets to make on NCAA champion - ESPN

The calendar has flipped to 2026, conference play is here and sights of an NCAA champion are on the rise.

Every week continues to provide more insight into which teams are trustworthy and which aren't, as tougher nonconference schedules and early conference action can tell us a lot about whose bubble may burst before the nets are cut down in Indianapolis in April.

The criteria of what makes a team worthy enough to bet on are consistent, and the numbers can tell us all we need to know about that team's ability to put together the six consecutive wins necessary to win the NCAA tournament.

Every national champion since 2002 has ranked in the top 40 in adjusted offensive efficiency and top 25 in adjusted defensive efficiency in KenPom, so that makes for an easy starting point.

Below are three teams whose odds to hoist the trophy provide the best value.

Odds by DraftKings Sportsbook and subject to change.

I was high on the Wildcats last season and felt they were a real threat, but they ran into Duke and Cooper Flagg and were sent home in the Sweet 16. They are even better this season.

Arizona is an elite shooting team and highly efficient. The Cats aren't a prisoner to shooting from beyond the arc — only 22.4% of their points come from the 3-ball (near the bottom of Division I) — but they are capable of beating teams both inside (shooting 57.9% on 2-pointers) and out (37.8% on 3s).

Add in the fact this team is third in the nation in offensive rebound percentage and the Wildcats can punish opponents on the glass.

Defensively, their size, length and athleticism are a matchup nightmare for anyone. Their ability to force turnovers and limit second-chance points results in their being fourth in the nation in adjusted defensive