Ranking college basketball teams from Final Four to Try Again Next Year ahead of March Madness 2024 ft. UConn, USC and more
With college basketball's ever-changing rankings throughout a five-month season, it can be difficult to gauge exactly where certain teams stand heading into March Madness. From historically established teams to unfamiliar faces, it can be hard to determine where each team stacks up compared to its competition.
College Basketball Report's college basketball team tier list on X has created a good visual of what category teams belong in before the start of March Madness. Here are some of our takes on the accuracy of this tier list of college basketball teams and which category they fit into as the 2024 season winds down.
Ranking college basketball teams ahead of March Madness 2024
Final Four
Houston
Purdue
UConn
Arizona
Our take: This is a solid top four, with Houston, Purdue, and UConn all sitting at 26-3 on the season. Arizona's spot in this tier could be debated with the success that teams like Tennessee, Iowa State and North Carolina are having, but the Wildcats are lethal on offense. They average 90.3 points per game and will be a nightmare for opposing teams during March Madness.
Contenders
Duke
North Carolina
Creighton
Kansas
Baylor
Tennessee
Kentucky
Iowa State
Our take: Kentucky may come as a surprise to show up in this tier. However, the Wildcats are the third-ranked offense in the nation, averaging 89.7 ppg. Where the Wildcats lack is on the defensive side of the ball, where they rank 339th. Arguments for more balanced teams such as Marquette or Auburn could be made to take Kentucky's spot in this tier.
Tournament teams
Michigan State
Nebraska
Oklahoma
Auburn
San Diego State
Dayton
Villanova
FAU
Texas Tech
Clemson
Gonzaga
Nevada
BYU
South Carolina
Seton Hall
Texas
Illinois
Saint Mary's
TCU
Washington State
Marquette
Wisconsin
Indiana State
Utah State
Alabama
Colorado State
Mississippi State
Boise State
Florida
Northwestern
Our take: It feels odd to include teams ranked in the top 15 like Marquette and Auburn with a team like Villanova, which is 17-13 and doesn't have a March Madness spot locked in yet. Otherwise, the rest of the list seems fair, with sleepers like Indiana State, Nevada and Northwestern getting the attention they deserve.
The Bubble
Iowa
Ole Miss
Syracuse
Drake
Butler
Pitt
Kansas State
Texas A&M
Memphis
Oregon
Cincinnati
USF
New Mexico State
Providence
Virginia
St. John's
Colorado
Our take: This tier is fair given that many of these teams still have work to do to prove they've earned a March Madness selection. Arguments could be made for No. 24 South Florida to move up. Pitt could be a surprise March Madness squad as the fourth team in the current Atlantic Coast Conference standings, right next to Clemson, who are a tier above them.
Late season surge
Ohio State
Notre Dame
Georgia Tech
UCLA
Our take: Ohio State is likely the only team that still has a small chance to get a March Madness bid, but even that is a long shot. The one team that seems to deserve to be in the tier below this one is Notre Dame. With a record of 12-18 and sitting in 11th place in the ACC with just one game left, the Fighting Irish have no shot at an NCAA Tournament appearance this year.
Try again next year
Michigan
DePaul
Xavier
Missouri
Vanderbilt
West Virginia
USC
Georgetown
Louisville
Arkansas
Indiana
Our take: This is another fair take on these bottom teams as well. All of these struggled to stay competitive in the top conferences. Both DePaul and Missouri have failed to win a single conference game with just one regular-season game remaining. Meanwhile, USC was ranked 21 in the preseason AP Top 25 but proved to be far from a top team with a current record of 12-17.