Top 8 NCAAM teams that look destined to reach Elite Eight feat. Duke, UConn and more 

The 2024-25 college basketball season is one-third done, and teams are positioning early for possible March Madness runs. They've moved to get into the heads of the selection committee that will pick the 68 teams that will go at it in the NCAA Tournament in late March.

However, some programs are poised to go deeper into the Tournament and possibly reach the Elite Eight.

Here are eight teams that looked destined to reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

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Top 8 NCAA men's basketball teams that look destined to reach Elite Eight

#8. Kentucky Wildcats

Nobody expected Kentucky to have an impressive start in the first 13 games of the season. Wildcats coach Mark Pope has effectively instilled his aggressive offensive style into the minds of his new players and developed into the third-best offense in the nation (89.0 points per game).

Their victories against Gonzaga, Louisville and Duke in nonconference play have placed them in contention for a deep run in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The SEC regular season play remains on the horizon for Kentucky and the competition there will serve as a litmus test for their aspirations to go deep into March Madness.

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#7. Iowa State Cyclones

Iowa State has picked up on its awesome 2023-24 season with an almost intact core and a great haul of reliable transfers and freshmen. The Cyclones' 11-1 start going into the full brunt of the Big 12 Conference regular season has moved them to No. 3 in the AP poll.

The 79-69 win over Colorado is a good start to their aspirations to rule the Big 12. Conference play will be tougher moving forward and this will test Iowa State's resolve to fulfill its quest in making the Elite Eight or deeper in the NCAA Tournament.

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#6. Alabama Crimson Tide

Nate Oats effectively guided Alabama to a Final Four run last year, compiling big wins against top teams in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. This season is no different as the Crimson Tide resumed its winning ways, beating a gauntlet of contenders in Illinois, Houston, Rutgers, North Carolina, and Creighton in nonconference play.

Their losses to Purdue and Oregon could have gone the other way but Alabama is in good hands going into SEC play. With a deep lineup, expect the Crimson Tide to make the 2025 tournament and possibly secure one of the tickets to the Elite Eight.

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#5. Auburn Tigers

If their awe-inducing nonconference play is concerned, it looks like Auburn has completely moved on from its unceremonious first-round ouster in last year's NCAA Tournament. The Tigers have beaten AP Top 25 teams Houston, Iowa State, North Carolina, Memphis and Purdue during their run and the streak of beating seeded teams might push along going into SEC play.

With Johni Broome leading the team, Auburn is a shoo-in to get an Elite Eight ticket but they should eradicate the ghost of the past and keep on winning in the 2025 NCAA Tournament if they want to go deeper.

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#4. Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee is one of the three teams still unbeaten following nonconference play. The Volunteers' unbeaten slate has placed them at the top of the AP poll for the fourth week in a row. Rick Barnes has assembled a team that has a penchant for defense and the group has been working well on the department, ranking second on opponents points (56.2 ppg) behind Houston.

The lack of big competition in nonconference play (They beat No. 13 Baylor on Nov. 22) might affect its campaign in the SEC regular season.

Tennessee is set to run the gauntlet of strong teams who are worthy of contending in the NCAA championship this season. The Volunteers' season-opener against No. 23 Arkansas would show how they're stacked in the loaded conference.

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#3. Kansas Jayhawks

The Kansas Jayhawks were off to a great start in the 2024-25 college basketball season, winning their first seven games. Losses to Creighton, Missouri and West Virginia have taken them aback in its run for their fifth national title, approaching the new year with a 9-3 record.

There's still hope for Bill Self and his squad as the Big 12 conference regular season is still in its initial phase and all they need is to win enough games and go hot in time for the NCAA Tournament. Their lineup is considered the strongest on paper this season and they're expected to make the Elite Eight with Hunter Dickinson and Zeke Mayo leading the squad.

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#2. Duke Blue Devils

Jon Scheyer has been pulling off a great Mike Krzyzewski impression this season, as he has managed a rookie-laden corps with grit and grace combined. The Cooper Flagg-led Duke Blue Devils had its share of ups and downs in non-conference play, losing to Kentucky and Kansas, before claiming victories over Arizona, Auburn and Louisville.

Those losses seemed to be lessons for Flagg and the gang to reflect on moving into the ACC regular season. It has worked great so far for them. They are in the driver's seat in the conference at 3-0 and would easily likely make the NCAA Tournament in March.

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#1. UConn Huskies

UConn has moved on from the debacle in the Maui Invitational by stringing up seven straight wins, including three consecutive in Big East Conference play. Fine performances from Alex Karaban, Liam McNeeley and Solo Ball had kept the Huskies in NCAA Tournament talk this season.

Expect UConn to find more heroes in its bench to help keep its glorified mystique in the NCAA Tournament, going deep into the Elite Eight and possibly earning its third straight title.