NCAA Tournament 2011: 10 Small School Players Ready for the Big Lights

We are just a day away from the highly-anticipated beginning of the 2011 NCAA tournament's round of 64, and the small-school players are ready to provide some upsets.

Whether you like it or not, these small-school players are here in the tournament to win, and at the same time bust your bracket and make you pull your hair out. It's just the way it is.

Here are the top players who are ready to give you a hard time in your bracket pool this year. 

Devin Gibson, Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners

The senior guard has helped the Roadrunners tremendously in making the NCAA tournament. 

Gibson is first on the team in points (17 points per game), second on the team in rebounds (5.4 rebounds per game) and first on the team in assists (5.6 assists per game).

In the final stretch of the Southland tournament, he had a triple-double against Northwestern State in their first game (28 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists) and then had a double-double in his next game against Sam Houston State (26 points, 11 rebounds, six assists).

Gibson is a big part as to why UTSA is in the tournament and is looking to be a big bracket buster as a 16-seed.

Julian Boyd, Long Island Blackbirds

Outside his lack of big-game experience (he is a sophomore), I don't see anything wrong with Boyd.

He averages 12.9 points and 8.8 rebounds in just 25.9 minutes per game. Pretty impressive for a small school player.

In his first conference tournament game, he earned a double-double against St. Francis (PA) with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

He is a huge part of the Blackbirds' success this season as only a sophomore, and it's scary what he will do next year.

The Blackbirds are a 15-seed looking to upset big-time North Carolina in the first round.

John Holland, Boston University Terriers

Holland is a super senior by all definitions of the word.

He is first on the team in points per game (19.2), tied for first in rebounds per game (5.9) and is second on the team in assists (1.6).

In BU's most important game of the season against Stony Brook for the conference title, Holland went off.

In a close 56-54 win, Holland scored 27 and grabbed 11 rebounds to earn himself a double-double and send his team to the tournament as a 16-seed.

Devon Beitzel, North Colorado

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LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 26: Devon Beitzel #32 of the Northern Colorado Bears brings the ball up the court against Erik Buggs #15 of the Valparaiso Crusaders during the third round of the Las Vegas Invitational at The Orleans Arena November 26, 2010 in Las V

Beitzel has been huge down the stretch for Northern Colorado.

He hasn't scored fewer than 15 points in 13 games. In that stretch of 13 games, Beitzel has scored less then 22 points only two times.

In the conference tournament Beitzel opened up with a 32 point performance against Sacramento State and scored over 25 points in each game.

He had his best game against Northern Arizona, scoring 25 points and getting nine rebounds.

Beitzel looks to create a Cinderella story by upsetting two-seed San Diego State in the first round. Northern Colorado enters the tournament as a 15-seed.

Orlando Johnson, UC Santa Barbara Gauchos

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LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 15: Orlando Johnson #33 of the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos drives against the UNLV Rebels during their game at the Thomas & Mack Center December 15, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. UC Santa Barbara won 68-62. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Gett

Johnson has been great as a junior for the Gauchos and has put up good numbers in just over 33 minutes a game.

He's put up 21.1 points per game, good for 15th in the country. Johnson is just two-tenths of a point-per-game shy of Duke's Nolan Smith.

Johnson is also first on the team in rebounds, averaging 6.3 per game. He falls short in assists, finishing second on the team, with three assists a game.

Johnson will need that 40.1 percent three-point shooting to help lead his 15-seed Gauchos over two-seed Florida.

J.P. Primm, UNC-Ashevile Bulldogs

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DAYTON, OH - MARCH 15: J.P. Primm #3 of the North Carolina-Asheville Bulldogs brings the ball up court against the Arkansas Little Rock Trojans during the first round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at UD Arena on March 15, 2011 in Dayton, Oh

Primm is probably a surprise here, but for a 16-seed, he is their bright, shining hope.

Primm and teammate Matt Dickey share this team. Both are the top two on the team in scoring (Primm is second with 14.4 points per game, Dickey averages 15.3) and both are the top two in assists (Primm is first with 4.6 assists per game, Dickey averages 3.3).

But I merit the passer over the scorer. Primm dishing out the ball to everyone on the court will be key in UNC Asheville's quest to make the final cut in the tournament.

If Primm can get Dickey the ball and vice-versa, UNC Asheville will become the final 16-seed in the tournament this year.

Cam Long, George Mason Patriots

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DENVER - MARCH 20: Cam Long #20 of the George Mason Patriots lays up a shot against Zach Hillesland #33 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first round of the East Regional as part of the 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Pepsi Center on M

Cam Long was a CAA first-team all-conference selection this year, and was in good company with Hofstra's Charles Jenkins playing in the same conference.

Long has postseason experience, and his senior status makes him the big guy to look for when George Mason opens play as an eight-seed against Villanova.

Although George Mason didn't win the CAA tournament, he still helped lead George Mason to a 26-5 record in a small conference that sent three teams to the Big Dance.

Long averages 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game for the Patriots.

Justin Harper, Richmond Spiders

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PROVIDENCE, RI - MARCH 18: Justin Harper #32 of the Richmond Spiders walks off the court after they lost to the Saint Mary's Gaels during the first round of the 2010 NCAA men's basketball tournament on March 18, 2010 at the Dunkin Donuts Arena in Provide

Harper is a big name heading into the 2011 NBA draft and could go in the second round. Pretty good for smaller name school.

Harper shoots 46.5 percent from three-point range, pretty good for the 6'10" forward.

Not only that, he averages 17.9 points and seven rebounds per game.

Harper helped Richmond sneak into the Big Dance by winning the A-10 tournament and is now a popular pick to upset five-seed Vanderbilt. 

If Richmond beats Vanderbilt, it will be in large part to Harper.

Keith Benson, Oakland Grizzlies

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MILWAUKEE - MARCH 19: Gilbert Brown #5 of the Pittsburgh Panthers goes up for a shot against Keith Benson #34 of the Oakland Golden Grizzlies during the first round of the 2010 NCAA men's basketball tournament at the Bradley Center on March 19, 2010 in M

Oakland is a 13-seed, and it's thanks to Benson.

Benson is a great player and averages a double-double. His stats on the year? Eighteen points and 10.1 rebounds per game.

The 6'11" center helped Oakland win the automatic-conference bid and now face Texas in the first round.

Benson was huge in his final game against Oral Roberts scoring 28 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, four assists and blocking three shots.

Oh, and he could be drafted late first round in this year's NBA draft.

Kenneth Faried, Morehead State Eagles

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DAYTON, OH - MARCH 20: Samardo Samuels #24 of the Louisville Cardinals drives to the hoop against Kenneth Faried #35 of the Morehead State Eagles during the first round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the University of Dayton Arena o

Faried is another player who could be a first-round pick in this year's NBA draft.

When you look at his stats for this year, it's jaw-dropping. He averages 17.6 points and 14.5 rebounds per game. Monster numbers for the big man from Morehead State.

Faried is on an eight-game double-double streak, and in his last two games, he has scored 36 points, grabbed 36 rebounds and blocked 13 shots.

Morehead State could be a possible upset of Big East runner-up Louisville. It seems impossible, but when it comes to March Madness, crazier things have happened.