5 favorites to win the 2015 NCAA tournament
During last year's March Madness, UConn went on an unbelievable run to become one of the most unlikely champions in NCAA history. While it's always fun to see an underdog make a deep run, the truth is that it's usually one of the favorites entering the tournament that walks out as champion.
The 2015 version of the Big Dance offers its fair share of favorites that could emerge victorious come April 6, but these five teams stand above the rest with the best shot at taking the crown.
Kentucky
No team enters the tournament with more hype – or higher expectations – than Kentucky. The undefeated Wildcats have been the toast of the nation since before the season began, but if they finish without a title this year, it will ultimately be viewed as a failure.
Kentucky's going to get the absolute best from every opponent it sees during the tournament, but then, that's been the case all season long as each foe desperately wanted to give the Wildcats their first loss. John Calipari has put together a squad that's not only talented, but deep.
For any team to have a chance at being the new king of the hill, they'll have to get through Kentucky to do it.
Villanova
The team with arguably the best shot at taking out Kentucky is the Wildcats of a different variety, Villanova. A 32-2 record is nothing to sneeze at, and after winning the Big East tournament, Villanova enters the NCAA tournament on a 15-game win streak.
Villanova's greatest strength is the ability to knock down outside shots. Darrun Hilliard II, Josh Hart, Ryan Arcidiacono and Dylan Ennis all average at least 9.8 points per game and all four shoot over 37 percent from beyond the arc with the Wildcats hitting nearly 39 percent of their triples as a team.
If Villanova gets hot at the right time, its sharpshooters can carry the Wildcats past any opposition.
Duke
The big advantage for Duke is its man in the middle. Freshman center Jahlil Okafor was as good as advertised for the Blue Devils, averaging 17.7 points, nine rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.4 blocks.
Head coach Mike Krzyzewski wisely surrounded Okafor with a squad of rainmakers that will make opponents pay on the outside should they choose to double team Okafor down low, making it nearly impossible to shut down Duke's offensive attack. The best way to take down the Blue Devils may come down to an offensive shootout.
Arizona
If not for the Kentucky Wildcats or the Villanova Wildcats, Arizona would likely be the best batch of Wildcats in the field (Wildcats!). That's not to say this group lacks talent, though, as Arizona can be extremely dangerous.
The Pac-12 champs are led by the duo of Stanley Johnson and Brandon Ashley who can put up points in a hurry and with the favorable draw Arizona received on Selection Sunday, it would hardly be a shock to see these Wildcats among the Final Four.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin's greatest strength could also be considered its biggest weakness: Frank Kaminsky. That's not an insult to Kaminsky's game, far from it, but rather an indictment on Wisconsin's reliance on the Big Ten Player of the Year.
If you can shut down Kaminsky you shut down the Badgers, and should he struggle at any point during the tournament, Wisconsin will be on the ropes. However, he has the ability to carry a team on his back and if Kaminsky is at his best, so too will the Badgers.