Nevada should be strong again in 2018-19
The announcement of two key players returning to Nevada next year should ensure another very strong season after advancing to the Sweet 16 this past March. Are oddsmakers giving enough credit to the Wolfpack or should bettors take advantage while they can?
According to oddsmakers, Nevada has 60/1 odds to win the national championship in 2019. Duke has the best odds at 6-1, while Villanova is right behind at 8-1. Next up are Kansas and Kentucky, both at 10-1. A full list can be found at our College Basketball Future Odds Page.
Martin twins returning to school
Nevada twins Caleb and Cody Martin announced Wednesday that they would be returning to the Wolfpack after contemplating together a jump to the NBA. The duo transferred in from North Carolina State and helped propel Nevada to a 29-8 record plus the strong season that ended with the trip to the Sweet 16. The Wolfpack defeated No. 10 seed Texas 87-83 in overtime and No. 2 seed Cincinnati 75-73 before falling 69-68 in a thriller against Loyola-Chicago in the Sweet 16. Caleb Martin, a 6-foot-7 and 205-pound forward, averaged 18.9 points and 5.4 rebounds last season as a junior. Cody, who clocks in at the same size, put in 14.0 points plus 6.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists. The brothers played their junior season for Nevada after sitting out a season following two years at NC State.
Five of top six scorers return
The Martin brothers aren’t the only key players back for the Wolfpack as they lose only one of their top six scorers to graduation in Kendall Stephens (13.1 ppg). Also back are senior guard/forward Jordan Caroline (17.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg), senior point guard Lindsey Drew (8.1 ppg, 4.3 apg, 4.1 rpg)) and junior guard Josh Hall (6.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg). When Drew went down with an injury late last season, Cody Martin stepped into the point guard role and thrived which adds to the versatility of what head coach Eric Musselman can do with his lineups. With so many key contributors back in the fold, most people expect Nevada to be a preseason top-10 team and perhaps stay there as long as the entire season.
Outlook:
While there are certainly surer things (and there is no sure thing) when betting a college basketball future, Nevada is about as good as it gets when you are looking for a longshot bet. The Wolfpack was one basket away from advancing to the Elite Eight last season, has most of the core back plus Drew healthy, and has the confidence it can be an elite player in the world of college basketball. At 60-1 odds, you could do a lot worse than taking a flier on Nevada. If the Las Vegas Golden Knights can be a few wins away from hoisting a Stanley Cup trophy, what is stopping Nevada from shocking the college basketball world?