Can Niagara Basketball Make a March Madness Run This Season?

I've been following NCAA basketball for over a decade now, and every season there's that one team that starts flying under the radar before suddenly demanding everyone's attention. This year, that team might just be Niagara. Watching their recent performances, I can't help but feel we're witnessing something special brewing that could translate into a serious March Madness run.

Let me take you back to their opening day victory over preseason favorite College of St. Benilde. Most analysts had written them off before the season even started, but that 68-65 win wasn't just luck - it was a statement. I remember thinking while watching that game that this team had a different energy compared to last season's squad. Their defense was tighter, their ball movement more precise, and most importantly, they maintained composure during those critical final minutes when Benilde mounted their comeback attempt. That's the kind of mental toughness that separates regular season teams from tournament contenders.

Then came the takedown of archrival Letran. As someone who's watched this rivalry develop over the years, I can tell you these games are always emotionally charged affairs where statistics often go out the window. But Niagara handled the pressure beautifully, winning by a comfortable 12-point margin in what many considered their first true road test of the season. What impressed me most was how they adapted their strategy mid-game when Letran started double-teaming their primary scorer - they didn't panic, they simply shifted to their secondary options and maintained offensive efficiency. That flexibility will be crucial come tournament time.

But the real eye-opener for me, and I suspect for many others who'd been sleeping on the Red Lions, was Friday's dominant 79-70 victory over defending champion Mapua. I've got to be honest - I didn't see this coming. Mapua entered that game with a 15-2 record and what many considered the most balanced roster in the conference. Yet Niagara controlled the tempo from the opening tip, building a lead that reached as high as 14 points in the second half. Their shooting percentage of 48% from the field and 42% from beyond the arc against what was previously the conference's top defensive team tells you everything you need to know about their offensive capabilities when they're firing on all cylinders.

Looking at their current trajectory, I'm starting to believe this team has the right components for a deep March run. Their point guard is averaging 7.2 assists per game with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.1 - numbers that would place him among the nation's elite. Their frontcourt rotation, which I initially thought would be their weakness, has been surprisingly effective, pulling down an average of 38 rebounds per contest. And perhaps most importantly, they're demonstrating that intangible quality of peaking at the right time. In my experience covering college basketball, teams that hit their stride in February often carry that momentum straight into March.

Of course, I'm not saying it's going to be easy. The conference remains competitive with at least four other teams possessing legitimate tournament aspirations. Niagara's remaining schedule includes three away games against top-tier opponents, and their bench depth will be tested during this crucial stretch. But what I see differently this year compared to previous Niagara teams is their consistency in closing out games - they've won their last five contests by an average margin of 11.4 points, suggesting they're not just scraping by but genuinely dominating opponents.

From where I sit, having watched countless teams make their March Madness pushes over the years, Niagara is checking all the right boxes. They've got veteran leadership, they're healthy at the right time, they're building confidence with each signature win, and they're developing that killer instinct that separates tournament teams from early exits. While nothing is guaranteed in college basketball, I'd be surprised if we don't see the Red Lions dancing come March, and based on what we've witnessed so far, they might just stick around longer than many expect.