6 Cinderella Teams to Watch in the NCAA Tournament
It’s the start of conference tournament week in NCAA Men's Basketball. Therefore these teams listed below could be out in the drop of a hat. That is the deal with Cinderella; one mistake could be the end of the season. But, we like this six pack of teams from the regular season they had and the style of play they have shown to be teams to watch in the NCAA Tournament. Here are our 6 Cinderella Teams:
Dayton Flyers +10000
The Dayton Flyers come into their regular season finale with a 23-6 mark, and 13-4 in the Atlantic 10. The Flyers will face VCU in that final game. Dayton is one of the best three point shooting teams in all of College Basketball. They make over 40% from downtown. We all know teams that can shoot the rock in the tournament find a way to win big games. This is going to be a team that has a stud that the ball is going to in crunch time; in DaRon Holmes. It will be interesting to see how they adjust in the tournament when they go against teams a little more athletic than they saw in the Atlantic Ten. Regardless, keep an eye out for the Flyers.
Washington State Cougars +10000
It is a little strange to call the potential Pac-12 regular season champion a Cinderella, but that is exactly what they are. No team has exceeded expectations this season more than the Cougars. Washington State is 23-7 on the season, and has a game Thursday night at home against Washington. With a win in that game, and an Arizona loss to either UCLA or USC, and the Cougars win the conference. Washington State beat Arizona both times they played this season. Washington State has won 9 out of their last 10 games. The Cougars are making nearly 47% of their shots on the season. Myles Rice and Isaac Jones are their go to guys with nearly 16 points per game each. This is going to be a fun team to follow.
New Mexico Lobos +12000
The Mountain West has seen one of their most unbelievable seasons in recent history. The New Mexico Aggies are 10-7 in league play, and should be in the dance. They are 22-8 overall. The Aggies will look to finish the regular season on a high note Saturday on the road at Utah State. They could use this one, and a few in the Mountain West Conference tournament to boost their resume. But, this is a Lobos team that rattled off five straight earlier in the season, and have all the pieces for a deep run. New Mexico is 18th in the nation in scoring with more than 82 points per game. When the NCAA bracket comes out and your potential opponent is New Mexico, you are likely not going to love the matchup.
Indiana State Sycamores +20000
Indiana State is the favorite in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. The Sycamores finished 17-3 in conference play, and 26-5 overall. Indiana State has started to play better basketball, with four straight wins. The Sycamores are anchored by big man Robbie Avila, with 17.6 points per game. Do not overlook Isaiah Swope, or Ryan Conwell, both scoring 16 per game as well. The Sycamores saw both Alabama and Michigan State in non conference action, so they certainly are no strangers to seeing some competition.
South Florida Bulls +25000
One of the best stories in the country comes out of the AAC. The South Florida Bulls have won 15 straight games. The Bulls are 23-5 heading into the season finale at Tulsa. A win there, and a nice run in the AAC tournament should get the Bulls in the big dance. Teams that are playing this well should get in, and will be tough to play against. South Florida is making nearly 9 three point baskets a game, and shooting it at a 36.7% clip. The Bulls are led in scoring by Chris Youngblood, at 15.5. The folks in Tampa are excited for the Bulls, who come into the weekend at +25000 to win it all.
Grand Canyon Antelopes +30000
It has been a fun season for the Antelope. They are 26-4 on the season, and with a win at Cal Baptist on Saturday will be the Western Athletic Conference Champions. Unfortunately, they are going to need more. They will likely need to win the WAC Tournament to make sure they are in the dance. Once they are in, do not overlook this team. Grand Canyon is scoring right at 80 points per game, and have one of the best defensive teams in the country. In their last two games; both wins, they are allowing just over 50 points per game.
There you have it. That is a look at our 6 Cinderella Teams to Watch in the NCAA Tournament. Enjoy the rest of the regular season, conference tournament season, and then the big dance. We are excited for the action, and cannot wait to start seeing a bracket. Best of luck with all your NCAA Tournament betting!
Derek Hudson
Derek is a long time sports bettor who grew up in Providence, RI. Derek is data driven and believes the key to betting the sportsbooks is finding an edge in analytics. Derek is happily married and has two young boys. Derek will bet on anything if you let him.
