2023 March Madness futures: College basketball predictions to win it all

With January officially behind us, we’re just under a month away from conference tournament season and two months from crowning a national champion — which feels as unpredictable as ever in a strange year for college basketball.

Traditional blue bloods Duke, North Carolina and Kentucky are all mired in down seasons, and traditional powers Gonzaga and Michigan State are decidedly less dangerous than in most years. This has left the door wide open for one of college basketball’s nontraditional powers to seize their shot at a storybook run.

Here’s our favorite title bets to make at FanDuel among the favorites, dark horses and long shots:

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Alabama (10/1)

I’ve long been a huge fan of what Nate Oats is building in Tuscaloosa, and this year’s group feels like the most idealized version of the coach’s vision for his Crimson Tide.

Alabama is imposing its will and breakneck pace on opposing teams — ranking second in the nation in tempo while boasting top-20 efficiency on offense and defense and controlling the 3-point line on both ends. The formula has worked to near-perfection, as the Crimson Tide have won 19 of 22 games despite one of the 10 hardest schedules in the country.

It helps that freshman Brandon Miller has emerged as one of the best players in the country and a barely unstoppable shooter at his size (6-foot-9). He’s the type of scoring threat that can lead a team deep into the tournament, which will be the expectation for an Alabama team primed for its second top-two seed in three years. This time, it could spell a title run.

Connecticut (35/1)

There’s plenty to criticize about the Huskies — namely their 6-6 conference record thus far — but it’s hard to ignore that Dan Hurley’s group fits the profile of a title winner with the price of an also-ran.

Connecticut is one of just six teams in the country with a top-20 offense and defense by adjusted efficiency, which has long been a hallmark of eventual tournament champions. It also ranks in the top 15 in opponent assist rate (40.9 percent), 3-point rate (28.4 percent) and 3-point percentage (29.3 percent) — a critical recipe for deterring giant killers in March.

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The fact this team is also dominant on the offensive boards and will be weathered by a tricky Big East schedule makes this team particularly attractive come March, even if the wins and losses aren’t exactly painting the same picture. There’s risk here, but at this price, it’s well worth the shot.

Saint Mary’s (50/1)

Who doesn’t love a long-shot bet? Sure, a mid-major has never won it all, but Saint Mary’s is playing like anything but one amid a 19-4 start to the year.

The Gaels rank seventh in adjusted efficiency with a top-five defense and the fifth-slowest tempo in the country — a punishing combo that carried Virginia to a national title in 2019. Saint Mary’s is also relentless on the defensive boards and along the perimeter, forcing opponents into tough shots on just about every possession.

This isn’t fool’s gold, either. The Gaels nearly upset title favorite Houston in a 53-48 loss in Fort Worth, Texas, in December, and they’ve throttled nearly every opponent in WCC play. With Gonzaga posing less of a threat than in most years, this feels like the ideal chance for Randy Bennett’s crew to snag a high seed and play the role of looming mid-major giant.