5 Things You Should Expect in March Madness 2024

March Madness lived up to its name this season. First of all, a no. 16 seed, Ivy League representative Princeton made it to the Sweet 16. This was highly unexpected by literally everyone. And not only that, no No. 1 seed made it to the Elite Eight for the first time in recorded history. It was March 2023, and it was madness indeed.

However, when the dust settled, the UConn Huskies won their fifth National Basketball Championship in their school’s history. It was unprecedented for them, too, since they fell apart hard during the midseason. However, they returned to the moment it mattered and won the season.

However, that’s all in the past now, as both bookmakers and sports bettors are already looking forward to the 2024 March Madness. That said, what should we be expecting in the next March Madness? Who are the most likely champions next year?

March Madness Location

Following Houston’s run for hosting the 2023 March Madness, the finals games for the 2024 March Madness will be heading west again in the State Farm Stadium in Phoenix. The stadium held the men’s 2017 Final Four, so they have experience in hosting the games.

March Madness Date

It will be held, with a temporary date of April 6 on Saturday and April 8 for the two games in Arizona. The women’s division will be quite earlier on April 5 and 7.

Duke as the Favorite

UConn has won the 2023 March Madness, so it’s justified for them to be the favorites for the 2024 March Madness. But there’s also the Huskies, which are rumored to bring a lot back and just had one of their most dominant tournaments in recent years, so the odds of +1000 on them are not too bad.

However, one team is rumored to make a surprise dominating performance in the upcoming 2024 March Madness with odds of +1300. Duke will lose a lot of talent before the following year with the possibility of Dereck Lively and Dariq Whitehead departing, which is in character because of the Blue Devil’s one-and-done type of recruitment.

However, when one door closes, another one opens. With that in mind, with the departure of these players, a freshman batch will be replacing them, which is said to be the only addition yet for the team. This batch includes five five-star players, with Sean Stewart and Jared McCain as part of the team.

Many good players like Mark Mitchell, Jeremey Roach, and Tyrese Proctor are also returning. That said, talent will not be a problem for the team, and they will still have one of two spots for key transfers.

Kentucky Close By

Behind Duke is another program that many people think underperformed this season. Kentucky ended the season with 22-12, including 12-6 standing in the SEC. However, they were blown out of the competition by K-State in the second round. That said, experts say they also have a lot of potential for the upcoming 2024 March Madness because of their recent key picks.

Although they will be losing a lot of seniors for the next season, which includes the Oscar Tshiebwe, they remain greatly in favor because of the next year’s recruiting class. This will include the nos. 3, 4, 5, and 7-ranked recruits: DaJuan Wagner, Aaron Bradshaw, Robert Dillingham, and Justin Edwards. They are already committed for the next season, but coach Cal isn’t done yet.

UConn Huskies Favorites

They’re the 2023 March Madness champions, so it’s not a wonder why they are here. After floating to a comfortable 76-59 win in the National Championship against San Diego, it’s no question why they are one of the top favorites for next year’s March Madness. After starting the year with 14-0, the Huskies went into downtime but then picked themselves back up for the Big Dance, winning all their games with a comfortable 13+ point difference.

UConn will also have some players leaving the team, which includes Adama Sonogo joining the NBA. There are rumors that Jordan Hawkins and Tristen Newton might join him. However, Dan Hurley should have some potential freshmen joining the team, like Donovan Clingan and Alex Karaban.

The Huskies also have one five-star recruit, point guard Stephon Castle, ranked 10. He will join the team for the next season, along with several four-star recruits on the roster. Additionally, with them winning the NCAA, there are a lot of rumored potential recruits they are eyeing through the transfer portal, which is what everybody is waiting for in the NCAAB games.

Final Words

The 2023 March Madness was pure madness. However, with all the changes happening now, people expect the 2024 March Madness to be pure mayhem. It will be great fun next year, and everybody can’t wait. Take note, however, that since it’s still too early, many changes can happen before the season starts, so you should keep an eye out for updates.