March Madness is missing Cinderella this year — and she may never come back
The NCAA Tournament's Cinderella stories may be disappearing due to changes in college basketball's landscape, with fewer upsets and a more predictable bracket. The 2025 tournament saw only one double-digit seed, No. 10 Arkansas, make a deep run before being eliminated, raising concerns about the sport's future.
Homer Drew, former Valparaiso coach, remembers the 1998 NCAA Tournament when his team made a historic upset. His sons, both coaches, tell him to be happy he retired, as the game has changed. The 2025 tournament had fewer upsets, with only one double-digit seed making a deep run. Coaches and players wonder if Cinderella stories are becoming harder to come by due to the sport's new economics. The tournament's design still allows for some chaos, but changes may be coming. The average fan wants to see upsets, which is what makes the NCAA Tournament exciting.
This content was automatically generated and/or translated by AI. It may contain inaccuracies. Please refer to the original sources for verification.