The Final Four is upon us. Where there was a chance all four No. 1 seeds would represent their regions as recently as the Sweet 16, we instead received a healthy dose of everything we could ask for.
We have a pair of No. 1 seeds with vastly different stories. UConn won the NCAA Tournament just last year and have been the favorites to win again for much of the season. Purdue, on the other hand, is one year removed from becoming just the second No. 1 seed ever to lose in the first round of the tournament, and have been climbing uphill all season in order to put that loss behind them. We have a No. 4 seed, Alabama, who had been written off by many people because of their high-octane offense but lackluster defense. And, of course, we have a Cinderella run from No. 11 NC State, who carried their magical run during the ACC Tournament into March Madness to shock the world.
This weekend, each of these worlds collide, and we finally get to find out whether it's better to be the best team in the tournament or the hottest team. Here is where each of the remaining four teams rank based on their championship odds ahead of the Final Four. Odds as of Tuesday, April 2, via DraftKings.
March Madness:NC State carving its own space with NCAA Tournament run
March Madness Power Rankings: Final Four
T-3) Alabama Crimson Tide (+1600)
While it may come as a shock that a No. 4 seed in Alabama has the same odds as a No. 11 seed in NC State, it makes more sense when you consider that Alabama will have to go through UConn in order to win the championship. Almost every expert is predicting that UConn will win this game, and while some people admit that they can see an upset happening, Alabama is, as of right now, not really a team that people are considering for the NCAA championship.
T-3) North Carolina State Wolfpack (+1600)
In the never-ending fight against fate, destiny always wins. NC State feels like a team of destiny right now. Even as a No. 11 seed, they haven't really had immense struggles against anyone, with their closest game being a five-point contest against Oakland in the Round of 32.
While you might argue that NC State has yet to beat a No. 1 seed, that's not really true either considering the Wolfpack beat UNC in the ACC Tournament finals. Purdue may have the best player in college basketball in Zach Edey, but they also have most of the country rooting against them. Who wouldn't want to see a No. 11 seed in the NCAA Finals?
2) Purdue Boilermakers (+205)
Basketball may very well be the most superstar-driven sport in the world. Having the best players oftentimes means you have the best chance of winning. If that is the case, then Purdue should have no trouble reaching the NCAA Championship with center Zach Edey leading the way.
The Boilermakers have only had one game end within single-digits through the tournament, and that was their Elite Eight matchup against No. 2 Tennessee. Unfortunately, UConn's dominance all season long keeps Purdue from having the best remaining odds.
1) UConn Huskies (-195)
Senior guard Tristen Newton continues to dazzle spectators as he leads the Huskies in scoring and assists all while still hauling in over six rebounds a game. The Huskies may have lost five of their top eight players from last year's championship run, but they've been more dominant this year. UConn has yet to face an ounce of trouble as well, having won ten straight games by at least ten points, including all four in the tournament.
How to watch NCAA Men's Basketball March Madness 2024
All games will be broadcast across CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV. Here are additional streaming options to watch all the action on your devices.
- Stream through Paramount+
- Stream through HULU with Live TV
- NCAA March Madness Live app
- Stream through DirecTV Stream
How to watch March Madness:Watch all tournament games with a subscription to fuboTV
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