Selection Sunday is upon us, and the most chaotic, exciting, and drama-filled tournament of the year is about to begin: March Madness.
The men’s Division I basketball tournament always welcomes heroes, villains, and a whole slew of new characters to the national stage, as a kid with 500 social media followers today could become a household name by the end of the month.
While picking a champion is important, and generally comes down to which No. 1 or No. 2 seed you like the best, finding that special team that makes it to the Final Four can often be the difference between winning and losing your pool.
That team that only you thought could make it there, which propels you to the lead over your peers, who all have the same champion.
Here are five teams that could shock the world and be your personal dark horse to make a stand at the Final Four.
More news: 3 March Madness Underdogs That Could Win You Your Bracket
More news: 5 Tournament Favorites That Could Ruin Your March Madness Bracket
UCLA Bruins (23-10)
Mick Cronin is either a madman on the verge of being fired or a genius who can beat anyone in the country.
The Bruins repeatedly make deep runs behind Cronin, and they are a team that’s shown they can play against the best teams in the nation when they aren’t constantly traveling across the map. While they won’t be playing in Los Angeles, where they’re unbeatable this year, the Bruins could be one of the best bets for a lower seed making a run to the semifinals.
Wisconsin Badgers (24-9)
Similar to UCLA, when the Badgers are firing on all cylinders, they can beat anyone in the tournament. While their defense might be an issue against some of the better teams in the competition, Wisconsin has the shooting to knock off deeper teams if they’re in good form.
Ohio State Buckeyes (21-12)
My third and final Big Ten team are the Buckeyes, who are getting hot at the right time. They were on the bubble only a few weeks ago, but after some strong play and almost upsetting Michigan in the conference tournament, Ohio State is feeling good going into the dance. Senior guard Bruce Thornton is a game-changer, and if he continues his current play, there’s no reason why the Buckeyes can’t make the Sweet 16 with a puncher’s shot at the third and final weekend.
Saint Mary’s Gaels (27-5)
Always the bridesmaid to Gonzaga’s bride, the Gales hope that this tournament is different. They’re always overshadowed by the Bulldogs when it comes to March Madness, but this could be the tournament where the Gales break out and have their own iconic run. A really good defense and knowing how to slow down the tempo are generally good signs for a dark horse pick, and the Gaels have both of those qualities.
Tennessee Volunteers (22-11)
Similar to the Gaels, Tennessee has had strong teams over the past decade or so with some elite players, but it never seems to be their tournament. This time around, with less spotlight on them, it might be their chance to change that narrative around.
They’re a well-balanced team, with the 35th-best offense and 15th-best defense in the nation per KenPom, and put up a better fight against the surging Vanderbilt Commodores than the Florida Gators did in the SEC tournament. A lot of it will come down to freshman Nate Ament. When he’s feeling himself and shooting well, Tennessee can hang with anyone. But if he plays like he did against Vanderbilt, going 1-13 from the field, then this dark horse might be put out to pasture early in March.
