NCAA Tournament 2015: Projecting Bracket Busters Before Conference Tournaments

Can anyone guess what the significance of the Ides of March is this year? Anyone? Well, March 15 just so happens to be Selection Sunday, which signifies the official start of March Madness for college basketball fans all over the country.

It's the first day brackets can officially be filled out following the announcement of every team's seed. Though the likelihood of getting every selection correct is slim, knowing which teams can ruin brackets is a huge asset.

Not everyone can predict a George Mason or a Florida Gulf Coast. In fact, it typically doesn't work out when we make an attempt. But there are multiple teams in legitimate conferences that just might sneak up on some Power Five conference programs.

Just before conference tournaments kick off next week, here's a look at some of the teams who are most likely to ruin some brackets later this month.

San Diego State

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Sure, San Diego State might not be sneaking up on anyone, but it is still an unheralded program. In three of the last four years, the Aztecs have not only made it to the tournament, but won at least one game when they got there.

Two of those seasons, Steve Fisher took the program to a Sweet 16—with the second coming in 2014. One season after that run, SDSU is almost assured a chance at the NCAA Tournament, per Jeff Eisenberg of Yahoo Sports:

There isn't one elite scorer, but the Aztecs have three who average in double digits. What SDSU does extremely well is get the job done defensively, led by the school's all-time blocks leader Skylar Spencer.

San Diego State's official Twitter account noted his 216 career blocks set the standard for the program:

Spencer leads the team in blocks (2.5 per game) and is second in rebounds (5.2). He more than clogs up the paint along with senior J.J. O'Brien, who averages 10 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Add leading-scorer Winston Shepard to the mix, and the Aztecs have a dynamic lineup ready to give Fisher another run in March.

N.C. State

When looking for the Wolfpack, just check the NCAA bubble. For the last three years, N.C. State has made the tournament under Mark Gottfried, but it is rarely seen as a perennial favorite like Duke or North Carolina.

The third team in the Triangle packs plenty of punch this year.

The Pack has wins over the Blue Devils and Tar Heels this season, with the latter coming at the Dean Dome—ending a losing streak in Chapel Hill that lasted 12 years. Those upset wins—tack on one over Louisville on the road—are coupled with horrible losses to Wake Forest and Boston College.

"I don't think I'll ever figure us out," second-leading scorer Ralston Turner said, via Joe Giglio of the News & Observer. "I don't think anybody else will either. ... It's not OK but it is what it is. We still have another game, let's see if we've learned anything."

Though it's been an up-and-down year for N.C. State, it has what it takes to thrive in March. The guard play of Trevor Lacey, Turner and Cat Barber is the offensive spark. Barber's defense paired with BeeJay Anya's staggering 2.7 blocks in just 18.9 minutes per game gives the team intensity on both ends.

If the Pack treats every matchup in March like it's a rivalry game against Duke or Carolina, it has a chance to make a long run. With a healthy lineup and reinforcements behind their potent starters, another Sweet 16 might be possible for Gottfried's team.

Georgetown

I get it, Georgetown is a typical powerhouse program that shouldn't be seen as an underdog. That's not what the Hoyas are being tabbed as here. If you're looking for a team that will likely fall outside of the top three or four seeds, Georgetown is the team to ride to the Sweet 16.

Equipped with a wealth of scoring all over the court, the Hoyas are a complete team to watch. Guard D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera leads the team in scoring with 16 points per game. Forward Joshua Smith has six double-doubles this season with an average of 11.2 points per contest.

Freshman forward Isaac Copeland is another player on the rise, averaging 10.3 points per game since January 17. Yeah, Georgetown truly has what it takes to win in March.

Already holding huge wins over Villanova and Butler, Georgetown has the mettle to play in tight games against top opponents. Whether it's their size down low or effectiveness from behind the arc, the Hoyas are ready to take on any program.

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