It’s that time of the year people. The focus of basketball passionate people is now shifting towards college basketball. The NBA season is reaching its climax too, but when it comes to the games being played in March, the NCAA has the advantage. This part of the year is not called the march madness for no reason. There’s a reason and a pretty good one – the NCAA playoffs are something else when it comes to basketball. It is a long-standing tradition that the best of the best when it comes to college basketball meet each other during this time to determine who is the best for the ongoing season.
The young players from all over the states come to make the best possible impression and win the whole thing. For many of them, their future career and not only a playoff win are on the line. Many of the players you’ll see on stage during March are future NBA superstars. Most of them have the highest of aspirations to play for the best teams in the best league in the world. And you can be sure that teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, or Brooklyn Nets will have their scouts at these games looking for their future superstar. But, let’s talk more about the present, and let us see together who is the favorite to win the NCAA men’s basketball championship in 2024. If you want to spice things up, you can bet on the winner or separate games. You can check sites such as BetUS as they offer good odds for the upcoming games.
Who Is In?
First, let’s see the teams that are going to compete for the title. One thing is essential to notice when it comes to this tournament. The fact that your team is favored doesn’t mean they’ll win it. No, not even by a long shot is something guaranteed at this tournament. Let us remind you once again. There’s a reason why this tournament is called March Madness. We’re going to single out our favorite later on, but for now, let’s see which teams shave qualified for the final tournament. You’ll see some powerhouse names here, and some smaller programs. But, remember there’s no place for discrimination here.
No, every team has a chance no matter how slim it is. It all starts with a selection of 68 teams. We’re not going to list them all. No, instead we’re going to focus on the teams with the biggest chances of winning the whole thing. The teams that stand out in this year’s tournament are Gonzaga, Kentucky, Arizona, Auburn, Purdue, Kansas, Baylor, Duke, UCLA, Villanova, and Houston among other big names. We could also mention teams such as Texas Tech, Michigan, Ohio State, LSU, or Notre Dame, all of which are wildcards at this tournament and could reach far. Now let’s switch to a group of a few selected teams that have a chance to go for the whole thing. Let’s start with Gonzaga.
Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Bulldogs lost the last year’s final, but they’re still favored to win it, even after last year’s defeat in the hands of Baylor. Furthermore, they’ve lost some big names compared to the team they brought out in the final in 2024. Gonzaga will be without the help of Jalen Suggs, who was drafted by the Orlando Magic. He was the fifth overall selection of last year’s NBA draft. His teammates Corey Kispert, and Joel Ayayi both went to DC where they play for Washington Wizards and their G-League team Capital City Go-Go respectively. But, even without these three massive college superstars of the past, they’re +500 favorites to win the whole thing. Last year’s loss was a fluke and the organization wants to make things right. Their hopes and aspirations now lie on the backs of Drew Timme and Chet Holmgren.
Auburn Tigers
The Tigers are the second-best team in the nation when it comes to collegiate basketball. Their odds stand at +900 and they have a real go at the title. Not so long ago they were the No1 ranked team in the US, only to fall behind Gonzaga after their second loss of the season. At the moment their score is 23-2, and you surely can understand their excitement of the things that lie ahead. Last year they lost Sharife Cooper and JT Thor to the NBA. This year their needles in the attack are Jabari Smith and K.D. Johnson averaged 15.2 points and 13.0 points per game respectively. Under the rim, other teams need to fear Walker Kessler who averaged 8.5 rebounds on the season.
Kentucky Wildcats
The only team that the Wildcats look in the back are the Auburn Tigers. The Kentucky powerhouse stands at 19-4 at the moment, and are +1000 favorites to end up the winners after the March Madness ends. If you’re a betting man, these are great odds to cover for a team with a genuine chance at the title. You can try out your luck. As we said, Wildcats have a real shot, and no wonder things are like that considering they’re led by the amazing duo of Oscar Tshiebwe who averages 16.2 points and 15.3 rebounds per game, leading the team in both categories, and Sahvir Wheeler who averages 7.1 assists per game, making him the creative force behind the team’s success. They’re doing just fine for themselves considering that players such as Isaiah Jackson, Brandon Boston Jr, and Charles Bassey left the ream for the NBA last year.
Purdue Boilermakers
Boilermakers make a strong case for the NCAA title when the tournament ends seeing how their offense works. They’re like clockwork averaging 82.6 points per match. No other team comes close, and it’s all thanks to Jaden Ivey Trevion Williams and Zach Edey who are putting up some serious numbers this year. These three are responsible for more than 50% of all points scored by the Boilermakers through the season. Their offense might be on a powerhouse level, but at the same time, they’re lacking playmakers on the defense. What they’re lacking on the defense is Nojel Eastern who is no longer on the team. He was their best defender last year being able to guard all five positions. Because of all of the above, their odds stand at +1000. They are a dark horse for the title considering they lost less talent to the NBA compared to the other favorites.
