Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports
What constitutes a true “Cinderella” always becomes a point of contention this time of year. NC State made a stunning Final Four run in the 2024 NCAA Tournament as a No. 11 seed after qualifying for the Big Dance with a historic ACC Tournament run. But, were the Wolfpack truly a Cinderella?
As an ACC team with a proud basketball legacy that includes two national titles, the slippers didn’t fit perfectly. Still, regardless of how you define Cinderella, you can rest assured she will make an appearance this week. From somewhere within the 68-team NCAA Tournament field, an underdog is sure to emerge and capture the hearts of college basketball fans across the country. It’s what makes March Madness so special.
Over the years, it’s been teams like George Mason in 2006, which made the Final Four as a No. 11 seed, or Loyola-Chicago, which made the 2018 Final Four as a No. 11 seed. Those are just a couple prime examples of teams that came from outside the high-major structure to make stunning runs as double-digit seeds.
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You can still be a Cinderella without making it all the way to the Final Four, and there are no shortage of candidates in this year’s bracket. Here’s a look at the top Cinderella candidates from each region in the 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket. Not to brag, but No. 14 seed Oakland was the first team listed here last year and proceeded to upset No. 3 seed Kentucky in the first round.
Midwest
No. 13 seed High Point (29-5)
First up: No. 4 seed Purdue. Then possibly: No. 5 seed Clemson.
High Point enters on the nation’s second-longest winning streak at 14 games and with one of the most-efficient offenses in college basketball. The Panthers rank No. 7 nationally in shooting percentage at 49.4% and open against a Purdue team that has some defensive cracks. The Boilermakers have dropped six of their past nine and could find themselves in a battle. Second-year High Point coach Alan Huss is a rising star with plenty of NCAA Tournament experience from his days as Creighton assistant. The Panthers will be ready to wreak some havoc early on Thursday.
West
No. 11 seed Drake
First up: No. 6 seed Missouri. Then possibly: No. 3 seed Texas Tech.
Drake is a double-digit seed from a mid-major league, so it technically fits the criteria of a Cinderella. But this isn’t your typical March underdog. First-year coach Ben McCollum won four Division II national championships at Northwest Missouri State and has already reached 30 wins in his first year at the Division I level. The Bulldogs took down high-major foes Miami, Vanderbilt and Kansas State in nonconference play and just tore though the MVC Tournament. Junior point guard Bennett Stirtz was named the conference’s player of the year and is a potential NCAA Tournament star.
East
No. 12 seed Liberty (28-6)
First up: No. 5 seed Oregon. Then possibly: No. 4 seed Oregon.
Liberty took down No. 5 seed Mississippi State in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament and is well-positioned for another upset in this year’s first round. The Flames, in their 10th year under Ritchie McKay, are flamethrowers. They rank No. 13 nationally in made 3-pointers per game at 10.6 and No. 6 in 3-point percentage at 39%. This is one of the nation’s best passing teams, meaning Oregon will have its hands full defensively. If Liberty gets hot, it will resemble No. 15 seed Oral Roberts, which reached the 2021 Sweet 16 with a combined 21 made 3-pointers in wins over Ohio State and Florida.
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South
No. 12 seed UC San Diego (30-4)
First up: No. 5 seed Michigan. Then possibly: No. 4 seed Texas A&M.
UC-San Diego busted down the door to the NCAA Tournament in its first season of eligibility following the NCAA-mandated four-year transition process to Division I. The Tritons have won 15 straight games — more than anyone else in the field — and are this bracket’s analytics darling. KenPom ranks UCSD at No. 36, ahead of single-digit seeds like Creighton, Oklahoma and Memphis. The Tritons force 16 turnovers per game, which makes them a hellacious first-round matchup for turnover-prone Michigan.
