The 2016 NCAA basketball title odds are out, and unsurprisingly to no one, Kentucky reigns supreme. With another sterling recruiting class in place, the Wildcats opened at 7-1 according to Las Vegas SuperBook, per ESPN.
A No. 1 ranking further established Kentucky as kings of the preseason, but come April, the real crown will reside in North Carolina.
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Not far behind -- according to oddsmakers -- are the Tar Heels, who opened as second choice at 8-1.
Bolstering North Carolina's campaign is the return of PG Marcus Paige. The senior -- though sidelined 3-4 weeks with a broken hand -- will make his eventual return after battling foot injuries for most of last season.
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North Carolina G Marcus Paige will miss 3-4 weeks with broken finger. Paige was UNC's leading scorer in 2014-15. pic.twitter.com/BbCnS0Kv3j
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2015
The antithesis of Kentucky basketball, veteran leadership is the main ingredient for Roy Williams' recipe for success. Of the 16-man roster, only two -- Joel James and Kenny Williams -- possess the freshman tag.
Even better, nine of the team's top 10 scorers from 2014-15 have returned.
Admittedly, the safe, early-season money remains with Kentucky, but John Calipari's failed to cross the finish line in each of the last three seasons. Even last year's 38-1 Wildcats fell short in the biggest game of the season -- a Final Four loss to Wisconsin.
Wisconsin didn't feature a single freshman in the aforementioned 71-64 victory.
Huge news for North Carolina. Watching Seventh Woods run the Tar Heels' fast break will play directly to his strengths.
— Rob Harrington (@Rob_Harrington) November 11, 2015
Expect the same experience to carry North Carolina past the finish line in 2016.
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— Andy Katz (@ESPNAndyKatz) November 5, 2015
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