College Basketball: 10 Big Name Teams That Could Stumble in the Tournament

One of the things that makes March Madness so special is the potential for an upset in virtually every game that is played.  The "little guy" always has a chance to take down the powerhouse in the NCAA tournament.

But there are always two sides to every story, and an upset is no different.  While the team few people expected to win gets to celebrate, the team that had such high expectations at one point has to look on in agony, filled with disappointment.

There can't be an upset without a favored team crumbling under pressure.  The little guys just don't win upsets; the powerhouse teams lose them.

So which big name teams are going to fall victim to the little guy that comes out of nowhere?  Only time will tell, but we know it is inevitable.  There is no March Madness without some upsets.

Here are 10 teams that could be sent home packing very early on in the NCAA tournament.

Missouri

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LAWRENCE, KS - FEBRUARY 07: Marcus Denmon #12 and Matt Pressey #3 of the Missouri Tigers reacts after a foul during the game against the Kansas Jayhawks on February 5, 2011 at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

The Tigers are a very good team with balanced scoring and a great defensive philosophy.  They pride themselves on their constant defensive pressure, frustrating opponents into making mistakes.

The problem is they haven't come close to figuring out how to win away from home.

The Tigers road record is just 2-7, including bad losses at Oklahoma St. and Nebraska.

Offensively, Missouri has it all.  They have good guard play, led by leading scorer Marcus Denmon, who averages 16.7 points per game.  They also have a very formidable front court, highlighted by Laurence Bowers.  The Tigers as a team have five players who average double-figures in points, which is a sign of a well-balanced team.

They have struggled as of late, dropping their previous two games.  Add that to the fact that they don't know how to win away from home, and it doesn't seem like the Tigers will be around very long in the tournament.

St. Johns

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NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 30: D.J. Kennedy #1 of the St. John's Red Storm dribbles the ball past Andre Dawkins #20 of the Duke Blue Devils at Madison Square Garden on January 30, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

The Red Storm have been one of the feel-good stories of this season, going from perennial doormat to one of the best teams in the Big East.

Much of the credit should go to head coach Steve Lavin, who is in his first year with the program.  Not only should Lavin win Coach of the Year in the Big East, but he also should be a serious candidate for National Coach of the Year.  He has turned this program around in such a short amount of time, which is simply remarkable.

However, there are still some warning signs that this team might be set for a short stay in the tournament.

First and foremost, the losses against both St. Bonaventure and Fordham were simply brutal and cannot be ignored. 

Much is also made of how this St. Johns team is filled with seniors.  While this is true, let's not forget that this group has never been to the NCAA tournament, meaning they will have almost no experience once they get to the big dance.

The Red Storm could also run into some problems if they draw a team with a strong inside game, because they are rather thin up front after Justin Brownlee and Justin Burrell.  Even those two players are relatively undersized for their positions.

If the tournament were being played at Madison Square Garden, this would be an entirely different story.  The Johnnies have shown they can beat anyone at MSG, but the jury is still out on whether or not they can win away from home.

With the storybook season they have had, I wouldn't put a deep tourney run past this group.

But there are also some signs that could spell disaster for the Red Storm.

Villanova

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ROSEMONT, IL - FEBRUARY 19: Maalik Wayns #2 of the Villanova Wildcats shoots a free-throw against the DePaul Blue Demons at the Allstate Arena on February 19, 2011 in Rosemont, Illinois. Villanova defeated DePaul 77-75 in overtime. (Photo by Jonathan Dani

One of the reasons the Wildcats have been so successful in the tournament recently is they have received excellent guard play.  As we all know, if a team gets production from their guards, they will always have a chance.  Even though Jay Wright's teams are always relatively thin up front, they usually make up for it with their shooting and outstanding perimeter play.

That might not be the case this year, however. 

Senior guard Corey Stokes has been limited by a turf toe injury, and is just now getting back into form.  Leading scorer Corey Fisher has been outstanding all year, but can't do it alone.  Maalik Wayns, the team's third leading scorer, has struggled as of late after a good start to the season.

The Wildcats will need all three of these guards to play well to have a chance of advancing, but that doesn't seem very likely at this point.  To make matters worse, they are currently on a three-game losing streak, and have to end the regular season with a visit to Pittsburgh.

Things aren't looking good for 'Nova, but Jay Wright has surprised us before. 

Kentucky

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LEXINGTON, KY - MARCH 01: Brandon Knight #12 of the Kentucky Wildcats shoots the ball during the SEC game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Rupp Arena on March 1, 2011 in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky won 68-66. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Here is another team that struggles to win away from home.

If the NCAA tournament were to be played at Rupp Arenas, then the Kentucky Wildcats would be one of the favorites to win the whole thing.

As it stands, that won't be the case.  Kentucky, who finished another undefeated season at home with a win over Vanderbilt on Tuesday, will have to show it can hold their own on a neutral court.

The Wildcats are also a very young group, meaning they won't have the same amount of experience as some of the other teams.  Their youth has shown at times this season, including during losses at Mississippi and Arkansas, two of the worst teams in the SEC.

They are a talented bunch, but can also have a letdown at any moment.  They just seem too hard to trust at this point.

Connecticut

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LOUISVILLE, KY - FEBRUARY 01: Kemba Walker #15 of the Connecticut Huskies reacts during the Big East Conference game against the Louisville Cardinals on February 1, 2010 at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The Huskies are a talented team that has proven they can win away from home.  They also have one of the best players in the country in junior Kemba Walker.

So, what's the problem?

Well, they almost rely too heavily on Kemba Walker.  They only have one other player, Alex Oriakhi, who averages double figures in points.

Walker got off to a great start to start the season, but has since cooled off a bit.  For the season, he is only a 42 percent shooter from the field, showing that he can be limited by good defensive teams.  If for some reason he can't get his 25-30 points, that means someone else will have to pick up the offensive slack.

The problem is nobody on the team has shown they can do that on a consistent basis.

If for some reason Walker is shut down, or even limited, the Huskies will be in some serious trouble.

Florida

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GAINESVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 16: Forward Chandler Parsons #25 of the Florida Gators plays against the Ohio State Buckeyes November 16, 2010 at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

I still don't know what to make of the Gators.

Are they the team that beat the likes of Kansas St., Kentucky and Vanderbilt? Or are they the team that lost to UCF, Jacksonville and Mississippi St.?

They have been hot as of late, winning seven of their last eight games.  Chandler Parsons is also back and appears healthy, which is key for the Gators if they want to make a run in the tournament.

They have a ton of experience, but very little depth as well.

The Gators will finish the regular season with a trip to Vanderbilt, followed by the SEC tournament.  We will know a little more about what this team is made of in a week or so.

Syracuse

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WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 26: Scoop Jardine #11 of the Syracuse Orange takes a shot during a college basketball game against the Georgetown Hoyas on February 26, 2011 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC The Orange 58-51. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/G

Aside from Michigan St., the Orange played virtually nobody during their non-conference schedule, and it showed once they reached Big East play.

The team lost four games in a row at one point, including getting blown out at home by Seton Hall.

Since then, Boeheim and his bunch seem to have gotten back on track, winning their last four games.

Still, something seems different with this team.  The zone doesn't seem as active and effective as it usually does, and offensively they go through stretches where they simply can't score.  They also have no real threat from beyond-the-arc.

If they run into a hot-shooting team, they will likely have no answer.

San Diego St.

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LAS VEGAS, NV - FEBRUARY 12: Billy White #32 and and Kawhi Leonard #15 of the San Diego State Aztecs celebrate their 63-57 victory over the UNLV Rebels at the Thomas & Mack Center February 12, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Imag

The good news for the Aztecs is that they are 28-2 and headed for a very good seed in the tournament.

The bad news is they recently lost to Mountain West rival BYU for the second time this season, this time on national television.  They didn't just lose the game; they were exposed.

The Aztecs are a very athletic, aggressive team that attacks the rim and always crashes the board.  That style will allow them to stay in pretty much every game they play.  Kawhi Leonard is one of the best rebounders you will see in the tournament.

However, what the BYU game showed is that this team simply can't shoot.  The Cougars sat back in a 2-3 zone for most of the game, forcing the Aztecs to take shots from the perimeter, and they simply couldn't make any.

Opposing teams will continue to force SDSU to beat them from the outside.  If the Aztecs can't capitalize, they will likely be in for an early exit.

BYU

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SAN DIEGO, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Jimmer Fredette #32 of the Brigham Young Cougars reacts to being fouled against the San Diego State Aztecs during the second half at Cox Arena on February 26, 2011 in San Diego, California. BYU beat SDSU 80-67. (Photo by Kent

Cougars have been smooth sailing for the most part this year, but they were hit with some bad news on Tuesday.

Sophomore forward Brandon Davies was dismissed from the team for violating BYU's honor code.

This is a huge loss for the cougars, as Davies was the team's best interior player.  He also led the team in rebounding at 6.2 per game.

As good as Jimmer Fredette is, he will need some sort of help come tournament time.  Both Jackson Emery and Noah Hartstock are plenty capable of stepping up, but if they don't, this team could be in trouble.

At times they fall in love with the three-ball a little to much.  This could lead to problems if Jimmer and the rest of his team suddenly goes cold.  If they aren't hitting from the outside, they can be beat by anyone, especially now with the loss of Davies.

Jimmer will get his points, but if he doesn't receive help from his teammates, they will be an early exit and a major disappointment.

Texas

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GREENSBORO, NC - DECEMBER 18: Jordan Hamilton #3 and head coach Rick Barnes of the Texas Longhorns against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Greensboro Coliseum on December 18, 2010 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

For the second straight season, the Longhorns seem to be falling apart at the seems as the regular season winds down.

A year ago, Texas was once ranked No. 1 in the country, but eventually collapsed down the stretch and lost their first round game to Wake Forest.

Head coach Rick Barnes has struggled recently in the tournament, and is only 19-18 in his career during March Madness.

This season, the Longhorns have lost three out of their previous four games, including at Nebraska.  Earlier this season, defense was one of their biggest strengths, but now it seems non-existent.

Texas still has hope, because they are still one of the most talented teams in the country, led by Jordan Hamilton.  Hamilton has scored in double figured in all but one game this season. 

The Longhorns track record alone is enough to make fans nervous come tournament time.  However, it now appears the Longhorns peeked too soon yet again and will be an early out in a few weeks.