Exciting matchups are happening in college football due to new conference alignments in the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC, causing chaos in the National Championship standings.
Even so, it’s not too soon to start thinking about the upcoming college basketball season.
The defending champions, the UConn Huskies, still hail from the Big East, making them one of the few teams outside the Power 4 to compete regularly at elite levels in college hoops.
Can they (or any other teams not in the Power 4) win a national championship this year?
Take a look at our thoughts as you consider your sports betting options.
Can Any Teams Outside the Power 4 Win the National Championship?
In the 2023 Final Four, three non-Power 4 teams competed: San Diego State (now in the new Pac-12), previously in the Mountain West Conference, and Florida Atlantic from Conference USA.
UConn was part of the Big East. Miami (FL), from the ACC, was the only Power 5 (before the collapse of the Pac-12) team to make the national semifinal.
In 2024, things were tougher for teams outside the Power 5.
San Diego State, Houston, Marquette, Creighton, and Gonzaga made the Sweet 16, but only UConn advanced to the Elite Eight and ultimately won the championship.
^Gonzaga Bulldogs National Championship Lines +1825
Going into 2024-25, Gonzaga has emerged once again as a contender outside the Power 4.
They’ll be moving to the somewhat reconstructed Pac-12, but this year they will play in the West Coast Conference again.
They went 27-8 and advanced to the Sweet 16 last season – as they have for each season dating back to 2015.
Gonzaga have Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman and Graham Ike returning, and scorer Michael Ajayi is transferring in from Pepperdine. So on paper, they have the talent to make a national championship run.
However, as I’ve argued for the last several seasons, Gonzaga’s conference schedule doesn’t prepare them to compete in an elite 64-team bracket.
They basically spend two and a half months playing a conference schedule that only has one real competitor in Saint Mary’s (CA).
BYU also used to play basketball in the WCC while their football team remained independent, but the Cougars are now in the Big 12.
With only one real foil in conference play, the Bulldogs spend a lot of time playing easy opponents, so having to win six increasingly tough games over three weekends has proven to be too tough an order to fill.
^Feelin’ right at home 🏠 pic.twitter.com/jQ7bgBBr9f
— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) October 6, 2024
Grand Canyon Lopes +20000
In 2023-24, Grand Canyon University went 30-5 and advanced to the NCAA tournament for a first time.
They only made it to the second round, but they pushed Alabama hard in that game – a Crimson Tide team that would make it all the way to the Final Four.
WAC Player of the Year Tyon Grant-Foster is back to lead the roster this year.
He thought about entering the NBA draft after last season, but he opted not to hire an agent so he could keep his options open, and he is back for this season.
They may face a similar problem to Gonzaga – not getting enough competition in WAC play to prepare for the Big Dance.
^Boise State Broncos National Championship Lines +17000
The Broncos went 22-11 and thrived in a Mountain West Conference that was one of the more exciting basketball leagues in the nation.
One of their more interesting early-season games this year will feature the Broncos against WCC team Saint Mary’s in Idaho Falls.
Tyson Degenhart returns as a two-time All-MWC 1st Team selection. O’Mar Stanley excels in rim defense and will alter plenty of shots at the rim.
^Saint Mary’s Gaels +7000
The Gaels is the other tournament-quality team in the WCC. They got Augustas Marciulionis and Mitchell Saxen back from last year’s solid roster.
Ashton Hardaway (Memphis) and Paulius Marauskas (Arizona) have transferred in; Marauskas will bolster the team’s rim defense and rebounding, while Hardaway brings both solid ball handling and outside shooting.
^UConn Huskies +840
The Huskies has emerged as such a solid program that head coach Dan Hurley turned down an offer to coach the Los Angeles Lakers.
Hassan Diarra was one of the best guards coming off the bench last season, and he won the Big East Sixth Man Award.
In 2024-25, he should be the starting point guard. Aidan Mahaney transferred in from Saint Mary’s, where he averaged 13.9 points per game as the shooting guard.
^Dayton Flyers +17000
Dayton lost All-American forward Da’Ron Holmes, but there still aren’t any more talented rosters in the Atlantic 10.
The Flyers now have forward Nate Santos stepping into Holmes’ role after averaging 11.7 points and 6.3 boards per game last season.
The Flyers made it to the second round of the Big Dance last year, and starting guard Enoch Cheeks and Javon Bennett both return as well.
^Nevada Wolf Pack +28000
Another one of the most exciting MWC teams last year was Nevada. Steve Alford coached the Wolf Pack to its second NCAA Tournament appearance in a row.
Top scorers Kenan Blackshear and Jarod Lucas are gone, but Tre Coleman, Nick Davidson and K.J. Hymes combined to average over 26 points a game.
Davidson also led the Wolf Pack in rebounds with 7.3 per game. Kobe Sanders was a terrific scorer for Cal Poly last year, and now he’s joining a roster with real depth.
^Colorado State Rams +32000
The Rams was another MWC rabble-rouser last year, and forward Nique Clifford is back in Fort Collins for another season.
He’s on the short list of favorites for MWC Player of the Year after a finish to last season when he picked up at least nine boards per game over the last seven contests of the year, including three double-doubles.
Jalen Lake was a solid bench contributor last year and should start this season. Keshawn Williams transferred in from Northern Illinois after an injury-marred season, but he does have an All-MAC plaque from a couple of years ago at NIU.
^Loyola Chicago Ramblers +32000
In case you were wondering, Sister Jean is still thriving at Loyola-Chicago, attending every home basketball game. They started 2023-24 slowly but went 15-3 after the New Year.
A tough loss to St. Bonaventure in the Atlantic 10 tournament meant that there would be no March Madness appearance, but things look bright this season.
Des Watson, who averaged 12.6 points per game, is back, and so is big man Miles Rubin, who was the Ramblers’ top rebounder and shot over 66 percent from the floor.
Justin Moore transferred in from Drexel after winning All-CAA honors as a guard who can drain shots from downtown.
^VCU Rams National Championship Lines +36000
Virginia Commonwealth went 24-14 last year, although a slump down the stretch meant that they needed to win the Atlantic 10 tournament to get into the Big Dance.
They made all the way to the tournament final before falling short.
They did get to the quarterfinals of the NIT, and their top scorers are all back – Max Shulga (14.0), Joe Bamisile (13.1) and Zeb Jackson (11.4).
They also have Philip Russell in as a transfer – he has an All-Ohio Valley Conference plaque from his time at Southeast Missouri.
^2024-25 Big 12 Basketball tier list 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TUMmbIy3pA
— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) October 4, 2024
Live Betting Odds For Regular Season 2024/25
Xbet College Basketball Odds for the Game
NCAAB National Championship: Power 4 & Oher Teams
Love betting Basketball? | Xbet Sportsbook offers up to date College Basketball lines
