Odds to win the 2017 Men's NCAA Tournament

With several elite freshmen recruits and the return of Grayson Allen, the Blue Devils were overwhelming favorites to win the NCAA Tournament entering the season. However, the team is still meshing as top recruits Harry Giles and Jayson Tatum get healthy, while Allen is causing a distraction with yet another tripping incident that led to a one-game suspension, followed by a pushing incident as he was falling out of bounds. Coach K is also out due to back surgery.

John Calipari brought in another spectacular recruiting class this season, led by Malik Monk and De'Aaron Fox. Monk has averaged nearly 22 points per game through his first 16 contests, while Fox has averaged nearly 17 points.

Freshman Lonzo Ball has been a revelation and just the spark the Bruins needed after missing the NCAA Tournament last season. T.J. Leaf has added great ability in the paint, averaging nearly a double-double, while Bryce Alford is shooting 47 percent from three through 18 games.

Can Nova repeat? The Wildcats have certainly looked up to the task in the early going, winning their first 14 games of the season before losing at Butler. Josh Hart has been their runaway star, averaging nearly 20 points per game.

Kansas certainly looked primed for another Big 12 title, with senior Frank Mason III leading the way averaging more than 20 points per game. Bill Self is also getting a huge contribution from freshman guard Josh Jackson, averaging more than 15 points per game.

Junior forward Justin Jackson has taken a big step forward this season for Roy Williams' team, averaging nearly 18 points per game. Senior forward Kennedy Meeks is seeing more minutes, averaging nearly a double-double.

The Bears were undefeated into January before getting blasted at West Virginia. They have a well-rounded squad with only one player (Johnathan Motley) averaging more than 12 points per game.

Can Gonzaga run the table? Despite key losses to last year's team, the Bulldogs have started the season 16-0 with one of the premier shooters in the country in Nigel Williams-Goss. Excellent guard play and the presence of 7-1 center Przemek Karnowski gives the Zags the ability to match up with anyone.

The Ducks have a veteran lineup that has started the season 15-2, with senior forward Chris Boucher leading the way with 14.1 points per game. Dillon Brooks has also been a clutch performer.

Always a difficult matchup in the NCAA Tournament because of its pressing defense, Louisville is offensively challenged with only three players averaging double digits through 17 games. The defense and Rick Pitino's coaching could still be enough to make the Cardinals dangerous in March.

The Badgers have plenty of talent with the trio of Bronson Koenig, Nigel Hayes and Ethan Happ. The 6-10 Happ is particularly becoming a dominating presence, averaging 12.9 points and 9.2 rebounds through 17 games played.

One of the deepest teams in the country, West Virginia rates well both in adjusted offense and adjusted defense while featuring four double-digit scorers. Sophomore Esa Ahmad has been the most potent scorer, averaging 12.6 points per game with less than 24 minutes per contest.

It's been an odd year for the Hoosiers, who started the season 10-2 despite an overtime loss to Fort Wayne but have been getting pummeled since the beginning of Big Ten play (1-4). Junior James Blackmon Jr. has stepped up, but he can't do it all himself.

The Cavaliers grade as one of the elite defensive teams in college basketball again this year and are also one of the country's deeper teams with nine players averaging at least 14 minutes. London Perrantes has become the team's offensive leader, averaging 11.3 points per game over 16 contests.

Sean Miller has quite the freshman in forward Lauri Markkanen, a seven-foot sharpshooter who is shooting better than 46 percent from three this season. His size, along with seven-foot center Dusan Ristic, makes Arizona one of the tougher matchups.

Freshman center Justin Patton has been a great addition alongside veterans Marcus Foster and Maurice Watson Jr., helping the Bluejays to a 16-1 record. Creighton's lone loss came against Villanova on New Year's Eve.

Don't believe in the Seminoles yet? They have only one loss and feature impressive wins against Minnesota, Florida, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Duke. Sophomore Dwayne Bacon has taken a big step forward this season, averaging 17.8 points per game.

The Spartans were ousted in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year, a rare disappointment in the postseason for a Tom Izzo team. A younger squad this year, Michigan State has been roughed up with a brutal schedule that now includes losses to Arizona, Kentucky, Baylor and Duke. A pair of wins vs. Minnesota and an easy schedule the rest of the way should build the Spartans' stock.

Pitt has been one of the country's top offenses with two players averaging at least 22 points per game: Jamel Artis and Michael Young. The adjusted defense, on the other hand, doesn't even rank in the top 100, and the Panthers have lost three of their last four games.

There's no mistaking the leader of the 14-4 Boilermakers. Sophomore forward Caleb Swanigan is averaging a double-double, leading the team in both points and rebounds while shooting 56 percent from the field.

The Bulldogs are 14-3 and getting big production out of junior forward Kelan Martin again. He averages 16.8 points per game and is attempting six three-pointers per game.

It's still unclear how good Xavier is this season. The Musketeers lack any big wins, but their only losses have come against Baylor, Colorado and Villanova. They did dodge some bullets with close early-season wins against Lehigh, Missouri and Clemson. The trio of Trevon Bluiett, Edmond Sumner and J.P. Macura account for well over 50 percent of the team's offense.

The fact that Mike Brey has one of the top offensive teams in the country is nothing new, with the Irish shooting nearly 40 percent from three. The veteran foursome of Bonzie Colson, Steve Vasturia, V.J. Beachem and Matt Farrell each average more than 30 minutes per game.

Junior center Jock Landale is dominating lesser competition, but the question is whether he will do that if and when the Gaels makes the NCAA Tournament. The team's lone loss came against UT-Arlington in early December.

At this point, the Orange look like a bubble team, at best, with a 10-7 record. Syracuse has the opportunity to change its fortunes with plenty of big-win chances in the brutal ACC, and the team certainly has the shooters to pull off upsets with Andrew White III and Tyler Lydon.