Meet the 4 teams that just made the NCAA men's tournament for the first time
Meet the 4 teams that just made the NCAA men's tournament for the first time
It seems like too many teams take Selection Sunday for granted these days.
Most often, we see the biggest brands sitting in their meeting rooms, patiently awaiting their matchup with no real hint of concern.
Thats why it's always such a joy when the Selection Sunday broadcast cuts to a small, relatively unknown program as it makes the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. It looks like an absolute event. Packed gyms, fans going crazy and players hollering right beside them. That's what March is all about.
SURVIVOR POOL: Free to enter. $2,500 to win. Can you survive the madness?
Sunday saw four schools officially make the men's tournament for the first time ever and it'll be hard not to root for them this week.
Let's get to know them.
No. 13 High Point Panthers
High Point moved to Division I in 1999 but never had enough success to go to the big dance. That finally changed this week as the Panthers came back from down 15 points in the Big South tournament title game to lock up an automatic bid.
Head coach Alan Huss has this program rolling with a 56-14 record over his first two years. And the fan support has been electric. Check out the scenes on Sunday.
No. 15 Omaha Mavericks
Omaha hadn't experienced a winning season since 2018-19. In Year 3 of the Chris Crutchfield Era, the Mavericks not only got over .500 (22-12), they're headed to their first NCAA tournament. The No. 15 seed has a tough draw in the Round of 64 against No. 2 St. John's, but it's not an upset we haven't seen before.
The Summit League champs are led by forward Marquel Sutton, who averages 19.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
No. 16 SIU Edwardsville Cougars
That's Southern Illinois University Edwardsville from just outside St.Louis.
The Cougars will face another clan of Cougars in the Round of 64, thanks to their matchup with No. 1 Houston, but SIUE has a lot to celebrate before then. The program only moved to Division I in 2008 and didn't have a winning season at the NCAA's top level until 2022-23. Now the Cougars are dancing after wining the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.
Watch out for guard Ray'Sean Taylor and his 19.3 points per game.
No. 12 UC San Diego Tritons
Two decades ago, UCSD was playing in Division III. Five years ago, the Tritons were in Division II. On Sunday they officially earned a berth in the NCAA tournament by winning the Big West tournament. What an epic rise for head coach Eric Olen, who has led the Tritons since 2013 and compiled a 210-114 record in the process.
Get used to hearing the name Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones, by the way. The senior guard from New Zealand is averaging 19.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 57.6 percent from the field.
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