NCAA Bracket 2012: Small-School Heroes Sure to Make Names in March Madness

It happens every season; some player you've never heard of, from some school you've never seen before, uses an epic performance to vault himself into the American consciousness. 

From Taylor Coppenwrath from Vermont to Kenneth Faried of Moorehead State, there are always a handful of players who galvanize a nation, and whose performance scrawls his name in college basketball's illustrious history. 

So, who will be this year's Bryce Drew, this year's Gordon Heyward, this year's Eric Maynor? 

While it's hard to say for sure (and what fun would it be if we knew?) these three guys are a great place to start:

Nate Wolters, South Dakota State

This senior guard is truly the heart, soul and life force of the Jackrabbits this season. Wolters has been a revelation for the Summit League conference champions, averaging 21.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and six assists per game. He's a true NBA prospect, but most fans wouldn't know him from Adam Morrison at this point. 

He's got the athleticism to get into the paint, and the size and skill to create chances for himself and his teammates when he gets down there. But, he can also knock down threes with the best of them, as part of the Jackrabbits' outside-oriented system. 

Wolters has all the makings of a March hero; he's leading a heavy underdog against a power conference heavyweight, and is capable of carrying his team to victories. Even if South Dakota State can't sneak past Baylor in the Round of 64, you can bet we'll hear his name quite a bit in the tournament's opening weekend. 

Drew Hanlen, Belmont

What constitutes a small-school hero? Sometimes, it's not the team's best player; sometimes, it's just someone who gets hot and goes off unexpectedly. 

Such is the case with Belmont Bruins guard Drew Hanlen. The senior guard is only third in scoring on Belmont's roster, averaging 10.4 points per game and doesn't do much in terms of rebounds and assists. But, Hanlen does one thing exceptionally well: He's a straight-up sniper from three.

He's taken 189 threes this season, and knocks down 48.3 percent of them. If teams don't respect his skills from beyond the arc (I'm looking at you, Georgetown), they're certain to get burned. 

Hanlen is exactly the kind of player capable of becoming a legend in March; he's skilled, and when he gets hot, he's downright unstoppable. Don't be surprised to hear about him going off for the Bruins during the opening weekend. 

Bradford Burgess, VCU

You may remember Burgess from the Rams' miraculous run to the Final Four last season from a play-in game. The 6'6" senior forward was a key player in Shaka Smart's team's run last year, and with a couple of contributors gone, he's even more important to the Rams' cause. 

Burgess creates matchup chaos for opponents. He has the size to play in the post, but the speed and athleticism to blow past big men en route to the basket. If you put a guard on him, he'll either post them up, or knock down jumpers over the top of from three. The fact of the matter is, he's the last player you want to see on offense. 

On top of that, his length and athleticism is a defensive nightmare for opponents; he can block shots and force turnovers, and plays strong defense in the post. If VCU pulls the stunner over Wichita State, he's the reason why.