2024 NCAA Tournament Edition Title Odds
The time is finally here: the NCAA College Basketball Tournament is ready to go! The brackets are out, people across the country will soon be trying to figure out who Stetson is and all will be rushing to figure out who the annual 5-12 game upset will be. Here’s a look at the Top Four teams in each region and one potential upset team.
East Region
The defending National Champion UConn Huskies are the top seed but their road to the Final Four has plenty of obstacles. Here are the top four seeds in the East..
UConn (+450)
Iowa State (+1600)
Illinois (+3000)
Auburn (+1400)
Long Shot: UAB (+1600)
This is the Huskies’ region to lose. They are talented, have a championship pedigree, and look stronger than last year’s National Championship team. The team that appears to be their biggest threat in this region is #4 Auburn. The Tigers have the most depth in the region and the SEC Champions are aggressive on both ends of the floor. Watch out for UAB to pull off an upset or two. Their guards are aggressive and can take over a game.
South Region
The Houston Cougars are the top seed in the South. They were trounced by Iowa State in the Big 12 final but they still are going to be a tough out in this region.
Houston (+500)
Marquette (+2500)
Kentucky (+2200)
Duke (+2500)
Long Shot: Florida (+6000)
Iowa State showed that the Cougars are most vulnerable to hot-shooting teams. Of the top four teams, Kentucky and Marquette seem the most capable of having a hot-shooting night against the relentless Cougars. Florida, as a 7th-seed, may be the most dangerous team to the Cougars. Even after losing starting center Micah Handlogten to a gruesome leg injury for the season, the Gators have depth and excellent guard play.
West Region
North Carolina has gone from being ranked #1 at the start of last season, to missing the NCAA Tournament altogether, to now returning as a #1 seed. This might be the most competitive conference of the four and I have five teams that could come away with the regional crown.
UNC (+1200)
Arizona (+1200)
Baylor (+3500)
Alabama (+4000)
Long Shot: Clemson (10,000)
UNC deserves the #1 seed and will have a rebounding edge and an experience edge over the rest of the region. The team that perhaps poses the biggest threat is the Crimson Tide. They can rebound with the Tar Heels and can put up points in bunches. Despite an early exit in the ACC Tournament, Clemson has a lot of the attributes needed to be a tourney threat.
Midwest Region
The Boilermakers return as a #1 seed again this season and hope to avoid another early exit. Teams with quality guard play have given them fits and this region has that in droves.
Purdue (+700)
Tennessee (+1800)
Creighton (+2500)
Kansas (+4000)
Longshot: South Carolina (+12,000)
I’m not a believer in the Boilermakers. They have a really hard time with teams that feature their guards as primary scorers as shown by the likes of Nebraska and Ohio State. Kansas just isn’t deep enough to win it all but they can give Purdue issues in the Sweet 16. Tennessee looks like the best candidate to come out of this region. They were flat in the SEC tourney but they are the most complete team on both ends. South Carolina can defend with anyone and, if they are knocking down shots, watch out!
In parenthesis, the odds to win the National Title in 2024. All odds Courtesy of Draftkings.com.
By Mark Ruelle