It happens just about every year in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament – a team with a double-digit seed makes a deep run into the March Madness bracket, drawing the attention of the nation.
These teams are called Cinderellas, dancing late into the night until midnight strikes and their run comes to an end. In 2024, it was the N.C. State Wolfpack, who entered their conference tournament with a 17-14 record but rolled to a tournament title – and an automatic bid into the Big Dance as ACC Tournament Champions.
They made it all the way to the Final Four before their luck ran out. In 2023, it was 15th-seeded Princeton, who knocked off second-seeded Arizona and seventh-seed Missouri to get to the Sweet 16.
In 2008, a young Steph Curry led tenth-seeded Davidson to the Elite Eight, taking down Gonzaga, Georgetown and Wisconsin along the way before falling to top-seeded Kansas.
Virginia Commonwealth rode an 11-seed all the way to the Final Four in 2011 before another dark horse – eighth-seeded Butler – ended their run there. Butler would fall to Duke in that tournament final.
As you start to think about sports betting and the college basketball season, it’s time to start looking around for some teams outside the AP Top 25 for the 2025 Cinderella. Take a look at some of these possibilities.
POLL ALERT: Kansas tops AP Top 25 preseason men's basketball poll ahead of Alabama, defending champion UConn; SEC leads way with 9 teams in poll.
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) October 14, 2024
Full poll: https://t.co/ZJG5mgWrsa pic.twitter.com/aAABleXK3s
Which Unranked Teams Could Become 2024 March Madness Darlings?
Grand Canyon Antelopes
The Grand Canyon Antelopes won 30 games in 2023-24. They made the Big Dance as a 12-seed and knocked off fifth-seeded Saint Mary’s (CA) in the Roun of 64. Tyon Grant-Foster is back as one of the top pure scorers among mid-major players. Ray Harrison, Collin Moore, and Duke Brennan return to the starting rotation, giving Grant-Foster some help along the way. In the frontcourt, JaKobe Coles (TCU) and Dennis Evans (Louisville) have come through the transfer portal, and Sammie Yeanay is the top recruit GCU has ever brought to campus.
^Saint Mary’s Gaels
And what about Saint Mary’s? The Gaels lost two starters through the transfer portal as Aidan Mahaney headed to UConn and Joshua Jefferson went to Iowa State. Mitchell Saxen is back in the front court, and Augustas Marciulionis returns for his senior season in the backcourt. Mikey Lewis is an intriguing freshman prospect, and Paulius Murauskas (Arizona) will join Luke Barrett in the starting rotation. Coach Randy Bennett averages more than 23 wins per season, and 2024-25 should be no different.
^UAB Blazers
UAB got to the NCAA tournament for the second time under head coach Andy Kennedy, led by Yaxel Lendeborg, an interior presence who cranks out double-doubles and was the AAC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-AAC honoree last season, is back. So is Efrem “Butta” Johnson, who improved tremendously in his second season. Eric Gaines is gone from the backcourt, but Tyren Moore (Georgia Southern) transferred in to run the point. He led the Eagles in points per game (17) and assists (3.1) last year. The experience is there to run one of the top offenses in the AAC.
^McNeese State Cowboys March Madness
McNeese State is making noise in the Southland Conference. Will Wade improved the Cowboys from 11 wins in 2022-23 to 30 last year. Brandodn Murray (LSU) has transferred in, as has Quadir Copeland (Syracuse), who was the Orange’s sixth man last season. Sincere Parker (St. Louis), Alyn Breed (Providence), Jerome Brewer (Texas A&M-Commerce), and Joe Charles (Louisiana) have also come to jump-start the Cowboys’ roster. D.J. Richards Jr and Christian Shumate are also back, giving the roster veteran experience.
^Can’t-miss matchups 🍿@TheAndyKatz ranks the top 🔟 non-conference matchups to tune into this season 📺 pic.twitter.com/vMgq8557kS
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) October 24, 2024
Bradley Braves
Bradley has not made the NCAA tournament since 2019, but this could be the year they end that streak. Top scorer Connor Hickman transferred to Indiana, but First Team All-MVC honoree Duke Deen is back. Darius Hannah left the bench to make a difference as a starter returns in the paint along with Christian Davis. Among mid-majors, Bradley was one of the top shooting teams in the nation. If that continues, they could run away with the Missouri Valley Conference.
If you’re looking at the WCC for mid-major intrigue beyond Saint Mary’s, take a look at San Francisco. Chris Gerlufsen enters his third year at the helm after seeing Jonathan Mogbo leave for the NBA. Malik Thomas and Marcus Williams have returned to the backcourt. Inside, 7-footer Carlton Linguard (UT-San Antonio) has transferred in, and Ndewedo Newbury returns for the starting rotation. Jason Rivera-Torres (Vanderbilt) also adds length and physicality inside through the transfer portal.
First-year head coach Alan Huss led High Point to a 27-9 record. The team scored almost 84 points per game, the ninth-highest total in the nation. Top scorer Duke Miles transferred to Oklahoma, but Kezza Giffa (16.2 points per game) and Kimani Hamilton (14.9 points, 7.2 boards) are back. D’Muarian Williams (Texas Tech) and Bobby Pettiford Jr (Kansas) are transfer players who have banged around in Power 4 conferences and have experience playing at a high level.
^Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Western Kentucky has a new head coach in Hank Plona after Steve Lutz went to Oklahoma State. The departure of a head coach can wreak havoc on rosters as top players want to follow their head coach, but Plona was able to convince the top scorer from last year, Don McHenry, to remain with the Hilltoppers. They lost Brandon Newman to graduation, but Terrion Murdix (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) will take his spot in the backcourt. Murdix was the 2022-23 Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year but missed all of 2023-24 due to injury. Having him back and healthy will help WKU contend in Conference USA.
^Arkansas State Red Wolves
Arkansas State now has Bryan Hodgson, formerly Nate Oats’ head recruiter at Alabama, as head coach. Hodgson has the Red Wolves ranked in the top 50 in composite recruiting classes. The top recruit is three-star center Josh Hill. Kobe Julien (Louisiana) brings elite scoring through the transfer portal. Derrian Ford and Taryn Todd return for Arkansas State as the team expects to improve significantly from its 20-win, 2023-24 finish.
^Princeton Tigers
Princeton finished 24-5 last year, but losing to Brown in the Ivy League Tournament semis ended up sending the Tigers to the NIT, where they crashed out in the first round. Xaivian Lee and Caden Pierce made significant second-season improvements last year and have returned after putting up almost 44% of Princeton’s points last year. Deven Austin will return from injury, and Dalen Davis and Blake Peters will have more involvement.
^Towson State Tigers
Towson State has hit the 20-win mark three straight seasons, and bringing a solid core back has them poised to jump to the next level. They have an unusually balanced offense – no player averaged more than 11.0 points per game, but five averaged between 9.0 and 10.9. Christian May had a terrific second season and returns, and Tyler Tejada and Dylan Williamson are back after solid first seasons. Improving offensive efficiency will help the Tigers contend in the Colonial Athletic Association this season.
^South Florida Bulls
How will South Florida respond after the sudden passing of head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim? In his first season, he improved the Bulls from 14 wins to 25. The Bulls won the regular-season AAC title and made it into the AP Top 25 in the first part of March. The transfer portal took Chris Youngblood (Alabama), Selton Miguel (Maryland) and Kasean Pryor (Louisville) away, but Kobe Knox and Jayden Reid remain for now and should help the team continue progressing. De’Ante Green (Florida State) transferred in as did Quincy Ademokoya, who played for Abdur-Rahim at Kennesaw State. Watch the team’s early performance to see if they’re still worth following this year – they open on November 4 against the Florida Gators.
^“The coaching staff has been on us, establishing the UConn standard… It’s on us to make sure we get to that point.” 😤@TheAndyKatz caught up with @UConnMBB’s Alex Karaban to talk about his leadership role, new additions to the team, and more as the season draws closer 🎤 pic.twitter.com/Jkce3mR8Ox
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) October 25, 2024
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