Yes, it’s easy (and probably smart) to forecast an extended NCAA Tournament run for the No. 1-ranked and undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks. However, the joy of March comes not from making the easy calls, but from correctly prognosticating the upsets that bust others’ brackets.
Below, we outline three traits of Cinderella candidates, identifying six mid-majors who might have the ingredients needed to knock off a first-round favorite and even dance into the second weekend of tourney action.
Streaking into March
We all know about the Gamecocks’ 38-game winning streak. While no other squad approaches such dominance, a number of intriguing underdogs enter the tournament on fire, riding double-digit win streaks.
The Mountain West champion UNLV Lady Rebels, seeded 11th in the Greenville 2 Region, have won 22 games in a row behind a sharpshooting offensive attack. The Lady Rebels are in the Top 20 nationally in field goal percentage and points per game, with junior center, and Mountain West tournament MVP, Desi-Rae Young grabbing tons of boards and cashing in her 2-point attempts at Top 10 levels.
The MAC champion Toledo Rockets, the No. 12 seed in the Seattle 3 Region, claim a 16-game winning streak. The Ivy champion Princeton Tigers, the No. 10 seed in the Greenville…
