4 Dark Horse Bets to Make the Final Four (Watch out for the Bonnies)
By Matt De Saro
The NCAA college basketball season is well underway and the list of contenders and pretenders is starting to become clearer. Now that we have a better idea as to the quality of play each team has to offer, it's time to re-evaluate some future bets from the preseason.
As of this writing, Gonzaga (+600), Duke (+800), and Purdue (+800) are the frontrunners to win the National Title in 2021-22. But this article is going to focus on some longshot bets to make it to the Final Four.
All odds listed are current and courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook. You can also check out Reed Wallach's CBB Power Rankings for this week here.
Florida +800
The Florida Gators were the No. 7 seed last season and made their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in a row. Unfortunately for them, they were knocked out in a second-round upset by No. 15 seed Oral Roberts. This season will likely mark five tourney appearances in a row and with a strong roster, they have a chance to make a run.
The Gators are currently 8-3 overall with losses to Maryland, Oklahoma, and Texas Southern. Florida relies heavily on their defense which is in the top-25 in opponents' points per game and assists per game allowed. They also rank second in the nation in defending the perimeter and allow just 4.3 three-pointers given up per game. Their offense will need to kick it up a notch to make a run at the Final Four but they already have three players averaging double-digit scoring.
Memphis +1000
The Memphis Tigers are still looking for their first NCAA Tournament berth since Penny Hardaway took over coaching duties three years ago. They are not off to the best start at just 6-4 but have the talent to get hot at any point. They did lose Boogie Ellis to USC in the offseason but still feature three players averaging double-digit scoring.
The offense ranks in the top-75 in rebounds per game (38.5), assists per game (14.9), and points per game (77.7). Their defense will need to tighten up but this is a team that could do some damage if they manage to make it to the show.
Syracuse +4000
The Syracuse Orange came into the NCAA Tournament last season as the No. 11 seed but managed two upset wins en route to the Sweet 16. They ended up falling to the No. 2 seed Houston, ending their Cinderella story.
The Orange’s biggest hurdle to overcome will be their swiss-cheese defense. They are off to a rough start at 5-5 but have the talent to turn things around. Right now, Syracuse has one of the worst defenses in the nation at 314th and allows 77.9 PPG on average.
They do average 77.5 PPG on offense but absolutely need to start locking things down on defense if they have a shot at the tournament, much less the Final Four.
St. Bonaventure +4000
The Bonnies are coming off a very strong 16-5 season that saw them go undefeated in conference play and win the A-10 title. Because of this, they earned a No. 9 seed to last year’s dance. They are returning five starters and are off to an 8-3 start to the year. While their statistical rankings aren’t all that much to look at, they are the type of team that nobody wants to play in the tournament.
Despite losing their last two games to UConn and Virginia Tech, they are still a team that can beat major programs and makes a late run of all falls into place.