Last year, the UConn Huskies destroyed the Purdue Boilermakers 75-60 to win their second consecutive national championship. As a result, UConn is seen as a potential college basketball dynasty. The Huskies are the top futures market pick with the college basketball odds for the 2024-25 season. For casual bettors, the Huskies are a familiar and secure choice based on their past excellence. For sharps, the question is, who has a realistic shot at beating the Huskies? At the onset of future market wagering, Arizona, Duke, Houston, Kansas, and North Carolina were the top alternate picks.
2024 Men’s College Basketball SBG Championship Futures:
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Connecticut Huskies | +1000 |
| Arizona Wildcats | +1200 |
| Duke Blue Devils | +1400 |
| Houston Cougars | +1600 |
| Kansas Jayhawks | +2000 |
| North Carolina Tar Heels | +2000 |
| Kentucky Wildcats | +2200 |
| Purdue Boilermakers | +2500 |
| Alabama Crimson Tide | +3000 |
| Auburn Tigers | +3000 |
| Baylor Bears | +3000 |
| Michigan State Spartans | +3000 |
| Florida Gators | +4000 |
| Marquette Golden Eagles | +4000 |
| St. John’s Red Storm | +4000 |
| Illinois Fighting Illini | +4000 |
| Iowa State Cyclones | +4000 |
| Gonzaga Bulldogs | +4000 |
| Arkansas Razorbacks | +4000 |
| Tennessee Volunteers | +5000 |
| UCL Bruins | +5000 |
| All Other Teams | +6000 or higher |
Connecticut Huskies Dynasty
Last spring, Head coach Dan Hurley made the ultimate offshore betting statement. Following the departure of John Calipari to Arkansas, Hurley was considered the front-runner for the Kentucky Wildcats job. Kentucky is considered to be the top coaching job in college basketball. Instead, Hurley laughed in everyone’s faces and stayed put at UConn. It was no accident. Hurley has built a dominant national powerhouse with character and toughness. In comparison to the entitled Kentucky program, UConn is all about grit and commitment to the team.
Kentucky was embarrassed to be rejected in such a way. But it was the ultimate proof of Hurley’s belief that UConn would be the premier college basketball program in the country.
Why Did Calipari Leave Kentucky?
Initially, the college basketball world was shocked that Calipari would surrender the top job in the nation. However, the Kentucky program grew stale under Calipari, and both sides wanted out. When the Arkansas job became open, big-money donors reached out to Calipari. What was the perfect storm became the perfect solution. Calipari gets a new lease on his coaching life. Additionally, the Razorbacks will be one of the best-funded programs with the college basketball lines.
New Era for Kentucky
Mark Pope took the Kentucky job as a favorite son, former player, and alum. Previously, Pope coached at BYU. Pope is seen as a fallback choice after higher-profile coaches turned down the job. Certainly, Pope knows what he is getting himself into more than an outsider who has never played or coached at Kentucky. But the fan demands won’t be any less for him.
In like manner to UCLA fans, Kentucky backers live in the past of a storied history not relevant to the present. Now, more than ever before, college basketball has parity and numerous programs that are serious about a national championship.
UCLA head coach Mick Cronin is learning about the difficulty of reaching expectations in Westwood. UCLA’s success was built in the 1960s and early 1970s by the late great John Wooden. In those pre-NIL days, UCLA benefited from illegal payments made by bagman Sam Gilbert. Although Wooden claimed ignorance, it is hard to imagine he didn’t have some idea of what was going on. But those glory days have never been reached since Wooden’s 1975 retirement.