March Madness 2013 Brackets: Mid-Majors with Huge Upset Potential

The official NCAA tournament will be filled soon enough, and many of the best mid-major squads know they'll have a spot, but they don't exactly know whom their first-round opponents will be. 

We've seen mid-major programs advance deep in the tournament over the last five years, and with the 2012-13 season being so unpredictable, it wouldn't be surprising to see recent history repeat itself.

Of the mid-major schools that are likely locks for the Big Dance, these three teams have the best chance to pull upsets over high seeds.

The short list has a distinct Atlantic 10 feel.

(References to projected seedings per ESPN's Joe Lunardi's Bracketology)

Butler Bulldogs, 25-8

With the recent success the Bulldogs have had, its hard to still consider them a mid-major program. But the definition is associated with conference affiliation, and as a member of the Atlantic 10, they still qualify.

This year's team already owns wins over Marquette, Indiana and Wisconsin.

They aren't ranked right now, and they lost in the semifinal of their conference tournament, but make no mistake how dangerous this team still is.

To say the Bulldogs are well coached is an understatement.

Brad Stevens is arguably the best head coach in the nation, and his teams are always well prepared. If Lunardi's seed projections are correct, Butler will be a seventh seed, and could find itself matched with Miami if both teams advance beyond the second round.

The Canes would have an advantage on the inside with seniors Kenny Kadji, Julian Gamble and Reggie Johnson, but Butler's execution in the half court would test them.

If the Bulldogs are making shots from the outside, this potential matchup could end in an upset victory for the Bulldogs.

Saint Louis Billikens, 26-6

Who beat the Bulldogs in the conference semifinal? The Billikens did, and it was the third time this year they knocked off Butler. They are almost single-handedly responsible for Butler being unranked at this point.

The Billikens also defeated Virginia Commonwealth during the regular season, and we'll see if they can beat VCU again in the tournament final on Sunday. But either way, they haven't scored a win over a major squad from a major conference.

Lunardi has the Billikens as a fifth seed and possibly in line for a matchup with the Kansas State Wildcats in the Round of 32.

If you're looking for the primary reason the Billikens are tough and have a shot to beat just about anyone, look no further than their defense.

They only allow 58.2 points per game, and they bring intensity on that end of the floor almost every night.

Their very balanced scoring is led by Dwayne Evans' 13.6 points per game, and the team is also incredibly deep.

No player plays as much as 30 minutes per game, but six players average at least 23 minutes of floor time. Beating the Billikens requires a 40-minute effort and intensity on both ends.

Virginia Commonwealth Rams, 26-7

Shaka Smart isn't far behind Stevens on my list of the top coaches in the country. He has had tremendous success transforming the Rams into a formidable program.

The Rams took down Memphis and Butler in the regular season, and teams from major conferences won't be enthused to play them.

Juvonte Reddic and Treveon Graham have led the 2012-13 Rams to the Atlantic 10 tournament final. Smart's team takes care of the ball, as it only average 12 turnovers per game, and it also makes free throws.

That's often an overlooked aspect of assessing how well a team can perform in the tournament. As a team, the Rams make just under 72 percent of their shots from the line.

With so many games in the tournament presumably coming down to the wire, free-throw shooting can be the difference in winning and losing.

The Rams and Smart could face Kansas in the Round of 32, if Lunardi's projections hold true.

Kansas is obviously very talented, but it has shown its vulnerability to the upset throughout the season. Most recently, it was blown out by the Baylor Bears on March 9.

The Rams could definitely knock them off, and though it would technically be an upset, not many informed fans would be shocked.

Remember, be sure to download a printable NCAA bracket and watch Selection Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.

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