We are still over a month out from March Madness, but the college basketball season is in full swing. Basketball fans across the country are beginning to ask who the favorites are shaping up to be, and which schools might be sleepers to go far in the tournament.
Sophomore Parker Jones, one of the top shooters on the Colgate University men’s basketball team, shared his insight.
“I think the favorite to win it all right now is for sure Auburn University. I also think University of Florida and Duke University are both really good. It’s hard to say right now, but Auburn in particular has a deep roster and has been winning in the toughest conference in college basketball this season, the SEC,” Jones said.
The University of Alabama, Florida and Texas A&M University follow Auburn on the SEC leaderboard.
Sports author Paul Finebaum, also known as the voice of the SEC, would agree with Jones, as he has predicted the Auburn Tigers to make a run in the tournament.
“Johni Broome has been unbelievable,” Finebaum told listeners on SportsCenter.
He isn’t mistaken. Auburn’s 6’10” forward has been putting up numbers that are nothing short of exceptional. In the 2023-2024 season, Broome was the only player ranked in the top 10 among SEC leaders in scoring (No. 8 at 16.5 points per game) as well as rebounding (No. 2 at 8.5 rebounds per game). Further, he had the second-best field goal percentage (.548) and second-most blocks (2.2 blocks per game) of SEC players. The forward excels in defense as well, and his 6.09 average in defensive rebounds led the league.
Jones also sees Clemson University making it far into the tournament.
“Clemson has been playing really well and just came off a big upset against Duke, so I would say they have a good chance,” Jones said.
Jones said that he wouldn’t call Clemson a sleeper to win the tournament, but they definitely weren’t expected to win against Duke on Feb. 8. The 77-71 victory has pundits predicting that the Clemson Tigers will go farther in the tournament than initially expected. Before the loss, Duke was undefeated in the ACC with a 16-game winning streak.
Jeff Woodward, fifth-year and forward on the Colgate men’s basketball team, also had some predictions for how March Madness would shake out.
“Overall I think [The University of] Houston, Alabama, Auburn and Duke are the four best teams in college basketball. I think St John’s University and Florida are very good teams who can make a run in the tournament. I also think Marquette [University] has the pieces to compete for a title if Kam Jones continues to play at the level he has,” Woodward said.
As regular season Patriot League play begins to wrap up, the standings are far from solidified. Colgate is currently ranked No. 4, Bucknell No. 3, Army No. 2, and American No. 1 (as of Feb. 17). These standings are crucial come the postseason, where a high seeding will ensure an easier path to winning the Patriot League and earning a spot in March Madness.
Colgate is currently 11-16 and is still looking to make a big breakthrough in their play before the playoffs start. Colgate’s defense has been playing well, especially in their 87-65 win at Holy Cross on Feb. 12. Although the team’s record is not as impressive on paper as it has been in years prior, the Raiders have had big wins over Army and Bucknell earlier in the season that foreshadow potential postseason success. There are only a handful of regular season games left for Colgate — all versus league opponents — and each one will be crucial in terms of deciding how seeding shapes up for the playoffs, which will start on March 4.
Auburn has remained No. 1 for so long because they have a very good offense and have been putting up impressive fights in all their games. As Jones touched on, they’ve also had the hardest schedule in the SEC and have beat most of the top-ranked teams.
There is still a month until March Madness begins, and a lot could change between now and then in terms of who emerges as a contender to win it all. Last year, the University of Connecticut won. This year, they’re ranked fourth in their league, the Big East, with St. John’s University, Creighton University and Marquette University ahead of them. March Madness will take place from March 18 to April 7.
