Michigan Wolverines March Madness Preview
The field of 68 is now finalized and the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is set to begin this coming week. This year’s number one seeds are Gonzaga +200, Baylor +600, Illinois +700, and Michigan +600 according to the March Madness Odds at GamingToday.com. The Big 10 is well represented with both Illinois and the Wolverines of Michigan nabbing #1 seeds and Ohio State and Iowa secured #2 seeds respectively.
There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the Michigan team this year as they are led by big man Hunter Dickinson and second-year head coach Juan Howard. The selection committee awarded Michigan with a number 1 seed for the first time since 1993 but before the Wolverines make it to the championship game they’ll have to navigate a tough East Region — which features Alabama, Texas, LSU, and Florida State to name a few.
Michigan’s Path to the Final Four
Michigan won’t play their first-round game until Saturday, March 20th versus the winner of Mount St. Mary’s and Texas Southern. In the history of the NCAA Tournament, only one number 16 seed has ever defeated a number 1 seed and while a win is never guaranteed, it’s hard to imagine Michigan is looking past their first-round opponent.
If Michigan advances they will play the winner of LSU (#8) and St. Bonaventure (#9). The 8 versus 9 seed games are typically very close but many believe that LSU will face Michigan in the second round, which should be a tough, close game as several folks believe LSU was under-seeded.
Other top teams in Michigan’s bracket include Alabama (#2), Texas (#3), and Florida State (#4). Also, don’t count out one of Michigan’s rivals, Michigan State, who always plays well in the tournament under head coach Tom Izzo. The Spartans are a #11 seed and could potentially play their way into an Elite 8 matchup versus Michigan.
On paper, the Wolverines have a very tough road ahead in the NCAA Tournament. Many analysts feel as though Michigan was overseeded, especially since they lost to Ohio State in the Big10 tournament. With that said, you may see a lot of so-called experts picking Alamba to make it out of the East Region but Michigan has played against elite competition all year and should be up for any challenge that comes their way this March.
Odds of Michigan Winning the NCAA Championship
While many media members and analysts think Michigan may be overseeded or have a tough road ahead, they are still getting love from sportsbooks across the nation. Currently, FanDuel sportsbook has Michigan tied with Baylor for the second-best odds to win the NCAA championship at +600. Right now, Gonzaga is favored ahead of both teams at +200.
In early 2021, Michigan launched mobile sports betting online making it easier for Michigan fans and sports bettors throughout the state to bet on the NCAA Tournament. At +600, Michigan’s value is fairly solid. Barring any major upsets, Michigan is on a collision course to face Gonzaga in the Final Four, which would be an electrifying matchup between two well-coached teams.
Overall, the oddsmakers like Michigan’s chances in this year’s March Madness tournament. We’ll just have to wait and see how the Wolverines respond to the pressures of being a number 1 seed.
