Early March Madness Predictions
March is almost here, so the madness is almost upon us. Several teams look like true contenders, but only four can make it to the Final Four. I will help you find the teams that have the best chance to get there before the conference tournaments. I will list them with their odds to win the national championship and explain why they have a great chance of going far. Also, check out the Godzilla Wins Daily Staff Picks page for other best picks! Read more early March Madness predictions.
Houston – +750
Kelvin Sampson has one of his best teams in years, and they are experienced. They have multiple players that can get hot in any game and make clutch shots. They have four players who average more than 11 points per game, and all of them are either juniors or seniors. L.J. Cryer is a fifth-year senior and leads the team with 14.6 points per game. He played on the 2021 Baylor team that won the national title, so he knows what it takes to win. J’Wan Roberts is the staple in the lineup who makes them elite. He averages 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and has started every game for Houston over the past three seasons.
Emanuel Sharp averages 11.9 points and 1.4 steals per game, shooting 90.4% from the line this season. The newest addition to the starting lineup is Milos Uzan. He transferred after two seasons at Oklahoma and has been outstanding this season. He averages 11.1 points, 4.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. He is also shooting 42.9% from three this season. He and Sharp will be the two players that can make shots when it matters down the stretch.
Duke – +370
The Blue Devils are arguably the best team in the nation this season. Duke and Auburn have been in the top five for 11 consecutive weeks, but I like Duke’s chances more than Auburn’s. Duke shoots 39.1% from three, which ranks sixth in the nation. They only trail Houston and Memphis among teams projected to be in the tournament. Duke is also ranked first according to KenPom rankings. They are second in offensive rating and fourth in defensive rating.
They are led by Cooper Flagg, a true freshman and likely the first overall pick in the upcoming NBA draft. He averages 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. He fills the stat sheet and plays well beyond his years. Kon Knueppel is also a true freshman but is very poised. He averages 13.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. Tyrese Proctor is a junior guard who takes this team to the next level. He has started in most games in three seasons at Duke and is shooting 40.8% from three this season. The reason I like Duke so much this season is their length, specifically at the guard position. Proctor and Knueppel are 6’6’’ and 6’7’’, respectively. They are dangerous on both sides of the ball.
St. John’s – +2500
These final two teams are long shots, but they can make a run in the tournament. St. John’s is a weird team because they play at a high pace but do not shoot the ball well from behind the arc. They only make 30.2% of threes but only attempt 20.4 per game, which are both in the bottom 100 in the nation. Rebounding is the main reason I like them. They average 41 per game, which ranks fourth in the nation. They also average 16.1 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks ninth. They are extremely physical and have length at every position. Rick Pitino is a legendary coach with two national championships and seven Final Four appearances. He gets the most out of this team led by RJ Luis Jr (17.4 points per game).
Saint Mary’s – +8000
Saint Mary’s is a long shot, no doubt, but they are for real. They have a senior leader at point guard, Augustas Mariciulionis, who is the engine of this team. He plays 34.5 minutes per game and averages 14.2 points and 6.2 assists per game. Luke Barrett (senior) plays 36.2 minutes and averages 9.8 points and 6.5 rebounds. They averaged 38.9 rebounds per game (23rd) and hit the offensive glass hard. They average 12.3 per game, which is sixth in the nation. The x-factor on this team is Mikey Lewis. He shoots 41.4% from three and is deadly when he catches fire. He only plays 16 minutes per game, but look for him to get more minutes down the stretch.
