68.

That is the number of teams that will compete in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

But only one will be able to cut down the nets and find themselves alone at the top of the college basketball world.

But what programs are expected to take it all?

Here are some squads that can pose a real threat.

UConn Huskies

The defending champs sure haven’t slowed down.

UConn has been a top-ten mainstay all season long, with their lowest ranking in the AP Top 25 being No. 6 at the very start of the year. 

Head Coach Dan Hurley has been a huge reason why. 

The Huskies lost three key players from their title run last year due to graduation, but returners such as Alex Karaban and Tristan Newton have stepped into leadership roles with ease. Throw in the fact that they had to work around an injury to their 7’2” big man Donovan Clingan right before Christmas, who is arguably the team’s best player, and yet, Hurley’s men still have managed to win games in a tough conference like the Big East.

UConn has looked like the superior squad in the country all year, and there hasn’t been a repeat champion since Billy Donovan and his Florida Gators went back to back in 2006 and 2007 with future NBA stars Al Horford and Joakim Noah. The Huskies definitely have the makings of breaking the 17-year drought.

Houston Cougars

For the first time ever this season, the Houston Cougars played Power 6 basketball.

There have been many questions as to whether or not the Cougars could rise to the occasion of playing in the Big 12, a conference that many people believe is the best in the sport, after being in the American Athletic Conference for the last ten years.

Boy, has Houston answered them with exclamation. 

Defense has been their M.O. as they rank at the top of the lists in key defensive statistical categories such as adjusted defensive efficiency and turnover percentage. 

A weakness for Houston has been their free throw shooting. At the time of this article being written, the Cougars are shooting 68.5% from the charity stripe. That’s good for No. 301 in the country.

If teams want to stop head coach Kelvin Sampson and company, it’s a good idea to start by clogging the paint and forcing them to earn it at the line.

But Houston is no stranger to a little adversity if that becomes the case. 

They suffered back-to-back road losses in January to unranked Iowa State and TCU. Many analysts were questioning whether the Cougars were legit.

Since then, they have only lost one game to 8th ranked Kansas on the road.

Houston has never won the NCAA tournament, but this year could be the change that Cougar fans have been waiting for.

Purdue Boilermakers

If you follow college basketball, you know the narrative.

“Purdue can’t win when it matters most.”

The odds on favorite to win the title last year lost in the first round to Fairleigh Dickinson University.

The second time ever that a 16 seed took down a 1.

But here’s the funny thing about that stat.

The first time that happened was in 2018, when the Virginia Cavaliers shockingly fell at the hands of the UMBC Retrievers.

The year after, Virginia buckled down and won the whole thing.

So how can Purdue find their inner Cavalier and do the same? 

Well it helps when you have the reigning Wooden Player of the Year in Zach Edey, who has been balling this season averaging 23.1 points and 11.7 rebounds a night.

Also sprinkle in a point guard in Braden Smith, who is one of the best in the country at the position, averaging 12.4 points, 7.3 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game, Lance Jones, a Southern Illinois transfer who is efficient in scoring and ball-handling, a sharpshooter in Fletcher Loyer, and one of the best sixth men in America in Mason Gillis, there could finally be a championship banner hung in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Arizona Wildcats

Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd has been looking to break through.

Since he took the head coaching job in 2021-22, Arizona has been a top-two seed in the tournament. 

What did the ‘Cats do with those seeds?

Lose in the Sweet Sixteen in ‘22 and be a first round exit in ‘23.

So how do they reach their full potential in ‘24?

Depth. 

The guard play is at the forefront with two seniors leading the backcourt in Caleb Love and Pelle Larsson. If they need to go down low, they have a sophomore in Oumar Ballo who has the ability to make a difference in a game. 

At the time of this article being written, the Wildcats rank second in points per game, averaging 90.3, so it’s tough to have this offense go in a dry spell and the defense ranks 15th in efficiency.

The bottom line is as of late, Arizona knows how to win games as they are 10-1 since January 27. 

Don’t be surprised if this translates come tournament time.

March Madness is the perfect metaphor for sports and life.

Anything can happen, and that is true.

But it is going to take a lot to take down these four teams when the lights are shining the brightest.

Matt Kiraly is an opinion writer. Contact him at [email protected].