These NC-Based Teams Have Best Shots
At Regular-Season Basketball Championships
By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
With less than a month remaining in college basketball’s 2024-25 regular season, two North Carolina-based teams are heavy favorites to secure at least a share of their leagues’ regular-season championships, and at least four more in-state squads remain in the running for the same accomplishment in their respective conferences.
According to calculations at BartTorvik.com, a college basketball analytics website, Duke and High Point have a 90 percent or better chance of earning at least a first-place tie in their respective league standings. UNC Wilmington, UNC Asheville, UNC Greensboro and Appalachian State are the other in-state teams with the best chances at that accomplishment.
Odds — School, Conference
96% — Duke, Atlantic Coast Conference
90% — High Point, Big South Conference
51% — UNC Wilmington, Coastal Athletic Association
29% — UNC Asheville, Big South Conference
20% — UNC Greensboro, Southern Conference
14% — Appalachian State, Sun Belt Conference
Last year, among the 19 Division One men’s basketball programs in North Carolina, three captured a regular-season conference championship: App State (Sun Belt), High Point (Big South) and UNC (ACC).
At Duke, third-year coach Jon Scheyer is seeking his first regular-season ACC title, after claiming his first ACC Tournament championship during his first season as coach Mike Krzyzewski‘s successor in Durham, in 2023. This year’s Blue Devils, who are ranked #3 nationally, are 20-3 overall and 12-1 in conference play.
Closest Duke Competitors: Clemson (12-2 ACC), Louisville (11-2 ACC)
Remaining Duke Schedule: Cal (2/12), Stanford (2/15), at UVa (2/17), vs. Illinois (2/22), at Miami (2/25), FSU (3/1), Wake Forest (3/3), at UNC (3/8)
At High Point, second-year coach Alan Huss is seeking his second consecutive regular-season title in the Big South. The Panthers (21-5, 9-2) also are chasing the first NCAA Tournament bid in program history, although that would require them to win the Big South Tournament.
Closest High Point Competitors: UNC Asheville (8-2 Big South), Winthrop (7-4 Big South)
Remaining High Point Schedule: Longwood (2/13), at Winthrop (2/15), Charleston Southern (2/19), at Gardner-Webb (2/22), USC Upstate (2/26)
At UNC Wilmington, fifth-year coach Takayo Siddle is seeking his second regular-season title in the Coastal Athletic Association. (UNCW tied with Towson in 2022.) The Seahawks (20-5, 10-2), who captured the College Basketball Invitational championship in 2022, also are pursuing the first NCAA Tournament bid of Siddle’s tenure.
Closest UNCW Competitors: Towson (11-1 CAA), Campbell (9-3 CAA), Charleston (9-3 CAA)
Remaining UNCW Schedule: Charleston (2/13), Elon (2/15), at William & Mary (2/20), at Hampton (2/22), at Campbell (2/27), Delaware (3/1)
