As the calendar turns to March, it is time for me to update my earlier entry regarding potential March Madness Cinderella stories.  Each season, I chronicle the potential March Madness Cinderella Stories by writing two articles that detail teams across that could become a feel-good story come March.   The first article is written around the midpoint of the season (late January/early February) and the second is published  just as the conference tournaments begin.  Here is the second of those two annual editions.

While almost all mid-major college basketball teams have the chance to play Cinderella come Christmas Day (aka the first round of the NCAA tourney), it is particularly special when these teams have an inspiring sentimental storyline.  Often times this involves a squad making its first trip to the Big Dance (see Northern Colorado in 2011).  Other times there is a likable coach who warms the hearts of the nation (see Pete Carril in 1994, Andy Enfeld in 2012).  Inevitably, when the second week of March comes around, these stories will come to fruition.  In the meantime, it’s worth looking at the standings and checking out which mid-major conference leaders/contenders and other probable NCAA Tournament teams could inspire us during the first few weeks of March.  Only teams currently in first or second place of their respective conferences or squads currently in the hunt for an at-large bid will be included in this column.  They are listed in alphabetical order by conference.

UMass Lowell (America East)– The River Hawks came out of nowhere last year to make a run to the America East title game only to fall just short of earning their first ticket to the dance. This year, they are looking to finish the job, as they finished second in America East regular season play behind only Vermont.

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Kennesaw State (Atlantic Sun)– The Owls have never played in the Big Dance before, as they just transitioned from Division II in 2010. danced in school history, as. However, this season Kennesaw State won the the Atlantic Sun regular championship and has already advanced to the semifinals of the conference tourney, despite being picked 8th of our 14 teams in the A-Sun’s preseason poll.

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Fordham (Atlantic 10)– The Rams have quietly positioned themselves into a tie for second place in the Atlantic 10 Standings as the conference enters its final week of regular season play. They are led by Youngstown State transfer Darius Quisenberry (pictured below) and are seeking their first NCAA tournament big since playing in the same regional as Duke and Kentucky in 1992. This team has had major success in March before, as they made the Sweet 16 back in 1971.

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UC Riverside (Big West)– The Highlanders of Riverside, California have never been to the Division 1 men’s basketball tournament despite being a Division 2 powerhouse from the 1970’s through 1990’s. This is the year they could breakthrough though, as UCR is tied for first in the Big West standings entering the final week of regular season play.

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College of Charleston (Colonial)– The Cougars have been to the tournament six times in their storied history, but their 27-3 regular season mark in 2023 which includes wins over four teams from last year’s NCAA tournament field, is truly remarkable. This is really fun team to watch, as they are play at the fastest tempo in the country and can shoot the lights out of the gym. Moreover, the core of the team is largely constructed of basketball nomads who have transferred in from Division II schools, NAIA programs, and overseas. Pat Kelsey (pictured below) has always been known for years as great offensive coach, but this team plays scrappy D as well. They will be a dangerous out if they reach the Big Dance as either an automatic qualifer from the CAA or with a potential at-large bid. The one major obstacle they will have to contend in next week’s CAA tournament is discussed below.

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Hofstra (Colonial)- The last time Hofstra went to the Big Dance they were known as the Flying Dutchmen (2001).  The Pride, as they are known know, are in the hunt to end their drought in 2023, as they won the CAA regular season title this season by beating Charleston on the Cougars’ home floor.

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Florida Atlantic (Conference USA)– The Owls of Florida Atlantic have shocked the college basketball world this season by posting an incredible 26-3 record this season. Barring a total collapse over the next two weeks, FAU will almost assuredly earn themselves an at-large bid if they fail to win the C-USA tourney. This astonishing run is even more impressive when you consider that this program has not been to the Big Dance in 21 years and was only picked 5th in this league’s preseason poll.

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Youngstown State (Horizon)- Somehow I neglected to include this team in my earlier edition of article, but the team with potentially the best mascot in the country (Penguins) is on the verge of their first-ever NCAA tournament bid. This potential milestone is even more significant when you consider the fact Youngstown has been a division 1 program since 1948! Nevertheless, they enter this week’s Horizon League tournament as the # 1 seed after clinching an outright league title in regular season play.

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Rider (Metro Atlantic)– Rick Pitino’s Iona Gaels will enter the MAAC tournament as heavy favorites for the third straight season; however, if Iona stumbles like they did last year, the league runner-up Broncs (not Broncos) of Rider may be best positioned to win the tourney title and clinch their first bid to the dance since 1994.

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Toledo (MAC)– We have been certainly been down this road before. Every year when I write this column, I am always shocked to see that the Rockets still haven’t played in an NCAA tournament since 1980. This university always seems to field very good teams that fall short of the conference crown come March. In fact, the past two seasons, Toledo has been # 1 seed in the MAC tourney and has failed to advance to the finals either year. This season, the Rockets once again find themselves alone atop the the league standings heading in to the final weekend of the regular season. Will this be the year the Rockets finally launch themselves into the Dance?

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Howard (MEAC)– Another mid-major team that is trying to end a lengthy tournament drought is the Howard Bison who haven’t danced since the season Christian Laettner led Duke to a second consecutive national title (1992)! Right now, Howard stands alone atop the conference standings enter the final week of regular season play.

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Tennessee Tech (Ohio Valley)- The forementioned Howard and Toledo droughts are lengthy, but they pale in comparison to what Tennessee Tech fans have had to endure. Believe it or not, the Golden Eagles have not played in an NCAA tournament since falling to eventual national champion Loyola of Chicago in the first round of the 1963 Big Dance! Now, Tech enters the OVC tournament as the # 2 seed as the outright league runner-up, thanks to some great work by head coach and Kentucky basketball legend John Pelphrey (pictured below).

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Navy (Patriot)- Despite their recent football successes, the Midshipmen haven’t danced in men’s basketball since the late 1990’s. And even though Colgate will enter the Patriot League tourney as the heavily favored # 1 seed, the Middies will be the dangerous # 2 seed who gave the Raiders all they could handle in their meeting last Saturday.

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Furman (Southern)– The Paladins haven’t danced since 1980, despite being a upper echelon SoCon team for the better part of the last decade. Last year, they lost the league title game on a buzzer beater in overtime, but this year, Furman has a great chance at redemption and to finally break through. The Paladins enter the conference tourney as the conference regular season co-champ and # 1 overall seed.

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Samford (Southern)– The Bulldogs from Birmingham haven’t danced since the turn of the century, but they enter the SoCon tournament as the # 2 seed after they split the regular season title with the aforementioned Furman squad.

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Northwestern State (Southland)– Hansel Emmanuel is all you need to know here. The one armed basketball phenom is a contributing member of this squad, and if they are able to dance, his presence in the tournament will be the top story going into the first round. Right now, Emmanuel’s Demons are alone in second place entering the final week of the regular season and are one of the top threats to win next week’s Southland conference tourney.

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Alcorn State (SWAC)– It has been over two decades since the Braves from Lorman, Mississippi have made it to the Big Dance, but this squad enters the final weekend of the season tied with Grambling (see discussion on them below) for first place in league play. The Braves also beat the Tigers in their lone regular season meeting, so as long as Alcorn can get by league bottom feeders Arkansas Pine-Bluff and Mississippi Valley State this week, they will enter the SWAC tourney as the # 1 overall seed.

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Grambling (SWAC)– The aforementioend Braves aren’t the only SWAC team that is in prime position to end a lengthy tourney drought. Despite their great football legacy that includes the likes of Eddie Robinson, Doug Williams and others, this school has never earned an NCAA tourney bid in men’s basketball in its 45 year history as an NCAA division 1 member. This year, however, the Tigers are tied for first place entering the final week of the regular season and have already clinched either a 1 or 2 seed in the SWAC tourney after reeling off seven straight wins.

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Oral Roberts (Summit)– The Golden Eagles were the mid-major story of the tourney in 2021 as they came within a shot of becoming the first 15 seed ever to make it to the Elite Eight. Now, leading scorer Max Abmas (pronounced Ace-mas, pictured below) is back to try to take the Eagles on another magical run in March, and if everything goes according to plan, this squad will enter the Dance with a very favorable seed. Oral was the only team in the country to finish undefeated in conference play, and they will be heavily favored to take home the Summit League tourney crown next week in Sioux Falls.

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Utah Valley (WAC)– Former Stanford standout and LA Laker, Mark, “Mad Dog” Madsen (pictured below) has taken the Wolverines on the cusp of their first NCAA tourney in each of his last two seasons only to fall just short. Now, Madsen may have his most talented squad yet, as Utah Valley enters the final week of regular season play alone in first place in the WAC Standings, winning 6 of its last 7 games. I got to see this team in person in Jamaica in November, and this is definitely a team that could win a game or two in the Big Dance if they can take care of business in the WAC tourney.