Cinderella Rankings for 2015 March Madness Hopefuls Ahead of Conference Tourneys
With all due respect to Disney, March is the month when Cinderella shines.
After all, every year the nation becomes enamored with Cinderella teams that take the NCAA tournament by storm and send powerhouses and favorites home empty-handed.
But what is a Cinderella, exactly?
Well, for the purpose of this list, a Cinderella is considered any team seeded ninth or lower that comes from outside a Power Five conference and either upsets a top-four seed or makes it to the Sweet 16.
Even though the conference tournaments haven't all been decided and the field of 68 won't be set until the end of this week, we wanted to go ahead and take a look at this year's Cinderella candidates. These are the teams that will potentially steal your heart and break your bracket in a couple of weeks.
Get ready for lots of slipper talk—here are the Cinderella rankings.
8. Belmont
1 of 8
Stats: 22-10, first in Ohio Valley East (11-5)
Why They're Here
OK, let's start this list with a confession: Murray State was supposed to be here. After all, it had a 25-game winning streak and was ranked No. 25 in the AP Top 25.
Then, as you may know by now, Belmont upset Murray State in the Ohio Valley tournament final to take the conference's automatic NCAA bid.
It's now unlikely that Murray State will get an at-large bid, but with its run to the Ohio Valley championship, Belmont has sold me on its Cinderella status.
The Belmont Bruins have a high-scoring offense and are particularly lethal from beyond the arc—nearly half of their shot attempts come from outside. Many Cinderella teams in the past have made their impacts from three-point land.
Plus, after pulling off the huge upset over Murray State and riding a seven-game winning streak, this young team will be brimming with confidence.
Watch out for the Bruins. They've already proved that the slipper fits.
7. Georgia State
2 of 8
Stats: 22-9, first in Sun Belt (15-5)
Why They're Here
There are two primary reasons why Georgia State—which is projected as a No. 13 seed, according to ESPN.com's Joe Lunardi—is a potential Cinderella: R.J. Hunter and Ryan Harrow.
Hunter is one of the best players outside of the power conferences—he's a potential first-round pick in the NBA draft this spring, averages nearly 20 points per game and put up 35 in the regular-season finale against Georgia Southern.
Harrow, meanwhile, transferred to Georgia State from Kentucky before the 2013-14 season and has been able to shine on the smaller team. He averages 20.2 points per game and is making over 50 percent of his shots.
Both Harrow and Hunter are big-time players who relish the spotlight. If they can capture the Sun Belt's automatic NCAA bid with a win in the conference tournament, Georgia State's stars could make headlines and lead their team to the Sweet 16.
6. North Carolina Central
3 of 8
Stats: 24-6, first in Mid-Eastern Athletic (16-0)
Why They're Here
We're used to North Carolina basketball teams making waves in March, but we're not used to North Carolina Central being one of them.
However, the other school in Durham is looking poised to change that this month if it can win the MEAC tournament and advance to its second straight (and second overall) NCAA tournament.
As Martin Rickman of Sports Illustrated points out, North Carolina Central head coach LeVelle Moton has assembled a talented and veteran squad this season:
"It's no secret Moton has been able to get the most out of his players in his time at N.C. Central, and this year is no different. Led by senior forward Jordan Parks (14.6 points, 8 rebounds per game) and senior Lamar transfer Nimrod Hilliard (11 points, 6.1 assists), the Eagles are the most experienced team in the nation according to kenpom.com ratings.
That experience—and the steady coaching hand of Moton—might just translate to a potential first weekend upset in the NCAA tournament.
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The Eagles have won 18 of their last 19, so they're on a roll at the right time. Momentum and experience are two of the most important qualities a Cinderella team can have.
They'll likely be a No. 16 seed, and we all know that a No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. But one of these years, we will see it happen.
Don't overlook the Eagles.
5. Wofford
4 of 8
Stats: 27-6, first in Southern Conference (16-2)
Why They're Here
It's been a special season for the Wofford Terriers already. Back in December, they upset North Carolina State in Raleigh, and they're heading into postseason play having won 14 of their last 15 games.
Wofford's biggest strength is its defense—the team is 22nd in the nation in points allowed and has held teams to under 50 points six times this year.
Now, if the Terriers can beat Furman in the SoCon championship Monday, they will make it back to the NCAA tournament after heading there last season.
With its staunch defense and a big-time win already in its pocket, the small school from South Carolina will have a chance to earn its first NCAA tournament win this year—and maybe even more.
4. Green Bay
5 of 8
Stats: 24-7, second in Horizon League (12-4)
Why They're Here
Why am I this high on a team that wasn't even the best in its conference during the regular season?
Keifer Sykes, Keifer Sykes and Keifer Sykes.
The senior guard is a star—he has averaged 18.9 points per game this year, including over 30 in two of his last three. He even inspired an entire post on Grantland, something not many mid-major players have done this year.
This is Sykes' last chance to make something special happen in college basketball. Even though the Phoenix had some missteps during the regular season—most notably two losses to Cleveland State—expect him to lead the way to a Horizon League win and Green Bay's first trip to the NCAA tournament since 1996.
The Phoenix will likely be a No. 13 seed if they make it into the field of 68. Expect Sykes to spark at least one upset while there.
3. Stephen F. Austin
6 of 8
Stats: 27-4, first in Southland (17-1)
Why They're Here
Stephen F. Austin was a great story in the 2014 NCAA tournament—the Lumberjacks entered the Big Dance on a 28-game winning streak. As a No. 12 seed, they upset fifth-seeded VCU in overtime in the second round.
This year, the Lumberjacks are a mere 26-1 in their last 27 games, but they have just as much Cinderella potential as they did last year—if not more.
With an experienced squad and a high-powered offense (SFA is 12th in the nation in points per game, first in assists and eighth in field-goal percentage), SFA will get into the tournament as long as it wins the Southland Conference tournament.
Once there, the Lumberjacks can use what they learned from their 2014 March magic to make similar waves once again. That's why SFA is so high on this list—the team has played this role before and is ready to be even better in the sequel.
2. Iona
7 of 8
Stats: 26-7, first in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (17-3)
Why They're Here
Simply put, Iona is dangerous.
The Gaels have lost only two times in the 2015 calendar year and are eighth in the nation in points scored.
Iona has two players—A.J. English and David Laury—averaging 19 or more points per game. The team has scored over 80 points in 15 games this season and is averaging 79.9 points per game.
Really, what else is there to say?
Iona is No. 2 in these rankings because scoring 80 points on a regular basis will win you a lot of basketball games—even against the best teams in the country. Plus, the Gaels play an extremely uptempo game, which means they'll be able to run with anyone.
If Iona can win the MAAC tournament, it will likely be a No. 12 seed.
This year, Cinderella might wear running shoes instead of slippers.
1. Davidson
8 of 8
Stats: 23-6, first in Atlantic 10 (14-4)
Why They're Here
The Davidson Wildcats were supposed to have a down year after switching from the Southern Conference to the Atlantic 10 this year. More competition was supposed to equal more losses for the 23-time SoCon champs—but instead it did just the opposite.
Led by Tyler Kalinoski and Jack Gibbs—who both are averaging 16 or more points per game—the Wildcats are on a nine-game winning streak heading into the Atlantic 10 tournament. Moreover, they're fourth in the nation in points and third in assists.
Joe Lunardi currently has them projected as a No. 8 seed in the NCAA tournament.
"We're exactly where we want to be—playing our best basketball of the season," Kalinoski said, as reported by David Scott of The Charlotte Observer. "That's what we're doing, and if we keep doing that, we'll be fine."
The Wildcats certainly have what it takes to be the biggest Cinderella story at this year's ball.
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