Why the Irish?
Looking for a low-risk, high-reward pick to win the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament? Look at Notre Dame.
The Irish (19-2 straight up) are posted at 75-to-1 odds at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook to win the championship, and Notre Dame has a chance to shorten those odds by beating Duke (17-2) at the Joyce Center on Wednesday.
There’s an obvious reason for hesitation. The Irish have reached the NCAA Tournament nine times under coach Mike Brey and have advanced to the Sweet 16 only once (2003). A few signs, however, say this team might be different.
Notre Dame is balanced. Four players average double-digit points, including star point guard Jerian Grant (17.1 points per game). Guard play always carries weight in the tournament, and the Irish have that with Pat Connaughton (13.9) and Demetrius Jackson (13.4) supporting Grant.
The numbers line up. Notre Dame leads the nation in effective field-goal percentage (60.0). The Irish are the only Power 5 conference team shooting 50 percent from the field (.521), 40 percent from three-point range (.400) and 70 percent from the free-throw line (.723).
Notre Dame’s only losses are a six-point loss to No. 3 Virginia (8-to-1 odds to win the title) on Jan. 10 and a one-point loss to Providence (1000-to-1) on Nov. 23. The Irish’s wins against ranked opponents are North Carolina (30-to-1) and Michigan State (100-to-1).
A win against the Blue Devils would elevate Notre Dame’s chances in the eyes of bettors.
Even if the Irish lose to Duke, they're worth a small investment at the bet window. Notre Dame opened the season at 200-to-1 to win the national championship. It might seem like a foolish bet considering Brey’s history, but it’s also the smart bet that could pay off big in April.
ODDS TO WIN 2015 NCAA TOURNAMENT, WESTGATE (last week's prices in parentheses if changed)KENTUCKY 4-5
DUKE 8-1
VIRGINIA 8-1
ARIZONA 10-1
GONZAGA 12-1
WISCONSIN 12-1
VILLANOVA 25-1
NORTH CAROLINA 30-1
LOUISVILLE 30-1
KANSAS 30-1 (40-1)
WICHITA ST 50-1
IOWA ST 60-1 (50-1)
TEXAS 60-1 (30-1)
OHIO ST 75-1 (100-1)
UTAH 75-1
OKLAHOMA 75-1 (60-1)
NOTRE DAME 75-1
FLORIDA 100-1 (50-1)
SMU 100-1
MICHIGAN ST 100-1
SYRACUSE 100-1
VCU 100-1 (75-1)
U CONN 100-1
WEST VIRGINIA 100-1
SAN DIEGO ST 100-1
ILLINOIS 100-1 (300-1)
BAYLOR 200-1 (300-1)
MARYLAND 200-1 (100-1)
STANFORD 200-1
ARKANSAS 300-1
CINCINNATI 300-1 (500-1)
GEORGETOWN 300-1
GEORGIA 300-1 (500-1)
INDIANA 300-1
NORTHERN IOWA 500-1
IOWA 500-1
OREGON 500-1
GEORGE WASHINGTON 500-1
DAYTON 500-1
OKLAHOMA ST 500-1
OLE MISS 500-1 (1000-1)
MIAMI FL 500-1 (1000-1)
ALABAMA 500-1
ST JOHN'S 500-1
COLORADO ST 500-1
MICHIGAN 1000-1 (500-1)
UCLA 1000-1 (500-1)
NEBRASKA 1000-1 (2000-1)
KANSAS ST 1000-1
LSU 1000-1
HARVARD 1000-1
PROVIDENCE 1000-1
TENNESSEE 1000-1
LOUISIANA TECH 1000-1
NC STATE 1000-1
SOUTH CAROLINA 1000-1 (300-1)
PURDUE 1000-1
TEXAS A&M 1000-1
WASHINGTON 1000-1
BUTLER 1000-1
MURRAY ST 1000-1
NEW MEXICO 2000-1
MARQUETTE 2000-1 (1000-1)
ARIZONA ST 2000-1
MEMPHIS 2000-1
MINNESOTA 2000-1
SETON HALL 2000-1 (1000-1)
UNLV 2000-1
XAVIER 2000-1
BYU 2000-1
COLORADO 5000-1 (2000-1)
FLORIDA ST 5000-1
PITTSBURGH 5000-1 (2000-1)
LASALLE 5000-1
NEW MEXICO ST 5000-1
MISSOURI 9999-1
ST LOUIS 9999-1
UTEP 9999-1 (5000-1)
GEORGIA TECH 9999-1 (5000-1)
ST JOE'S 9999-1
U MASS 9999-1
USC 9999-1
VANDERBILT 9999-1 (5000-1)
CALIFORNIA 9999-1 (5000-1)
CLEMSON 9999-1 (5000-1)
CREIGHTON 9999-1
DEPAUL 9999-1
PENN ST 9999-1 (5000-1)
RICHMOND 9999-1
TEXAS TECH 9999-1
AUBURN 9999-1 (5000-1)
BOSTON COLLEGE 9999-1
FRESNO ST 9999-1
ILLINOIS ST 9999-1
NORTHWESTERN 9999-1
ST BONAVENTURE 9999-1
UCSB 9999-1
VIRGINIA TECH 9999-1
WAKE FOREST 9999-1
FIELD 300-1
