March Madness 2023 prediction: Potential Cinderella Team from West Region

The bracket is set, the seeds are in, and March Madness is finally here. Before you fill out your picks this week ahead of the First Round on Thursday, March 16, we break down our favorite Cinderella picks for 2023.

In the West, the VCU Rams will match up against the Saint Mary's Gaels. The 5-12 matchup is always a fun one, and has yielded lots of upsets in the past few years. Could VCU make a Sweet 16 or Elite Eight run? Let's take a look.

2023 March Madness: West Region Cinderella Team

Pick: VCU Rams

VCU pulled off a massive comeback to beat Dayton in the Atlantic-10 championship game and secure their spot in the NCAA Tournament. This VCU team is better than their 12-seed might suggest. The Rams' adjusted defensive efficiency ranks in the top 20 at KenPom, as they limit opponents to 63 points per game at 41.7% from the field.

VCU takes on Saint Mary's in the first round. This certainly won't be a walk in the park for either team, but VCU is very comfortable on the road, going 12-4 at away or neutral sites this season. They beat Vanderbilt and Pittsburgh early in the season, so this won't be their first big challenge of the season.

The Rams could make a deep run into the western region. If they beat Saint Mary's, they face the winner of UConn-Iona.

  
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