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NCAA Basketball: Top major conference future bets for 2019-20 season

By Ben Cary

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 12: The Louisville Cardinals bench reacts during a win against the North Carolina Tar Heels at the Dean Smith Center on January 12, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Louisville won 83-62. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 12: The Louisville Cardinals bench reacts during a win against the North Carolina Tar Heels at the Dean Smith Center on January 12, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Louisville won 83-62. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Conference Future Bets
LAHAINA, HI – NOVEMBER 20: Ayo Dosunmu #11 of the Illinois Fighting Illini sets up to defend Nick Weiler-Babb #1 of the Iowa State Cyclones during the first half of the game at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 20, 2018 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /

Illinois 20/1 (to win the Big Ten)

I gave out Illinois at 100/1 in my Futures’ odds write-up in September and they make my list for the conference future bets. Illinois is a team to keep your eye on all year led by 6-foot-5-inch guard Ayo Dosunmu, who put up a stat line of 13.8 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 3.3 APG in his freshman season last year.

Michigan State has odds of 3/2 to win the Big Ten and if you were to ask me who I think will win it between Illinois and Michigan State, odds aside, I would say Michigan State. But Illinois at 20/1 is a value pick and this would be my advice here.

The ceiling is high for this Illinois but the question remains- Will head coach, Brad Underwood get this team there this season? I really do believe the market is undervaluing this Illinois team as they aren’t on a lot of people’s radar. They were on a few AP voters’ radar, as they received 14 votes but didn’t crack the top-25 in the first AP poll. I expect the Illini to crack the top 25 once the season gets underway and to compete with Michigan State for a Big Ten Conference regular-season title.

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