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The men's basketball team at Duke and the women's squad at South Carolina are the early favorites, according to prognosticators and pundits, to walk away with the 2025 tournament hardware. But while betting easily backs up the Gamecocks, the men's side is a multi-team race and Kansas currently leads the odds battle.
On April 29 when this article was published, the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Odds at FanDuel listed Duke (+1200) at No. 3, defending champion UConn (+1100) at No. 2, and Kansas (+1000).
Duke began the month with the best odds, followed by Kansas, Alabama, UNC and Houston.
It's no surprise that the Gamecocks are top-of-mind. After all, head coach Dawn Staley just brought the school it's third natty since the 2017 tournament (2016-17 season). South Carolina has captured two of the last three women's NCAA crowns and is the odds-on favorite (+145) to repeat in 2024-25, with UConn and USC both trailing at (+400).
The reason Duke is up there almost solely based on the hope that excellent recruiting has set up a realistic shot at such a run. Under Scheyer, Duke's three recruiting classes have ranked No. 1 twice and No. 2 once.
It certainly is not based on the Blue Devils' recent NCAA tournament results as they lost to 11-seed NC State in the Elite 8 after knocking out Houston in the Sweet 16.
Duke ranks 5th (tied with Indiana,) in all-time NCAA Championship banners with five hanging at Cameron Indoor. All of those titles came between 1991 and 2015 under the tutelage of Mike Krzyzewski. His former player, John Scheyer, will be entering his third season since being appointed to replace his former boss. The 36-year-old has been key in maintaining Duke's recruiting because of his long-term ties to the school. He played for Krzyzewski from 2006-2010, and has been a mainstay on the coaching staff since 2014 after ending a 3-year attempt at pro basketball.
Critics actualy blamed Duke's coaching staff for turning Scheyer into less of a baller in college than he was coming out of high school. In a 2011 article, Don Konopacz, a longtime scout, coach and observer, charged that Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski "betrayed" Scheyer and didn't give him an opportunity to reach his full potential in college.
"When Krzyzewski moved Scheyer from two-guard to point-guard, it was because he couldn't create space for himself to get his shot off or drive to the basket. At the point, Scheyer brought the ball up, passed to another perimeter payer and went off to the side of the three-point line to wait for someone else to kick the ball to him so he could get his shot off. He didn't have point skills."
But Krzyzewski said Scheyer was one of his favorite players. "Any day with Jon Scheyer was a good day," Coach K. told Sports Illustrated in 2011. That rapport was key to bring Scheyer back as an assistant, and he didn't disappoint the boss as he immediately helped Duke jump to No. 1 in recruiting and win the national championship. The Blue Devil class was ranked 9th the previous season, and 41st in 2011. Duke and Kentucky have battled it for No.1 practically every year since Scheyer arrived back on campus.