6 Sleepers to Watch in the NCAA Tournament
Last week we gave you six betting favorites to win the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Those six teams are some of the best in College Basketball. Now, we are moving on to some sleepers. These are none of the top ten teams when it comes to the betting odds to win the NCAA Tournament. Let’s take a look at our six sleepers to watch in the big dance:
Alabama Crimson Tide +2500
The Crimson Tide pulled of a great come-from-behind win on the road at Ole Miss on Wednesday to keep themselves in the mix. The Alabama offense scored 64 points in the second half to win the game. In the game, they scored 103. It was the eighth time this season they scored 100+ points in a game. Alabama is the top offensive team in all of College Basketball, with more than 91 points per game. The Crimson Tide have four guys scoring double digits per game, with Mark Sears leading the charge at 20.6. This is going to be a fun team to watch. Can they play enough defense to win the big games late?
Duke Blue Devils +2800
Duke has gone a little overlooked this season. At 22-6, this is a legitimate basketball team with all the parts to win six tournament games. The Blue Devils thought they may lose Kyle Filipowski for a period of time after his injury against Wake Forest. But, he played, and was solid in the win over Louisville. He is scoring more than 16 points per game, and ripping down 8.3 rebounds per game. Duke will be battle tested, and maybe this is the year to pick them after some early upsets in previous seasons sent them home.
Creighton Blue Jays +3000
One of the hottest teams in all of College Basketball. Yes, Creighton did just lose on the road at St. John’s, but this team can shoot the basketball with the best of them. The Blue Jays beat then #1 UConn at home earlier this month as well. Creighton averages over 10.5 three-point shots made per game. The Blue Jays pace is one of the best in the country, as they are scoring 81 points per game. Plenty of weapons, and will be hard to guard, making them a legitimate sleeper in the big dance.
Baylor Bears +4500
Out of the Big 12 - Scott Drew’s team will be battle-tested. The Bears have seen plenty of styles of basketball this season. Baylor is a program with a recent national title under their belt, so knowing how to win the games late is not a major concern for this staff. Baylor is one of the top three point shooting teams in the country, making nearly 40% of them. The Bears have Ja’Kobe Walter and RayJ Dennis, both, who are capable of putting the team on their back and winning some tournament games.
Michigan State Spartans +5500
It is actually difficult to figure out what the Michigan State Spartans are in 2024. Are they a true sleeper to win the NCAA Tournament? Will Tom Izzo’s team even make the big dance? The Spartans have Purdue, Northwestern and Indiana left. They are 17-11 on the season. But, if a team out of the Big Ten is a sleeper, you have to give it to the Green and White out of the Big Ten. The Spartans are coming off back to back losses, but you can bet Izzo is coaching his young talent up. They are one to keep an eye on, and at 55/1, why not, right?
Gonzaga Bulldogs +8000
This is not Mark Few’s most talented basketball team he has ever had. But, this could be one of the toughest to eliminate. This team is starting to heat up, and have moved to fifth in College Basketball in scoring, at 86.1 per game. The defense has always been a question mark, and will continue through the tournament. But, it is hard to defeat teams that continue to make tough shots. That has been the Bulldogs late in the season. When looking at the betting odds to win the tournament, seeing Gonzaga all the way down there at 80/1 meant they were an automatic team to discuss as a potential sleeper.
There you have it. This should be a fun big dance. The NCAA Tournament is going to be fun, and madness. Next week we will have one more feature, as we come together with six Cinderella teams to watch to win the NCAA Tournament. Then soon - we will have a bracket, and discuss all the best games for the big dance! Enjoy the game and best of luck with all your betting!
Derek Hudson
Derek is a long time sports bettor who grew up in Providence, RI. Derek is data driven and believes the key to betting the sportsbooks is finding an edge in analytics. Derek is happily married and has two young boys. Derek will bet on anything if you let him.
