March Madness: 5 small school players poised to be household names

March Madness 2019: 5 small school players poised to be household names

EVANSVILLE, IN - MARCH 09: Murray State Racers Guard Ja Morant (12) shoots a free throw 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) /

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 11: Jordan Ford #3 of the Saint Mary’s Gaels brings the ball up the court against the San Diego Toreros during a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on March 11, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Gaels defeated the Toreros 69-62. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

4. Jordan Ford, St. Mary’s

The Gaels burst some bubbles by stunning Gonzaga in the WCC Tournament to earn an at-large bid, and their arrival could be a chance for guard Jordan Ford to break out. Ford is the engine that makes the Saint Mary’s offense go, and his steady scoring has helped the Gaels rack up 22 wins during the regular season.

The junior leads the Gaels in scoring with 21.3 ppg and is a tremendous shooter, converting on 49.4% of his field goal attempts. Ford is also a deadly marksman from beyond the arc, knocking down 42.3% of his shots from beyond the arc.

The Gaels are battle tested outside of the WCC as well, playing tournament teams like LSU and Mississippi in the non-conference schedule. That experience should make Ford comfortable on the big stage of March Madness, and he has the ability to go off, averaging 20.5 points over his last ten games.

If Ford explodes in the tournament, he could become a star very quickly.

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