The Five Best Potential Bracket Busters in March

With three weeks until Selection Sunday, five teams stand out as possible bracket busters if they make the tournament. All five have something in common: They are all mid-majors. March is known for “cinderella runs” by high-seeded teams. Here are five squads that are tuned to make that happen.

Wyoming Cowboys

There are five or six teams from the MWC that can win a tournament game this season. One of those teams is Wyoming. The Cowboys have been great with their play so far this season. Look no further than the inside-out duo of Hunter Maldonado and Graham Ike. The two stars for the Cowboys are dynamic scorers who will get to their spots on the floor and feast.

Wyoming is also a well-coached team, making them a tough match-up in the first round. Given the right region, Wyoming can write its own Cinderella story.

Murray State Racers

The last time Murray State made the NCAA Tournament was in 2018-19. To put that in perspective, Ja Morant made a name for himself as a sophomore. This season, the Racers sit at 26-2 (16-0). With them being the favorites in the OVC, Matt McMahon has the team to win a couple of games. Senior Tevin Brown happened to be a key piece to that 2018-19 team as a freshman. He averaged 11.8 PPG. Now, a senior, he is the second-leading scorer on the team.

Not only is he one of the best guards in the conference, but the team also has the man-in-the-middle, KJ Willams, as a focal point of the offense. The Racers aren’t the best three-point shooting team but get it done inside the arc. The slow tempo they play at can flourish in the right match-up.

Memphis Tigers

Penny Hardaway started the season on the hot seat. Memphis began with some tough losses. As of late, the Tigers have sparked a late-season run. Winners of its last six, Memphis is back in bubble talk. If Penny Hardaway can get this team into the field, watch out. The Tigers take pride in their defense, ranking towards the top of the country in both steals and blocks.

This team strings together stops, which is key in March. There have been instances where Memphis has looked unstoppable offensively. If these two things mix on the same day, Memphis is a second-weekend team and beyond.

Ohio Bobcats

Ohio is coming off a shocking lack-luster performance on Friday evening but is still my favorite to come out of the MAC. If there was a mid-major, not in the Mountain West, that can make a tournament run: it’s the Bobcats. The talent on the roster is there, led by sophomore Mark Sears. I’ve written about it in a previous article, I’ll say it again. Mark Sears has filled the role of Jason Preston. Sears will lead this team in the tournament with the help of guys like Jason Carter and Ben Vander Plas.

The Bobcats will try a repeat of last season when they took out a four seed in the first round.

Boise State Broncos

The Moutain West is full of potential this season. As February is coming to a close, Boise State has made its case as a tournament team, potentially an at-large team. The one thing you look for when you watch Boise State is their defense. The Broncos are a top-15 team in the country when it comes to the defensive side of the ball. The experience and balance of this team have given them a shot to be able to win games in March.

This season is the first time Boise State will make the NCAA Tournament since 2014-15. They have an amazing opportunity to make some noise in the early rounds.

These five teams have opened my eyes as programs that can make noise in the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament. There can honestly be a case for five teams in the MWC alone who can win a tournament game. If you added a team or two to this list, who would it be?

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