Gonzaga, USF Among Top March Madness Sleepers
We are only weeks away from the NCAAB lines for March Madness getting set in the hours following Selection Sunday. The most fun part of the NCAAB Tournament is identifying the potential sleepers who can make a deep run. Let’s take a look at the top mid-major programs heading into March Madness.
A quick glance at the rankings shows Gonzaga at No. 19, the top-ranked team from a non-power conference. If you had not followed the college basketball season, this would not be a surprise as the Zags have become a perennial hoops power.
Perhaps, you would have imagined Gonzaga would have been ranked a little higher. Yet, we are just weeks away from the Zags being in serious danger of missing the NCAAB Tournament for the first time in more than two decades.
The Zags are getting hot at just the right time as the team has rattled off eight straight wins. Among these victories are road wins against No. 15 Kentucky and Saint Mary’s.
Gonzaga ended the regular season with a bit of revenge coming away with a 13-point win over Saint Mary’s. This came after a two-point loss to the Gaels on Feb. 3.
NO. 23 GONZAGA ROLLS PAST NO. 17 SAINT MARY’S 😮💨
The Zags hand the Gaels their only loss in conference play in the WCC regular season finale 👀 pic.twitter.com/4rXJdhis6E
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 3, 2024
Now, the Bulldogs are firmly in the NCAA Tournament picture. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has Gonzaga as a No. 7 seed in the East playing No. 10 Villanova in his latest bracket projections. If the Zags are able to win the West Coast Conference tournament, Mark Few’s crew can likely climb even higher in the seeding.
You could do crazier things than taking Gonzaga at +8000 in the odds to win March Madness.
Watch Out for San Diego State, Utah State and MWC in March Madness
In terms of depth, it is hard to argue with the Mountain West being the best mid-major conference this season. The MWC has No. 21 San Diego State and No. 22 Utah State both ranked in the AP Poll.
The Aztecs may be absent in the next top 25 rankings after a four-point loss to UNLV. Both ESPN and CBS Sports have San Diego State with a high March Madness seed at No. 4.
It was Utah State that was victorious in the team’s last matchup on Feb. 20. The Aggies have won five of their last six games, including three straight. Utah State is a No. 6 seed in the South taking on No. 11 Indiana State in Lunardi’s projections.
Both Mountain West teams will be popular NCAAB picks in the NCAA Tournament.
Check the latest March Madness Odds
What to Make of Dayton
We have been writing about No. 25 Dayton weekly as the Flyers were once viewed among the top 10 to 15 teams in the country. Dayton continues to struggle in closing out the regular season.
In less than two weeks, the Flyers sustained losses to George Mason and Loyola. All six of Dayton’s losses this season have come on the road.
This is concerning heading into the NCAAB Tournament where Dayton will only be playing road matchups. The Flyers were able to bounce back after the loss to Loyola with a 17-point win over St. Louis.
Dayton has a chance for redemption against VCU to close out the regular season. The Flyers lost by two points at VCU on Feb. 9. Lunardi projects Dayton to be a No. 7 seed and the Flyers need a strong showing in the Atlantic 10 tourney to avoid falling even further.
Take A Look At These Other 2 NCAAB March Madness Special Articles
USF has Won 15 Straight Games
South Florida continues to be one of the hottest teams in college basketball, extending its win streak to 15 games. The big question is how the Bulls will perform against better competition as the AAC has not been as strong this season.
Anyone else still thinking about last night?#HornsUp 🤘 | #EDGE pic.twitter.com/3OxL31LT0m
— USF Men’s Basketball (@USFMBB) March 6, 2024
Despite its hot streak, USF is still only a No. 11 seed in ESPN’s latest bracketology. It will be interesting to see how high South Florida can climb if the Bulls win the conference tournament. If USF wins the tourney, the Bulls will be a popular sleeper pick in March Madness betting.
College basketball lines are heating up. Bet on March Madness and see if you can be the champion!
Questions Of The Day
What are Gonzaga’s odds to win the national championship?
Gonzaga is listed at +8000 in the latest March Madness odds.
Who is a sleeper to watch in March Madness?
South Florida has won 15 straight games and could make an NCAAB Tournament run.
