This week’s Maui Invitational was pure November Madness and had the feel of a Final Four, well, even more than some March Madness Final Fours with a quartet of top-ranked teams going against one another.
Last year’s Final Four in Houston included a No. 4 seed, two No. 5s and a No. 9, the first time in tournament history that at least one team seeded 1-3 didn’t make it to the Final Four.
That won’t happen this time, and if the selection committee will anoint the following four teams No. 1 seeds, the 2024 Tournament in Arizona will mark the second time that all four No. 1 teams made it to the Final Four.
Let’s take an early look at the possible teams that we think will fill the 2024 March Madness bracket, in case you’re thinking of betting some futures at the best NCAAB betting sites.
Final Four – Connecticut Huskies
Defending champs have failed to make it to the Sweet 16 in each of the last six tournaments, but the Huskies are going to change that this time and have a legitimate shot at becoming the first champion to repeat since the 2006-07 Florida Gators.
Dan Hurley lost some offense from last year’s championship squad, but the Huskies have still managed to pick up where they left off. Connecticut is a rebounding machine with Alex Karaban and Donovan Clingan in the paint, and the addition of Cam Spencer, a transfer from Rutgers, has blended nicely in the backcourt with senior Tristen Newton and Stephon Castle.
The Big East schedule is going to be tough enough for a UConn team priced around +1400 to repeat at top sportsbooks, but the nonconference slate will prepare the Huskies well.
Final Four – Houston Cougars
Houston was one of the four No. 1 seeds knocked out before the Elite Eight last season, and that will serve as motivation for Kelvin Sampson and the Cougars this time around.
This is one of the most tenacious, in-your-face squads in the nation, and the Cougars showed that at the Charleston Classic where they brushed aside a pesky Dayton team for the title. Houston covered the NCAAB odds in two of the three wins, and the intensity on defense was incredible.
The Cougars aren’t a big team, but the backcourt duo of LJ Cryer and Jamal Shead play big. The Big 12 could make a case for having three No. 1 seeds in Houston, Kansas and Texas.
Final Four – Arizona Wildcats
Speaking of the Big 12, while the conference is taking a step back on the gridiron next year with the subtraction of Texas, the league will still be strong on the hardwood with the addition of Arizona.
Tommy Lloyd would love to make it a memorable exit from the Pac-12, and there is every reason to believe the Wildcats will do just that.
The transfer portal brought in Caleb Love from UNC, Keshad Johnson from San Diego State and Jaden Bradley from Alabama. We’ll get to see what Arizona is capable of in December with consecutive games vs. Purdue, Alabama and Florida Atlantic.
Final Four – Purdue Boilermakers
Speaking of Purdue, the Boilermakers won the aforementioned Maui Invitational and should be a popular college basketball pick all season. It all starts with reigning Naismith Player of the Year Zach Edey.
While it starts with Edey, it doesn’t end with Edey with Matt Painter having a solid cast surrounding his 7-foot-4 center. Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer are joined in the backcourt by Southern Illinois transfer Lance Jones to make for what should be an exciting inside-outside game that will be tough for opponents to defend.
Purdue took down Gonzaga, Tennessee and Marquette in three successive days to make a case for being No. 1 in the polls right now. The Boilermakers still have dates with Alabama and Arizona coming up before the Big Ten slate. The contest against Alabama will be played in Toronto where a bunch of Edey fans will be cheering their local kid.
And The Rest…
- Marquette – Big East
- Alabama – SEC
- Texas – Big 12
- Kansas – Big 12
- Miami-FL – ACC
- Creighton – Big East
- Duke – ACC
- Gonzaga – WCC
- Tennessee – SEC
- Southern Cal – Pac-12
- Baylor – Big 12
- UCLA – Pac-12
- San Diego State – Mountain West
- Kentucky – SEC
- Michigan State – Big Ten
- Florida Atlantic – AAC
- Arkansas – SEC
- North Carolina – ACC
- Texas A&M – SEC
- Maryland – Big Ten
- Villanova – Big East
- Auburn – SEC
- Illinois – Big Ten
- Virginia – ACC
- Xavier – Big East
- Colorado – Pac-12
- St. John’s – Big East
- Kansas State – Big 12
- Mississippi State – SEC
- Providence – Big East
- TCU – Big 12
- Wisconsin – Big Ten
- Duquesne – A10
- Clemson – ACC
- NC State – ACC
- Dayton – A10
- Liberty – CUSA
- Memphis – AAC
- Saint Mary’s – WCC
- Yale – Ivy
- James Madison – Sun Belt
- Drake – Missouri Valley
- Akron – MAC
- UC-Santa Barbara – Big West
- Vermont – American East
- Furman – Southern
- Colgate – Patriot
- Charleston – CAA
- Stephen F. Austin – WAC
- Weber State – Big Sky
- South Dakota State – Summit
- UNC-Asheville – Big South
- Northern Kentucky – Horizon
- Eastern Kentucky – ASUN
- Howard – MEAC
- McNeese State – Southland
- Morehead State – OVC
- Rider – MAAC
- Wagner – NE
- Grambling State – SWAC
