NCAA Tournament 2017: The Biggest Potential Cinderella Teams in the Field of 68

The bracket is set, and college basketball fans are officially beginning the search for under-the-radar teams that could put together a surprising Cinderella run.

While the unanticipated string of victories may help someone win a bracket pool, it's the thrill of an athletic career for many players. We don't always look back on upstarts to see Stephen Curry (2008 Davidson) gracing the roster of a school that raced to the Elite Eight or Final Four.

There's an important distinction between Cinderella and spoiler. Major-conference programs have already tested some of the sport's top competition. Mid-major teams, however, are typically complete unknowns for a majority of the viewing nation.

Additionally, they must be a low seed, so a qualifier like Wichita State (No. 10 South Region) is on the "wrong" side of the cutoff line.

Not every year features a Cinderella like 2006 George Mason or 2011 VCU. But if that magical run happens in 2017, one of the following programs is most capable of orchestrating it.

Middle Tennessee

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Record: 30-4

Conference: Conference USA

Best wins: UNC-Wilmington, Vanderbilt

NCAA tournament seeding: 12

Opening NCAA tournament opponent: Minnesota

Boosted by Arkansas transfer JaCorey Williams, Middle Tennessee is ready to mess up some brackets again.

The Blue Raiders upended second-seeded Michigan State last year. Giddy Potts and Reggie Upshaw were key players in that upset, combining for 40 points on 14-of-24 shooting with six threes. Both players are back, though their long-range numbers have dipped this season.

Perhaps that's a reason for optimism since Potts in particular and Upshaw have shown that three-point ability. Xavier Habersham (45.3 percent) connects at a high rate, though he's only launched four-plus attempts nine times in 34 games.

Second-unit scoring may be an issue. Edward Simpson, Tyrik Dixon and Habersham have otherwise filled out the starting lineup, and none of them averages more than 5.8 points.

The starters will carry a heavy burden, but Middle Tennessee has the talent to overcome suspect depth.

East Tennessee State

Kathy Kmonicek/Associated Press

Record: 27-7

Conference: Southern

Best wins: UC-Irvine, Mississippi State

NCAA tournament seeding: 13

Opening NCAA tournament opponent: Florida

Compared to its in-state counterpart, East Tennessee State has better offensive balance. Six players average at least seven points, headlined by T.J. Cromer at 19.1.

However, with great skill comes great responsibility. In losses against Dayton and Tennessee this season, Cromer hit just five of his 24 attempts and managed 18 total points. When he scored 14 or less, ETSU went 5-4. Otherwise, the team was 22-3.

Cromer exploded for 41 points against Samford in the conference tournament, and an individual performance like that is definitely enough to spark a Cinderella run. Desonta Bradford, Tevin Glass, A.J. Merriweather and Indiana transfer Hanner Mosquera-Perea should start alongside Cromer.

Florida Gulf Coast

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Record: 26-7

Conference: Atlantic Sun

Best wins: UT-Arlington

NCAA tournament seeding: 14

Opening NCAA tournament opponent: Florida State

Known for an entertaining run to the Sweet 16 in 2013, Florida Gulf Coast earned the moniker "Dunk City" along the way. The Eagles also reached the NCAA tournament last year as a No. 16 seed and won a First Four matchup before falling to North Carolina.

But that didn't happen without a great fight for FGCU, which only trailed by one point at halftime. And the 2017 team is better.

A UCF transfer, Brandon Goodwin is leading the Eagles with 18.2 points per game after sitting out last season. Six of 2015-16's top seven scorers returned, and three of them—Zach Johnson, Demetris Morant and Christian Terrell—are averaging double figures.

UNC-Wilmington

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Record: 29-5

Conference: Colonial

Best wins: East Tennessee State, St. Bonaventure

NCAA tournament seeding: 12

Opening NCAA tournament opponent: Virginia

UNC-Wilmington—which gave Duke a terrific fight as a 13th seed last year—enters the NCAA tournament ranked 18th in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom. While C.J. Bryce scores a team-best 17.6 points per game, four players average 12 points. Plus, Devontae Cacok is shooting a stunning 79.9 percent from the floor.

Bryce, Chris Flemmings, Denzel Ingram and Ambrose Mosley each hoist at least 3.7 three-pointers per game. If a couple of shooters catch fire, the Seahawks will be tough to contain.

But that's the challenge for them on the defensive end too. The team will constantly attack, using a full-court press in hopes of creating turnovers and controlling the pace. Should the Cavaliers break contain, it could lead to easy baskets.

While the Seahawks have explosive potential, the question is whether they'll blow up in a good or bad way against Virginia's slow, slow, slooooow tempo.

Vermont Catamounts

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Record: 29-5

Conference: America East

Best wins: N/A

NCAA tournament seeding: 13

Opening NCAA tournament opponent: Purdue

Even with a 29-5 record, John Becker's Vermont team still has much to prove.

The Catamounts went 0-4 against RPI Top 100 opponents, falling to three tournament teams in Butler, South Carolina and Providence while also falling against Houston. They'll need that experience to translate during March Madness.

If Vermont can control the pace, limit possessions and shorten the game, it could spring an upset like the 2005 team pulled on fourth-seeded Syracuse. The Catamounts probably can't keep up with a rapid tempo, though. They shoot efficiently from long range but haven't consistently shown a high-volume ability.

While a sturdy defense should make Vermont a pesky first-round foe, efficiency in the deliberate offense is imperative.

Winthrop Eagles

Record: 26-6

Conference: Big South

Best wins: Illinois, UNC-Asheville

NCAA tournament seeding: 13

Opening NCAA tournament opponent: Butler

What Keon Johnson lacks in stature he atones for by making a defender's life miserable. The 5'7" point guard averages 22.5 points, which ranks 10th nationally. He's reached the 30-point barrier seven times and 20-point mark 22 times.

Xavier Jones is a great second option at 16.3 points per game, but the 6'8" forward is also a well-rounded contributor with 9.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 blocks.

Although Winthrop relies heavily on the duo, the team's three-point prowess is essential for NCAA success. Each of Johnson, Anders Broman, Roderick Perkins and Bjorn Broman launches four-plus triples per night and converts at a 35 percent rate or higher.

The Eagles cannot afford to let a defense eliminate Johnson, but the complementary shooting makes them a legitimate threat.

Bucknell Bison

Record: 26-8

Conference: Patriot

Best wins: Vanderbilt, Richmond

NCAA tournament seeding: 13

Opening NCAA tournament opponent: West Virginia

Bucknell boasts excellent balance with four double-digit scorers, but the Patriot League champions face an identical issue to Middle Tennessee with questionable depth.

Among rotational players, Nate Sestina is the only reserve who averages more than four points. He's at an even five.

Nana Foulland and Zach Thomas headline a formidable frontcourt, combining for 30.9 points, 14.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. Stephen Brown and Kimbal Mackenzie shoot 40.0 and 39.6 percent from three-point range, respectively.

If the Bison's starters produce, they'll be a tough out.

South Dakota State Jackrabbits

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Record: 18-16

Conference: Summit League

Best wins: South Dakota (twice)

NCAA tournament seeding: 16

Opening NCAA tournament opponent: Gonzaga

Last year, South Dakota State fought back from an 18-point second-half deficit and pushed fifth-seeded Maryland to the limit. The Jackrabbits lost a couple of key pieces from that team, and they only mustered a 15-16 record during the regular season.

But then, Mike Daum happened. He averaged 29.3 points and 9.0 rebounds during the Summit League tourney, carrying South Dakota State to an automatic bid.

Daum reached the 30-point mark 12 times this season, exploding for games with 51 and 42 points. With a player who can dominate like that, the Jacks must be taken seriously.

The rough regular season put SDSU at the back of the field, and a No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 seed. But few teams with the lowest possible seed have a player as good as Daum, and he just might be the type of talent who can pull off the greatest upset in tournament history.

Northern Kentucky Norse

Record: 24-10

Conference: Horizon

Best wins: Valparaiso

NCAA tournament seeding: 15

Opening NCAA tournament opponent: Kentucky

In the program's first tournament-eligible season, Northern Kentucky won the Horizon League championship. Yes, it capitalized on a conference tourney loaded with upsets, but John Brannen's team doesn't need to apologize for that.

Now, can the Norse handle the big stage?

Drew McDonald, who has 13 showings of 20-plus points and averaged a team-high 16.4, is the key for Northern Kentucky, while Cole Murray is the X-factor. He's made multiple threes in 27 of 34 games, knocking down five or more triples six times.

Efficiency on the offensive end is critical. The Norse attempt a ton of threes, but they also commit 13.5 turnovers per game. Poor shooting and carelessness could be their downfall.

Iona

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Record: 22-12

Conference: Metro Atlantic Athletic

Best wins: Nevada

NCAA tournament seeding: 14

Opening NCAA tournament opponent: Oregon

Iona relies heavily on Jordan Washington and Taylor Bessick to control the interior. If they get into foul trouble, the Gaels will be at a major disadvantage down low.

However, few tournament teams have a collection of outside shooters like Iona. Six players average at least two three-point attempts per game, and three of them connect at a rate of 43 percent or better. The three others are no worse than 34.6 percent.

The Gaels are 18-1 this season when shooting 40-plus percent from beyond the arc. Otherwise, they're 4-11.

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Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.