7 men’s March Madness Cinderella candidates that could bust brackets
Which teams will wear the glass slipper in the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament?
One thing everyone loves about March Madness are the Cinderella teams that go on captivating runs. Upsets are bound to happen and teams can have a magical night, but it’s even more impressive when those upset-minded teams win multiple games to advance to the Sweet 16, Elite Eight or even Final Four.
This year’s NCAA Tournament has plenty of teams capable of winning the national championship, from the SEC powerhouses to Duke and the top teams from the Big Ten. But someone is bound to throw a wrench in those predictions and bust everyone’s bracket.
In 2024, it was Oakland that took over the first round, and NC State had an incredible run to the Final Four. Which teams could do it this time around? There are several candidates who could stun in March and bust some brackets.
Arkansas
‘Underdog John Calipari’ doesn’t sound right, but the national championship-winning coach could lead a surprising run. His debut season with the Razorbacks didn’t start off strong, with an 0-5 start in the SEC, but they really figured it out, ending the regular season 9-5 with notable victories over Kentucky and Missouri.
The Hogs are one of the best shot-blocking teams in the country at 5.6 swats per game (fifth nationally), which is spearheaded by big man Zvonimir Ivisic. The guard play will be key. D.J. Wagner has led the backcourt and they have Johnell Davis, who has Final Four experience. The return of guard Boogie Fland will be huge; he was an excellent freshman before suffering a hand injury in January. Arkansas has been scoring at a high clip recently, and Kansas will have a real challenge to try and stop it.
Drake
Only two teams had less than four losses this season: Duke and Drake. The Bulldogs had a seamless transition to Ben McCollum, who has brought his Division II success with him to Des Moines. Defense is the name of the game for Drake — they simply do not let teams score. It allowed just 58.4 points per game, best in the nation, generating steals and preventing teams from controlling the boards.
Starring for the Bulldogs is Bennett Stirtz, the ironman of college basketball with a Division I-leading 39.2 minutes per game. He also led the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring (18.9), assists (5.9) and steals (2.2). The roster may have come from Division II but it certainly can handle Division I talent. Missouri is a great scoring team, but the Tigers could be in for a rough day against the Bulldogs’ defense, something any team that faces them will have to overcome.
UC San Diego
One of the most popular double-digit seed picks, but there’s a reason so many people are high on UC San Diego − and it’s not just because this is the first NCAA Tournament for the Tritons.
Like Drake, UC San Diego won 30 games this season with a tough defense that caused turnovers while taking care of the ball — its 7.2 turnover margin was the best in Division I. While the defense is good, the offense has made most of its games non-competitive; it had a plus-18 average scoring margin that was second-best in the country behind Duke. It’s highly unlikely the Tritons can dominate like they did most of the season, but their clean style of ball could get them far in the tournament. Their core unit has played two full seasons together, a chemistry that’s hard to find in this day and age of college basketball. Plus, you better learn how to pronounce the name of the Big West player of the year: Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones.
Colorado State
The only way Colorado State was going to get in the NCAA Tournament was by winning the Mountain West Conference tournament. It did that, and the Rams have the potential to do more than just make the field.
Defense is the strong side of the game for the Rams, but what really sparked a 10-game winning streak was their offensive resurgence, averaging 78.3 points per game during the stretch. All of it has been sparked by fifth-year senior Nique Clifford. He carried the team on his back with 25 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in the Mountain West tournament, and Colorado State looked far superior than any other team in the conference. The Rams got a great draw, facing a Memphis team that is a real enigma and barely got through the American Athletic tournament. If Colorado State starts off hot from 3-point land, it’s tough to stop.
McNeese
Will Wade has McNeese back in the NCAA Tournament and just as dangerous as ever after another dominant campaign in the Southland Conference. The Cowboys have been hounding any team in front of them by forcing turnovers and cashing them into points. That doesn’t even cover the fact McNeese has plenty of scoring options, with five players averaging at least 10 points per game.
Even if Clemson is the favorite in their first-round matchup and wins, it will have a tough time putting away the Cowboys. All six of McNeese’s losses were by single digits, and that includes games against Alabama and Mississippi State. The first-round game is likely to be a close one.
Yale
Back-to-back first-round shockers for Yale could be possible with the Bulldogs a No. 13 seed, the same one they were when they beat Auburn in the opening round last year. The Bulldogs’ offense is lethal, particularly from 3-point land at 38.7% from beyond the arc, eighth-best in Division I. That’s not good news for Texas A&M, since it ranked 168th in the country in 3-point defense percentage. Also, good luck trying to force turnovers. Yale takes care of the rock, giving up just 10 turnovers per game.
What’s helpful for Yale is it has its leader from last year’s second-round team. John Poulakidas scored 28 points against Auburn last March and he remains a strong scoring threat this time around. Experience always helps this time of year, and Poulakidas could be preparing for another encore performance.
High Point
The highest seed capable of pulling off a magical run is the High Point Panthers, appearing in their first March Madness. An experienced group with four of five starters having at least three seasons under their belt, the Panthers are hard to stop offensively because they are effective with their possessions. They shoot 49.4% from the field, seventh-best in the country.
Purdue can put up points but it also hasn’t been strong defensively this season, of course lacking in size with Zach Edey gone. High Point has to be happy with its draw — it can expose Purdue’s weakness, and the Boilermakers have a recent history of losing to double-digit seeds. It’s rare for Nos. 14-16 seeds to advance to the second round, but High Point could be the biggest stunner of the tournament.