March Madness 2016: Highlighting Tournament's Most Dangerous Bubble Teams

The fun with March Madness is the fact that any team can make a deep run, even the final few teams that make the field.

A year ago, the UCLA Bruins went to the Sweet 16 as a No. 11 seed that barely deserved an at-large bid. The Dayton Flyers, Stanford Cardinal and Tennessee Volunteers all reached the second weekend as double-digit seeds in 2014. These squads showed that being on the right side of the bubble is all you need.

Based on what we have seen during this men's college basketball season, the 2016 NCAA tournament could feature plenty of craziness and upsets. These teams could be especially dangerous if they get a chance in March.

Vanderbilt

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

Vanderbilt had high expectations entering the season, but inconsistency kept it out of the NCAA tournament conversation until recently. However, three straight wins have vaulted the squad back into bubble consideration.

The Commodores are coming off a 12-point win over Kentucky and also have victories on the road against Florida and at home against Texas A&M. Although their 18-11 record isn't great, their performances against quality opponents might be enough to earn an at-large spot.

This could end up being scary for opposing teams, because Vanderbilt can do some damage in the postseason. The team has loads of talent and is trending in the right direction. Point guard Wade Baldwin discussed his mindset, per Jerry Tipton of Kentucky.com:

Baldwin has shot up NBA draft boards thanks to his ability to lead the offense and defend at a high level, while Damian Jones remains one of the top big men in the nation. Add in a long list of elite shooters who can help light up the scoreboard as well as Luke Kornet defending the post, and this team has all the tools necessary to make a deep run.

Wichita State

Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images

Although Wichita State is the favorite to win the Missouri Valley Conference title and get an automatic bid, a loss in the league tournament could make things interesting for the Shockers. While they have the reputation, their resume is unimpressive.

With losses to Illinois State and Northern Iowa countering just one quality win over Utah earlier in the year, an at-large bid is far from a guarantee.

However, the seed doesn't matter for this group; if Wichita State is in the tournament, it has the ability to go to the Final Four.

The Shockers have the No. 1 defense in college basketball, according to KenPom.com, along with as much tournament experience as anyone else in the country. The backcourt duo of Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet has been to the Final Four and had an undefeated regular season, so the team won't be intimidated by any opponent next month.

A lot of teams will be hoping Wichita State is not close to them when the brackets come out.

Butler

Rich Schultz/Getty Images

The results haven't always been great for Butler, especially against top competition. The squad is just 2-7 against the RPI top 50, and its December victory over Purdue remains its only win against a team guaranteed to be in the NCAA tournament field.

After almost losing on the road to Georgetown, the Bulldogs might still be on the wrong side of the bubble.

With that said, Butler has the tools to win some games in the tournament. It all begins with Roosevelt Jones, who is the engine for one of the most dangerous offenses in college basketball. Seth Davis of CBS Sports praised the senior:

Meanwhile, Kellen Dunham and Kelan Martin can both catch fire from the outside and put up huge numbers on a given night. The guard play on this team is fun to watch and can be difficult to defend. Sometimes, that's all you need to get to the second weekend in the NCAA tournament.

Michigan

Duane Burleson/Getty Images

It doesn't get much scarier than facing a team that can shoot the lights out from three-point range. No matter what Michigan does between now and the start of the NCAA tournament, this team can beat anyone based on its ability to spread the floor and score with consistency.

Sure, there are plenty of questions about the Wolverines defense and frontcourt. These issues have led to bad losses throughout the year as the squad remains squarely on the tournament bubble. Still, this team can beat anyone in the nation, even without Caris LeVert (leg).

With four or five players on the court who can make shots from long range, Michigan is difficult to defend. Zak Irvin, Duncan Robinson and Derrick Walton Jr. can score in a variety of ways, and when they are in rhythm, no one is going to stop them.

You won't feel confident picking them, but the Wolverines can also bust a lot of brackets.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for year-round sports analysis.