March Madness is here as the best college basketball teams from across the USA go head-to-head. Duke has established themselves as a favourite in a competitive field.
With the likes of Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach set to star for the Blue Devils at March Madness, they have established themselves as the online sports betting favourites for the NCAA Division I men’s Championship and the most dominant men’s college basketball team.
Auburn, Florida, Houston and Alabama are hot on their tails as other teams to watch at March Madness.
Duke: NCAA March Madness Favourites
Duke (4.43) was one of the teams to watch ahead of the regular season, with star rookies Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach long since expected to be among the top NBA Draft picks.
Flagg has delivered on his star player tag with 19.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He is likely to be the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Knueppel has been sharing the load as far as scoring goes, averaging 13.7. Maluach has been contributing 6.6 rebounds per game and growing into the season as it has progressed.
Duke has a team that looks connected on the court and can share responsibilities and they are expected to have a superb season. As the top-ranked team in the country, the Blue Devils have earned their favourite tag.
Duke’s overall record this season is 29-3 and their 19-1 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) earned them a deserved championship victory.
Auburn
Auburn has been led in points, rebounds and assists by forward John Broome. Chad Baker-Mazara, Miles Kelly, Tahaad Pettiford and Denver Jones have all averaged over 10 points per game. Chaney Johnson has been chipping in with 9.7 points. With a record of 27-4 overall and 15-3 in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), they cannot be written off at March Madness.
Florida
The Florida Gators have been one of the most exciting teams in NCAA Basketball this season. Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu and Thomas Haugh have brought presence in the paint, with Walter Clayton Jr. leading the scoring with 17.5 points per game. Florida has a record of 14-4 in the SEC and 27-4 overall over the course of the season and has arguably not been so strong since the days of Al Horford and Joakim Noah.
Houston
Houston has been one of the most consistently impressive teams in college basketball this season. The Cougars have a 19-1 record in the Big 12 and an overall record of 28-4. They have earned their second-place national ranking. L.J. Cryer and J’Wan Roberts have been the star players in the team and the Cougars are one of the main teams capable of exceeding expectations.
Alabama
Mark Sears has been an outstanding player for the Crimson Tide, averaging 19.2 points and 5.0 assists per game. Bama has been hot on the heels of Auburn and Florida in the SEC. They are second to Kentucky in all-time SEC Championships but have never won a national championship in men’s basketball. This could be a golden opportunity for their first ever.
Conclusion: NCAA Men’s College Basketball Set For Shakeup
After two years of UConn dominance, men’s college basketball now has several teams vying for championship success. Duke are the favourites for the title at March Madness. The Blue Devils will be led by Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach, but there are several other teams to watch.