March Madness is a time when Cinderella stories emerge as mid-majors make a name for themselves and these five teams can wear the glass slipper in 2022.
One of the best parts of March Madness is seeing who becomes the Cinderella story of the tournament. Everyone walks into the dance knowing that one of the traditional powerhouses will likely win it all but America’s heart can be captured by a small school that makes a lot of noise in the dance.
The Cinderella stories of the past include great moments like Loyola-Chicago’s Final Four run in 2018, UMBC becoming the first 16-seed to knock off a 1 in that same year, Florida Gulf Coast becoming the first 15-seed to reach the Sweet 16, and Gonzaga’s first deep March run all the way to the Elite Eight in 1999.
Who has a chance to become the latest Cinderella that busts your brackets this March? Check out the five likeliest candidates below.
5 dark horses that will be March Madness Cinderella stories
5. UAB Blazers
The 12-seed has often been the home to Cinderella stories of the past and this year’s most interesting 12 is UAB. A solid team that took advantage of a loss from North Texas to win the Conference USA Tournament, the Blazers have a star in guard Jordan Walker, who averaged 31 points per game in the tournament.
UAB has a winnable first-round matchup against an overrated Houston team before taking on either Illinois or Chattanooga in the Round of 32. There is some magic building for the Blazers, who have a shot to get back to the Sweet 16 for the first time since they upset No. 1 seed Kentucky in 2004.
4. South Dakota State Jackrabbits
The best Cinderella teams in March often involve shooters who can catch fire to run a top program out of the gym. South Dakota State can certainly do that as the Jackrabbits average 86.7 points per game and shoot just under 45 percent from beyond the arc.
The selection committee also gave South Dakota State an excellent matchup against Providence, which has been struggling down the stretch and doesn’t have as talented a roster as the typical power-conference program. Don’t be shocked if the Jackrabbits catch fire and storm their way past both the Friars and Iowa to reach the Sweet 16.
3. Saint Mary’s Gaels
It is true that Saint Mary’s is seeded a bit high to be a real Cinderella as a 5 but Randy Bennett’s team is the classic definition of a mid-major. A tiny school in California with an enrollment of just over 3,700 students, the Gaels are a defensive force that limits opponents to just 60.5 points per game and can grind games down to a crawl on the offensive end.
This style can be a problem for UCLA, the Gaels’ potential Round of 32 opponent, since the Bruins like to fly up and down the court in order to score points. A Sweet 16 trip could see Saint Mary’s take on the most vulnerable No. 1 seed in the field in Baylor, giving them a real chance to get to the Elite Eight and find themselves within striking distance of the Final Four.
2. Vermont Catamounts
People around the country took notice of Vermont on Saturday when they blew out UMBC 82-43 in the America East final. The Catamounts play a relentless pace and feature a dynamic duo of forward Ryan Davis and guard Ben Shengu that combines for over 33 points per game and can knock down over 41 percent of their three-point shots.
Drawing Arkansas in the first round is a boon for Vermont since the Razorbacks struggled with Colgate last year in the Round of 64. The Catamounts play a similar style as Colgate with better personnel, giving them a shot to trip up Arkansas and shoot their way past UCONN to reach the Sweet 16.
1. Chattanooga Mocs
They may come from the Southern Conference but Chattanooga is built like a power-conference program. The Mocs have a bona fide star in guard Malachi Smith and a big man with high-major experience in Kansas transfer Silvio De Sousa, giving them the capability to defend Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn without double-teaming.
The path to the Sweet 16 for Chattanooga would involve beating Illinois and either Houston, which is a vulnerable 5-seed with two key starters out for the season due to injury, or 12-seed UAB. The path is there for the Mocs to stun us all and earn a shot at Arizona in the Sweet 16.
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