Who will be this year’s version of St. Peter’s?

Charleston is one of the most efficient high-scoring teams in the nation. Charleston began the season 21-1 (the one loss coming to North Carolina) due in part to their electric offense but they’re also one of the more efficient defenses in the CAA this season. Nine guys average over 15 minutes per game with five players averaging double figures in scoring. Their trio of senior guards … Dalton Bolon, Pat Robinson and Ryan Larson … keep the ball zipping around and keeping defenses off-balance. The emergence of big man Ante Brzovic has given the Cougars a post presence, who also has a decent jumper. Also, rooting for Bolon is kind of easy after one of the most interesting backstories you will ever read.

If there was going to be a No. 15 seed win for the third straight tournament, that team may be Colgate. Colgate is making their fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance and are coming off a dominating Patriot League season. They also have confidence coming into the tournament, as they gave Wisconsin all they could handle last year. Colgate is dangerous. They are the best three-point shooting team in the nation and have the second-best field goal percentage. Oliver Lynch Daniels is shooting over 50% from three, while Ryan Moffat and Chandler Baker are each shooting better than 40% from deep. Leading scorer Tucker Richardson’s passing makes him so difficult to defend and center Keegan Records is a fantastic shot blocker and outstanding in Colgate’s screen and rolls. They do so well running motion and screens off that motion and putting teams in uncomfortable situations. The Raiders went 17-1 in Patriot play this year and have lost just once since Christmas and have a win over Syracuse on their resume. This is a really, really good team that could be tough for Texas to shake.

If the Drake team that blew the doors off top seed Bradley in the Missouri Valley Conference championship shows up in the NCAA tournament — look out! They have a scorer in sophomore Tucker DeVries who is averaging nearly 19 ppg and also coach Darian DeVries’s son. The MVC Player of the Year is surrounded by a lot of experience (the next five top scorers are seniors) and are finally healthy heading into the Big Dance. They do have a win over Mississippi State earlier this season and are coming off a dominating MVC tournament run and facing a Miami team that was blown out in the ACC tournament.

FDU is a good scoring team filled with veterans and a diverse array of weapons. The Knights are led by the tiny backcourt of seniors Demetre Roberts (5’8) and Grant Singleton (5’9), their two leading scorers and passers, and sophomore forward Ansley Almonor. Guard play is huge in the tournament and FDU’s two speedy guards could cause some issues. The Knights do lack size, as Almonor is their tallest player (at just 6’7) but they understand they must outscore opponents, making any tournament matchup a fun one to watch. Should be a great First Four showdown with Texas Southern before possibly a date with Purdue in the first round. 

Furman can put up points — they rank 11th nationally with 82.1 ppg. Senior forward Jalen Slawson was the SoCon Player of the Year and led the Paladins in rebounds, blocks and steals while senior guard Mike Bothwell led the conference in scoring. Guard JP Pegues does a great job putting pressure on defenses in transition. Furman, who set a program record in wins this year, beat South Carolina earlier this year and lost to Penn State by five. Their matchup with Virginia’s packline defense will be one to circle for a possible first-round upset. 

This is the 10th season of Grand Canyon University basketball but the school is making a name for itself on the court. Not just by the names of their only head coaches in history — Dan Majerle and NCAA tournament legend Bryce Drew — but their on-court success. The Antelopes are back in the tournament for the second time in three years, led by transfer guard Rayshon Harrison … who is averaging 17.7 ppg this season. Gabe McGlothan is second in the WAC in rebounding and second on the team in scoring. If sharpshooters Kobe Knox and Chance McMillian can get hot, the Lopes will give anyone fits. 

Howard is making their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1992 and got there with a huge win over Norfolk State in Norfolk in the MEAC championship game. Three years ago, this program went 4-29 and now is back in the Big Dance with their first 20-win season since 1986-1987. The Bison have some size in 6’10 junior center Steve Settle, who also can stretch out to the three-point arc. Elijah Hawkins is their leading scorer, but it was reserve Jelani Williams who took over in that MEAC championship game for 20 points. Howard has won 14 of their last 16 games heading into the tournament. Head coach Kenneth Blakeney, if you recall, was a player on Duke’s 1991 and 1992 national championship teams (he redshirted in 1991) and has been an assistant for Lefty Driesell at James Madison, Tommy Amaker at Harvard and Mike Brey at Delaware. Why not get a crack at the defending champs?

Iona is making its second straight NCAA tournament appearance and third in four tournaments. The Gaels are mostly known because of who their coach is, two-time NCAA tournament champion Rick Pitino. Pitino (whose name has been rumored for various Power 6 job openings) has employed his patented press defense which speeds up games, creates turnovers and easy scoring opportunities. They press and don’t quit, annoying their opponents. Iona has a trio of guys averaging over 15 points per game (guards Walter Clayton and Daniss Jenkins; forward Nelly Junior Joseph). Clayton is averaging 43.6% from three and has made 92 of his 97 free throws this year. Joseph, who came from the NBA Academy Africa, scoring 18 points in last year’s tournament loss to Florida. Iona had the Gators down eight but couldn’t hold on. Iona gets to stay close to home in Albany so they should be well-represented in their showdown with UConn. 

Kennesaw State will be making their first appearance in the NCAA tournament as head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim has been building this program for this moment. This program was 1-28 in Abdur-Rahim’s first season, 2019-2020, then five wins in 2020-2021 before winning 13 last season. He’s relied on leading scorer Chris Youngblood as well as seniors Terrell Burden and Desmond Robinson. Robinson is a big body that could clog up the lane and be a problem on the boards. They hung tough in losses to Florida and Indiana earlier this season. 

Louisiana has a great frontcourt, led by forward Jordan Brown (19.4 pts, 8.7 rebs) who is the Ragin’ Cajuns leading scorer, top rebounder, and also a rim protector. The former Arizona Wildcat and McDonald’s All-American put up 20 points on Texas earlier in the year. He is joined inside by Terence Lewis who works hard defensively and is a great running mate with their big-to-big passing. They will able to cause problems for anyone. Add in speedy guards Themus Fulks and Greg Williams who love to push to pace and get into the paint.  Tennessee better watch out.

Montana State will make their second straight NCAA tournament appearance (they lost to Texas Tech, 97-62, last year). The Bobcats are led by Washington transfer Raequan Battle who made a huge leap this season, converting from sixth man to starter. He’s so athletic at getting to the rim and also shoots 37% from three. Jubrile Belo was the Big Sky’s Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in 2021-2022 and is willing to mix it up in the paint or stick with quicker players. Fellow Englishman Great Osobor (what a great name) has had a come into his own alongside Belo. Montana State has won 17 of their last 19 games.

Northern Kentucky is no stranger to the NCAA tournament. The Norse have won four of the last seven Horizon League championships and are making their third trip to the NCAA tournament (they qualified for the canceled 2020 tournament) since 2017. The Norse hang their hat on physical defense. Junior guard Marques Warrick leads the team in scoring (19.2 ppg) and is surrounded by a trio of seniors (Trevon Faulkner, Xavier Rhodes, Chris Brandon) and sophomore wing Sam Vinson … who is willing to take the big shot. Head coach Darin Horn wants to play at a slower pace and could muck up opponents from getting into their offense. If Marcus Sasser can’t go for Houston in their first-round matchup, perhaps the Norse can make it very interesting for the Cougars. 

Oral Roberts should scare anyone in this tournament. They went undefeated in Summit League play and crushed North Dakota State, 92-58, in the conference championship game. This team is playing with all the confidence in the world, as well they should because they employ two players who are legitimate problems. First is Max Abmas, who became a star in 2021 when the Golden Eagles went on a run to the Sweet 16, toppling both Ohio State and Florida before losing to Arkansas by two. Abmas is averaging 22 pts, 4.5 rbs and 3.8 asts this season. And if dealing with him frightens you, then beware of 7’3 center Connor Vanover … who was on that Arkansas team that ended ORU’s run two years ago. In his first season in Tulsa, put up 13 ppg, 7.8 rpg and 3.2 blocks. One fascinating player is forward Patrick Mwamba, who developed in NBA’s African academy. This is the third-highest-scoring offense in the nation and one of the most experienced mid-majors in the nation. Their game with surging Duke could be one of the best to watch in the first round. If the Golden Eagles can beat the Blue Devils, they likely get a showdown with Tennessee.

Princeton may be the most famous Ivy League schools in terms of pulling off upsets in the NCAA Tournament, mainly off their win over defending champion UCLA in 1996. The name to know on the 2023 version of Princeton is Tosan Evbuomwan, a 6’7 forward who can do it all. He leads the team in scoring (14.8 ppg), and assists (4.8) and is second in rebounding (6.2). Princeton was the only school to send a recruiter to Newcastle, England to see him play and he has rewarded them for their faith. He scored 21 points in the Tigers’ win over Yale in the Ivy League title game. He was Ivy’s Player of the Year in 2022 and is itching to show what he can do in the NCAA tournament. 

The Redhawks came out of nowhere to win the Ohio Valley Conference title, led by sophomore point guard and Saint Louis transfer Phillip Russell. Russell leads the Salukis in scoring (18.2) and is averaging five assists a game and is capable of putting up huge numbers. He dumped 37 points on Little Rock (he also piled up 10 assists) and against Morehead State earlier this season. Chris Harris and Israel Barnes help form a formidable trio of guards that could give some teams headaches. Head coach Brad Korn is very familiar with the tournament, playing in three straight NCAAs for Southern Illinois is the early 2000s (including the Salukis Sweet 16 run in 2002) and then as their assistant coach for three more tournament bids (and another Sweet 16 run in 2007). He also was an assistant coach for Kansas State for their regional final appearance in 2018. 

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi rely on a trio of guards to make their engine run. Trevian Tennyson, Isaac Mushila and Terrion Murdix combine to average 44.2 points per game and are all seniors. In fact, seven of the Islanders top players are seniors and this team played in the tournament last year (lost in the First Four). That will be key as Murdix’s status as of now is up in the air after suffering a leg injury in the Southland championship game. If Murdix can go, he brings a defensive presence that could make TAMU-CC a bit of a problem for Alabama. 

I love talking about Texas Southern due to their interesting approach to scheduling and how it has paid off. Former head coach Mike Davis would load their non-conference schedule with many power conference teams to toughen up the team and get them ready to dominate the weaker SWAC. Current head coach Johnny Jones has continued that practice and it has been working. They’re making their third straight NCAA tournament appearance and 7th in the last 9 tournaments. This year, the Tigers played Houston, Kansas, Texas Tech, Auburn and Wichita State. In their last three tournament appearances, the Tigers have won their First Four game before losing to the No. 1 seed in the first round. They’re back again in the First Four.

The Bulldogs should be a scary team to face in the NCAA tournament. Big South Player of the Year (and Tennessee transfer) Drew Pember dominated the conference tournament, averaging 29 ppg during the weekend. He can light it up — he scored 48 points against Presbyterian and 40 versus UCF earlier this season. He also leads the nation in free throw attempts and made free throws. Tajion Jones can get hot in a hurry (as he did leading the comeback against Campbell in the Big South championship). This team is talented and confident and could be a problem for UCLA, especially with Jaylen Clark out for the season. 

The Catamounts are a senior-laden team (their top six scorers are all seniors) led by guard Dylan Penn. Penn leads the team in scoring (13.2 ppg) as he has a great feel around the basket and is money from the free-throw line. Robin Duncan is small-ish for a big man, but he attacks the glass. If wings Aaron Deloney and Finn Sullivan (who got going in the America East title game) can rain some threes, Vermont can put a scare in Marquette, like they put a scare in Arkansas in last year’s tournament. 

UCSB is making their second NCAA tournament appearance in the last three years … with the Gauchos nearly knocking off Creighton in 2021, losing 63-62. Belgian Ajay Mitchell is UCSB’s star, leading the team in scoring at 16.3 points per game and assists (5.2) and his 20 points against Cal State Fullerton helped capture the Big West tournament crown. The Gauchos have battled injury issues to claw their way to the tournament. They face Baylor, who has lost four of their last six and two straight entering the tournament.