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5 dark horse candidates for the 2024 Final Four

It’s never too early to start looking ahead!

Check below for our list of 5 dark horse candidates that could reach the 2024 Final Four.

In no particular order:

Texas A&M: Three teams in last season’s Final Four — UConn, San Diego State, and Florida Atlantic — reached the final weekend of the college basketball season without winning a game in the previous NCAA Tournament. The same thing could happen for Texas A&M in 2024. The Aggies return over 88 percent of their scoring from last season’s team that won 25 games, headlined by All-American candidate Wade Taylor IV (16.3 points, 3.9 assists). Tyrece Radford, Henry Coleman, and Julius Marble also return after each averaged nine points or more a year ago. Buzz Williams has already taken two other programs — Marquette and Virginia Tech — deep into the NCAA Tournament; Texas A&M is next.

USC: This program has never been to the Final Four, but that could change this season. Why? Elite guard play. Five-star freshman Isaiah Collier and veteran Boogie Ellis (17.7 points) will be one of the top backcourts in the sport. The Trojans also boast multiple key role players in Kobe Johnson (9.2 points, five rebounds, 2.2 steals) and Washington State transfer DJ Rodman (9.6 points, 5.8 rebounds) along with a plethora of options at center in Joshua Morgan, Vince Iwuchukwu, and Kijani Wright. USC has a chance to be a very high seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament before it leaves the Pac-12 and heads to the Big Ten. 

Memphis: Can this team really have less preseason buzz than it’s had in the past, but potentially be better suited for a deep run in March? Without question. Unlike past seasons under Penny Hardaway when Memphis has been stacked with top tier freshmen, this group of Tigers is loaded with proven producers in college basketball. A quartet of transfers — Jahvon Quinerly (Alabama), Caleb Mills (Florida State), David Jones (St. John’s), and Jordan Brown (Louisiana) — anchor a starting five that will be one of the oldest in the sport. Another quality transfer — Jaykwon Walton (Wichita State) — should also be a major contributor. And if do-everything forward DeAndre Williams (17.7 points, 8.2 rebounds) receives a waiver from the NCAA to play this season, Memphis will officially be a team that nobody will want to see in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Illinois: There’s no Ayo Dosunmu on Brad Underwood’s roster, but he’s got everything else. Illinois boasts four potential All-Big Ten players in Terrence Shannon Jr., Oregon grad transfer Quincy Guerrier, Coleman Hawkins, and Dain Dainja along with several key role players who were a part of last season’s NCAA Tournament run in Sencire Harris, Luke Goode, and Ty Rodgers. Well embedded moles in Champaign are also bullish on the potential impact of Southern Illinois transfer Marcus Domask. If the Illini can stabilize the point guard spot with Rodgers then they can be at the top of the Big Ten standings alongside Purdue and Michigan State. That would put Illinois in position to earn a quality seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Saint Mary’s: The Gaels return 72.9 percent of their scoring from last season’s team that won 27 games before losing to UConn in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Four of Saint Mary’s top five scorers from a year ago are back, headlined by sophomore guard Aidan Mahaney, who averaged 13.9 points last season as a freshman. Alex Ducas (12.5 points) and Mitchell Saxen (11.6 points) also return as double figure scorers. Randy Bennett has only been to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament once as Saint Mary’s head coach, but this group gives him a unit capable of getting back. If that happens, the Gaels will only be a few wins away from the sport’s ultimate showcase. 

Leftovers