March Madness 2015: Championship Odds and Early-Round Predictions

The 2015 NCAA tournament appears to be Kentucky versus the field.

John Calipari's squad has been the most dominant men's Division I team we've seen in quite some time. Kentucky completed a perfect regular season and dominated the SEC tournament en route to a 34-0 record heading into the Big Dance. Will anyone be able to take the Wildcats down?

Well, according to Vegas oddsmakers, it isn't likely. The Wildcats are huge favorites entering March Madness, but that was expected.

There's one burning question that remains: Which team is Kentucky's biggest threat?

We can argue the answer to that question until we're blue in the face, so here's a glance at the odds for the tournament's top teams as the deciding factor.

Team	Odds
Kentucky	6-5
Arizona	15-2
Wisconsin	17-2
Duke	9-1
Villanova	10-1
Virginia	10-1
Gonzaga	16-1
Notre Dame	25-1
Iowa State	33-1
Utah	33-1

Full NCAA tournament odds courtesy of Odds Shark.

With the odds now in hand, let's take a look at a few predictions for the tournament's early round to help get your bracket off to a good start.

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Early-Round Predictions

No. 8 N.C. State vs. No. 9 LSU

N.C. State put together some impressive wins down the final stretch of the regular season, defeating Duke, Louisville and North Carolina. After a decisive win over Pittsburgh in the ACC tournament, the Wolfpack fell to the Blue Devils; however, that doesn't make them any less dangerous in the NCAA tournament.

The offense revolves around guard Ralston Turner. A sharpshooter from three-point range, he has the ability to change the outlook of a game in the blink of an eye. N.C. State is also a strong rebounding team, and getting second-chance and fast-break opportunities will be crucial against an LSU defense that has been susceptible in those departments.

Offensively, the Tigers are very dangerous, as guards Keith Hornsby and Jalyn Patterson are fantastic on the outside, while forward Jarell Martin has been fantastic down low. This team's issue is inconsistent shooting and a shaky defense, and considering N.C. State has been better in those areas of late, the Wolfpack get the nod here.

Prediction: N.C. State

No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 9 Oklahoma State

This contest features a clash of styles, as Oregon wins games thanks to a high-octane offense, while Oklahoma State attempts to outduel opponents in lower-scoring affairs.

The Ducks were on a seven-game winning streak before being derailed by Arizona in the Pac-12 title game. Oregon simply couldn't get any offense going, as Elgin Cook only came away with eight points, forcing Joseph Young to carry the load. Without both of those players at their best, Oregon won't win many games, due to a poor defense.

Oklahoma State earned impressive late-season wins over Texas, Kansas and Baylor; however, the team followed that streak with a terrible skid, losing six of its next seven. The Cowboys boast offensive playmakers in Le'Bryan Nash and Phil Forte III, but it has been difficult for that duo to outscore opponents that continue to take advantage of the team's porous defense. That gives Oregon the edge.

Prediction: Oregon

No. 8 San Diego State vs. No. 9 St. John's

San Diego State has been riding the nation's second-ranked defense all season long, as the Aztecs don't have the firepower to win in shootouts. That makes the impending contest against a good offensive St. John's squad very intriguing.

The Aztecs haven't been heavily tested this season, but they have played just well enough to finish the regular season atop the Mountain West Conference. The team lost in the conference tournament to Wyoming despite a solid defensive effort; however, San Diego State shot just 32.6 percent as a team, as it couldn't get anything going on the interior.

St. John's is coming off of two blowout losses, as its once red-hot offense hasn't been able to keep pace with better shooting teams, due to a terrible defense. Well, San Diego State doesn't exactly fall into that category, but considering the Red Storm recently shot just 31.0 percent against Providence's 142nd-ranked defense, the Aztecs shouldn't have much trouble against an offense that has gone ice cold of late.

Prediction: San Diego State