Las Vegas Seems to Like the UK Coaching Change

How much does a coaching change mean at a school like Kentucky? According to the odds makers in Vegas, it makes a tremendous difference. Vegas is already offering the "Odds to Win the 2010 NCAA Championship" and you might be surprised at some of the numbers.

The early picks to win it all next season are the North Carolina Tar Heels and (drum roll) the University of Kentucky Wildcats. Those are the same Wildcats that just missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since I was a freshman in high school. They are the same Wildcats that just lost in the NIT to Notre Dame and then canned Billy Gillispie. The Cats and the Heels are sitting at +500 to win it all in 2010.

The Louisville Cardinals are tied with the Duke Blue Devils at +800. To give an idea of what Vegas thinks about John Calipari, the Memphis Tigers are sitting at +7500 odds to win it all.

I will not list every team that the odds makers are offering, but here are a few teams of interest:

- North Carolina +500

- Kentucky +500

- Louisville +800

- Duke +800

- Kansas +1000

- UCLA +1000

- Alabama +1000 (they like Anthony Grant, as well)

- Michigan St. +1200

- Florida +1500

- West Virgina +1500

- UCONN +1500

- Syracuse +2000

- Tennessee +2000

- Pittsburgh +3000

- LSU +3000

- Memphis +7500

- Indiana +17500