NCAA Tournament 2012 Bracket Predictions: Surprise Teams Who Will Make Elite 8

There is a distinction to be made between Cinderella and sleeper teams in the NCAA tournament. A Cinderella is a team no one is expecting to do anything. A sleeper is a team that has the tools to win games, but not a lot of people are hot on them to make long runs. 

We want to focus on the sleepers in this year's tournament. It is a deep field, with so many teams bunched close together, and that makes the games a lot more interesting. 

Here are the sleeper teams that are going to make it all the way to the Elite Eight. 

Indiana Hoosiers (No. 4 In South Region)

Welcome back to the NCAA tournament, Indiana.

After a coaching carousel and a long rebuild, the Hoosiers are ready to make their mark in this tournament. They have something that very few teams in college basketball have right now: scoring. 

Even though the Hoosiers have been inconsistent on the defensive side of the ball, they have players who can light up the scoreboard. 

Head coach Tom Crean has made great strides with the Hoosiers this season. They are a veteran team that has grown up together, and now is their chance to prove they are back. They have signature wins over Kentucky, Michigan State and Ohio State. 

Predicted Path to Elite Eight: Def. No. 13 New Mexico State, No. 5 Wichita State, No. 1 Kentucky

New Mexico (No. 5 in West Region)

One of the most underrated teams in the country is New Mexico. Even a fifth seed seems a bit low considering how good the Lobos have looked this year. 

Offensively, they have a balanced attack led by Drew Gordon, Kendall Williams and Tony Snell. They can pull up and shoot or drive the lane to get a better look at the basket. 

Their calling card is a tough, hard-nosed defense that plays in your face for all 40 minutes. They are always contesting shots, and when the ball is loose someone will grab it. 

This is the best team Steve Alford has had in his 21-year head coaching career. 

Predicted Path to Elite Eight: Def. No. 12 Long Beach State, No. 4 Louisville, No. 1 Michigan State

Gonzaga (No. 7 in East Region)

Predicting the Bulldogs to make a deep run used to be the easiest part of filling out a bracket. It has been a long time since they have done that, but now they are back where they belong: in the underdog role. 

Without a lot of pressure on them, they can get back to playing the role of spoiler for major conference teams and make a deep run in the tournament. 

This team does not have a star player, but they have a balanced attack. They move the ball around as well as anyone in the country, and when they get open looks they hit shots. 

If you jumped off the Gonzaga bandwagon because of past failure, it is time to get back on once more. 

Predicted Path to Elite Eight: Def. No. 10 West Virginia, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Florida State

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