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March Madness 2024: 5 Cinderella candidates already fit for the glass slipper

There has been a tremendous history of Cinderellas in March Madness. These five mid-majors are ready to rock the glass slipper in the NCAA Tournament.

By Mike Phillips

South Alabama v James Madison
South Alabama v James Madison / Mitchell Layton/GettyImages
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McNeese Cowboys

If your favorite school draws a mid-major team that went 30-3 during the regular season you should be very afraid. Winning 30 games in any league isn't easy and McNeese dominated the Southland conference all season long, setting themselves up for March Madness success.

The Cowboys benefitted immensely from their decision to hire former LSU coach Will Wade to lead their program. Wade took the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament three times in four years before getting fired for his involvement in the pay-for-play FBI probe, sitting out last season before relaunching his career with McNeese.

The biggest key to success for McNeese has been their explosive offense, which averages 80.4 points per game, with do-it-all guard Shahada Wells leading the team in scoring (17.8 points per game), assists (4.8 per game) and steals (3.0 per game). KenPom also rates the Cowboys as a Top-100 unit in both offensive and defensive efficiency, which is a combination that can help win NCAA Tournament games.

First up for the Cowboys is a shot at Gonzaga in Salt Lake City, which should be a fascinating matchup as the Bulldogs are clearly vulnerable after some struggles early in the season. If they win, McNeese would either deal with fellow Cinderella Samford or a depth-challenged Kansas, giving the Cowboys a realistic shot to reach the Round of 32.

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