NCAA is still the show of favorites

Based on the attention given to Davidson’s unexpected trip to the Sweet 16, it would seem as if this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament was dominated by upsets.

Think again.

Over the first two rounds of the tournament, favorites covered 31 of 48 games, led by No. 1-seeded teams North Carolina, which defeated its East Regional opponents by an average margin of 35 points, and Kansas, which covered its first two Midwest games with an average winning margin of 21 1/2 points.

Unfortunately for Memphis and UCLA supporters, the same could not be said for the tournament’s other No. 1-seeded teams.

The Tigers, the top-seeded team in the South, were 0-2 against the point spread last weekend.

Memphis defeated Texas Arlington, 87-63, but failed to cover a 25 1/2 -point line, and in the second round, the Tigers were a 9 1/2 -point favorite over Mississippi State and won, 77-74.

The Bruins, the West’s top-seeded team, were 1-1 against the spread in the first two rounds.

UCLA opened the tournament strong, covering a 31 1/2 -point spread with a 70-29 victory over Mississippi Valley State. But in the second round, UCLA did not cover a 9 1/2 -point line in a 51-49 victory over Texas A&M.;

One reason why this year’s tournament has an underdog feel is that 10 of the 17 teams that covered also won the game in the first two rounds.

Note: Every team in the Sweet 16 has won a game as a favorite, even Davidson, which was a slight favorite over Gonzaga in the first round.

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There are 16 teams remaining in the tournament and most oddsmakers have inserted Kansas as the slight favorite to take home the national title.

On Sportsbetting.com’s most recent board, the Jayhawks are listed at 5-2 to win the championship, followed by UCLA and North Carolina at 3-1. Memphis is next at 6-1 with Texas at 8-1.

At Bodoglife.com, Kansas is listed with 7-2 odds, while the Bruins and Tar Heels are still at 3-1. Memphis comes in at 13-2 followed by Texas at 11-1.

Odds have been updated for the regional championships and in the West. UCLA is given 2-5 odds with West Virginia and Xavier listed at 9-2, according to Bodoglife.com.

Pro basketball

The Houston Rockets, who will play as home favorites against Minnesota tonight, are 1-4 against the point spread since they won 22 games in a row.

Houston’s slump should not be a surprise because letdowns are common after long winning streaks in the NBA.

After winning 33 in a row in 1972, the Lakers lost four of their next six games. In 1971, Milwaukee lost five of six games after winning 20 in a row.

Note: The Timberwolves have not played since they defeated the New York Knicks at home Saturday and are 5-1 against the point spread the last six games when they have had three or more days off.

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lonnie.white@latimes.com