Busting Brackets
Fansided

NCAA Basketball: Ranking final 18 unbeaten teams for 2023-24 season

By Joey Loose

Nov 22, 2023; Honolulu, HI, USA;Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) recovers a loose ball from Marquette Golden Eagles guard Kam Jones (1) during the first half at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Mandatory Credit: Steven Erler-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 22, 2023; Honolulu, HI, USA;Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) recovers a loose ball from Marquette Golden Eagles guard Kam Jones (1) during the first half at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Mandatory Credit: Steven Erler-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
11 of 19
Next
Michigan State Spartans guard Tyson Walker (2) walks back to the bench and the James Madison Dukes bench erupts Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports
Michigan State Spartans guard Tyson Walker (2) walks back to the bench and the James Madison Dukes bench erupts Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports /

9. James Madison

Last season, James Madison won 22 games in their first year in the Sun Belt, but they’ve got their eyes on a bigger prize this year. The Dukes have gotten this season off to a special start and are even nationally ranked for the first time in program history. Many didn’t know names like Noah Freidel, Terrence Edwards Jr., or T. J. Bickerstaff, but they are certainly appreciating their efforts now.

This success all started on opening night as the Dukes did the unlikely task of going to East Lansing and getting an overtime win at Michigan State. A few days later they survived a double overtime scare at Kent State and have held serve ever since, now sitting at 7-0. Those first two games were certainly their best wins, though their performance at the Cancun Challenge turned heads, including  31-point win over Fresno State.

The road ahead for a Sun Belt team isn’t as tough as some of these other schools, and James Madison has proven they belong among the contenders this season, for an at-large bid to the Big Dance at the very least. There’s still a plethora of road games, including Old Dominion and then the rigors of conference play; we’re far away from expecting the Dukes to remain undefeated for the entire year.

Home/NCAA Basketball News