The UConn Huskies established themselves as one of the greatest college basketball teams ever Monday night, throttling Purdue and winning their 12th consecutive NCAA Tournamentꦡ game by at leas🔥t 13 points.
But the Huskies won’t look the same next season.
While head coach Dan Hurley has ensured fans he won’t be leaving Storrs, we still don’t know what the (perhaps monster) contract offer from Kentucky will look like.
The Huskies are 💎still close to the top🍸 of the oddsboards to pull off a three-peat.
Howe🅷ver, Kansas and Duke are listed with shorter odds.&nb🔯sp;
Let’s dive into some of the favorites a🎀longside the team I’m watching closely i♈n the early offseason markets.
2025 NCAA Men’s March Madness odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Duke | +1100 |
| Kansas | +1200 |
| UConn | +1500 |
| Alabama | +1500 |
| North Carolina | +1500 |
| Houston | +1500 |
| Arizona | +2000 |
| Rutgers | +3000 |
| Baylor | +3000 |
| Kentucky | +3000 |
| Purdue | +3000 |
| Gonzaga | +3000 |
| Tennessee | +3600 |
| Texas | +3600 |
The favorite
Many of the top Duke (11/1) players from this season’s Elite ജEight squad could move on. I don’t expect Kyle Filipowski to return.
However, sharpshooting freshman guard Jared McCain could still return alongside backcourt m🔥ates Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster,ℱ and Jeremy Roach could use his fifth-year option.
If they all return, they’d be pai♊r🉐ed with the most exciting high school prospect in a decade.
For good reason, Cooper ꦰFlagg is the consensus top overall prospect from the 20🐻24 class.
He’s an elite two-way player with a high𝄹 IQ.
His offensive footwork and ওshooting skills give him a high three-level scoring floor, but his playmaking and passing skills offer a point-forwa💖rd upside.
Meanwhile, he’s a tremendous off-ball defender and rim protector who cꦯan block two or three shots per game.&nbs🦋p;
I’m seeing shades of C𓄧het Holmgren but with arguably more athleticism.&ℱnbsp;
Jon Scheyer also recruited a top-five prospect in Khaman Maluach to playꦬ alongside Flagg in the frontcou💫rt.
The Blue 🧜Devils will be as talented as ever, but I’m waiting to see what happens with McCain and Roach before investing. If the Blue Devils return both, Duke will boast a dominant backcourt and frontcourt.
Other top contenders
Kansas (+1200), UConn (+1500), Alabama (+1500), North Carolina (+1500), Houston (+1500) and Arizona (+2000) a🔴ll have relatively short odds ꧅in the markets.
None of these teams entice me.
Among this group, Housto🔴n is the most interesting.&꧅nbsp;
Four of its five starters have confirmed they will return, led by guard LJ Cryer and for🌳wards J’Wan Roberts and JaVier Francis. Kelvin Sampson has the personnel to run his domi🍌nant ball-screen blitz defense.
If Jamal Sh🔯ead decides to return, the Cougars would be the preseaso🌳n top overall team and likely worth a wager. ;
Teams to Buy Now
Gonzaga (+3000) is currently undervalued.
After a somewhat shaky start, Mark Few built chemistry with his group, turning the Bulldogs back into an unstoppable offense through Ryan Nembhard’s ball-screen sets and Gra🦄ham Ike’s post-play.
Even better, Ike became one of the nation’🐓s best interior def⛎enders, leading a defense that ranked among the top 10 nationally in most interior defensive metrics.
Four of G🐭onzaga’s five starters will return for the upcoming season, giving Few extra time for chemistry and development. They built momentum, and the Bulldogs are primed to build on their excellent second h💜alf.
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Ben Gregg’s improvement offers tremendous upside. He played like an All-American down th𝓰e stretch, bringing extra fireᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚpower to the Zags with his floor-spacing, shooting and pinpoint passing. The Zags could space the floor and move the ball much better with an improved Gregg, and he may improve more.
Adding Michael Ajayi from Pepperdine gives Few more shot creation and dribble penetration – Ajayi averaged 17 points per game at Pepperdine – anܫd getting sharpshooting wing Steele Venters back from his season-ending injury gives Gonzaga some much-needed 3-and-D depth.
If Few can adequately replace Anton Watson while snagging some extra depth in the portal, the Bulldogs will be deadly.&nbs💫p;
They’re currently priced as the 12th-best team, but ESPN and 247’s way-too-early top-25 rankings have the Zags as the nation’s second-best s💧quad.
I’m also somewhat interested in Iowa State (+4000).
TJ Otzleberger built the nation’s best defense in Ames, using a ball-screen blitz and no-middle combinati🌊on to stifle defenses at the point of attack anꦍd point-blank range.
While anchor Rob Jones won’t return, Otzleberger should find forwards to step up – the Cyclones’ defense is more about scheme thꦇan players. Specifically, I’d look toward Charlotte transfer Dishon Jackson to help fill that role.
Meanwhile, superstar point✤ guard Tamin Lipsey shou💜ld return, and he’s primed for significant improvements following a monster freshman season.
A great defense and excellent point guard is a wi🙈nning combination.
Returning Keshon Gilbert at the other guard spot is massive, and꧒ returning Milan Momcilovic while bringing in transfer Northern Iowa Nate Heise helps theꦗ Cyclones’ wing depth.
I thin🔴k Iowa State is a top-10 team as currently constructed, yet the Cyclones are priced closer to 🅘the nation’s 15th-best team.
I’d closely watch Cyclone futures, especially if senior Curtis Jones returns ꩲfor a fifth collegiate season, creating a deadly backcourt trio.
