Three Underdogs to Watch This March Madness

· Yahoo Sports

There is no tradition in sports quite like the ‘Cinderella’ run. Every March, mid-major programs punch their tickets to the Big Dance, often arriving as double-digit seeds with little national recognition, but with plenty of upset potential.

What makes them dangerous isn’t just the “underdog” tag — it’s the element of surprise. Because most of the time these teams play outside the national spotlight, opponents often know very little about them.

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As we head into the 2026 tournament, three programs have the tools to disrupt the field and ignite their own ‘Cinderella’ run.

1) High Point University

The High Point Panthers enter the tournament after a dominant 30-win season and are currently ranked third nationally in scoring (90.0 PPG). This isn’t just a high-scoring team, though. The Panthers are a veteran-led group with postseason experience.

Senior guard Scotty Washington anchors the perimeter, providing elite efficiency with a 38.2 three-point percentage. Additionally, if fans are looking for this year’s version of March Madness icon Jack Gohlke, they should look no further than Chase Johnston. Johnston has been lethal from deep, shooting a staggering 48.5% on 132 attempts this season.

Beyond volume shooting, High Point excels at free-throw shooting. Starters Conrad Martinez (84.4%) and Rob Martin (83.8%) lead the team at the stripe.

After punching their ticket to the Big Dance for the second consecutive year and finishing 15-1 in the Big South, High Point enters the tournament with confidence. They have the poise and experience to write their own story.

 

2) McNeese State University

Riding the momentum from last year when McNeese State took down Clemson in the first round, the Cowboys return to the tournament for a third consecutive season after finishing 28-5, including 19-3 in the Southland Conference. 

The Cowboys aren’t just a tough out; they are among the most disruptive teams in the country. They sit at the top of the nation in turnover margin, with a ratio of 7.3, and force the second-most turnovers per game in the nation at 17.

Primarily, McNeese thrives by turning defense into offense, ranking second nationally in steals per game (10.5). This quick transition scoring complements a half-court defense holding opponents to 66.5 points per game and 40.7% shooting.

Additionally, experience drives this squad. Seniors DJ Richards Jr. and Javohn Garcia have helped lead the charge for the Cowboys all season.

Above all, what separates McNeese from other mid-majors is Power 5 experience. High-major transfers like Garwey Dual (Seton Hall/Providence) and Jerrell Colbert (SMU/Kansas State/LSU) provide the Cowboys with experience in high-intensity matchups.

 

3) Santa Clara University

Despite falling short in the conference championship to Gonzaga, the Santa Clara Broncos enter March Madness with a resume demanding respect. They finished 26-8 overall and 15-3 in the West Coast Conference.

This team is built on massive size and analytical efficiency. The lineup features 7-foot-1 center Bukky Oboye, who shoots 66.5% from the field. Alongside him is 6-foot-9 point-forward Jake Ensminger, shooting 53.6%.

Complementing interior size is Christian Hammond, the team’s leading scorer at 15.8 points per game. With all this size, the Broncos’ offensive efficiency is reflected analytically: they rank 37th in KenPom and 42nd in the NET.

Furthermore, any doubts about handling pressure were answered in the WCC semifinals. Santa Clara beat then-No. 21 Saint Mary’s, another tournament-bound team. They enter the Big Dance with the confidence and metrics of a team capable of a deep run.

 

The post Three Underdogs to Watch This March Madness appeared first on The Lead.

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