This Mid-Major Team Could Make A Cinderella Run

Cinderella Teams Make Deep Runs, But Usually Don't Win

I wanted to make this first part of the article about how to make a bet on a Cinderella team in the NCAA Tournament, because a lot of people don't know what many pro bettors do. Cinderella teams are great because we all love to see an underdog make a deep run and prove everyone wrong, and we also like to make bets on these teams because the value for them to win the title increases significantly with each win, and thus the ticket you hold on them to win it all becomes more valuable.

Let's be clear though, very rarely do these teams actually win the championship. In fact, it almost never happens, and the more talented teams usually prevail in the end. That's why it's smart to make a bet on a team you think will go deep in the tournament, and then if they do make a run, cash out for maximum profit when they get to either the Elite Eight or Final Four. The chances of them actually making the title game are very small, and by the time they reach either the Elite Eight or Final Four, you should be able to get a very good chunk of change out of a cash out. Of course, they could actually win the title for a bigger payout, but the odds say you would be better off cashing out.

Above all, be smart with your money. Teams like this are underdogs for a reason, and are extremely volatile.

Colorado State Rams (+14000)

The Rams have all the makings of a team that can make a deep postseason run in the NCAA Tournament. For one, they are one of the best offensive teams in the country. Colorado State has five players who, against Division-I competition, both average at least one made three-pointer per game and connect on at least 37.5% of their long-range attempts. That is lethal from beyond the arc, and usually teams that make a run need to be able to put up points in a hurry against top competition. The Rams have just the guy to do that too in David Roddy.

Roddy is lightning in a bottle, and just like last year with Max Abmas on Oral Roberts, you'll come to know quickly why he's nicknamed lightning rod. He is a "stat-sheet stuffer" as you might call it, but that's not just against the poor competition he faces playing on a mid-major program. In six games against teams ranked inside the KenPom top 120, Roddy has averaged 24.2 points per game. Perhaps his biggest performance was a massive upset win over Creighton, in which he had 36 points. He's the type of player every small program needs to make a run in this tournament. Abmas, Ja Morant, Jason Preston, and even Steph Curry just to name a few are players who have willed their school to a deep tournament run. Roddy has the potential to be that guy.

Not only is Colorado State ranked top-20 in three-point range, but they are also ranked top 10 in the nation in both two-pointers and from the charity stripe. This is a team that can shoot the lights out, while also limiting their turnovers. They average just 10 turnovers per game. They aren't very good defensively, and they don't force many turnovers themselves, but neither did many of the Cinderella teams. Sometimes they just turn it on when it's time to make a run.

Don't sleep on the Colorado State Rams. At +14000, they are certainly worth a small bet to potentially cash out large in the tournament.