March Madness 2019: 5 Cinderella's that could go on a run in the Tourney

March Madness 2019: 5 candidates to be the Cinderella Story of the NCAA Tournament

SPARTANBURG, SC - FEBRUARY 16: Mike Young head coach of Wofford during a college basketball game between the UNCG Spartans and the Wofford Terriers on February 16, 2019, at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium in Spartanburg, SC. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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EVANSVILLE, IN – MARCH 09: Murray State Racers Guard Ja Morant (12) dribbles the ball during the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Championship college basketball game between the Murray State Racers and the Belmont Bruins on March 9, 2019, at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

4. Murray State

The Ramblers were a 12-seed when they got to the Final Four last year, so let’s look at another popular 12-seed in Murray State. The Racers have one big advantage in their quest to become Cinderella, and that is the presence of Ja Morant.

Morant, a likely top-3 pick in June’s NBA Draft, is averaging 24.6 points per game and leads the country with 10 assists a night. The Racers rode Morant past Belmont to the OVC title and a date with 5-seed Marquette in the first round.

Marquette is always dangerous because of the presence of Markus Howard, but the Golden Eagles slumped down the stretch, losing five out of six to end the regular season. Morant’s ability should give the Racers a counter to Howard and an excellent chance to advance.

After the matchup with Marquette, Murray State would have to deal with an experienced Florida State squad in the Round of 32, and while the Seminoles are experienced they lack a truly game-changing player. Morant is that guy and he could be the reason the Racers are still playing next weekend.

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