2021 March Madness Cinderella Teams to Bet On

By Carlos Chacon • March 8, 2021

The March Madness Tournament is the home for tons of surprises and upsets by “Cinderella” teams; mostly mid-major schools that go the distance at The Big Dance despite the NCAAB odds being stacked against them.

That being said, NitroBetting speculates on five possible Cinderella teams that can shock the 2021 March Madness bracket and what they could offer to bettors looking to win even bigger returns from any of these sleeper candidates at the final stage of the College Basketball season. Be sure to check out the latest March Madness odds at our online BTC sportsbook once Selection Sunday is done.

Let’s take a closer look at these teams March Madness odds, along with a quick expert preview.

Five Potential Cinderella Teams Who Can Shock In 2021 March Madness

TWO more #MarchMadness tickets punched ?

? Winthrop
? Loyola Chicago pic.twitter.com/w6GbDS9ldQ
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 7, 2021

Belmont Bruins

Record: 24-3; 18-2 Ohio Valley Conference
2021 March Madness Odds: +25000

Two losses in the final three games of the regular season is not a good look for the Belmont Bruins. Then again, the team did reel off a staggering 21-game win streak and went 18-0 in conference play before its recent slump.

2021 is also a superstitiously good omen for the Bruins, as they’ve made it to The Big Dance in four odd-year seasons the previous decade (2011, 2013, 2015, and 2019). Starters Grayson Murphy and Nick Muszynski are veterans holdovers from the 11th-seeded 2019 squad, and both have been integral parts of a Belmont offense averaging 82.8 points per game.

Drake Bulldogs

Record: 24-3; 15-3 Missouri Valley Conference
2021 March Madness Odds: +99000

Another team with a dazzling 24-3 overall record is Drake, who’s no stranger to surprises at the National Tournament; for better and for worse. 2008 was the last time the boys from De Moines reached the tournament as a No. 5 seed, only to be eliminated in the first round by Western Kentucky.

The 13-year drought is about to come to an end for the Bulldogs, who are currently on the March Madness bubble with a huge Quad 1 win over 2019’s Cinderella darling and MVC rival Loyola Chicago, as well as four wins with no losses in Quad 2 matches. Whether or not Drake goes home with the Missouri Valley title, the team is still one mid-major program to be feared at The Big Dance.

Bryant Bulldogs

Record: 14-5; 10-4 Northeast Conference
2021 March Madness Odds: +99000

From one Bulldog squad to another, Bryant University appears to have reached its full potential this season. The Bulldogs are still heavily favored to win the NEC with homecourt advantage throughout the conference tournament ahead, especially considering their perfect 9-0 record at home this season.

Bryant is gunning for its first-ever berth into the National Tournament and all signs point towards a momentous occasion for the Rhode Island faithful. The team did also display some mettle against Division I competition earlier this season, losing by just a single point to Syracuse in its very first game of the current campaign.

UC Santa Barbara Gauchos

Record: 17-4; 11-3 Big West Conference
2021 March Madness Odds: +99000

A stellar all-around team play is what led to the success of UC Santa Barbara, who ranks 21st in the country, with an average of 16.7 assists per game.

Prior to their recent loss to UC Riverside, the Gauchos went on an impressive 13-game tear to run away with the best record in the Big West, entering the conference tournament. UCSB is well in line to snap its decade-long March Madness drought, making this particular mid-major program one of the more attractive sleepers out of the Pacific region.

Toledo Rockets

Record: 19-7; 14-4 Mid-American Conference
2021 March Madness Odds: +99000

Don’t be fooled by Toledo’s relatively unimpressive record; the team has been quite the force out of the Mid-American Conference. The Rockets have four quality victories under their belt this season, with a Quad 1 win over Marshall and a respectable 3-1 record in Quad 2 games.

All eyes will be on Toledo’s superstar Marreon Jackson, who leads all MAC players this season in assists (143) and steals (45), while also leading his team in scoring with an average of 17.3 points per contest.

As of this writing, the Rockets are projected to be a No. 12 seed at the National Tournament. That just goes to show how vastly improved they’ve been this season in their quest to make it back to The Big Dance for the first time since 1980.

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*All stated odds are subject to change without prior notice.