5 Smart Choice Cinderella teams for the 2023 March Madness bracket

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - JANUARY 09: Connor Vanover #35 of the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles shoots a 3-pointer against Jaelen House #10 of the New Mexico Lobos during the first half of their game at The Pit on January 09, 2023 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

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G Jalen Sullinger, Kent State Golden Flashes.Western Michigan University Broncos At Kent State University Golden Flashes /

4. Kent State Golden Flashes

The MAC had two teams worthy of the glass slipper in its final but Kent State outlasted Toledo to earn their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2017. The Golden Flashes have played the role of Cinderella before, advancing all the way to the Elite Eight in 2002 as a 10-seed before falling to Indiana 81-69.

This year’s edition of Kent State is an offensive juggernaut that averages over 76 points per game and put up 93 on the Rockets in the MAC final. Guard Sincere Carey, who leads the team in points and assists, has major star potential and poured in 26 points to help the Golden Flashes punch their ticket to the dance.

Coach Rob Senderoff also did a good job getting quality non-conference tests on his schedule as the Golden Flashes narrowly lost road games to Charleston, Houston, and Gonzaga, all of which made the field with the latter two being on the top three lines of the bracket. Those results will undoubtedly give Kent State the confidence they need in order to give whichever team draws them legitimate nightmares.

Kent State drew a 13-seed in the Midwest Region and will face off with Indiana in Round 1, which isn’t the easiest matchup thanks to their big man combo of Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson. The Hoosiers will try to dominate down low so the Golden Flashes will want to push the pace to spring this upset.

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