March Madness: Can These Underdog Teams Win It All?

Joel Piton
4 minutes ago
5 min read

by Joel Piton

Sportz Nation - 3/20/2026

March Madness has never been kind to assumptions. Programs like Duke, Arizona, and Michigan State may dominate the headlines every year, but what makes the tournament hype is the reliance on unpredictability. Just last season, Florida reminded the college basketball world that a hot streak at the right time can outweigh months of expectations. In a single-elimination format, reputations won't win games: execution will. All it takes is one team catching fire, one sequence of defensive clamps, and suddenly the bracket is in chaos. With that in mind, here are five under-the-radar teams that have put together strong enough seasons to shock the field and make a legitimate run at the national title.

St. John's Red Storm (28-6)

Rick Pitino has completely restored this team to greatness. Winning 19 of their last twenty games against powerhouses such as UConn and Georgetown, this team knows it's identity and could sneak into the Final Four with their competitive play. Zuby Ejiofor has evolved into the most complete defensive big in the country with two swats a night. Dillon Mitchell as been the ultimate glue guy as a pace-and-space forward, and Dylan Darling has been a microwave off the bench. Then you have Arizona State transfer Joson Sanon and Ian Jackson getting buckets off the bench, and these two in tandem are just so much fun to watch because they score from anywhere. This is one of the most complete college teams you could ask for, and they could be legitimate threats to win it all.

Iowa State Cyclones (27-7)

It has been a historic, top-tier season for T.J. Otzelberger’s squad. Reminder—this team was 2-22 in 2021. Clearly, that's in the past now. The Cyclones Big Three of Tamin Lipsey, Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson have been one of the most dominant forces in the NCAA this year. Momcilovic is a straight flamethrower from long range, shooting nearly 50% from three on over seven attempts per game. Tamin Lipsey is a lockdown defender who's currently sitting as a finalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of The Year Award as a 6'1" putting up 2 steals a night. And then there's the ultimate stat-sheet stuffer in Double J, putting up 17 and 8 as a three level scorer with elite shot IQ, and he's capable of making smart reads the same way a point guard does. At the end of the day, defense is this team's first and last name and they sit 6th in defensive rating nation-wide, with a blend of steals, blocks, and forcing turnovers in every which way. This team is a fortress that could surprise everyone.

Gonzaga Bulldogs (30-3)

30-3 and fresh off their final West Coast Conference tournament title before heading to the Pac-12, this team is looking dominant. After a few years of lackluster tourney runs, Gonzaga is proving every one wrong this season with a myriad of two-way weapons—starting with Graham Ike. This kid is a force of nature in the paint, and a double-double threat nightly putting up 20 and 8 per game. He's shooting well over 60% from the field and is a certified paint beast. Paired up with Braden Huff, this frontcourt combines for the deadliest in the West Coast. But they haven't been solely responsible for the winning record. Gonzaga has mastered transition basketball, and are easily the best fastbreak team in college basketball right now. The Bulldogs decimated Santa Clara earlier this month 27-0 on fastbreak points throughout the course of the game. With a mixture of elite guards and mobile bigs on the roster, this team's arsenal is way too deep to not take them seriously.

Virginia Cavaliers (29-5)

I might have to give this Virginia team and emphatic A+ just for defying the odds alone. This is the best they've looked since their 2019 title run. Belgian forward Thijs de Ridder made a seamless transition from the pros to college basketball, putting up 15 and 6 as a multi-talented scorer. Malik Thomas is as tough a bucket-getter as they come, and four years of college basketball down—improving his shot selection and maturity each season. And then there's the 7'0" Nigerian paint beast that has been carrying the program on the defensive end. The kid leads the nation in blocks with 3 a night and is projected to get swiped up by an NBA team this summer. This Ryan Odom era is delivering with superb two-way play and the defensive effort to protect the rim has been historic. The ball security, the team chemistry, making the right reads, these guys might have the best vibe altogether in the March Madness tourney. It's so obvious they love playing together, and that could take them farther than anyone expected.

Purdue Boilermakers (27-8)

Purdue has had a rock-solid season despite losing a number of studs to the NBA draft over the course of the last few years. Winning the 2026 Big Ten Tournament and securing yet another high seed in the NCAA Tournament confirms that Matt Painter has built a self-sustaining system. Now a senior, Braden Smith has just about cemented himself as the best floor general in Purdue history. Pouring up 9 dimes a night as the heart and soul of the team, this CP3 clone is a reminder that big things can come in small packages. Paired with a 40% three point shooter in Fletcher Loyer, this squad has a sneaky good backcourt. Senior Trey Kaufman-Renn has finally been given the keys to the paint, going from 4 points per game as a freshman to 20 last season and 17 this season. Overall, you have to commend the loyalty and continuity this core tandem has. A handful of these guys have been playing together since 2022, and what better way to go out than with a national title.

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We know, the favorites are favorites for a reason. Every March, fans tend to fall back on the same trusted names to protect their parlay—and honestly, it’s hard to blame them. Powerhouses have earned that respect. But if history has taught us anything, it’s that this tournament doesn’t care about reputations. Keep a close eye on these underdogs, because one of them could be gearing up for a run no one sees coming. So which of these teams has what it takes to shock the world—maybe even crash the Final Four or cut down the nets? Let us know in the comments below.

Get ready for it basketball fans, NCAA March Madness is officially underway 🚨 Can't keep up with the games? Be sure to stay tuned into Sportz Nation for your sports updates on all things basketball.

Thanks for reading!

-Joel Piton

(@jpiton7)