Although Selection Sunday doesn’t come out until the 16th, we thought it would be important to list our 5 teams that could make a run for the National Championship. Now, we don’t have any of these teams winning the Championship but we still think these five we still think these five teams will give you a run for your money in the bracket, and don’t be surprised if any of these teams bust your bracket.
5: Gonzaga Bulldogs
One of the teams included in our list is the Gonzaga Bulldogs. However, there is growing concern over whether this team will even make the tournament this year, sitting at 5-7 against the top teams. Ryan Nembhard is averaging 10 assists per game, and both Braden Huff and Graham Ike are averaging 25 points per game. Even with their programs zero National Championship History, this is a team you should look out for this spring.
4: Yale Bulldogs / Princeton Tigers
Two other teams we have included in our list are tied with each other are the Yale Bulldogs and Princeton Tigers. In recent years Ivy League teams have been rising over the years, although it isn’t decided which one of their teams will advance on to the tournament, it will most likely be either the Princeton Tigers with guard Xavian Lee averaging 16 points per game. or the team that sits at the top of the Ivy League table, the Yale Bulldogs with Naperville local John Poulakidas averaging 20 points every game.
3: Ohio State Buckeyes
There might not be a more “Whack-a-Mole” team in the country this season than this season’s Ohio State Buckeyes as they don’t have any terrible resume losses, however they did trail by at least 40 points in each of the blowout losses to the powerhouse teams of Maryland and Auburn. But then there was the 20-point win over Kentucky, the road wins over Purdue, and a season-opening neutral-site victory over Texas tells the story of a team that could be a serious problem in the tournament. Either way, this is still definitely a team you should look out for.
2: Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers are another example of this. It’s hard to believe that Nebraska has never won an NCAA tournament game with eight trips to the tournament and eight first-round exits. However, guard Brice Williams is ready for revenge and his 27 points against an impressive Fighting Illini team was not something that should be overlooked.
1: Kansas State Wildcats
Coming to the end of this season, one team that we think that NCAA fans should look out for the most is the Kansas State Wildcats. Although their losses against TCU and Baylor should not be forgotten, they bounced back during the second half of the season winning games against teams such as Arizona State, Iowa State and an impressive victory against their rivals Kansas. Guard David N’Guessan has helped lead the pack averaging 13 points per game,and depending on how he performs this tournament, depending on how he performs during this tournament, he could become a high-value target for NBA scouts.
Although none of the teams above seeding and placement has been selected yet, they will be sure not to disappoint fans this year. Be sure to stay alert for more Blueprint coverage on this year’s NCAA tournament where next week we will feature the top 5 busts.
