Murray State and 10 Teams That Could Be Cinderellas in March Madness

There are numerous mid-major and low-major college basketball teams that are already showing they have what it takes to go deep in the NCAA Tournament at the end of the season.

Fans always love "cinderellas" during March Madness. These are lesser-known teams that seem to come from nowhere to win a few games in the NCAA Tournament and mess up office pools.

However, these teams usually prove their worth during the course of the regular season.

Already this season, there are a few teams showing they have what it takes to be this season's VCU.

Creighton Blue Jays

The Missouri Valley Conference is no stranger to late upsets, and Creighton might be the league's best representative this season.

The Blue Jays are currently in the top 25 and have one of the best offenses in college basketball.

Sophomore Doug McDermott is second in the nation in scoring with 25.2 points per game. He is helped out by Grant Gibbs, who averages 5.4 assists per game.

They have 10 players who can contribute each game, and this team will be very tough to slow down, regardless of the opponent.

Harvard Crimson

Ivy League schools usually get the respect necessary in the classroom, but not on the basketball court.

However, this season's Harvard team is going to force people to change their opinion towards these schools.

The Crimson already defeated one of the toughest defensive teams in Florida State and gave Connecticut all it could handle before losing on the road.

Harvard does not have any standout players, but it has very balanced scoring and a very tough defense.

It will try to recreate Cornell's tournament success from a few years ago.

Davidson Wildcats

Davidson has some close losses this season, but it would be a dangerous team if it reaches the NCAA tournament.

The Wildcats recently defeated Kansas on the road behind 11 three-point baskets. They also narrowly lost to Vanderbilt and played Duke tough earlier this season.

Head coach Bob McKillop has been there before, going to the elite eight behind Stephen Curry in 2008.

It will be a struggle to get into the tournament for Davidson, but the team is capable of bringing down giants if it gets there.

Iona Gaels

Iona runs one of the fastest offenses in basketball and there is enough talent to score almost every time down the court.

The Gaels have a trio of players that ranks among the best in the country, between forward Michael Glover, point guard Scott Machado and Arizona transfer Momo Jones.

Machado leads the nation with an outstanding 10.5 assists per game, and he leads the fourth-highest scoring offense in college basketball.

The key to their success is getting down the court as quickly as possible and scoring before the defense can get set.

Amazingly, Iona has only played two of its 11 games at home this season. It is a battle-tested team that will be scary in the tournament.

Cleveland State Vikings

Cleveland State does not have a lot of basketball history, only reaching the NCAA tournament in two seasons. 

However, they were successful in both instances, winning a game in 2009 and reaching the Sweet 16 in 1986.

This season, the Vikings have one of the better defensive teams in college basketball, led by leading scorer D'Aundray Brown. The senior is fourth in the nation with 3.1 steals per game. 

Cleveland State started the year by winning at Vanderbilt, a place that is tough for anyone to win.

With Butler having a down year, the opportunity is there to win the Horizon League.

San Diego State Aztecs

San Diego State has challenged itself more than most teams have by this point in the season.

The Aztecs have already faced four ranked opponents, winning two of those contests. A two-point loss to Creighton and a road loss to Baylor are the only blemishes on the schedule so far.

The team is led by Chase Tapley, who is one of the best three-point shooters in the country. He averages 17.7 points per game thanks to his 52.4 percent shooting from behind the arc.

A decent record in the always tough Mountain West Conference should allow San Diego State to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. At that point the high-majors will be scared.

Murray State Racers

There are only seven undefeated teams remaining in the NCAA, and Murray State is one of them.

The Racers have finally earned their way into the top 25, currently sitting at No. 22 in the country.

They already have one very quality win with a victory on the road over Memphis.

Murray State was almost in this role two years ago after defeating Vanderbilt in the first round of the NCAA tournament. In round two, the Racers lost by two points to Butler as the Bulldogs made their run to the championship game. 

The only problem is that Murray State might not be able to sneak up on too many teams this season. 

Saint Louis Billikens

While the Atlantic 10 is not exactly a small conference, its members do not often get the respect that they deserve.

One example of that is Saint Louis, who is already off to a great start in this young 2011 season.

The Billikens have already defeated four teams from the supposed "power conferences." Washington, Villanova, Boston College and Oklahoma have all lost by double digits to Saint Louis.

This is the type of team that can go on a deep run in March Madness if their shooting can stay hot. So far they are shooting 41.1 percent from three this season, good for No. 15 in the nation.

Long Beach State 49ers

Long Beach State only has a 5-5 record so far this season, with a tough battle against Xavier upcoming.

However, Xavier will be the fifth team the 49ers will face that is ranked in the top 15 at the time.

The team already has a win over Pittsburgh, plus single-digit losses at Kansas and UNC.

Guard Casper Ware stands at only 5'10", but averages 17.5 points per game. He is complemented by double-double machine T.J. Robinson, who scores 13.1 per game to go with 10.6 rebounds per game. 

The 49ers have a lot of talent that can play with anyone in the country.

Butler Bulldogs

Butler has had a rough start to the season, losing to Evansville, Valparaiso and Ball State. 

Still, it is tough to imagine a team coached by Brad Stevens not being much better by the end of the season.

The Bulldogs were supposed to have a down year last season, but rattled off 14 straight victories at the end of the season to finish as the national runner-up for the second season in a row.

Butler did lose a good amount of talent from last year's team, but the players are well coached and fans should not be surprised by the team's success anymore.