March Madness is just around the corner with teams competing in their conference tournaments to earn a spot in the competition. There are a total of 68 teams playing, and making a bracket can feel like a daunting task. 

   The talent in college basketball is better than ever before. In a single elimination tournament, it is truly anybody’s tournament to win. 

   Picking a national champion might seem like a shot in the dark, but if we dig a little deeper, we can see who has the best chance. Here are some contenders and frauds going into March. 

   Contender: Michigan

   Michigan has been one of the most dominant teams this season, rolling through a somewhat difficult schedule in the Big Ten conference. Their lone blunder came versus a solid Wisconsin team, and they have some huge wins versus great competition. These include victories over Gonzaga, Purdue, Illinois, Nebraska, and two wins over rival, Michigan State.

   This team has virtually no weaknesses, as according to college basketball statistician Ken Pomeroy (KenPom), they have the best statistical defense in the country paired with a top five offense. All of their starters average over 10 points a game, and they have three players coming off the bench, averaging over seven points a game.

   Led by senior leading scorer Yaxel Lendeborg, 7’3’ center Aday Mara, and head coach Dusty May, the Wolverines are almost a lock for the Final Four. Even if they lose the Big Ten tournament, they still have a great shot of being the number one overall seed.

   Contender: Houston

   The Houston Cougars are another team that are extremely well rounded and are led by experienced coach Kelvin Sampson. In the past five seasons, Sampson has led his team to the Sweet Sixteen every time and the Final Four twice.

   According to KenPom, Houston is top 10 in both defensive and offensive efficiency. After losing in the National Championship last season, this team is determined to make it back and finally win their first championship in school history. 

   The stand-out player for the Cougars is freshman guard Kingston Flemings. He leads the team in points, assists, and steals per game. Chris Cenac Jr. is the premier big for the squad, leading the team with seven rebounds per game. 

   While freshman lead teams are always wildcards in March, if Sampson is able to work his magic, this team can very well go the distance.

   Contender: Connecticut (UConn) 

   UConn hasn’t looked quite as dominant this year as they have been in previous seasons. However, with Head Coach Dan Hurley leading the way, anything is possible.

   They’ve stumbled in Big East conference play, with losses to St. John’s and Creighton, as well as not playing well versus weaker teams. However, they boast one of the best non-conference resumes in the country, beating Brigham Young, Illinois, Kansas, and Florida.

   Statistically, UConn is a very balanced team, and they can score on any area of the court. Guard Solo Ball leads the team in scoring at 14.1 points per game, and big man Taris Reed Jr. has been dominant down low, averaging 13.7 points and 2.2 blocks on defense per game. Senior Alex Karaban is the leader of this Huskie team, and he’s pulling his weight, shooting over 40 percent from three-point range.

   However, this team’s greatest strength is its experience. Four of their five starters are juniors or older. Karaban in particular was a big piece in UConn’s run to back-to-back National Championships in 2023 and 2024. 

   Hurley has been here before, and he’s ready to lead his team back to the Final Four. Although fans are skeptical, Hurley the Huskies are confident they can go get their third National Championship in four seasons.

   Fraud: Purdue

   At the beginning of the season, Purdue was projected to be the best team in the nation, as they were ranked No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press (AP) poll. However, the preseason No. 1 team hasn’t won the National Championship since 2009. 

   Purdue started the season 17 and 1, but in Big Ten conference play, they lost three straight to UCLA, Illinois, and Indiana. They then lost to Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State. Three of those were bad losses, but despite this, the AP poll still has them ranked 15th in the country.

   The Boilermakers are led by senior Braden Smith, who is considered one of the top guards in the country, averaging 15 points a game. According to KenPom, Purdue has the second best offense in the nation, but only the 33rd ranked defense.

   While the saying, “defense wins championships,” seems cliche, it still holds true today. When that top offense inevitably has a down game, the defense won’t be able to help them stay in the game. 

   Under Head Coach Matt Painter, Purdue has only made the Final Four once in the last 20 seasons. Most of those are first and second round exits. They have a reputation for being frauds, and it seems that this year may be no different.

   Fraud: Miami (OH)

   Miami has been one of the best stories of the college basketball season. The Redhawks were the only team to finish the regular season undefeated at 31 and 0.

   Although they’re undefeated, they’re only ranked 20th in the AP poll, and they still aren’t guaranteed to make March Madness. This is because the Redhawks play in the Mid-American Conference, and they don’t play great competition.

   Not to mention some of these games against lesser teams have been extremely close. They only beat 10 and 20 Western Michigan by two, and it took overtime to beat Buffalo and Kent State. 

   The trends don’t back up Miami either, as an undefeated team hasn’t won it all since 1976. They’re also projected as an 11 seed according to Joe Lunardi, and the highest seed to win a National Championship is eight.

   However, this Miami team is carried by its high powered offense. Their team as a whole averages over 90 points per game, which is third best in the country. Seven players on their roster average over ten points per game. 

   Their biggest weakness is their defense, due to a lack of size. Their tallest player on the roster is listed at 6’9’, and they don’t even have a center listed on the roster. Centers are usually the tallest players on the team, and they’re normally 6’10’ or above.

   While Miami is a trendy pick for an upset in the first round, their lack of experience in playing against competitive teams will ultimately lead to their downfall.

   Fraud: Duke

   The Duke Blue Devils are easily one of the best teams in the country at the moment, and they’re the current favorite for the No. 1 overall seed in March Madness. However, their youth and inexperience could be their downfall.

   Duke is the best statistical team in the country, and according to KenPom, they have the best defense and fourth ranked offense in Division I. They’re led by freshman Cameron Boozer, who is one of the best players in America, averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds per game.

   Outside of Boozer though, the scoring depth isn’t amazing. Only three players on this team average over 10 points per game. If Boozer isn’t scoring, then someone else is going to have to step up.

   Furthermore, freshman leaders in March Madness usually cave into the pressure at some point. Last year, star freshman Cooper Flagg led Duke to the Final Four, but ran into a veteran Houston team. Flagg wouldn’t pass the ball down the stretch, and he was one of the reasons Duke lost that game.

   This isn’t the first time Duke has suffered at the hands of an inexperienced freshman. In 2019, R.J. Barrett and Zion Williamson lost in the Elite Eight. In 2022, Paolo Banchero lost in the Final Four. Duke can easily make it back to the Final Four with Boozer, but getting over that hump will be a very tall task.