Basketball
March Madness Predictions: Dark Horses In The Hunt For Glory
March Madness is famous for its dark horses. They come into the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament with low expectations and mouthwateringly juicy odds.
Aiming to play out as the tournament’s famed Cinderella stories, these teams turn on the heat and strive to shock everyone by going deep or maybe even going all the way.
Considering that the proverbial glass slipper must fit if the team is going to pay off, they are the Big Dance’s big longshots. But, as you can see from a visit to William Hill, they are also the most fun to bet on while offering the richest rewards.
Keep in in mind, though, that the payoff, if it comes, will be well earned: The last 12- or 13-seed team to make the Sweet 16 was La Salle Explorers and that blessed event (at least for the gamblers who knew where to put their money) happened in 2013.
Here, then, are five of the new dark horses, all hoping for a dash to the finish line.
RUN WITH THE BULLS
This is not the first year that the South Florida Bulls are touted as potential March Madness Cinderellas. Those in the action viewed the 2024 team as having an underdog shot.
But two years might make a difference, and, in 2026, the Bulls have potential for an unexpected run. With a record of 23-8, high scoring and the starting five routinely hitting double digits, the Bulls are the kind of bucking bovine that you might want to saddle up and take for a ride.
Just be sure to hold on tight, as it will not necessarily be a smooth trot.
FOLLOW THAT STREAK!
There is no doubt that the Liberty Flames know how to maintain a winning streak. Hailing from Lynchburg, Virginia, the team found itself on the positive end of a 17-game run this year.
While they lost in February to Western Kentucky, the endurance is nevertheless admirable. So. yes, the season’s finish was a little choppy, but that does not put them in the loser box. Despite uneven performances, the Flames still have a 25-6 record and senior forward Zach Cleveland is a guy to keep your eyes on.
Standing 6’-7”, sporting a winning smile and averaging some 11 points per game, he plays a key role on the team and just might help drive the Flames to Cinderella glory.
CHASE THE RAINBOW, FIND THE TREASURE
Those are hopeful words for sports bettors pinning Cinderella hopes on Hawaii Rainbow Warriors for the upcoming March Madness. Coached by the winning Aran Ganot, the team has a topnotch defense.
Straddled into second place – with a 22-8 record – in the Big West division, the Rainbow Warriors just might be one to watch this month.
Consider that Hawaii’s physical stature, led by 7’ center Isaac Johnson, has the teammates towering over opponents who are trying to reach the hoop. They have a top perimeter defense and hold opponents to fewer than 30 percent when backed up behind the three-point line.
All things considered, 2026 might be Hawaii’s season in the sun.
PLAYING SMART
Yale University is not only one of America’s premiere institutions for higher learning. But the school’s Bulldogs might turn out to be this year’s Cinderella story.
With its 23-5 record putting it atop the Ivy League roster, the team boasts some super sharp offensive players. Do the math and it adds up to five team-members who nail more than 40 percent of their three-point shots and four who make more than 80 percent of their foul shots.
Hopefully they get into the madness and let the points pile up.
SOAR WITH THE HAWKS
The Miami (Ohio) RedHawks managed an undefeated season this year. Following its final win, an overtime victory against the Ohio Bobcats, the school’s athletic director told USA Today that the perfect season “should cement” the RedHawks a place in this season’s March Madness.
The last team to pull off a no-loss season was NCAA Tournament perennial Gonzaga during the 2020-2021 season.
While a big question rests on whether or not the mid-major team will receive automatic entry, they look pretty good to get it. Never mind that all of Miami’s wins came against non-Division 1 teams, they have managed more than 90 points per game, made more than 50 percent of field goal attempts and landed in excess of 10 three-pointers per contest.
CBS sports stated that to leave out an undefeated team like the RedHawks “might amount to the biggest disgrace in the history of college sports.”
Here’s to hoping that the glass slipper fits on your best-paying Cinderella pick whoever the dark-horse team may be.
*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*
