March Madness Betting Look at Cinderellas, Sleepers and Bracket-Busters getting to the First Round

March Madness is getting closer and closer. You can tell the Madness is coming soon with the way the teams are starting to pick up their play. The NCAA Regular season is soon to come to an end, and then the conference tournaments will take place. 

After that, we will have brackets for the NCAA Tournament. We know who the favorites are, we have talked about them all season.

Today, let’s focus on a trio of Cinderella teams, a three-pack of sleeper teams many are not talking about, and then get to three bracket busters when looking at betting the NCAA Tournament.

This is before a bracket comes out, but still is fun to get a closer look:

2024 March Madness Betting Look at Cinderellas, Sleepers and Bracket-Busters | College Basketball Betting Analysis for the NCAA Tournament

2024 March Madness | 85th edition of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament
Tuesday, March 19th – Monday, April 8th, 2024
Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 17

Cinderellas

Florida Atlantic Owls +10000

Out of the American Athletic Conference, the Owls are coming off a loss on the road at South Florida, but still very dangerous. The Owls have been a little underwhelming at times, but Dusty May still has a ton of talent that went to the NCAA Final Four a season ago. The Owls are seasoned and have guys that know how to win. Florida Atlantic will be a team no top seed will want to see at any time during the NCAA Tournament.

Boise State Broncos +14000

The Broncos still need some help to even get into the Big Dance. There is no doubt about that. They sit at 17-8, and third in the Mountain West. But, with some strong play down the stretch, and a nice Mountain West Conference tournament run, we should see the Broncos dancing. This is a team that is dangerous. Tyson Degenhart can score with the best of them. He has scored 24 or more in four of his last six games. When he heats up, Boise State is at another level. He helps them become a dangerous Cinderella in the dance.

South Florida Bulls +30000

While everyone in the state of Florida talks about the Owls, and if they can get back to the Final Four, the team in Tampa that is playing great basketball is the South Florida Bulls. The Bulls are a win away from 20 on the season. The Bulls lead the conference, and are coming off a massive home win over Florida Atlantic. Overall, South Florida has won 11 straight games. The Bulls are winning with their defense. Before the win over Florida Atlantic, they had won their four February games, by allowing less than 60 points per game.

Sleepers

Duke Blue Devils +2500

Sure, it is hard to look at such a power program like the Duke Blue Devils and consider them a sleeper. But, the 2023-2024 version seems to be sliding under the radar a little bit. There are not a ton of people talking about Duke cutting down the nets in April. This is a dangerous team, with Kyle Filipowski leading the charge. Jeremy Roach has been great as well, and they are playing strong as the season winds down. Their lone loss in February was to North Carolina. Since then, they have won four straight.

Baylor Bears +4000

We will stick with the theme here. The Bears are not too far removed from being national champions. But, the 2023-2024 version of the Bears are sitting behind teams like Houston, Kansas and Iowa State as far as Big 12 teams are being talked about. Scott Drew’s teams are always tough, they always play defense, and the team this season can shoot the basketball. They will be a matchup nightmare in the dance.

Gonzaga Bulldogs +8000

Instead of completely dominating the regular season like they have done in previous seasons, this year Gonzaga has paced themselves a bit. At 20-6, the Bulldogs are going to make the tournament, but not be the dominant force they have been in the past. This will be a team that opponents cringe when they see them coming up as a potential matchup. Coach Few will have some tricks up his sleeve.

Bracket Busters

San Diego State Aztecs +7000

Much like Florida Atlantic, this is a team that has had high expectations due to their season a year ago. They are tied for the top of the Mountain West with Utah State, but have six losses. But, do not forget about the Aztecs. No matter what seed they get, they are going to be a seasoned team, hungry to get back to where they were last season.

Dayton Flyers +8000

The Dayton Flyers are 21-4 on the season, and tied with Loyola at the top of the Atlantic Ten. The Flyers have won back-to-back games since losing at VCU. That loss to the Rams saw them score just 47 points in the game. Typically, Dayton has been a team that has no trouble scoring points, with nearly 75 per game. The Flyers are in the Top Ten nationwide in three point percentage, making nearly 40%.

Virginia Cavaliers

Maybe not the best time to talk about Coach Bennett’s Cavaliers. They were smoked by state rival Virginia Tech on Monday. But, the Cavaliers, with their ability to defend anyone will be a pest in the tournament. This is not going to be a team that gets a great seed, as the Atlantic Coast Conference is down outside the big two teams. But, Virginia has tournament success in the past, if they can figure out how to score on a regular basis, look out!

There you have it! Those are our three Cinderella, Sleepers and Bracket Busters for the upcoming NCAA Tournament. 

The big dance is projected to be one of the best you have seen, and we believe it. A ton of really good teams, but also a ton of teams that could win big games, and many that could lose very easily if they do not bring their top game. Enjoy the rest of the NCAA Basketball regular season, and good luck with all your March Madness betting! 

We hope you enjoyed our look at Cinderella’s, Sleepers and Bracket Busters!

Previous Betting News

It is going to be another wild NCAA Tournament coming up next month in March. We are still a month away from getting the action started, but the games on the court have shown an indication it will be wild.

Today we wanted to talk about some Cinderellas, some sleepers and some bracket busters when looking at betting the NCAA Tournament.

This is before a bracket comes out, but still is fun to get a closer look:

2024 March Madness Betting Look at Cinderellas, Sleepers and Bracket-Busters | College Basketball Betting Analysis for the NCAA Tournament

2024 March Madness | 85th edition of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament
Tuesday, March 19th – Monday, April 8th, 2024
Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 17

Cinderellas

Gonzaga Bulldogs

Mark Few does not have one of his best teams, but still, at 18-6, Gonzaga still looks like they could get into the big dance with a strong finish. They are 8-2 in their last 10 games, and are coming off a road win at Kentucky. It is a little strange putting the Bulldogs in the Cinderella category, but the expectations are off for this team, but they still have the talent. Top ranked teams will need to look out for the Bulldogs.

Gonzaga Bulldogs
Cinderella Pick: Gonzaga +8000 | Odds for College Basketball MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

Texas Tech Red Raiders

When looking at the Big 12 Conference – people are not talking about the Texas Tech Red Raiders. They rudely welcomed Kansas to town on Monday night and won by nearly 30 points. The Red Raiders are 18-6, and right in the mix at the top of the conference standings. Making shots helps, and the Red Raiders are one of the best shooting teams in the country. Look out for Texas Tech!

Texas Tech Red Raiders
Cinderella Pick: Texas Tech +8000 | Odds for College Basketball MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

San Diego State Aztecs

Can you be Cinderella in back to back seasons? Sure! That’s the position the San Diego State Aztecs are in. After reaching the national title game, they have gone under the radar, and are closing in on another 20 win season. The Aztecs are coming off a road loss at Nevada, but the Mountain West Conference title is still within grasp, as we know what happens when this squad gets hot.

San Diego State Aztecs
Cinderella Pick: San Diego State +8000 | Odds for College Basketball MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

Sleepers

Marquette Golden Eagles

Shaka Smart has one of the most talented teams in College Basketball. They are not at the top of the odds to win the title, especially with UConn playing in the same league. But, this is a sleeping giant. Marquette can score, they can defend, they can play in various ways. This is going to be a really tough team to eliminate. Definitely not with the favorites at the top of the odds, which makes them a very capable sleeper!

Marquette Golden Eagles
Sleeper Pick: Marquette +2800 | Odds for College Basketball MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

Duke Blue Devils +2800

With all the success the Duke Blue Devils have had in their school history, can they be a sleeper? Many are not talking about the Blue Devils, as they are behind North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Kyle Filipowski and Jeremy Roach are two of the most talented players in the sport. Duke is kind of hoping folks continue to forget about them and they can make a magically run in the big dance.

Duke Blue Devils
Sleeper Pick: Duke +2800 | Odds for College Basketball MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

Florida Atlantic Owls +7000

Much like San Diego State in the Cinderella category. Florida Atlantic – are they a sleeper when this squad made the Final Four a season ago? The Owls are coming off an overtime win on the road at Wichita State. It was much needed to keep them in line to win the AAC conference. Appalachian State, led by Dusty May saw a historic run a season ago, but have gone under the radar this season. Their odds at 70/1 are pretty intriguing, especially for a team that has the talent to make a deep run.

Florida Atlantic Owls
Sleeper Pick: Florida Atlantic +7000 | Odds for College Basketball MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

Bracket Busters

Virginia Cavaliers +10000

Tony Bennett and his team have won eight straight games. They are just starting to get some attention from the national basketball media. Virginia is surging to the top of the ACC standings. They continue to play some of the best defense in College Basketball. Over the last several tournaments we have seen both ends of what this program can do. They could lose in the first round, or go win the whole thing. That makes the Cavaliers a major bracket buster when the big dance starts up.

Virginia Cavaliers
Bracket Buster Pick: Virginia +10000 | Odds for College Basketball MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

Indiana State Sycamores +20000

The Associated Press Top 25 finally noticed the Sycamores. Indiana State has just three losses on the season, and look like they are going to win the Missouri Valley Conference. Indiana State has losses at Drake, at Michigan State and at Alabama. This is a team that is built around their ability to score the basketball. The Sycamores rank as one of the best shooting teams in the country. But, when push comes to shove, they will also defend opponents, which would take them in the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Do not overlook the Indiana State Sycamores when filling out your bracket!

Indiana State Sycamores
Bracket Buster Pick: Indiana State +20000 | Odds for College Basketball MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

Drake Bulldogs +30000

Another Missouri Valley Conference team here. Drake will be on the bubble to reach the dance, but they should be in. They have five losses on the season, and no major win outside of the win over Indiana State. So, winning the Missouri Valley Conference tournament would be advantageous of them. If the Bulldogs do get in, and grab a 12/13 seed, this is major upset potential. This is a team that some of the big dogs in the NCAA Tournament DO NOT want to play.

Drake Bulldogs
Bracket Buster Pick: Tigers +30000 | Odds for College Basketball MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

Previous Betting News

Given how often we have seen the rankings change this season, predicting how things might go when March Madness rolls around is a precarious task. 2024 NCAA Basketball Betting | MyBookie Sportsbook Early March Madness history Cinderellas & Bracket Breakers + who might become one in 2024

Of course, we won’t be able to seriously talk about favorites and potential bracket busters until we see the actual bracket for the 2024 tournament, but that won’t stop us talking about it and giving some early NCAAB betting predictions a couple of months out from the opening tip-off. I think it’s fair to suggest that there are some rather obvious 1 and 2 seeds emerging right now, but after that, it’s all a bit of a crap shoot. Even knowing who the top teams might be doesn’t really help, as it would be a brave bettor who would confidently predict the overall winner today. Still, let’s take a look at some teams who have the potential to bust some brackets.

Clemson Tigers

The teams I will be looking at here all fall in around the #8 or #9 seed in tournament projections, so let’s start with the Clemson Tigers. They have had a rough go of things in conference play, going 3-4 in the ACC, but this is still a team that is sitting at 13-5 on the season. They have only had 2 games against ranked teams, but they won one of those and put in a decent showing in the other. You look at the games they lost and see that they were close in the majority of them, so this is a competitive bunch that could upset the apple cart.

Clemson Next 5

Bet Clemson to Win
MyBookie Betting Lines for NCAAB

Northwestern Wildcats

You hate to pick a team based on one win alone, but you cannot overlook the fact that the Wildcats knocked off Purdue when the Boilermakers were sitting in the #1 spot. They lost their other two games against ranked opponents, but that huge win is one that is hard to look beyond. Overall, Northwestern is sitting at 13-5 overall and 4-3 in conference play. This team does not score a lot, but they are solid on defense, which is always a must when heading into the tournament.

Northwestern Next 5

Bet Northwestern to Win
MyBookie Betting Lines for NCAAB

Nevada Wolf Pack

Looking at their current form, it’s tough to pick the Wolf Pack to do anything positive right now, and while they have lost 3 in a row at time of writing, this is still a team that has won 15 games this season. They have yet to face a ranked team this season, which is a little problematic when making these types of predictions, but this is a group that is defensively sound and well organized. They are going to be tough to break down, but whether they can win a couple of games in the tournament remains to be seen.

Nevada Next 5

Bet Nevada to Win
MyBookie Betting Lines for NCAAB

Seton Hall Pirates

Given what UConn is doing this season, it is easy to overlook some of the other very good teams in the Big East. I would put Seton Hall in that group, as they are currently sitting in 2nd in the conference, just a game back of the Huskies. They are 6-2 in conference play and 13-6 overall, which includes a win over UConn earlier in the season. They have a couple more wins against ranked opponents, proving that they could be a handful when the serious action begins.

Seton Hall Next 5

Bet Seton Hall to Win
MyBookie Betting Lines for NCAAB

2024 March Madness Schedule

March Madness Betting Look at Cinderellas, Sleepers and Bracket-Busters

Come Sunday, America, and the world will have a full look at the Field of 68, the bracket for the 2023 rendition of March Madness. As is the case each and every year, pundits, fans, and bettors alike will begin to fill out their brackets in search of that delectable 5/12 upset special or a team seeded low to make a magical run.

This year many in the know have said that the tournament figures to be chock full of upsets, shocks, and teams that transform themselves into America’s darling right before our eyes. In this piece, we will focus on a few teams that do not hail from major conferences and possess the potential to survive and advance and thrust themselves into national recognition and even prominence.

Without further ado, let’s check out college basketball betting predictions and analysis for these teams in the 2023 NCAA Basketball Tournament games.

The Red Raiders

Champions of the Patriot League and slated by many to be either a 14 or, most likely a 15-seed the Red Raiders of Colgate are a team that can potentially wreck a bracket and send a high seed packing. They’ll be making their third consecutive appearance of March Madness and played Wisconsin close in 2022.

Matt Langel’s team ranks 46th overall in offensive efficiency according to Ken Pom’s metrics, and unlike many low and mid major teams they have some size, big men that can play and contribute. The two-headed monster of 6-10 Keegan Records and 6-11 Jeff Woodward can potentially post a matchup problem for a first-round opponent.

While we don’t see the Red Raiders making a deep run, we can definitely foresee them as a 14 or 15-seed getting a ton of points in a first-round game and not only making it close but potentially winning.

Bet Red Raiders to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Pair of 30-Game Winners

Two teams that figure to garner 12 seeds are College of Charleston (31-3), champions of the CAA, and Oral Roberts (30-4), the Summit League titlist.  

First let’s look at Pat Kelsey’s Cougars. Not much of a tournament history to speak of, just four trips since 1997, but this team plays fast, they can score, and they’ve had a remarkable season. They rank 29th in adjusted tempo according to KenPom and average 16 seconds per possession, 28th quickest in all of D1 basketball.

Plus, all this team does is win, and if you look at past Cinderellas, they not only have won their conference tournament to solidify a bid, but they’ve dominated. These guys haven’t tasted defeat since February 2, and in their current 10-game winning streak have won four of those contests by more than 20. Yes, they’ll definitely be put to the test against a middling team from a high major conference, but they should advance.

Oral Roberts is a squad that captured America’s imagination in the 2021 tournament, advancing all the way to the Sweet 16 in their first tourney appearance since 2008. They went unbeaten in the Summit League, and coach Paul Mills, who led them to the Sweet 16 is still at the helm.

What appeals to us about this team is not only do they play fast (38th in tempo), but they are the 23rd most efficient team offensively according to KenPom. Anyone who knows anything about college buckets will tell you guards win in March, and you’ll be hard-pressed at any level to find a more proven backcourt than Issac McBride and Max Abmas.

Abmas averages a double-double (26 points and 11 assists) while playing 38 minutes, and McBride is a defensive stopper who himself averages nearly 12 a game. Now, they are armed with 7-5 center Connor Vanover, a human eraser at the rim. Of the three teams mentioned in this space, we like the Golden Eagles to be alive come the second weekend.

Bet College of Charleston / Oral Roberts to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Previous Betting News

Every year when March Madness begins, we are treated to stunning buzzer beaters and surprise results that no-one saw coming. If you play a bracket every year, you know that there are always one or two teams who create an upset that sends said bracket down the toilet in a hurry. We all know that there are going to be Cinderella teams, sleepers, and bracket-busters in the tournament, but figuring out who they are going to be is where things get tricky. Selection Sunday is almost upon us, at which time we may have a better idea of where those surprise teams may be hiding. For now, though, let’s look at a few teams that might just spring an upset or two in the March Madness betting odds.

2018 March Madness Betting Cinderella’s, Sleepers & Bracket-Busters

Loyola-Chicago Ramblers

The Ramblers won the regular season MVC title in rather comfortable fashion, finishing 4 games ahead of the nearest challenger. Bracket prediction have the Ramblers in as a potential #10, with a first round game against Gonzaga. This is a team that is certainly going to be tough to break down, as they are in the top 5 in the nation in point allowed per game at 62.2.

This is their first tournament appearance in 33 years, so you get the feeling that this team may just go out and enjoy the moment without feeling too much in the way of pressure. That, for me, is a dangerous combination.

Vermont Catamounts

Vermont finished the regular season with just a single loss in the American East Conference, winning the regular season title in a cakewalk. The Catamounts have a bit of a history as a bracket-buster, as the ousted Syracuse when in as the #13 seed back in 2015.

They actually seem to be better equipped to spring an upset or two this year, especially with sophomore Andrew Lamb returning from injury just in time for the tournament. Lamb averaged over 16 PPG this season, and if he can quickly recover that form, this team could be a legitimate threat to spring a first round shocker.

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

One of the things to consider when looking for a bracket-buster is whether they have pulled off tournament upsets in the past. Middle Tennessee certainly fit the bill, as they have had back to back opening round upset wins in the last two tournaments. In 2016, they went in as a #15 and beat Michigan State, while last year saw them in as a #12, beating Minnesota in the opening round.

They are likely to be in as a #9 or #10 this season, which suggests they are getting better with each passing year. Could this team be a potential Sweet 16 contender?

Saint Mary’s Gaels

We are going to need to wait until Sunday to see if the Gaels are actually in the tournament, but if they get in, this is a team that could potentially spring the opening round upset. Saint Marys finished second behind Gonzaga, ending the season with a 28-5 record. They don’t really have any major wins this season, which may go against them come selection time, but make no mistake about it, the Gaels could be a handful for whoever faces them in the Round of 64.