The field of top-ranked college basketball betting favorites for the NCAA Men’s Final Four remains the consistently clear frontrunners. Specifically, Arizona, Michigan, UConn, and Duke. Unbeaten Arizona (23–0) remains the unanimous No. 1 team in the nation, boasting a historic start to its Big 12 tenure. Next is Michigan (21–1), which recently surged to No. 2 following a string of dominant wins over ranked opponents
Led by freshman star Koa Peat, the Arizona Wildcats have the most impressive resume in the sport. Concurrently, they are the betting favorites to win the title. Featuring a unicorn in Aday Mara and senior leadership from Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan boasts the nation’s best overall defense. Although some gamblers are ignoring them, the recent national champions (2023 and 2024) have a balanced attack that has them on a 17-game win streak, their longest since the 1999 title run. UConn offers strong value for a power program.
Meanwhile, Freshman Cameron Boozer has lived up to the hype, leading Duke to a 21–2 start while playing one of the nation’s most challenging schedules.
UConn Huskies
In sum, UConn is 22-2 overall (12-1 in Big East play) and ranked No. 3 in the AP Poll. In turn, the Huskies are riding a strong streak before a recent loss (their first in over two months). They lead the Big East standings and are chasing a regular-season title, Big East Tournament success, and a deep March Madness run. UConn has dominated Big East play, recently avenging its only conference losses, including a statement win over Xavier.
Controversial and bombastic head coach Dan Hurley is in his eighth year. Following a relative “down” year in 2024-25 (24-11 record, early NCAA exit despite high expectations post-back-to-back titles), the Huskies have rebounded strongly. They are positioned as one of the nation’s elite teams. Hurley emphasizes continuity, defense, and versatility. Correlate that the team has established its identity through shot-making, relentless pursuit, and bench strength.
UConn opened with a tough non-conference slate (including wins over BYU, Arizona, and Illinois). Overall, they have been bulletproof lately with elite defense, rebounding, shot-making, and depth clicking under Hurley’s system. Recent blowouts (e.g., 92-60 over Xavier) highlight their balance. The frontcourt provides stability and versatility, while the backcourt offers scoring and playmaking. Depth enables platooning forwards and guard rotation.
UConn’s strengths include an elite defense and rebounding. The Huskies are in the tier in blocks, boards, and pursuit. Yet another key factor is their depth. UConn has multiple NBA prospects and rotation players and can go 9-10 deep. The Huskies also boast more experience than most teams. Their core returners provide continuity after retaining key pieces. Finally, their tough non-conference schedule prepared them well for the Big East grind.
UConn is a legitimate national title contender in 2026, often projected in the top 5-10 and carrying good value on the NCAA futures odds. Analysts praise their surge, depth, and fit with Hurley’s “bulletproof” style. Accordingly, they dominate the Big East and look primed for another deep postseason push.
Key upcoming games (e.g., St. John’s rematch potential, conference tournament) and health will define their ceiling. Check uconnhuskies.com or ESPN for live updates as the season heads toward March. Late on, UConn has payouts in two of its last three games.