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NCAA Basketball: Ranking of the only 12 teams that can win a national title in 2024-25

By Tristan Freeman

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats and Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl shake hands before the game as Auburn Tigers take on Alabama Crimson Tide at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024.
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats and Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl shake hands before the game as Auburn Tigers take on Alabama Crimson Tide at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. / Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK
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4. Duke Blue Devils - 8-2 (1-0)

The Blue Devils became a national title contender for this season when No. 1 high school prospect Cooper Flagg picked them. The star forward has been as good as advertised, leading the team with 15.9 ppg, 9.0 rpg, and 3.6 apg. Six other players are averaging at least 8.0 ppg, with freshmen Kon Kneuppel, Khaman Maluach, and Isaiah Evans continuing to develop. 

What’s interesting about Duke is that despite their great offensive talent, their strength has been on the defensive end. Teams score fewer than 60 points per game, shooting only 36% from the field. Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown has been a nice pickup inside, with he and Maluach providing elite interior defense next to Flagg.

Duke has played four ranked teams, going 2-2. They lost close games to Kansas and Kentucky while beating Arizona and Auburn. The late-game decisions with the freshmen have gone against them in key games, and that’s the big question: Can a team with young guys win in an era where everyone else has super seniors and primarily older rosters? 

Coach Jon Scheyer will need to prove he can make a deep run and not have letdown results as well, as he’ll have to go against top coaches in the sport. This team has maybe the highest ceiling of anyone among the 12 but the floor may be a bit lower.

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