NIT Championship odds: North Carolina opens as early favorite
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The opening odds for the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) were released Tuesday, and, yes, it's still scheduled for March.
We're more than two months away from the start of the tournament, but it's never too early to bet on teams to win the "Little Dance." For the uninitiated, the NIT comprises of the 32 best teams not to make the NCAA tournament, which means betting on those that are too good - or too bad - could result in a ripped ticket before the tourney even begins.
Isn't it a bit foolish, you might ask, to bet this early on teams that might make the NCAA tournament or, even worse, miss the NIT entirely? Sure, but that's wherein the value lies, if you know which teams to target.
Here are the NIT odds for teams at 100-1 or shorter, with five to potentially target if you're betting this early:
| TEAM | ODDS |
|---|---|
| North Carolina | 12-1 |
| Illinois | 15-1 |
| Rutgers | 15-1 |
| Mississippi State | 20-1 |
| Notre Dame | 20-1 |
| Oklahoma State | 20-1 |
| TCU | 20-1 |
| Alabama | 25-1 |
| Georgetown | 25-1 |
| LSU | 25-1 |
| St. John's | 25-1 |
| Texas | 25-1 |
| Utah State | 25-1 |
| Cincinnati | 30-1 |
| Georgia | 30-1 |
| Iowa State | 30-1 |
| NC State | 30-1 |
| Oklahoma | 30-1 |
| Oregon State | 30-1 |
| Syracuse | 30-1 |
| Tennessee | 30-1 |
| Connecticut | 50-1 |
| DePaul | 50-1 |
| Minnesota | 50-1 |
| Missouri | 50-1 |
| Providence | 50-1 |
| Purdue | 50-1 |
| USC | 50-1 |
| Washington | 50-1 |
| Arizona State | 75-1 |
| Indiana | 75-1 |
| SMU | 75-1 |
| Stanford | 75-1 |
| Temple | 75-1 |
| VCU | 75-1 |
| Virginia Tech | 75-1 |
| Arkansas | 100-1 |
| BYU | 100-1 |
| Colorado | 100-1 |
| East Tennessee State | 100-1 |
| Furman | 100-1 |
| Houston | 100-1 |
| Liberty | 100-1 |
| Louisiana Tech | 100-1 |
| Richmond | 100-1 |
| Saint Mary's | 100-1 |
| Vermont | 100-1 |
North Carolina (12-1)
If you already think it's silly to bet on the NIT this early, you're really going to love targeting the shortest odds on the board. But the Tar Heels are the favorites for a reason: sure, they're the "least gifted team" Roy Williams has coached at UNC, but they'd still likely be the best-coached team in the field with one of the more talented rosters.
The last time North Carolina made the NIT field was in 2010, and Williams coached the Tar Heels to the title game. Star Cole Anthony is talented enough to win the tournament on his own if he's in the fold. It could be his only chance, too, for the "March Madness bump" that top NBA prospects crave, so don't expect UNC's best player to mail in an NIT appearance.
Illinois (15-1)
Past champions have often relied on defense and continuity, which is the recipe that coach Brad Underwood follows for his Illinois squad. The Fighting Illini (No. 31) are also the only top-35 team in KenPom to miss the NCAA tournament field in the latest projections from ESPN's Bracketology, so the upside is there if the results continue.
Eight of the last 13 NIT champions, and five of the last seven, have come from the Big Ten or Big 12. Underwood, who formerly coached in the latter, could be in line to continue the streak with his rebuilding Big Ten squad, which would benefit from the momentum of an NIT title.
St. John's (25-1)
St. John's is always a contender to win this tournament in its own backyard, as evidenced by an NIT-best five titles (plus one vacated title). This year's group is projected as one of the first four teams out of the NCAA tournament, which would likely mean a No. 1 seed in the NIT.
The Red Storm's schedule only gets tougher from here, so they're a decent bet to make the NIT if they aren't an NCAA tournament team by now. If they do, 25-1 would be a steal for this frenetic squad.
Washington (50-1)
If the Huskies miss out on the NCAA tournament, they could easily be the favorites to win the NIT. Jaden McDaniels and Isaiah Stewart, both five-star freshmen, would be two of the more dominant players in the tournament, and Mike Hopkins' stifling zone could cause major issues for less-talented squads.
Washington scored a big win early over Baylor but hasn't beaten another team in KenPom's top 75. It's a risky but potentially fruitful bet to make on an inexperienced group that could stumble in January and February but come alive in March.
Stanford (75-1)
No team has won more NIT titles this century than Stanford, which cut down the nets twice (2012, 2015) under former coach Johnny Dawkins. Current bench boss Jerod Haase was an assistant for the runner-up Tar Heels in 2010, and his Cardinal squad has gotten off to a scorching 12-2 start.
Stanford has missed six straight tournaments but is currently projected as a No. 10 seed, so you're buying some risk with these long odds. A cupcake schedule could come back to bite the Cardinal, though, especially if the NCAA tournament discounts the Pac-12 as a whole. If so, this Stanford team has all the makings of an NIT champion.
C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.