High Point Panthers: March Madness Contenders?

0:00On March 4th, college basketball conference tournaments kickoff Wednesday with four in action, but eyes are on the big south, where regular season. Champ High Point can make a surprise run in the NCAA tournament. The Panthers earn the top seed after a record 27 regular season wins, including 22 by double digits. Every game happens in Johnson City, Tennessee, and High Point faces the play in Winter Friday in the quarterfinals. That play in TIPS Off at 730 Eastern Time between number 8 seed South Carolina Upstate and number 9 Gardner Webb. Gardner Webb sits near the bottom nationally with just three wins, two against non-division-1 teams, and struggles badly on defense. Upstate won their last meeting but lost earlier this season, and models project a comfortable Spartans victory around 70-70-70. High Point dominated the league with a fast-paced offense, averaging over 90 points per game, third best in the nation, they rebuilt around transfers like Cameron Fletcher, who grabs rebounds and scores and double figures after Stins at Kentucky, Florida State, and Xavier.

1:05Bracket experts see them winning the tournament and grabbing a 12 seed in the big dance. Meanwhile, second place Winfrup poses the biggest threat but faces uncertainty with star-center Logan Duncombe, nursing a foot injury. The 6 foot 10 senior leaves and scoring and rebounding, but missed the finale and used a scooter on senior day. Without him, their quarterfinal against Charleston Southern looks shaky. High Point enters as heavy favorites at around minus 250, setting up an exciting path for their first deep tournament run in years. Keep watching these Panthers, they might just dance into March Madness.