Is This the End of Cinderella in Men’s March Madness?
Sports Illustrated • • sports
Key Points:
- The first round of this year’s NCAA men’s tournament was historically lopsided, with 13 of 32 games decided by 20+ points, the most ever recorded, and only one top-five seed losing.
- Elite teams have become significantly stronger, with more teams posting higher efficiency margins than in previous years, partly due to NIL deals encouraging players to stay in college longer.
- Mid-major programs struggle to build roster continuity due to unrestricted transfer rules and lucrative NIL offers, making it harder for them to compete with top programs and pull off major upsets.
- A stylistic shift toward bigger, more physical teams focusing on rim protection and offensive rebounding has emerged, favoring teams that can dominate inside rather than rely on
