As we creep closer and closer to March, the strong teams are starting to break away from the weak in college basketball. Almost 30 games into the season, this is usually the time where a favorite to win the National Championship emerges. The beauty of this year is that there is no dominant team.
Multiple teams have spent time in the number one spot in the country. The AP Poll has been a constant game of musical chairs where teams move from one spot to another each week.
The most recent AP Poll was released on Monday and it has Virginia in the top spot for the second straight week. Michigan State, Villanova, Xavier, and Duke round out the top five. March Madness can end with any number of teams holding up that trophy, but here is why each team from the current top five can win it.
Why Each Top-Five Team in the Country Could Win the 2018 National Championship
Virginia Cavaliers
The Cavaliers currently sit at 24-2 and have a three-game lead in the ACC with a 13-1 record. The main reason is their stifling defense, which makes life very hard for Virginia’s opponents. They lead the nation in scoring defense, allowing an eye-opening 52.7 points per game.
They are led by Kyle Guy and Devon Hall. Guy is averaging 15.2 PPG while Hall is averaging 12.2 and shooting 46.7 percent from the field. Offense is not the Cavaliers’ strong suit. Guy and Hall are their only players averaging over 10 PPG, and the team sits just 306th in the country in scoring with 67.7 PPG.
Despite their offensive struggles, Virginia has quality wins against North Carolina, Clemson, Louisville, and Duke. Whether it is football, baseball or basketball, one statement remains true, and that is that “defense wins championships.” Virginia has that to its advantage.
Michigan State Spartans
After a three-game stretch that saw them lose to conference foes Ohio State and Michigan and barely squeak by Rutgers, the Spartans are back on track, riding a 10-game win streak. They now have a 26-3 record, including 14-2 in the Big Ten.
Many thought Miles Bridges would leave for the NBA after his freshman year but he returned for another season on a mission. He is averaging 17 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. In a matchup against powerhouse Purdue, Bridges nailed a three that gave the Spartans a victory. Come tournament time, teams need players to step up in crunch time, and Bridges is one of the best in the country.
Michigan State has a well-rounded team with players who can do it all. Cassius Winston is shooting 54 percent from three and dishing out 10.3 assists per game. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Nick Ward have also proved to be key players. Mix all that together with the coaching prowess of Tom Izzo and it might be the perfect recipe for the Spartans.
Villanova Wildcats
The Wildcats started the year winning 22 of their first 23 games but have run into trouble as of late against lower Big East opponents. They have lost back-to-back Wednesday games against St. Johns and Providence, but the last two Saturdays saw Villanova take down Butler and Xavier.
Villanova has spent many weeks this season at number one but the team has fallen to third after its recent slip-ups. The Wildcats have been known to live and die by the three, and this year is no different. They shoot 40.4 percent from distance and continue to attempt threes at a high rate.
Villanova has two National Player of the Year candidates in Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges, who have been leaders all year. Unlike teams in recent years, this year’s squad has size. Omari Spellman, Eric Paschall, and Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree provide toughness down low.
Health has been an issue for Villanova as they have had some key players miss time. Phil Booth, Collin Gillespie and Jermaine Samuels have all missed time with hand injuries and Paschall missed two games with a concussion. This is a team with experience, depth and unlimited ways to score the basketball so the sky is the limit.
Xavier Musketeers
The Musketeers continue to be a top-five team in this country because of their success in the Big East. They have a 24-4 record overall and are 12-3 in conference play. That is good for a half-game lead over Villanova, although Xavier dropped its two head-to-head matchups with the Wildcats.
Trevon Bluiett has emerged as one of the best guards in the country and he has Xavier clicking at the right time. Bluiett is averaging 19.8 PPG while teammate J.P. Macura is second on the team at 12.4 PPG.
Xavier has quality out of conference wins against Cincinnati and Baylor. The Musketeers have proved to be one of the more consistent teams in the country and this could be the year they finally take the next step into the Final Four.
Duke Blue Devils
The Blue Devils have underachieved this season, and that might sound silly since they are currently ranked fifth in the AP Poll. Duke went through a stretch in which it lost three out of four games against Virginia, St. Johns, and North Carolina. The Blue Devils have won three in a row since then, including an impressive win on the road against Clemson in their most recent game.
Duke is turning into the new Kentucky, where high-level recruits come for a season before leaving to turn pro. A lot of their production is coming from underclassmen this season. Freshmen Marvin Bagley III and Wendell Carter Jr. are unstoppable forces down low. They both stand at 6’11” and are combining for 35.6 points and 21 rebounds per game.
Freshmen Trevon Duval and Gary Trent Jr. have also been key players for the Blue Devils. Grayson Allen is one the few players who have stayed in school all four years and he is the leader for Duke. Allen is averaging 15.1 PPG but has been criticized for not showing up during big games. He has experience from Duke’s 2015 national title run and he will be key for Duke to make another.
Despite their struggles at times and current ranking, if there is a favorite to hoist up the championship trophy this year, it has to be the Duke Blue Devils.
