2016 March Madness Cinderella Picks

I you’re looking for some value-packed college basketball betting teams that have all have a legitimate chance of doing some damage once the annual national championship basketball tournament rolls around next month, then you’ve come to the right place!

“How exciting and unpredictable March is setting up to be.” – Selection chairman @soonerad: https://t.co/cTBoBqq1xv pic.twitter.com/X1M3BmakVx

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) February 11, 2016

Thanks to the expert insight you’re about to get on five teams that I believe are all ‘under the radar’ national title contenders, you could cash in big once March Madness rolls around. With that said, let’s get started.

Top Cinderella Teams to Bet on for March Madness

St. Mary’s 150/1

You may not know it, but the Gaels (19-3 SU, 13-6 ATS) are absolute monsters on defense. Saint Marys is ranked second in the nation in points allowed (59.3 ppg) and 55th in field goal percentage defense (40.5%). Making the Gaels even more dangerous is the fact that they rank first in the nation in field goal shooting percentage (51.4%) and second in three-point shooting percentage (42.4%) while averaging a solid 76.4 points per game. At +15000, the Gaels are offering a stupendous return if they can pull off the March Madness tournament shocker.

Wichita State 45/1

Sure, the Shockers (18-6 SU, 14-8 ATS) play in a mid-level Missouri Valley conference, but head coach Gregg Marshall has built his program into a legitimate national title contender that is capable of beating any team in the country on any given night. More importantly, the Shockers play the kind of defense that wins championships by ranking seventh in the nation in points allowed (60.7 ppg) and ranking 15th in field goal shooting defense (38.7%). The Shockers also have two players in sweet-shooting swingman Ron Baker and heady point guard Fred Van Vleet, that both look like they could be playing at the next level in the near future.

Gonzaga 150/1

The Bulldogs (19-5 SU, 8-13 ATS) are actually in first place in the West Coast Conference, two games ahead of St. Mary’s, and has a team that ranks an impressive 7th in scoring (79.7 ppg) and identical 37th in points allowed (65.2 ppg). Gonzaga defends the three-point shot like crazy in limiting their opponents to just 28.0 shooting beyond the arc (third) and also rank 14th in field goal shooting percentage (48.9%). The Zags also have a star leader in senior forward Kyle Wiltjer (21.8 ppg).

South Carolina 200/1

The Gamecocks (21-3 SU, 16-5 ATS) aren’t getting a whole lot of love from the national media as a legitimate title contender, but their record says otherwise and so do I. South Carolina has a well-balanced offense that averages a healthy 78.0 points per game (74th) while limiting their opponents to just 68.8 points per contest defensively (109th). The Gamecocks also rank a stupendous 19th in field goal shooting defense (39.2%) while ranking 11th in rebounding (41.8 rpg).

San Diego State 250/1

You may remember the Aztecs (18-7 SU, 9-9-3 ATS) hoops programs from the run they made a few years back with now, San Antonio Spurs superstar Kawhi Leonard leading them. Now, the Aztecs are back again and once again, it’s the Aztecs defense that is getting the job done. San Diego State limits the opposition to just 60.2 points per game defensively (fifth) while ranking first in field goal shooting defense (36.3%) and 18th in three-point field goal defense (30.3%). The Aztecs only average 66.2 points per game (308th) and that could be their downfall, but make n o mistake about it, San Diego State’s defense is so good they could beat anyone in a one-game situation.