NCAA Basketball Seasons Ready To Roar For Men And Women

We have gone from the NBA Finals in June, a great Olympic basketball tournament, a WNBA renaissance, and a first championship for the New York Liberty, back to the NBA. Now, college basketball is just a weekend away from starting its new season.

A great year for basketball is about to get better. 

Odds to Win Men’s 2024-25 National Championship

UConn (+900)

They are the back-to-back National Champions, and they are gunning for more. This team continues to be loaded offensively, but defensively they will miss Donovan Clingan, who is now with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Huskies are +130 to win the Big East, with Creighton predicted to be their toughest competition.

Duke (+1000)

It’s been 10 seasons since Duke won the National Championship, which is their longest title drought since they won their first in 1991. Along with watching Duke to see if they can get back on top, we’ll be looking at freshman sensation Cooper Flagg, who doesn’t even turn 18 until December. 

This past year, Flagg was Mr. Basketball USA, the Gatorade National Player of the Year, and the Naismith Prep Player of the Year. Now, he leads one of the true blue bloods of college basketball.

Alabama (+1000)

With the No. 1 offense in the country last year, Alabama played in its first Final Four. They should still score at will this season, and with bigger bodies in the paint, the Crimson Tide should also play better defense. Will it be good enough for a Final Four return? The odds of a trip to San Antonio in April pay +240.

Kansas (+1000)

In 2022, the Kansas Jayhawks cut down the nets at the Final Four. In each of the last two seasons, they failed to get past the NCAA Tournament’s second round. And last season, in the biggest surprise of all, they fell to fifth place in the Big 12.

This season, they should be better. They are favored to win the Big 12 at +220, in large part because unlike last season, this year’s team is deep.

Houston (+1500)

If Kansas doesn’t win the Big 12 regular season title, Houston probably will. They are the second betting favorite to win the conference at +280. The Cougars are the fifth betting favorite to be in the Final Four (+275), a feat they last accomplished in 2021. In each of the last two years, Houston was knocked out in the Sweet Sixteen.

Gonzaga (+1800)

Gonzaga is experienced, led by one of the best coaches in the country, and they face very little resistance in the West Coast Conference. They are overwhelming -350 favorites to win the conference, and they are paying +360 to be in the Final Four.

North Carolina (+1800)

North Carolina is expected to give Duke a little bit of a run in the ACC, with a bet on the Tar Heels to win the conference paying +360. They are +400 to make it back to the Final Four three years after losing in the championship game to Kansas.

Odds to Win Women’s 2024-25 National Championship

South Carolina (+180)

As long as Dawn Staley is the head coach at South Carolina, the Gamecocks will be in the championship hunt. South Carolina won in 2017, 2022, and 2024, and they are big favorites to win again in 2025. Staley is lacking the post presence she had in Kamila Cardosa last season (now with the Chicago Sky of the WNBA). But she has no shortage of great scorers from the outside.

USC (+450)

Sophomore JuJu Watkins is the favorite to win Player of the Year, and with the Pac-12 going away this season, Watkins is joined at USC by transfers Kiki Iriafen from Stanford and Talia von Oelhoffen from Oregon State. USC also landed the No. 1 ranked recruiting class this season.

Watkins finished second in scoring in the nation last season, and with Caitlin Clark now in the pros, Watkins becomes Clark’s heir apparent.

UConn (+450)

Connecticut has been undone by injuries in recent seasons, but when healthy, this might be the most talented team in the country. If Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd stay healthy, there is no other backcourt that can compare, and there is no reason to think they won’t return to the Final Four for a 25th time.

Texas (+650)

Texas hasn’t been to the Final Four since 2003. But a season ago, the Longhorns won a school-record 35 games, and they made it to the Elite Eight before losing to North Carolina State. Rori Harmon was limited to just 12 games last season before she went down with an injury in December. A full season of her, and a first season in the SEC, has the fans in Austin with high expectations.

Notre Dame (+700)

Notre Dame won 28 games last season and made it to the Sweet 16, and there is an expectation in South Bend that this year will be even better. They added transfers Liza Karlen (17.7 ppg) and Liatu King (18.7), and they have the ACC Preseason Player of the Year in Hannah Hidalgo. They also landed the No. 5 recruit in the country, forward Kate Koval.