We are now entering the halfway point of the 2023-24 men’s college basketball season and conference play is underway. Every year, people fill out their brackets, read up on team analytics and tell their friends what dark horse team they have to win the national championship. While correctly guessing the March Madness tournament is virtually impossible to perfect, let’s look at which teams currently appear to be favorited to win the 2024 NCAA March Madness tournament and others that could make surprise runs.
Heavy Favorites
UConn Huskies- Adama Sanogo, Jordan Hawkins and Andre Jackson Jr., all part of UConn’s 2023 championship campaign, departed for the NBA Draft in the offseason. Dan Hurley’s Huskies won the tournament last year with an impressive offense, beating opponents by an average of 20 points. Their only losses this year are to Kansas and Seton Hall, and they have seven Quad 1 wins, tied for the most in the country. The Huskies limit teams to 43.1% shooting and have one of the highest block rates in college basketball. With the help of point guard Tristen Newton and what looks to be the transfer portal addition of the year Cam Spencer, the Huskies could be the first team to win back-to-back titles since the 2007 Florida Gators. Sophomore center Donovan Clingan is slowly getting back to speed after missing some time with a nagging foot injury. Clingan is widely known for his exceptional rim protection, and if he can stay healthy and have other starters like Alex Karaban, Stephon Castle, Hassan Diarra and Samson Johnson continue their strong play, they will be a difficult team to beat in the tournament.
Purdue Boilermakers- Massive center Zach Edey is having another exceptional season and has improved his efficiency. The Boilermakers have defeated five top-25 teams. Purdue choked and lost to the 16-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round last year. Game planning for the 7-foot-4 center will be challenging enough for teams, and when you add that they’re one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, Purdue will be a tough out. In the last couple years, the Boilermakers have been good enough to win the national championship but faltered early. Anything short of the Final Four this time around will be another year of “what could have been” and disappointment for head coach Matt Painter.
North Carolina Tar Heels- Following a disappointing season that saw UNC miss the tournament, the Tar Heels are back on track to enter this week as the No. 3 ranked team in the country. They are 8-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play and have an overall record of 16-3. Head coach Hubert Davis is getting his team back to their Carolina winning basketball formula. Two years ago, the Heels lost in the national championship and are making a case for why they could get back to that stage. This team is constantly improving, has an impressive resume and hasn’t played their “best basketball” yet. Senior guard RJ Davis leads the ACC, averaging 20.4 points per game with a three-point percentage of 41.9%. With the help of senior forward Armando Bacot, who averages 10.3 rebounds per game, and freshman guard Elliot Cadeau’s passing prowess, the Tar Heels will be a tough team to beat in the bracket.
Auburn Tigers- Moving to 5-0 in Southeastern Conference play, the Tigers are an athletic team, with KenPom ranking them high in offense and defense metrics. Teams that fall in the top 40 in offense and top 22 in defense for efficiency are considered title contenders. The Tigers fall in the top 10 in both adjusted offense and defense. Head coach Bruce Pearl has led the Tigers to two SEC regular-season titles and one Final Four appearance in the last five seasons. The Tigers are in search of their first Quad 1 win despite leading the SEC. Dominant big Johni Broome and point -guard Aden Holloway’s biggest tests will be in February when the Tigers face two tough SEC juggernauts in the No. 6 Kentucky Wildcats and No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers.
Cinderella Teams
Indiana State- Led by former Division II coach Josh Schertz, the Sycamores are a sleeper team that may pave their way into the tournament. After a tough loss to MVC conference team Drake, their offense remains one of the most slept on in Division I basketball. Helping towards a KenPom ranking at 43, Southern Indiana transfer Isaiah Swope and South Florida transfer Ryan Conwell have been excellent and efficient.
Princeton Tigers– Princeton shocked the college basketball world last year, making it to the Sweet 16 as a 15-seed. We could see the Tigers shake up the tournament and make some noise again, averaging 78.7 points per game with an effective field goal percentage of 56.7%. Keep an eye out for sophomore guard Xaivian Lee and forward Caden Pierce, who lead their team in scoring and rebounding.
McNeese State Cowboys– A college basketball fan’s dream is a no-name team that could disrupt the bracket. Led by former LSU head coach Will Wade, the Cowboys have a 15-2 record and have collected huge wins over VCU and Michigan. TCU transfer Shahada Wells leads the team with 19.7 points per game, and UTSA transfer DJ Richard, alongside other transfers, have chipped in for what could be a well-rounded 12-seed. With a KenPom ranking at No. 87, the Cowboys could wreck brackets.
More on March Madness
There are other teams that could make a surprise run in winning it all. If Arizona can overcome struggles against centers and maintain their top-10 offense and defense, they have the potential to make a run. Duke hasn’t reached their full potential and could challenge rival North Carolina for the ACC title. Kansas has a lack of depth, but with freshman Johnny Furphy and Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson, they should be considered too.
The 2024 March Madness tournament will be an unpredictable one with top contenders and potential Cinderella stories. Last year was one of the most exciting tournaments with a ton of upsets. Expect this year to be even more exciting.