March Madness 2012 Predictions: VCU and Mid-Majors Capable of Final Four Run

Last year two schools from mid-majors, Butler and VCU, made the Final Four, and this season there are a few talented teams who can duplicate that same success in the NCAA tournament.

These teams have nothing to lose in March Madness, and are not under the major pressure to succeed and help people's brackets the way that powerhouse programs are.

Let's look at three mid-majors that could reach the Final Four this year.

VCU

After an exciting win against Drexel in the CAA tournament final Monday night, VCU is once again heading to the NCAA tournament.

Led by their talented head coach and leader, Shaka Smart, the Rams are once again a very confident team playing exceptional defense.

VCU has won 17 of its last 18 games, and with the success they had last year, the Rams won't fear anyone in this year's tournament.

Strong defense and excellent team chemistry will make the Rams a team no one will want to play in March Madness.

Saint Mary's

The Gaels won the WCC tournament Monday night against a talented Gonzaga team to clinch a spot in the NCAA tournament.

Leading scorer Matthew Dellavedova had 22 points in the win. He is a very talented guard who can score against any defense with his good outside shooting and aggressive drives to the basket. He's also a tremendous leader.

Saint Mary's causes a lot of problems for teams with their guard depth and their ability to be effective with a three-guard lineup.

The Gaels are a high scoring team who shoot at a high percentage and share the ball very well. They won't be an easy team to beat in March Madness.

Creighton

Creighton has made several NCAA tournament appearances by winning the Missouri Valley Conference tournament over the last decade and they won the title again this season.

The Bluejays are sixth in the nation in points scored per game, third in assists and first in field goal percentage. 

Creighton is an offensively efficient team, and they are fundamentally strong at both ends of the floor. After a strong season, and riding the momentum of a seven-game winning streak, the Bluejays will be a difficult team to beat.

If you fall down early to Creighton, it won't be easy to recover because they don't take a lot of bad shots and are patient in their sets.

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