Houston, Purdue Lead Final Four Favorites

0:00On March 23rd, the men's college basketball tournament is down to the sweet 16, and it's been mostly straight forward so far. Favorites have dominated, with just one big surprise when the number one seed, Florida fell to Iowa in a stunner. Now experts are eyeing the final four futures board for value bets. Teens like Michigan and Houston stand out with the clearest pass forward. Houston in particular, looks strong at plus 130 odds. They'll face big tin opponents next, starting as two and a half point favorites over the fighting Illini in the sweet 16. This feels like a favorite tournament, much like last year when top seeds won every sweet 16 and elite 8 game. Houston has improved offensively while keeping their gritty defense, and their path gets even easier in the elite 8 against either Iowa or Nebraska. Meanwhile, Purdue at plus 215 offers great value too. They should handle their sweet 16 matchup cleanly, then benefit from a brutal clash between Arizona and Arkansas that could wear down the winner.

1:01With these chalky results holding steady, the late rounds promise more predictable action. But keep watching those odds for shifts as the bracket tightens up.