March Madness 2015: Sleeper Picks with Bracket-Busting Potential

Any Joe Somebody can pencil Kentucky or Duke in as their national champion. What separates the haves from the have-nots in the world of office-pool bracketology is picking which Cinderella will bust the bracket this year. 

Every year it never fails. That one mid-major you've never heard of will stun that No. 5 seed you had in your Final Four. The person who picked the bracket based on which mascot sounded cooler reaps the rewards and wins the whole thing without having watched a game. 

Below is a look at a few teams who have the ability to not only stun their higher-seeded opponents in the first round, but keep the dream alive all the way to the Sweet 16. These teams may not be as complete as their more well-known counterparts, but they all have certain aspects of the game that they play very well and thus have the ability to win the game on those merits. 

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All statistics and rankings used in this article via TeamRankings.com unless otherwise noted.

Davidson Wildcats

Seed: 10

Round of 64 Opponent: Iowa Hawkeyes

Strengths: Three-Point Shooting, Ball-Handling

The Davidson Wildcats don't exactly fit the textbook definition of a "sleeper." They've been in this spot before and are well-known thanks to Stephen Curry. 

This year's Wildcats once again have a similar recipe for success in the tournament. Don't let a disappointing loss to VCU in the Atlantic 10 tournament deceive you. The Wildcats' blend of three-point shooting and ability to take care of the ball are exactly what can make a team dangerous in the tourney. 

Davidson has made a point of launching from downtown all season. The Wildcats have three major players who have made more than 50 threes on the season, carrying the team to the ninth-highest three-point rate in the country (45.7 percent). 

In fact, ESPN Stats and Info's projections peg the 10th-seeded Wildcats as a slight favorite to beat Iowa:

Looking at the breakdown between the Hawkeyes and Wildcats, Iowa's defense stands out as a major advantage. However, Davidson's ability to take care of the ball should nullify some of that. They are ranked No. 2 in the nation in turnovers per possession (14 percent). 

That should be more than enough to pull the minor upset over Iowa. Once that's accomplished, a date with Gonzaga looms large, but this is the same Bulldogs team that was recently upset by 11th-seeded BYU. Another upset is not out of the question.

Stephen F. Austin

Seed: 12

Round of 64 Opponent: Utah Utes

Strengths: Pressure Defense, Ball Movement

Winning in the tournament so often comes down to who can handle the ball. Teams that are able to move the ball around and create shots for one another thrive, while those who turn the ball over lose out on shots and don't survive.  

The Lumberjacks of Stephen F. Austin move the ball as well as anyone in the country, as evidenced by their 17.6 assists per game. That's good for second in the nation. It's also led to a ranking of seventh in the country in offensive efficiency (1.113). 

But where the Lumberjacks really thrive is on the defensive side of the floor, where their pressure creates opportunities on offense. Their 16.6 turnovers forced per game are sixth in the nation. 

To top off the profile that they've created for themselves, they drew a nice opponent to upset in the round of 64. Utah backs into the tournament as losers in four of their last seven games. The Lumberjacks won't feel bad for them, and are likely to put the pressure on early. 

If they can force a few turnovers early and get some momentum, look out. The wheels could come off for a struggling Utah team, and the winner of Georgetown vs. Eastern Washington will officially be put on notice. 

BYU Cougars

USA TODAY Sports

Seed: 11

Round of 64 Opponent: Xavier (Pending play-in game vs. Ole Miss)

Strengths: Scoring, Free Throws

Sometimes tournament games come down to who has the best player on the court. Thus, star power matters. Having a guy that can be depended on in crunch time is crucial, and the BYU Cougars, who will participate in the play-in round against Ole Miss, has just that in Tyler Haws. 

The 6'5" senior guard knows how to score. His 21.9 points per game ranks him fourth in the country, and he has the experience necessary to lead his team when things get tough. 

Haws isn't the only one that can score, though. The Cougars are the second-highest scoring team in the country from a pure points-per-game perspective at 81.8. Much of that is thanks to making 19.2 free throws per game, tops in the country. 

With a record of 25-9, things haven't always gone the Cougars' way, but they've proved they can be dangerous. BYU ended the regular season with a stunning win over then-No. 3 Gonzaga. Haws elaborated on the team's mindset heading into the Big Dance, via Greg Wrubell of KSL.com:

That's the sound of a team who is going to play loose when they tip off against the Rebels. And one that will play like they have nothing to lose against Xavier in the round of 64. That's the kind of mindset that led to the team upsetting Gonzaga earlier this year. 

It's the kind of mindset that could see the Cougars bring the madness to March.