Kansas State Wildcats and the 8 Teams That Could Get Hot at the Right Time

In college basketball, it's all about getting hot at the right time. Last year, the Connecticut Huskies went from being a middle-tier Big East team to kings of the country. They caught fire in their conference tournament and never looked back.

Which teams could gain momentum at the opportune time? Some underdog squads might catch fire in just enough time to make the tournament, and other teams might transform from Sweet 16 material into championship form.

Here's a look at a few college hoops programs who could get hot at the right time.

Georgetown Hoyas

Georgetown is looking good after knocking off Louisville on the road, but they're focused on something greater than a December win.

In order to hit the conference tournament with a head of steam, they're going to want to be playing their best basketball to wrap up the regular season. A stretch at the end of January and beginning of February squares the Hoyas against Pittsburgh, Connecticut and Syracuse. 

Georgetown will learn a lot about themselves after that string of games, and will then rip through the rest of their regular season. In top form heading into March, the Hoyas will be a tough tournament team.

Kansas State Wildcats

In a similar situation to Georgetown, Kansas State goes under a trial by fire in February that will undoubtedly make them tough as nails for the postseason.

A mid-February series against Kansas, Baylor and Missouri will test the Wildcats' offensive efficiency. If they can survive those games, Frank Martin will use it to boost their tournament performance.

Kansas State is already a great rebounding team, and they've been a force to be reckoned with in recent tournaments.

This year shouldn't be any different. Look for Kansas State to be hot from mid-February onward. 

Temple Owls

The Temple Owls are one of the top programs in the Atlantic 10 conference, a league that will see several teams make the big dance.

Fran Dunphy's squad has already taken a few hits this season, including a knee injury to 6'11" forward Michael Eric. He's slated to come back in late January, and his return could end up being perfect timing. The Owls will have finished a month in which they faced Duke, Maryland and St. Joseph's, and will be preparing for a meeting with Xavier February 11.

With thicker skin and Eric returning mid-season, the Owls will be a handful for their Atlantic 10 foes and will challenge for a tournament spot.

Mississippi State Bulldogs

For the Mississippi Bulldogs, the time to get hot is from now until March. It's just a matter of staying even-keeled and getting into a rhythm.

Wins over Texas A&M, Arizona and West Virginia prove that the Bulldogs are ready to be an elite SEC program. After going toe-to-toe with Baylor, Renardo Sidney and company are poised to take the conference schedule by storm.

Their defense is impressive, so as long as they work on their offensive consistency, they'll be one of the toughest teams to play down the stretch.

San Diego State Aztecs

Steve Fisher's San Diego State Aztecs won the Mountain West Conference last season, and it looks like they'll be able to contend for it again this winter.

A weeklong break between games in February should help them prepare for a pair of games against UNLV and New Mexico.

Winning these games could go a long way for the Aztecs to compete for a conference championship or at-large NCAA tournament bid.

Look for San Diego State to be a sleeper bracket-busting team even if they don't win their own conference.

Connecticut Huskies

As talented as the Connecticut Huskies are this year, they haven't impressed me early on. They've barely beaten several mediocre teams, and they suffered a disappointing loss to Central Florida in November.

Fortunately, things will only get better for the Huskies, who are still in the process of finding their identity after losing Kemba Walker. Freshman forward Andre Drummond will improve and gel with the team, and Jeremy Lamb will be a star in Big East play.

Six out of their final nine regular season games will be against ranked opponents, and this will prepare Connecticut for success in the Big East and NCAA tournaments.

Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State's on this list because Tom Izzo seems to have a knack for getting his teams to play their best basketball in February and March.

Ohio State is the best team in the Big Ten without a doubt, but don't forget about the Spartans late in the season. Michigan State plays elite teams early on so they can grow stronger for the rest of the season.

Izzo's club shares the ball extremely well, averaging 17 assists per game. They also hustle and attack the glass better than almost any team in the country.  

This unselfish play, along with the excellent leadership from Draymond Green, will lead to great things for the Spartans.

Harvard Crimson

It looks like Tommy Amaker's Harvard Crimson has already picked up momentum, and they may not stop until they hit a titan like North Carolina in the elite eight.

Wins over Florida State, Central Florida and Boston College show that the Crimson are no Ivy League slouch. They will win the Ivy League, but they won't stop there. They want to make the kind of impact that Cornell made two years ago.

Harvard's early season tests against the likes of Connecticut and St. Joseph's will help them dominate their conference and be an underdog threat in the big dance. The Crimson don't stand out in any one phase of the game, they just control the pace and try to force teams to play their style.