Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- After a lack of Cinderella stories in last year's tournament, March Madness in 2026 should deliver more underdog success.
- Six teams, including a school making its first appearance since 2001, are poised to capitalize on favorable matchups against streaky top seeds.
- These contenders combine elite defense, high-volume scoring, and deep rotations that could challenge power conference giants in March.
Most of the headlines from last year's NCAA Tournament surrounded how dominant the four No. 1 seeds were, with all of them reaching the Final Four for only the second time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. The other notable storyline was the absence of Cinderella. No true mid-majors reached the Sweet 16 and the only double-digit seed to get there was Arkansas, a 10-seed out of the SEC, so they don't count as an actual Cinderella candidate.
A pillowsoft bubble shows how poorly the bottom of the power conferences have performed this season. So any of the Cinderellas who get a shot in this year's tournament have an opportunity to state the case for more mid-major inclusion in the future if they can go on deep runs in the dance. While the cream does rise to the top at the end of the day, fans always have fond memories of seeing small schools they had never heard of before filling out their brackets slay some giants. What was more thrilling than St. Peter's during their Elite Eight run in 2022 or watching George Mason get to the Final Four in 2006?
Who has a shot to join the Peacocks and Patriots in March Madness lore with a Cinderella story for the ages? Let's break down the top six candidates, starting with a team making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001.
The Hofstra Pride have true Cinderella potential
The last time Hofstra reached the NCAA Tournament was in 2001, when Jay Wright served as their head coach before getting hired by Villanova following that season. The Pride were slated to make their March Madness return in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the tournament. This year's team punched a ticket with a strong run through the CAA Tournament and has a chance to make some serious noise.
Speedy Claxton's team has showed some guts, going 14-8 in road and neutral games, including a pair of victories at ACC schools Syracuse and Pittsburgh in the regular season. Hofstra also has an electric guard duo of Cruz Davis, who played under Rick Pitino at Iona and St. John's, and star freshman Preston Edmead. The two combine for 36.1 points per game, a formula that can lead to upsets if they get hot.
Hofstra drew a 13-seed and a date with a streaky Alabama team that lives and dies by the three, offering upset potential if the Crimson Tide's shots aren't falling. Advancing past that game would see the Pride face either fellow Cinderella candidate Akron or a Texas Tech team minus its best player in J.T. Toppin, which could open the door for a surprise Sweet 16 appearance.
The Northern Iowa Panthers are Missouri Valley's best hope for a Cinderella run
Many fans were hoping Belmont would get at-large consideration out of the Missouri Valley after a 26-win regular season, but there is a chance that Arch Madness produced a better Cinderella candidate for the league in Northern Iowa. KenPom rates the Panthers closely behind Belmont in terms of overall efficiency and their win-loss record is a bit depressed by a mid-season slump when Northern Iowa dropped six of seven due to a rash of injuries.
The Panthers are hot now, ripping off five straight wins to reach the tournament. They allow just 61.3 points per game while ranking as KenPom's 25th-most efficient defense as of Thursday afternoon. A relatively healthy Northern Iowa team also gave Saint Mary's everything they could handle back in December in a five-point loss right before Christmas, showcasing their ability to compete with the best teams in the country.
The Panthers were placed into a 5-12 matchup against St. John's, who doesn't have a true point guard to withstand Northern Iowa's intense pressure. A streaky Kansas group could be waiting in the Round of 32, which could give the Panthers a chance to deliver more heartbreak to the Jayhawks 16 years after Ali Farokhmanesh nailed a dagger to knock them out of the tournament.
The high-scoring High Point Panthers could get hot
After making their March Madness debut a year ago, High Point is back to try and snag its first NCAA Tournament win. The Panthers compiled an outstanding 30-4 record during the regular season, ripping off victories in 22 of their final 23 games. Any team that can win 30 games is someone you don't want to see opposite you in the bracket.
An explosive offense is the key for High Point, which averages 91 points per game with three different players averaging at least 12 points per game, including former Florida State forward Cam'Ron Fletcher. The rotation also includes a unique three-point specialist in guard Chase Johnson, who evokes memories of former March Madness hero Jack Gohlke with his shooting splits (132 of his 136 field goal attempts for the year are from beyond the arc and he has converted at a 48.5 percent clip).
High Point's first game comes in the West Region against Wisconsin, a very dangerous group that has played down to its competition at times this season. The Panthers are well-equipped to get into a shootout with the Badgers and advance, where they would be capable of taking down SEC champion Arkansas for a spot in the Sweet 16.
The Santa Clara Broncos are battle tested
The third team out of the WCC, Santa Clara is dancing for the first time in 30 years and they have a chance to extend their stay beyond the first weekend. The Broncos proved their ability to beat good teams by taking two of three matchups against Saint Mary's and giving Gonzaga everything they could handle in the conference title game, leaving Herb Sendek's team brimming with confidence entering the dance.
A deep nine-man rotation gives Santa Clara the wherewithal to hang with power conference foes, as evidenced by a win over Minnesota earlier in the season and a dog fight against Saint Louis in non-conference play. Christian Hammond leads the way with 15.8 points per game as one of four rotation players who shoot at least 35.8 percent from beyond the arc.
The Broncos landed a 10-seed and drew Kentucky in the first round, which is a tremendous matchup for them as Santa Clara's length could be an issue for the Wildcats. Iowa State awaits in the Round of 32, and Santa Clara's battles against Gonzaga could prove to be valuable experience for the challenge of taking down the Cyclones.
The McNeese Cowboys are still dangerous without Will Wade
Will Wade may have gone to NC State but the program he built at McNeese is still going strong as the Cowboys are back in the NCAA Tournament again. McNeese went 28-5 and took down Stephen F. Austin to win the Southland's auto bid, and a big key to their success is a swarming defense that forces 10.5 steals per game, second in the country to fellow Cinderella candidate High Point.
Depth is also a weapon for the Cowboys, who play ten deep with five players averaging at least eight points per game. While the lack of three-point shooting is a concern for a potential upset run, McNeese does have the experience of winning a tournament game last year and that could loom large this go-round.
McNeese will have a 5-12 matchup against Vanderbilt, which has a quick turnaround from playing in the SEC Tournament final on Sunday and could be vulnerable to the Cowboys' swarming defense. Next up would be a 4-seed matchup with Nebraska, which has very limited tournament experience and saw its level drop after a 20-0 start, that McNeese could steal to get to the Sweet 16.
Akron Zips
Miami of Ohio's loss to UMASS in the MAC quarterfinals opened the door for a two-bid league and Akron took advantage of the RedHawks' slip-up by claiming the league's automatic bid. The Zips were actually pegged by experts as the favorite to win the MAC Tournament thanks in part to strong metrics and their experience making the NCAA Tournament a year ago. So this talented group is someone no one wants to see in their bracket.
Akron finished the regular season on a tear, ripping off 20 wins in their final 21 games, with the one loss coming in a non-conference tilt against NCAA-Tournament bound Troy as part of a 29-5 season. Guard Tavari Johnson is also a game-wrecker, averaging 20.2 points per game as one of four Zips who average double-figures in their rotation. Akron can get hot from deep as they shot 38.5 percent from deep as a team during the regular season.
A favorable 5-12 draw against Texas Tech, who is limping to the finish line without J.T. Toppin, provides an opportunity for Akron to score an upset. A draw with Alabama in the Round of 32 offers even more upset potential if the Crimson Tide's threes aren't falling.