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Auburn Tigers head coach Steven Pearl talks with his team as Auburn Tigers take on Kentucky Wildcats at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Auburn Tigers defeated Kentucky Wildcats 75-74. Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Five under-the-radar teams that could bust your March Madness bracket

By Neil Adler | Last updated Feb 25, 2026 5:52 PM ET

With March arriving on Sunday, the madness will soon ensue as the 2026 NCAA Tournament in men's college basketball is almost here. Selection Sunday is on March 15, which means fans are gearing up to fill out their brackets.

Heavyweight programs that are expected to garner No. 1 or No. 2 seeds in the Big Dance will receive a lot of attention when it comes to picking the favorites to reach this season's Final Four.

However, sleeper teams are out there, too, that can make serious noise into late March or even early April. These are either power-conference or mid-major programs that are flying a tad under the radar as lower seeds, but could be great bracket-busting selections for the field of 68.

Five teams to keep an eye on in March Madness

Auburn (15-13 overall, 6-9 in SEC)

The Tigers and their first-year head coach, Steven Pearl, have work to do to ensure that they hear their name called on Selection Sunday. But if Auburn does land a bid, watch out. This team scores 83.5 points per game and is No. 10 in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency.

Belmont (25-4 overall, 15-3 in MVC)

Projected Big Dance seed: No. 12
NCAA NET ranking: No. 53
KenPom ranking: No. 55

Indeed, the Bruins haven't faced an overly tough schedule, with no quadrant-one games on their docket. However, Belmont could be dangerous should it get hot from deep. The Bruins average 83.9 points per contest, which is No. 30 nationally, and they are No. 6 around the country in 3-point shooting percentage, at 39.6.

Clemson (20-8 overall, 10-5 in ACC)

Projected Big Dance seed: No. 9
NCAA NET ranking: No. 38
KenPom ranking: No. 40

The Tigers are reeling, having lost four straight. Yet Clemson is a quality team and battle-tested. The Tigers are a combined 10-7 in quadrant-one/quadrant-two affairs, and they eye a top-four finish in the Atlantic Coast Conference, a much-improved league in the 2025-26 campaign. Defense wins championships, and Clemson resides in both the top 20 of KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency and scoring defense at the Division I level, allowing just 65.6 points per game.

Iowa (19-8 overall, 9-7 in Big Ten)

Projected Big Dance seed: No. 8
NCAA NET ranking: No. 27
KenPom ranking: No. 24

The Hawkeyes are a solid squad in the rugged Big Ten Conference. What makes Iowa a team that could spring an upset or two in the NCAA Tournament is its balance. The Hawkeyes are in the top 35 nationally via KenPom's adjusted offensive and adjusted defensive efficiency. Iowa also gives up 65.1 points per contest, which is No. 12 overall.

Texas (17-10 overall, 8-6 in SEC)

Projected Big Dance seed: No. 10
NCAA NET ranking: No. 37
KenPom ranking: No. 32

For the Longhorns, assuming they get into the Big Dance, they will be a scary out because they can score in droves. Texas averages 85.1 points per game, which is No. 23 nationwide. More importantly, the Longhorns, which possess five quadrant-one victories, are No. 6 in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency. They shoot 49.7 percent from the field as a whole.

Neil Adler

Since graduating summa cum laude from Syracuse University's Newhouse School in 2000 with a degree in broadcast journalism, Neil Adler has served as a sports reporter, a marketing professional and a business journalist, mainly in the Washington, D. C. , market

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