March Madness 2018: Tournament Dates, Schedule and Early Favorites

With less than a week until Selection Sunday, the excitement for the 2018 NCAA men's basketball tournament is pulsating throughout the college sports world.

We received a taste of what's to come Sunday, when five teams secured the first set of automatic bids by way of conference tournament victories, with Michigan being the most notable.

Amid the frenzy that has been the 2017-18 season, some of the blue bloods of the sport have stepped to the forefront and established themselves as the favorites to hoist the trophy in San Antonio, Texas.

The early favorites to capture the NCAA tournament crown boast experience on the court and on the sidelines and are able to beat opponents in a variety of ways.

March Madness Schedule

Selection Sunday (March 11)

First four (March 13 and 14)

First round (March 15 and 16)

Second round (March 17 and 18)

Sweet 16 (March 22 and 23)

Elite Eight (March 24 and 25)

Final Four (March 31)

National Championship (April 2)

Early Favorites (via OddsShark)

Michigan State (+550; Bet $100 to win $550)

Michigan State has one of the most complete rosters in men's basketball, with star freshmen, experienced sophomores and a few veterans mixed in.

The Spartans have the luxury of taking a week off after reaching the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament before falling to Michigan.

Sophomore Miles Bridges, who entered the season with a ton of hype, is the biggest star for head coach Tom Izzo's team, as he averages 16.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

Freshman Jaren Jackson Jr. could be poised for a breakout tournament. He is the team's fifth-leading scorer at 11.3 points per game and averages 5.8 rebounds per game.

Julie Jacobson/Associated Press

With Bridges, Jackson and Nick Ward patrolling the paint, it's going to be hard for opponents to find continued success in the frontcourt.

The Spartans have depth in the backcourt, too, with Cassius Winston running the show alongside Joshua Langford.

The group of sophomores come into March Madness with plenty of motivation to thrive on the national stage after exiting the NCAA tournament in the second round as a No. 9 seed a year ago.

Villanova (+550)

Villanova is also trying to brush off a second-round elimination from last year's NCAA tournament and thrive with a unique core. 

Much like they have in the past, the Wildcats flex their muscle from three-point range, but they've developed a paint presence through Omari Spellman lately.

The Wildcats have one of the best players in the sport commanding their offense in Jalen Brunson, who leads the team with 19 points per game.

Chris Szagola/Associated Press

In total, six Villanova players average double digits in the scoring column, which means opponents can't zero in on a single athlete to silence its attack.

Villanova's biggest strength is its three-point shooting, as its top five scorers are 39 percent or better from beyond the arc.

Look for the Wildcats to use the three-point shot as a weapon from the first possession, as they look to make teams feel uncomfortable.

Villanova should receive a pair of tests in the Big East tournament to get it ready for March Madness, as Seton Hall and Xavier await at Madison Square Garden if chalk holds.

Virginia (+550)

The third favorite to win the NCAA tournament also experienced a second-round exit a year ago, when Virginia fell flat against Florida in the same half of the bracket as Villanova.

The Cavaliers are viewed as one of the most consistent teams in the nation in a year in which few teams have been reliable.

Virginia prides itself on its defense, and if it's effective in March, it could take the Cavaliers all the way to the national championship.

However, we saw last year against Florida in the round of 32 that the perfect storm for failure can hit the Cavaliers and one game can ruin any championship aspirations.

Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images

Virginia doesn't have a superstar such as Bridges or Brunson, but it contains a roster full of reliable players who don't feel the pressure of an event like March Madness.

Kyle Guy, Devon Hall and Ty Jerome are asked to provide most of the points for the Cavaliers, as each averages over 10 points per game.

The X-factor for the Cavaliers could be Isaiah Wilkins, who does a bit of everything for head coach Tony Bennett's team, as he averages six points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com