On Monday, the UConn Huskies became the first back-to-back Men’s D1 Basketball National Champions in almost two decades, beating the Purdue Boilermakers 75-60 in Glendale, Arizona.
The Huskies matched the exploits of the Jakim Noah-led 2007 Florida Gators with their back-to-back wins. They also became just the fourth team to win six or more National Titles, joining an elite list alongside UCLA (11), Kentucky (8), and North Carolina (6).
2024 NCAA Tournament Recap
UConn’s dominance in this tournament was exceptional. They breezed their way to a 15-point win in the final, a game they were barely threatened in. This meant that they won their tournament games by an average margin of 23.3 points, a stunning number given the level of competition we see in college basketball today.
The Huskies were helped by some big names falling early. Kentucky failed to get out of the first weekend (again), while Kansas looked great at points this season. However, their tournament bid was derailed before it started, thanks to major injuries to key players at the worst time of the season.
See above for Houston, too, as one of the best and most consistent teams this year lost the Big 12 Player of the Year in their Sweet 16 when Jamal Shead went down with an ankle injury.
Top 2024 NBA Draft Eligible Prospects
More players are declaring for the draft daily. Uconn’s Donovan Clingan just announced his draft intentions, with the 7-foot-2 sophomore expected to be a lottery pick.
Shead has also declared for the draft, along with Bronny James. With LeBron’s son leaving USC to test the waters in the pros, James will bring the most interest to the draft.
Expect a couple of Kentucky Wildcats to hear their names called early in Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard, while the No. 1 overall pick might be a man who never played college ball. Alexandre Sarr is a French 7-footer who played with the Perth Wildcats in Australia’s NBL this season. It is hard to see anyone else going with the top pick if he tests and interviews well at the combine.
2025 NCAA Tournament Odds (BetXchange)
- Duke Blue Devils – 52/5
- UConn Huskies – 62/5
- Kansas Jayhawks – 40/3
- Kentucky Wildcats – 95/4
- Arkansas Razorbacks – 35/1
History is very much against UConn regarding their chances of winning a third National Title on the bounce. The only team to ever threepeat is John Wooden’s UCA, winning ten titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975. The sport was very different back then, and even winning a second title should be celebrated as a rare achievement in the 21st century.
They will be hurt in that bid by players moving on. Star guards Cam Spencer and Tristen Newton are out of eligibility. At the same time, potential early departures to the NBA could see coach Dan Hurley having to run with an entirely new starting five come the start of the 2024-25 season.
Ruling UConn out would be unwise. They are second favorites to win it all next season, with Hurley expected to rebuild his roster via the transfer portal. Serial college basketball winners like Duke and Kansas are also read highly entering the season. John Calipari, who moved from a lifetime contract at Kentucky to Arkansas, instantly makes the Razorbacks the most interesting team to watch as rosters are built for next season.
