College Basketball Betting: 5 Key Transfer Portal Additions For National Title Odds

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Written By Eli Hershkovich | Last Updated
college basketball odds

Welcome to the new age of college basketball odds. The transfer portal will give and take like no other, as money is no object, and teams you are fond of will have more turnover than you could have imagined. Let’s assess the most impactful moves, one of which triggered my first wager on 2025 March Madness odds.

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2025 college basketball championship odds

1. Rylan Griffen

New school: Kansas (Kansas Jayhawks +3000 on FanDuel)

Kansas ranked No. 56 in Haslametrics’ adjusted offensive rating in 2023-24, the worst finish in Bill Self’s 21-year run. AJ Storr (Wisconsin), Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State), and Riley Kugel (Florida) will boost that ranking themselves, but the importance of shot gravity and spot-up shooting cannot be ignored.

The Jayhawks addressed this glaring need with Griffen, who transferred in from Alabama after ranking in the 82nd percentile of corner 3-point attempt rate last season (via CBB Analytics). Assuming Johnny Furphy is one-and-done, their roster lacked a single player with an above-average grade in this category before Griffen’s arrival. Thus, Griffen will immediately step in as the top catch-and-shoot option.

That’s significant for Dejaun Harris, an elite distributor, and when defenses collapse on Hunter Dickinson in the low post.

Griffen even shot 64.3% at the rim, a notable bonus for their transition-heavy attack. At 6-foot-6, he is an underrated defensive insertion, locking up RJ Davis in the Crimson Tide’s Sweet 16 upset over North Carolina.

2. Tramon Mark

New school: Texas (Texas Longhorns +20000 on BetMGM)

Mark generated 16.2 points per game on 48% shooting at Arkansas after spending his first three years at Houston. Although the 6-foot-5 guard is only a career 32% perimeter shooter, he’s a dynamic scorer thanks to his prowess at the rim. Mark ranked in the 97th percentile in that regard (per CBB Analytics).

After the Longhorns lost their top four scorers, including two-time transfer Tyrese Hunter, Mark will be an instrumental piece.

He’ll play alongside Indiana State transfer Julian Larry, a more proficient secondary threat who can space out opponents when Mark works out of isolation and pick-and-roll sets. Under now-USC head coach Eric Musselman, Arkansas’ offense showcased similarities to Texas, utilizing spacing and undecorated action to accumulate open looks.

3. Oumar Ballo

New school: Indiana (Indiana Hoosiers +100000 on FanDuel)

Ballo’s physical frame (7 feet and 260 pounds) makes him a load for the opponent. In his second season as a starting center, the Arizona transfer averaged 12.9 points and 10.1 rebounds while shooting 72.3% at the rim (81st percentile). Ballo’s game isn’t versatile, and his free-throw shooting shrunk to a career-worst 49.5% last season. That said, Ballo will undoubtedly fill the void left by incoming NBA draftee Kel’El Ware.

The Hoosiers paired Ballo with Washington State transfer Myles Rice, the Pac-12 Rookie of the Year. The point guard guided Washington State to the NCAA tournament and a second-place finish in the league while notching 14.8 points and 3.8 assists per game.

However, Ballo has struggled to limit turnovers when his teammates are cold from deep. The paint could be clogged if fellow big man Malik Reneau fails to improve his mid-range game. But even if Rice doesn’t refine his shotmaking, Indiana tacked on reinforcements in grad transfer Luke Goode (38.7%) and budding sophomore Kanaan Carlyle (32%).

4. Milos Uzan

New school: Houston (Houston Cougars +1100 on FanDuel)

Uzan delivered 4.7 assists versus 2.1 turnovers per game against Big 12 foes last year. The 6-foot-4 guard started 56 games during his two campaigns with the Sooners and will now aim to replace point guard Jamal Shead.

Granted, Uzan isn’t the powerful scorer that Shead was. He lacks elusive footspeed, tallying a 46% clip at the rim and only occasionally visiting the free-throw line. Two-guard LJ Cryer must reemerge as a primary scorer, which he provided at Baylor, for the Cougars’ offensive efficiency to remain intact.

But Uzan is well-schooled at producing takeaways, supplying 1.5 steals per game, a critical variable in the Cougars’ pressure-centric defense.

5. JP Pegues

New school: Auburn (Auburn Tigers +380 on BetRivers)

Pegues is arguably the most underrated transfer addition yet. After nabbing first-team All-SoCon honors, the 2022 Southern Conference Tournament MVP played his way onto the All-Tournament team. Pegues manufactured 18.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists versus 2.1 turnovers per game.

He ranked in the 93rd percentile of pick-and-roll efficiency, making him a valuable commodity for All-American returnee Johni Broome. He also embraced more primary shot-creation responsibilities in Furman’s five-out, Princeton-centric offense, which employs similar principles to Bruce Pearl’s flex-heavy attack. He’s always been a crisp cutter and a trustworthy spot-up option from deep. His off-the-dribble jumper ranked in the 92nd percentile, to boot.

The 6-foot-1 senior is a career 35.4% perimeter marksman and an ideal replacement at lead guard. With Aden Holloway, Tre Donaldson, and KD Johnson departing, he’ll likely inherit most of the minutes.

The Tigers’ biggest flaw was their inconsistent backcourt, especially in late-game situations. For reference, five of their eight losses came by six points or fewer, including a first-round exit in the NCAA tournament against upset-minded Yale. Holloway, Donaldson, and Johnson combined for a mere 12 points in that matchup, going 1-of-8 from behind the arc.

Along with Pegues, Auburn adds five-star freshman Tahaad Pettiford. With eight seniors returning to the fold, the Tigers can maintain their top-10 adjusted efficiency margin (per Haslametrics). With that in mind, I’ve bet on their title futures yet again.

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