This past Friday, my friends and I over at “Just The BetSlips” published the third episode of our podcast, where we discussed our Top-5 “Cinderella Teams” to look out for in this year’s “March Madness” Tournament. We dove DEEP into the field, dissecting the possible match-ups that may pop up, as well as if our teams will even make it to “the dance.”

EP. 3 of the Just The BetSlips podcast is LIVE!

The fellas talk about;
–#MarchMadness Cinderellas and Pumpkins
-Weekend Picks
-Proudly partnered with @FansFirstSN

Check us out every Friday for the best gambling content around! #GamblingX #Spotify: https://t.co/PnCabJdexU

— JustTheBetslips (@JustTheBetSlips) March 14, 2025

It was a great time had by all, and something that ANY basketball fan can enjoy. But to celebrate the official start of “March Madness,” I thought it would be best to relive the “madness” that came from our show. I thought it would be best to dive deep into the five picks that I brought up on this week’s program to see if YOU agree with my selections.

But who did I choose to receive the metaphorical “glass slipper,” you may ask? Well……

1. San Diego State:

Ever since the 2023 season, the San Diego State Aztecs have sort of been on my radar when it comes to college basketball teams that I follow. I don’t know if it was the fact that they were a defensive juggernaut, or the fact that their lineup looked like a bunch of linebackers who were two-sport athletes; this team was special to me, in some way.

They were something else that year, and after a season that saw Brian Dutcher’s crew beat the likes of Creighton (21) and Houston (6)……I will be keeping an eye on them once again. I’m a big “defense wins championships” type of guy, and with a squad that averages 64.2 Opp. PPG……I think this crew can make things interesting this March.

2. Troy:

Troy has been an interesting team this season, and one that can be sneaky-good come tournament time. As of writing this, the Sun Belt Champions are currently on a 6-game winning streak, which includes a 13-point beat down against Arkansas St. to take home the conference title.

The only problem with this pick though has to be the teams that they draw in the bracket. As of right now, Scott Cross’ crew is projected to face Kentucky in a 3 vs. 14 match-up in the first round. Even though they’ve beaten their last six opponents by 7+ points, the Trojans may have trouble keeping up with one of the most well-known blue bloods in the country.

3. Yale:

The Yale Bulldogs are always a weird team when it comes to “tourney time.” I feel like more often than not, this team ends up becoming a favorite to be the “Cinderella of the Tournament” whenever they make it to the dance. I don’t know why, and I don’t know how they do it. But there’s just something about those ‘smarty-pants’ at Yale that always has us believing.

And that is certainly the case this year with James Jones’ bunch. With a team that’s 21st in the country offensively (82.2 PPG), and 29th in rebounds (39.3 RPG), this team has the size and the scoring ability to keep it close with the best of them. But who will they pull in the first round? We will have to wait and see.

4. High Point:

The High Point Panthers have to be my FAVORITE to make noise in this year’s tournament. This team, who is currently riding a 14-game winning streak heading into today, has all of the momentum in the world right now. Sure, their draw in the first round could prove to be the deciding factor for Alan Huss’ crew. But when it comes to this team, and the fact that they’re 19th in the country in scoring (82.2 PPG)….I will gladly take a chance on the Big South champs!

5. UNC:

I’m just going to cut to the chase here; this Tar Heels pick is purely a “vibes pick,” if that makes sense? It just has to be. Sure, you can say that I’m basing this pick on the YEARS of success that they had with Roy Williams. Sure, you can say that they haven’t played their best basketball this season, and they don’t deserve to move very far through the bracket. But as a squad that’s 28th in the country in points per game (81.5)…..I will take history over anything else.

But in the end, as always….what do I know? I’m just a guy from the Midwest, with a beer and a laptop, trying to make sense of this world.