College Basketball: 10 Mid-Majors Capable of a Sweet 16 Run

Every year, the NCAA Tournament is viewed as arguably the most entertaining event on the sports calendar.  Much of that excitement is owed to the first weekend, with a non-stop flow of games, many ending in upsets and thrilling finishes.

The first weekend owes a lot of its excitement to a group of small schools that have become known as the mid-majors.  Mid-major has become a real buzz word over the past decade. 

It used to be that these teams would sneak up on you, but now everyone is searching for the team that can be "this year's Gonzaga".

This list isn't solely a ranking of the 10 best mid-majors, but a ranking of which in this group has the best chance to survive the first weekend.  Quality of team is a huge factor, but also, where a team is projected to be seeded plays a part as well.

The top-eight power conferences (Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, SEC, ACC, Mountain West, Pac-12 and Atlantic 10) are excluded, as well as more traditionally successful teams like Gonzaga and BYU.

Here are the 10 mid-majors with the best shot at a Sweet 16 appearance.

10. Weber State Wildcats

Weber State may seem like a stretch here, coming from the Big Sky.  Also, because they are likely to be a No. 15 seed, meaning they will play a top team in round one.

Why they have a chance is Damain Lillard, the nation's leading scorer at 24.4 points per game.  He is also a good rebounder, pulling down 5.8 per game.  He is a very good shooter, hitting 44.2 percent of his threes and draining 90.2 percent from the foul line.

Lillard will give them a puncher's chance to knock off someone in the first round, and if they get by that game, they play a lesser team.

Aside from their top scorer, Weber State also has Scott Bamforth scoring 15.6 points per game and shooting 42.3 percent on threes.  Adding to the cause is Kyle Tresnak, giving them three double-figure scorers.

Weber State is the top free-throw shooting team in the nation and with three players over 6'8", they clean the defensive boards.

9. Harvard Crimson

When most people think of the Ivy League, Penn and Princeton come to mind.  In 2012, Harvard has a chance to make some real noise.

Tommy Amaker has put together a well-balanced team that can score inside and out, defend and rebound.

They have a great floor leader in Brandyn Curry, who is averaging 5.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game.  They also have three double-figure scorers in Kyle Casey, Laurent Rivard and Keith Wright.

The Crimson are an above average three-point shooting team and shoot 75 percent from the foul line.  As one of the best defensive teams in the country, they should be in any game they play.

Harvard would be higher, but right now they are viewed as a No. 9 seed, meaning they will play on of the top four teams in college basketball in round two.

8. Wichita State Shockers

Wichita State is one of the top mid-major teams in the nation, but like Harvard, they are looking at being either a No. 8 or 9 seed.  That means an incredibly difficult second round matchup looms.

The Shockers are incredibly efficient on both ends of the floor, and they will not get just run over in the tournament.  They are even capable of knocking off one of the giants in round two.

Wichita State has good size and they are one of the better rebounding teams in college basketball.  They also have very balanced scoring.

They carry five players scoring over nine points per game, led by Garrett Stutz.  Stutz is scoring 13.6 points and grabs 7.5 rebounds per game.  Toure' Murry is a scoring guard averaging 12.5 points per game who overcomes his lack of outside shooting with his ability to get to the foul line and his versatility.  He also averages 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

The offense is led by point guard Joe Ragland who scores and sets up teammates.  He is also deadly from the outside, shooting 45 percent on threes.

Wichita State is a solid team that does everything well.  They just may have too much to overcome after the first round.

7. Ohio Bobcats

First, Ohio may not even make the tournament.  The MAC is pretty competitive, and Ohio has a challenge to win the conference, but the MAC champ will be a threat, whoever it is.

The Bobcats' main weapon is point guard D.J. Cooper.  He is a menace on both ends of the floor who scores, distributes and disrupts the opposing offense.  As a freshman he carried Ohio to a win over Georgetown, so as a junior, he can lead them to two wins.

Outside of Cooper, Ohio also has some balance surrounding him.  Walter Offutt and Ivo Baltic are each averaging over 11 points per game.  Nick Kellogg is an assassin from three-point range, shooting 43 percent.

As a team, Ohio is balanced, they can score and they can defend.  They hold teams to just 30 percent on threes and they force turnovers more than any team in college basketball.

6. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Middle Tennessee is not a team known for its basketball prowess, even among mid-majors.  This year they are making their mark.

They are 3-2 against teams in the RPI top-100, their two losses by a total of 10 points.  They hung in at Vanderbilt in an 84-77 loss.

The Blue Raiders are a tough defensive team that forces a lot of turnovers and holds their opponents to low shooting percentages.

They also deploy some good overall talent.  They have three players scoring over 11 points and grabbing over five rebounds per game.

LaRon Dendy, Marcos Knight and J.T. Sulton lead a balanced team that should be able to hang with anyone, and has a great chance to win two games in March.

5. Murray State Racers

Murray State may seem like they should be higher on the list, but they are in the tough position of being the team with the high ranking that could enter the tournament undefeated.  That adds an extra level of pressure and expectation.

Murray State is a good team though, and their lofty status has been earned.

Isaiah Canaan is a dynamite scorer, averaging 18.7 points per game on 47 percent three-point shooting.  Fellow guard Donte Poole scores 14.7 points per game while shooting 41 percent on threes.  Forward Ivan Aska is averaging 12.3 points and 5.8 rebounds.

The Racers are a good team on both offense and defense.  They are fourth in the nation in three-point shooting and 12th in three-point defense.

4. Saint Mary's Gaels

Saint Mary's is not just a mid-major threat; they are actually one of the best teams in college basketball.  They are in a similar spot to Murray State with pressure and expectation.

On the positive side, they have already knocked off Gonzaga and BYU, the two big guns in their conference.

The Gaels are led by a true one-two punch in point guard Matthew Dellavedova and Rob Jones.  Dellavedova could be the WCC player of the year, averaging 15.4 points and 6.4 assists per game.  Jones is averaging 14.3 points and 10.8 rebounds.

Augmenting their two scorers is their defensive stopper, Stephen Holt.  He averages 2.1 steals per game.

St. Mary's is number 12 in the country in offensive efficiency and also in the top 50 on the defensive end.  They do a great job of rebounding on the defensive end and they are one of the nation's best shooting teams.

3. Long Beach State 49ers

Long Beach State is another team that will be seeded really low, but they prepared themselves for that.

The 49ers played the toughest non-conference schedule in the country.  They were 7-6 when they entered league play, but since, they have won nine straight.

Led by their point guard Casper Ware, Long Beach State is tough to deal with on both ends of the floor.  Ware can score and defend, and he is finding his shooting stroke.

Along with Ware is forward T.J. Robinson.  He averages 12.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.  He is having his third straight double-figure rebounding season.

They also have two other double-figure scorers in Larry Anderson and James Ennis.

Long Beach has been tested, and with their senior leadership, they will be a tough out.

2. Creighton Bluejays

Creighton is another team that has spent a large chunk of their season in the rankings.  They deserve to be there, and they should be seeded accordingly.

More than any other team, they will be set up to run possibly as deep as the Elite Eight.

They are led by Doug McDermott, who is arguably having the best season of any player in college basketball.  He is averaging 23.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.  He is shooting 62 percent from the field and 50 percent on threes.

They play great team basketball on both ends, they are one of the top offensive teams in college basketball.  Creighton is the top three-point shooting team in college basketball at 45 percent.

1. Iona Gaels

Iona is among the most fun and exciting teams in college basketball, and it would be a crime if they are ousted before the tournament's second weekend.

They are led by the best point guard in the game, Scott Machado.  He does it all, and makes the rest of his team better.  Machado averages 13.4 points and 9.9 assists while shooting 41.3 percent on threes.

They have a great inside player in Michael Glover who scores 18.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game on 67 percent shooting.  Lamont Jones is the shooting guard who is scoring 14.9 points per game.

They have a lot of options, and they have a point guard who can control the tempo.  Iona can outrun teams, and they are also one of the best shooting teams in the country.

With their talent, leadership and style of play, they are the best bet to make a Sweet 16 run.