Senior sports staff’s March Madness predictions
Our staffers predict which teams will advance that aren’t supposed to.
(Henry Kofman / Daily Trojan)
Eighty-five years ago, the one impossible in sports was born — creating the perfect March Madness bracket.
Tens of millions of people every year confidently scribble in winners of six rounds of seemingly endless basketball to reveal one undisputed champion out of the 68 teams in each bracket. The odds of predicting each tournament result correctly is an encouraging one to 9 quintillion.
That’s some scary math. Luckily, the senior sports staff at the Daily Trojan is loaded with knowledgeable ballers. Here are a few of the dark horses we think will advance this weekend to make deep runs through the tournament.
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Darren Parry
Assistant Sports Editor
No. 11 University of New Mexico (Men’s)
The Lobos (26-9, 10-8 Mountain West) have all the likes of being THE Cinderella team of the 2024 NCAA tournament: They can score, score and score; they are led by the son of the Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino; and most importantly, they have a really cool nickname. They led the Mountain West conference in scoring, averaging 81.7 points per game and they’re scorching hot, winning their last four games and earning the Mountain West Tournament crown.
No. 11 Arizona (Women’s)
It all came down to one game. Well, not really, but the Wildcats (18-15, 8-10 Pac-12) played in one of the First Four games to get themselves into the NCAA tournament, so I would’ve felt very stupid if they didn’t even get into the field of 64. But beating a national title contender in Stanford (28-5, 15-3 Pac-12) and forcing multiple close games with USC (26-5, 13-5 Pac-12) proved that the Wildcats can beat anyone, as they cemented their spot in the field by beating Auburn (20-12, 8-8 SEC). Also, it would be pretty amazing to see a Cinderella Pac-12 team in the last year of the conference.
Joshua Sacher
Sports Editor
No. 13 College of Charleston (Men’s)
While I’m not sure if Charleston (27-7, 15-3 Coastal Athletic Association) will make a deep run, they have the roster and play style to beat No. 4 Alabama (21-11, 13-5 SEC) and potentially make it out of the first weekend. Led by junior guard Reyne Smith and junior forward Ante Brzovic, the Cougars can straight-up get buckets. They are 34th in the country in scoring offense with 80.5 points per game and will do well against Alabama, who is 346th in scoring defense.
No. 12 Drake University (Women’s)
I’m not going to lie and say I’ve been watching this Drake team all year, but I got a feeling about the Bulldogs (29-5, 19-1 Missouri Valley Conference). Not only were they the champions of the Missouri Valley Conference, but they are ninth in the country in scoring offense with 81.5 points per game. Don’t be surprised if junior guard Katie Dinnebier — with 17.9 points per game — and the Bulldogs put up a lot of points and pull off some upsets this weekend.
Thomas Johnson
Assistant Sports Editor
No. 11 Oregon (Men’s)
The Ducks (24-11, 12-8 Pac-12) won the Pac-12 Tournament to get them into the Big Dance in the midst of an injury-riddled year. They’ve already upset No. 6-seeded South Carolina (26-8, 13-5 SEC) in their region. The No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in Oregon’s region both had poor showings in their respective conference tournaments, and everyone knows the problems No. 1-seeded Purdue (29-4, 17-3 Big Ten) has had in March Madness. Momentum and a good path: a proven recipe for success.
No. 5 Colorado (Women’s)
A No. 5 seed might not seem like it should qualify as a “Dark Horse,” but upsets are much less common in the women’s game, as no team seeded lower than No. 3 has ever won the tournament, and No. 1 seeds have won all but 10 of the 41 NCAA Tournaments. The Buffaloes (22-9, 11-7 Pac-12) have shown the ability to take down dominant teams with three top-10 wins this season and only one loss to a team outside the Pac-12.
Leila MacKenzie
Sports Editor
No. 12 Grand Canyon University (Men’s)
They don’t call the lips of the Grand Canyon North and South Rim for no reason; it’s because that gaping pit in the middle of the desert was built for basketball. Senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster, who began playing college ball at Indian Hills Community College in 2019-20, is 24 years young and he’s ready to carry Grand Canyon (29-4, 17-3 Western Athletic) to at least the Sweet 16 in 2024.
No. 13 Fairfield University (Women’s)
In the American judicial system, you are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. So in sports, why can’t you be a winner until you are proven a loser. The Stags (31-1, 20-0 Metro Atlantic) are not losers. Their 29-game win-streak began Nov. 20 and with all of the momentum in the world, I have no reason to believe that will stop unless they face another team equally as inexperienced in defeat.
Kasey Kazliner
Assistant Sports Editor
No. 11 North Carolina State (Men’s)
I’m going with North Carolina State (22-14, 9-11 ACC). The Wolf Pack is riding high off an ACC title with five wins in five days including an electric finish over UNC (28-7, 17-3 ACC). March Madness is all about getting hot when it matters and graduate forward DJ Burns Jr. has certainly had this in mind. NC State will have a tough matchup with Texas Tech (23-11, 11-7 Big 12) in the first round, but I’m calling an upset.
No. 9 Florida State (Women’s)
The Seminoles (23-10, 12-6 ACC) haven’t advanced in the tournament since 2019, but this year will be different. Sophomore guard Ta’Niya Latson has been on a scoring tear and with junior forward Makayla Timpson, who is averaging a double-double, FSU is scary. The Seminoles will face Alabama (23-9, 10-6 SEC) to begin tournament play. The Crimson Tide are coming off a brutal blowout loss to Tennessee (19-12, 10-6 SEC) — and look shaky — so I’ve got FSU advancing.
Dana Hammerstrom
Assistant Sports Editor
No. 14 Oakland University (Men’s)
Oakland (24-11, 15-5 Horizon League) — which isn’t even in Oakland — will be this March Madness’ ultimate bracket buster. Oakland took down Kentucky (23-10, 13-5 SEC), affirming my irrational fear of KFC and supporting my Bay Area roots. The madness should continue round after round as Oakland breaks down sports betters’ bank accounts.
No. 14 Jackson State University (Women’s)
University of Connecticut (29-5, 18-0 Big East) is going DOWN. They only have eight healthy players for the postseason. After various injuries and concussions, No. 14 Jackson State (26-6, 18-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) could be a surprising Cinderella team. UConn usually dominates on the court — especially in the early spring months — but injuries will be UConn’s kryptonite.
