Last year, UConn repeated its Championship level play with a win over Perdue in a game that was compelling, but never very competitive. This year, the previously dominant Huskies have been put to sleep. This, largely because so much of their championship lineup went on to the NBA.
UConn and Perdue have both struggled this season. The Huskies' always expressive head coach, Dan Hurley, hasn’t sugar-coated the issue.
“Unlike our past teams where there were literally no bad matchups for us, there are some teams that are just not great for you. Teams that pressure full court and get after you. We have the obvious issue with people that can handle and create and break down pressure,” Hurley said.
It’s been a bad year for both teams. In that way, these franchises—neither of which are expected to make it to the Sweet Sixteen—could be viewed as dark horse teams. UConn might look ugly right now, but they at least have the benefit of having been there before. And Perdue certainly has some bright spots in its struggling lineup.
Who are the dark horse teams in this year's March Madness brackets? Let’s get into it.
Indiana
Mike Woodson has let his Indiana team in a transformative season that has seen the Hoosiers find consistency in their 2024/25 face-offs. It helps that they have a stacked lineup. Oumar Ballo. Kanaan Carlyle. Myles Rice.
All three young men have played influential roles in the Indiana lineup after having transferred in.
Indiana also has the benefit of a little bit of experience on its side. Returning stars Trey Galloway and Malik Reneau help contribute to a stacked roster that starts strong and gives good bench minutes. You need both to factor in March.
Arkansas
Arkansas looked ugly in their 23/24 conference play, where they ended with a dismal losing record. The team has been shaken up quite a bit since their ineffective previous season. John Calipari now coaches the program, and he’s got a solid team on his hands.
Transfers Johnell Davis, and Jonas Aidoo have helped put this dark horse team on Final Four watch.
Illinois
Illinois is an often steady—and underrated presence come March. Last year, they went on a solid run that took them all the way to the elite eight. There, they were halted by Uconn, the eventual champions, in a game that was never really competitive.
They might welcome that same matchup this year. While UConn struggles, Illinois has put together an impressive season helmed by head coach Brad Underwood.
Their roster has been heavily influenced by a strong freshman class, and some good transfers including Ben Humrichous and Kylan Boswell.
Cincinnati
Can you say “depth”? Cincinnati has it. With a strong starting lineup strengthened by Dan Skillings Jr. and Simas Lukosius, the Bearcats come in with a team that can get the ball through the net at almost every angle on the court.
They also have a pretty reliable bench that can factor substantially as the tournament really kicks into gear. Championship-level teams need to be able to compete at their best even when their starters are taking rest minutes. Cincinnati has that potential.
Let’s Hear It For the Girls
So much March Madness attention goes to the men’s game. Don’t sleep on women’s basketball. Last year’s NCAA tournament gave us thrilling matchups on the ladies' side of the game. Most notably, of course, Angel Reese of LSU, and Caitlin Clark of Iowa developed a rivalry that continued to play out in the 2024 WNBA season.
Right now, South Carolina and UConn are neck and neck in terms of favorability. South Carolina looks to repeat following its disruptive surprise win over Caitlin Clark-led Iowa last year. UConn, meanwhile, would love to grab the brass ring before their star player, Paige Bueckers, moves on to the WNBA.
In terms of dark horse picks, think about taking a look at Colorado, Florida, or Ole Miss, all three of which have put up steady seasons.
Brackets At The Ready
If you are making your NCAA playoff brackets, dark horse bets can be a fun way to invest yourself in an underdog story, and potentially wind up with a killer payday, should your team disrupt the odds.
You can check how to bet here: https://www.youbet.com/college-basketball/betting-every-underdog-in-march-madness/
The top seed has won twenty-five of the last forty championships. In fact, the last “dark horse,” winner, was an eighth seed. That happened only once in forty tournaments.
Naturally, there is no such thing as a guarantee when it comes to sports betting. Still, it’s never bad to pad your odds a little bit. If you are a roll-the-dice kind of gambler, it won’t hurt to put a little bit of money down on your favorite dark horse. That said, you’re statistically much better off favoring the favorite.
