NCAA Tournament 2016: Early Predictions, Championship Odds for March Madness

The NCAA tournament is just a couple of weeks away, but we still don't have a great idea about the top contenders for the national championship.

Obviously, there are a group of teams that have been ranked near the Top Five for much of the season and are considered the favorites. Kansas, Oklahoma, Villanova, North Carolina and others will remain top contenders for a title after proving themselves for much of the year. Then again, this season has been filled with plenty of parity and crazy upsets, something that can continue in March Madness.

If you are making predictions for the top picks in the field, make sure to have a few options in mind. Here is a look at the odds for the top teams available along with the best choices on the board.

Team	Odds
Michigan State	11-2
Kansas	7-1
North Carolina	7-1
Villanova	11-1
Oklahoma	12-1
Virginia	13-1
Kentucky	14-1
Xavier	14-1
Duke	18-1
Maryland	18-1
Iowa	20-1
Oregon	30-1
West Virginia	30-1
Miami	33-1
Arizona	33-1
California	33-1
Wichita State	35-1
Indiana	35-1
Purdue	40-1
Iowa State	40-1
Texas	40-1
Connecticut	60-1
Providence	60-1
Texas A&M	60-1
Utah	60-1
Wisconsin	65-1
Baylor	80-1
Notre Dame	85-1
LSU	90-1
Gonzaga	100-1

Best Pick: Michigan State

Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

There are a lot of good teams at the top. Kansas has a lot of experience as well as plenty of depth to have no problems winning six games in a row. Villanova has looked good but hasn't proved itself in the postseason or against top competition in recent years. North Carolina might have the best offense in college basketball, but it still has fallen short in many top games.

Of all the elite squads, it might be Michigan State that has separated itself as the true favorite heading into the NCAA tournament, regardless of seed.

With all due respect to Oklahoma's Buddy Hield, Denzel Valentine has been the most impressive player in college basketball when healthy. Even opposing coach Thad Matta of Ohio State admitted as much after a recent matchup against Michigan State, per Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free Press:

Hield might be a better scorer, but Valentine's per-game average of 19.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.3 assists is almost unheard of at this level. He doesn't just do everything; he does everything at an extremely high level. 

Meanwhile, the rest of the team fills around him with everyone knowing their roles. Matt Costello and Deyonta Davis rebound and play defense in the post, Bryn Forbes and Eron Harris make open shots and others fill in with efficient play on both ends of the court.

The Spartans also lead the nation in three-point shooting at 43.7 percent thanks mostly to the great passing to always find an open man. They also rebound well and make every shot difficult on defense. This all adds up to the most dangerous team in college basketball.

Best Value: Miami (Fla.)

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Miami has been ranked in the Top 25 since early in November and has been among the top 15 teams in college basketball for much of the season, yet people completely overlook the squad on a national level.

If the Hurricanes can beat middling Virginia Tech on Saturday, they will clinch at least a share of the ACC regular-season title. If North Carolina loses at Duke—a realistic possibility—Miami will have the title outright. This isn't all due to an unbalanced schedule, either, as the team has wins over Duke, Virginia, Louisville and others.

Going out of conference, the Hurricanes still have an impressive resume, including neutral-court victories over Utah and Butler. Some of the losses are a bit embarrassing, including home against Northeastern, but at their best, they are certainly a team to fear in the postseason.

One of the biggest keys is the experience, which KenPom.com ranked 32nd in college basketball and fourth among major-conference teams. Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan are both fifth-year seniors in the backcourt after transferring from other schools, and they are as trustworthy as they come with the ball in their hands. Senior Tonye Jekiri also helps out with his defensive work in the post by blocking and altering plenty of shots near the rim.

With Davon Reed and Ja'Quan Newton (assuming he returns from suspension) also providing plenty of scoring, this squad has all the tools to succeed with few weaknesses. At least a Final Four run is possible, and with these odds, don't be afraid to take a chance on winning it all.

Best Sleeper: Utah

Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

It's almost embarrassing that this team has to be a sleeper with odds comparable almost to an LSU team that probably won't even make the NCAA tournament. The Utes have won six games in a row and 11 of 13 as they continue to see their stock rise not only in the Pac-12, but nationally.

The strength of the team is center Jakob Poeltl, who is averaging 17.6 points, nine rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game as one of the best big men in college basketball. He will also make an NBA team happy in the not-too-distant future as the projected No. 6 player in the 2016 draft by DraftExpress.

While Poeltl is at times a dominant presence on the court, ESPN's Jeff Goodman noted this is a great team overall:

Utah went on to beat Arizona on Feb. 27 thanks to 19 points from Brandon Taylor. He and Jordan Loveridge will be key to spreading things out on the perimeter while Poeltl and Kyle Kuzma take care of business inside. Considering how few teams can defend the paint at this level, that might be enough.

Throughout the year, this squad has proved itself at home and away, earning road wins at Colorado and USC as well as neutral-court victories over Duke and Texas Tech. It would take a lot to bring home a national championship, but it's not too far-fetched.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for year-round sports analysis.