NCAA Tournament Brackets: 10 Mid-Major Players Who'll Become Stars
If you're a college basketball fan, then you are in for a treat, as the best time of the year is fast approaching and March Madness is on the way.
This has been one of the wildest college basketball regular seasons in recent memory, which just goes to show that anything could happen in this year's NCAA tournament.
It seems like every year there is at least one or more of those Cinderella teams that shock us all and make deep, unexpected runs in the tournament. There could be plenty of those teams in this year's field, but who are the unknown stars who will be the ones leading them to victory?
We know about guys like Jared Sullinger, Nolan Smith and Jordan Hamilton, but who are the players from those small schools who will make a huge impact in this year's tournament?
Let's take a look at 10 mid-major players who will transform from unknown to superstar in this year's field of 68.
And no, Jimmer Fredette does not qualify for this list.
10. Justin Harper, Richmond
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The Richmond Spiders should be dancing this March and one big reason for that is senior forward Justin Harper.
Standing at 6'10", 225 pounds, Harper is a force down in the paint. He averaged a team-best 18 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this season while leading Richmond to a 24-7 record.
Richmond is a team that could be dangerous in this year's NCAA tournament. The Spiders have good shooters, but Harper is the dominant presence down low that mid-major teams have to have if they want to advance come tournament time.
9. Michael Glover, Iona
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Iona junior forward Michael Glover is what you refer to as a walking double-double.
Glover averaged 18 points and over 10 rebounds per game this season for the Gaels. In fact, Glover posted a double-double in 19 of his team's 32 games.
In a six-point loss to Syracuse back in mid-December, Glover shot 9-for-11 from the field while putting up 25 points and 16 rebounds in a near-upset victory.
Those type of numbers show that Glover is not intimidated in the least bit about going up against top-notch competition. That will be huge for this guy come tournament time.
8. Tai Wesley, Utah State
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From one double-double machine on to the next, let's not talk about mid-major stars without mentioning the best player on one of the best mid-major teams this season.
Tai Wesley is a 6'7" senior forward who has been a force for the Aggies all season long. He has averaged 14.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game while leading Utah State to a 28-3 record on the season.
Wesley scored in double figures in 25 of Utah State's 31 games and also posted a total of eight double-doubles.
Utah State is a team that will likely receive anywhere from a seven to an 11 seed and could certainly play the role of spoiler in a first-round matchup. If that is the case, Wesley will have to be a big reason why.
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7. Cam Long, George Mason
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Guess what, ladies and gentlemen? George Mason is back and ready to dance once again in 2011.
After an absence from the NCAA tournament, George Mason is back this year, led by one of the most underrated shooters in the country, senior guard Cam Long.
The 6'4" shooting guard dialed up 55 three-pointers so far this season while leading the Patriots in scoring with a 15.3 points-per-game clip.
We all remember the magic that George Mason created during their Final Four run back in 2006. This team has a similar look and should be very dangerous come tournament time, especially with the outside shooting of Long.
6. Frank Hassell, Old Dominion
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If you don't know about Frank Hassell, you will.
This 6'9" forward put up 15 points and 10 rebounds per game this season while leading Old Dominion to a 26-6 record.
Hassell posted 17 double-doubles this season, including nine in his last 11 games. He is a force down low and very well could be the best post player on the court when his team receives their first-round matchup.
Look for Old Dominion to be a nine or 10 seed—and if they plan to advance, Hassell will have to come up huge for this team.
5. Andrew Goudelock, Charleston
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This senior guard is one of the best pure scorers in all of college basketball this season. But because he plays for Charlestown, not many people have heard of him. Well, that could all change if Charleston gets a winnable matchup in the opening round.
Goudelock averaged 23.3 points and just under five assists per game this season. He scored in double figures in all but one game, including a 31-point output in an upset victory over Tennessee early on this season.
Where Goudelock is most dangerous is behind the three-point line. He hit 112 three-pointers this year, which is an amazing statistic on its own.
4. Mickey McConnell, St. Mary's
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When you average 17 points and six assists per game while shooting 48 percent from three-point range, then you most certainly deserve a spot up here on this list.
Mickey McConnell might only be 6'0", but he is, hands down, one of the best shooting guards in the country. Not many people know about him because he plays at a school in the West Coast Conference, and because whenever you heard about St. Mary's in the past, it was always about Patrick Mills or Omar Samhan. But now this is McConnell's team and he is the next big player in line for the Gaels.
Look for St. Mary's to be seeded somewhere around a nine or 10 and have that favorable matchup in the first round.
If McConnell is on his A-game, this team will be a hard out come March.
3. Kenneth Faried, Morehead State
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If you haven't read about or seen Faried, this is one of the premier big men in college basketball, regardless of conference.
Faried is a 6'8" forward who averages 17.6 points and 14.5 rebounds per game. He is the top rebounder in the nation and he will likely be a first-round draft pick in this summer's NBA Draft.
Morehead State will likely have to play a difficult matchup in the first round. Chances are that they will be a 14 or 15 seed in the tournament. If they can get that No. 3 vs. No. 14 matchup, it could be a lot closer game than most people think.
2. Keith Benson, Oakland
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Keith Benson has been on the verge of making a name for himself, but this is his senior season and this is the year that he should make that big splash.
Benson is a 7'0" center who averages around 18 points and 10 rebounds per game for Oakland, which plays in the Summit League. The Golden Grizzlies are a good team that does have tournament experience. If they get a good matchup, they could easily be the upset special in this year's tournament.
The deal here is that Benson has the size to dominate other big-school centers. He will be one of those players that a lot of people could be talking about in the next couple of weeks.
1. Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State
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A word to some of the bigger schools in college basketball: San Diego State is one of the best teams in all of college basketball and sophomore forward Kawhi Leonard is one of the top players in the country.
The Aztecs have made a huge splash on the national scene this season with their near-perfect 29-2 regular-season record. But let's remember, this is still a mid-major team.
Leonard has been the rock leading the way for San Diego State all season long. He averages 15.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game for Steve Fisher's club. Perhaps the most impressive stat is that Leonard has posted 21 double-doubles this season, 19 of which have resulted in San Diego State victories.
Kawhi Leonard...remember this name. You will be sure to hear it over and over again in the upcoming weeks.
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