Michigan, MSU longshots for NCAA Championship this season
It is hard to believe, but the 2022-23 college basketball season is upon us.
Starting Monday, the new season will tip off with both Michigan and Michigan State being part of the teams getting underway.
While the Spartans and Wolverines typically find themselves discussed among the top national title contenders, that’s not quite the case in 2022-23.
Both Michigan State and Michigan face big questions heading into a new season, many of which oddsmakers don’t know that they can answer.
Here’s a closer look at the season odds for both squads.
NCAA longshots
To start the season, a couple of national powers find themselves as the favorites to win the NCAA Tournament in 2023.
Both Gonzaga and North Carolina find themselves listed as top contenders at most Michigan sportsbooks. Both are hovering around +850 to +1000 to win (wager $100 to win an additional $850 to $1,000).
Houston and Kentucky also are right in the mix. Both sit around +1000 to +1200. Baylor, Duke, Kansas, UCLA and Arkansas aren’t much further behind.
When it comes to the in-state teams, Michigan has the better odds to win the national title. The Wolverines are listed at +3500 at most sportsbooks, while Michigan State is much further back at +7000.
MSU hasn’t won the national championship since 2000, while Michigan hasn’t won the title since 1989.
Big Ten odds
Though Michigan may not be a top contender in the national title race, oddsmakers do see them among the favorites in the Big Ten Conference.
DraftKings Sportsbook lists Michigan at +450 to win the regular season conference title this season. Only Indiana has better odds right now at +350.
Michigan State sits a little further back at +750, with Illinois (+550), Iowa (+600) and Purdue (+700) sitting between the Spartans and Wolverines.
Michigan last won the regular season Big Ten title in 2021, while Michigan State was part of a threeway tie for the title in 2020.
Dickinson to lead Michigan
Michigan enters its fourth season with Juwan Howard as head coach.
The former Michigan player is 6132 in his three years leading U-M, including a 35-22 mark in the Big Ten.
Last season, the Wolverines finished 19-15 overall and 11-9 in the Big Ten. As a No. 11 seed, they were eliminated in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament by Villanova.
Coming into 2022-23, Michigan is dealing with a lot of roster turnover. Four players graduated, three declared for the NBA, while three others transferred.
What Michigan does have back is junior center Hunter Dickinson. He had a big freshman year and followed that up with 18.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks as a sophomore. The 7’1” Virginia native will be heavily relied on this season. DraftKings actually lists him at +1800 to win the John Wooden Award for best player in the nation.
Michigan has no other player back on its roster that averaged five points or more. However, it does bring in one of the top recruiting classes in the country. They, combined with a mix of unproven underclassmen will have to step up to aid Dickinson if Michigan hopes to accomplish anything this season.
The Wolverines open the season on Monday at home against Purdue Fort Wayne at 6:30 p.m.
Spartans lack proven leaders
Tom Izzo enters his 28th season as head coach of Michigan State.
Izzo has racked up a career record of 666-267 with the Spartans, while going 322-152 in Big
Ten play.
Last season, Michigan State posted a 23-13 overall record with a 11-9 mark in the Big Ten. MSU was a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament and suffered a second-round loss to Duke.
Izzo lost five players in offseason departures. Three players declared for the NBA Draft while two others transferred.
MSU comes in with a lot of questions in regard to who will produce for the team this season. Their top three scorers from last season are gone.
The Spartans do have four players back that averaged from seven to nine points per game. Senior Malik Hall (8.9 ppg), senior Tyson Walker (8.2 ppg), senior Joey Hauser (7.3 ppg) and junior A.J. Hoggard (7.0) are all back. Hoggard led the team in assists (4.8 pg) last year as well.
Where MSU has issues is in the paint. They lack much size and definitely lack experience. Junior Maddy Sissoko is likely to see an increased role this season. Standing 6’9”, Sissoko played just 4.5 minutes per game in the 2021-22 season.
Former Farmington High School guard Jaden Akins is dealing with an injury to start the season. The sophomore had a stress fracture in his left foot and he may not be available for Monday’s season opener. Akins is in for an increased role this year as well after averaging 15 minutes per game last season.
MSU opens its season Monday at home against Northern Arizona at 7 p.m. The Spartans then have four consecutive games against ranked teams, starting with No. 2 Gonzaga on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
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