Another Cinderella stumbles as Michigan blows out St. Louis

Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg dunks the ball in the second half against the Saint Louis Billikens during a second-round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament. Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Another Cinderella stumbles as No. 1 Michigan blows out No. 9 St. Louis in round of 32

By Eric Smithling | Last updated Mar 21, 2026 3:28 PM ET

In a year without many Cinderellas, another fell by the wayside on Saturday.

The Midwest Region No. 1 seed Michigan Wolverines (33-3, 19-1 in Big Ten) defeated the No. 9 seed Saint Louis Billikens (29-6, 15-3 in Atlantic 10), 95-72, in the round of 32 to advance to the regional semifinals. All five Wolverines starters finished with double figures in scoring. Senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg led the team with 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting. Michigan out-rebounded St. Louis, 42-27, and finished with a season-high nine blocks, including four by 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara.

The result knocks another mid-major from the men's NCAA Tournament field, leaving the Utah State Aggies (29-6, 15-5 in Mountain West), VCU Rams (28-7, 15-3 in A10) and High Point Panthers (31-4, 15-1 in Big South) as the last remaining Cinderellas. Each is projected by KenPom to lose in the second round.

Another Cinderella stumbles as Michigan easily handles Saint Louis

Michigan's victory is also a win for chalk. College basketball analyst Jeff Goodman noted after the conclusion of the round of 64 that favorites went 16-0 on Friday, and the trend continued with the dominant Wolverines performance.

Favorites went 16-0 yesterday.

This year's first round had 13 of 32 games decided by 20+ points.

High Point only true mid-major still alive, and its NIL is probably most of any team in 1-bid league.

I hate to admit it, but due to NIL & transfer portal, Cinderellas may be dead.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 21, 2026

A similar story played out last season, when four power conferences were responsible for the entire Sweet 16, including the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12 claiming 15 of the 16 spots.

Upsets have long been part of the charm of March Madness, yet as Goodman noted, the NIL and transfer portal era appear to have consolidated power at the top. While that's disappointing for those who relish the chaos of the tournament, it could make the later rounds more competitive. Last season, the Final Four and championship game were decided by a combined 11 points, with each game coming down to the final minute.

Instead of being a blip, that may have been a sign of what's to come. Saint Louis' loss is a blow to mid-majors, who are increasingly marginalized in college sports' evolving landscape. It wouldn't be a surprise if, by the end of the weekend, the power conferences once again have a stranglehold on the Sweet 16 field.

Cinderellas may be a thing of the past in March Madness. This year's class is already seconds from midnight.

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans

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