March Madness 2020: Tournament Dates, Schedule and Early Favorites

Several tickets are already punched to the 2020 NCAA men's basketball tournament, and the remainder of the March Madness field will be decided within the next week.

Utah State and Belmont are among the teams officially in the field, thanks to recent wins in their respective conference tournaments. Both programs celebrated last-second winning shots in the championship game, including Utah State upending San Diego State—a potential top seed in the Big Dance.

Most of Division I, though, is set to begin a wild seven-day stretch. Every conference tournament winner will automatically secure a place in March Madness, so even the worst programs in the country have one final chance for a miracle run.

While the 68-team field is relatively clear, a few surprises will alter bracket projections all the way to Selection Sunday.

Then, no matter a team's record, the objective is simple: Survive and advance. And that's anything but easy.

2020 Men's NCAA Tournament

Selection Sunday: March 15, 6 p.m. ET (CBS)
First Four: March 17-18
First Round: March 19-20
Second Round: March 21-22
Sweet 16: March 26-27
Elite Eight: March 28-29
Final Four: April 4
National Championship: April 6

All tournament games will be broadcast on CBS, TBS, TNT or truTV and streamed through March Madness Live.

Early Favorites (odds via Caesars)

Using the AP Top 25 as a reference, you wouldn't be surprised to see Kansas, Gonzaga or Dayton as the March Madness favorites.

Kansas is the nation's top-ranked team, while Gonzaga and Dayton follow at Nos. 2 and 3. Championship odds reflect that order, with Kansas (+600, bet $100 to win $600) ahead of Gonzaga (+750) and Dayton (+1000). Kentucky and Michigan State are listed at +1000 as well.

The all-important question, of course, is: Why?

Kansas boasts a pair of All-American candidates in point guard Devon Dotson and center Udoka Azubuike. Dotson averages 18.1 points and four assists, while Azubuike is a hyper-efficient finisher with tremendous defensive ability. He's swatting 2.6 shots per game, while Dotson and Marcus Garrett nab a combined 3.9 steals.

According to KenPom.com, the Jayhawks have the nation's second-best defense. Gonzaga, meanwhile, is built on a deep, versatile and immensely productive unit that is ranked No. 1 by KenPom.

Alex Gallardo/Associated Press

The Zags lead the country at 87.7 points per game and rank sixth with a 39 three-point percentage. Gonzaga has five legitimate long-range options to complement top scorer Filip Petrusev, and reserve forward Drew Timme averages 9.6 points.

Dayton isn't quite as deep, but the 29-2 Flyers aren't far away either. Led by star sophomore Obi Toppin, Dayton has four double-digit scorers, and starters Ryan Mikesell and Rodney Chatman both contribute at least 7.7 per game.

Tobbin (20 points per game) and Jalen Crutcher (15.1 ppg, 4.9 assists) have propelled Dayton to 20 straight wins and a possible No. 1 seed alongside Kansas and Gonzaga.

However, this is where seeding and odds diverge.

Kentucky and Michigan State are currently in the 3-4 range. That may change if either team surges to a conference tournament title as other top programs fall short of their league crown. But for now, it's a bet on talent.

As usual, Kentucky has one of the highest-recruited rosters in the country. The 'Cats aren't a great perimeter shooting team beyond top scorer Immanuel Quickley, and that could become a big problem. Still, they constantly attack the rim and convert free throws at the nation's highest rate. That combination helped Kentucky win the SEC regular-season crown.

Michigan State will always be a threat as long as both Cassius Winston and Xavier Tillman Sr. are healthy. However, the Spartans need the recent improvement of Aaron Henry and Rocket Watts to continue, otherwise an early upset is possible.

While it's often disappointing for a favorite to fall early, a shocking result is also what creates the madness of March.

Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.