With the NCAA men’s basketball season past the halfway point, it’s time to start studying who could be the champions in March. Getting closer to the tournament, it looks like it could be anyone’s year with only three unbeaten teams remaining in the top 25. Some might think the Arizona Wildcats or the UConn Huskies will run away with March Madness, but that might not be the case. Here are three teams with a great chance to pull off some upsets and become champions.
The Florida Gators are currently ranked 16th on ESPN’s top 25 NCAA men’s college basketball rankings and have been heating up recently. Beating the 15th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores Saturday night, plus the 21st-ranked Georgia Bulldogs, and the formerly 24th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers, within the month, they are on a roll. Now with three wins and three losses against top-25 teams and a 507-475 point differential, they will be a tough team to face come March.
The Gators’ offensive success comes from an array of shooters, with five players averaging over 11.2 points per game, led by Thomas Haugh at 17.4. Not only do they have multiple guys who can score on any given night, but as a team, they are ranked 37th in the country in top-scoring offenses.
Defensively, the Gators are around the middle of the pack, ranking 151st, allowing 72.7 points per game. Something to focus on heavily in the second half of the season. Aside from a weak defense, they have a lethal offense, with center Rueben Chinyelu ranked 7th in the country in rebounds at 10.7 per game, ensuring intense battles.
The Gators won’t beat opponents with three-pointers alone, shooting 27%. They will grind out every game down to the wire, no matter who is on the court against them. With three wins already this year against other top-25 opponents, they are a team to keep an eye on and possibly bet now while they have great value. Currently, they are +1400 to win March Madness according to FanDuel. If you believe in the Gators, bet now while the value is still high.
Another team starting to heat up is the Texas Tech Red Raiders, who are currently ranked 12th in ESPN’s top 25 NCAA men’s college basketball rankings. Most recently beating the 13th-ranked BYU Cougars (84-71) Saturday night, while also beating fifth-ranked Duke back in late December, they are a dangerous team to look out for. Having four losses to other top-25 teams this season may seem concerning, but three were by less than 10 points, proving they can compete in any tough game.
The Red Raiders’ offensive success is very different from others’. While they have four players above 11.4 ppg, they rely heavily on two: JT Toppin (21.6 ppg) and Christian Anderson (19.8 ppg). Shooting lights out isn’t all these two can do, either. Toppin averages 11.2 rebounds per game, and Anderson averages 7.4 assists per game, both ranking fourth in the country in their respective statistics.
On the defensive side, the Red Raiders are also around the middle of the pack, ranking 164th, allowing 73.1 ppg. This is something to work on come March, but individually, they have multiple players creating turnovers. Currently, three players are averaging above 1.2 steals per game: Toppin, Anderson, and Donovan Atwell, and two players are averaging above 1.7 blocks per game: Toppin and Luke Bamgboye.
While there is still work to be done on both sides of the ball, this is a strong unit that fights and can be deadly come tournament time. Having only two wins against other top-25 teams, they are at +6500 odds to win March Madness according to FanDuel. This may seem like a long shot, but with how dominant the Red Raiders have been recently, it could turn out to be lucrative. With a tough schedule still to come, including a rematch with the sixth-ranked Houston Cougars, only time will tell. If you trust them, the best time to bet is now.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs currently rank eighth in ESPN’s top 25 NCAA men’s basketball teams and remain an underdog in many people’s eyes, despite only having one loss. This may be true compared to the Wildcats or the Huskies, but the Bulldogs have compiled four wins over top-25 opponents, outscoring them 361-279. Some will counter with their blowout loss to the Michigan Wolverines (101-61). Every team has an off game, and their resume proves they are a top team to beat.
On the offensive side, the Bulldogs are unique, with only three players averaging over 11.3 ppg, led by Graham Ike at 18.1 ppg. While they are different than most, having only three major scorers, they have one of the deepest units in the country, having seven other players scoring 5.1-8.5 ppg. This may be a different approach than other ranked teams, but it has worked extremely well. They’re ranked 14th in the country in scoring offense, averaging 90.2 ppg.
On the defensive side, they also rank above most, being 31st in the country, allowing only 66.8 ppg. This comes from lockdown defense and an abundance of players creating turnovers. Three players average over 1.3 steals per game, including Mario Saint-Supery, Jalen Warley, and Braeden Smith.
The Bulldogs’ unit has some of the deepest depth of any of the top-ranked teams and will be a tough matchup for any team come March. With one of the easiest schedules in the country remaining, having no ranked opponents until tournament time, the best time to place a bet is now. Currently, they reside at +2200 to win March Madness according to FanDuel, but that will change drastically in a few months.
While many will say the Bulldogs are not an underdog, I thought the same until you look at how the sportsbooks and official sites rank them. At +2200, having only one loss on the year, they are just as good a bet as any other team with one loss. Take advantage of that before someone realizes they are a top talent.
The best bet to get the most in return is to take the Red Raiders at +6500. Definitely the biggest longshot of the group and may seem outrageous at first glance, but when looking deeper into how they are performing, it’s not so far-fetched. I wouldn’t recommend putting the house on the line for them, but it could be very lucrative at the current value.
The Gators might have the worst odds to win big of the group, at +1400, but they have been battle-tested and will be fighting for a championship come March. With a tough schedule still ahead, including three top-25 opponents, as long as they keep winning and remain healthy, this is still a great time to buy in.
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