Long Beach State and Our Favorite Underdogs of 2011-2012

The 2011-2012 college basketball season already has seen a bevy of upsets, and underdog squads across the country hope this is a foreshadowing of things to come in March.

It's one thing to knock off a powerhouse team in November or December; it's quite another to string together several upset wins during the NCAA tournament.

George Mason and Butler contended for the title in recent years, but who are this year's dark-horse teams that can make a run?

Get familiar with this group of underdog teams, because you might see them taking over the Big Dance.

Saint Louis Billikens

With wins against teams from the Big East, ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12, the Saint Louis Billikens have proven to be a force in the Midwest.

Rick Majerus' squad is shooting the ball well from the field, and they're led by senior forward Brian Conklin.

Conklin is averaging 15 points and five rebounds per game, and the Billikens will need him to keep up that production if they want to thrive during the Atlantic 10 season.

Saint Louis' conference and nonconference schedule will prepare them well for the rigors of postseason play, and they will be a dangerous team in March.

Creighton Bluejays

The Creighton Bluejays can put points on the board in a hurry. Leading the charge is All-American candidate Doug McDermott, who is coach Greg McDermott's son.

McDermott is notching 25 points per game while shooting 63 percent from the field, including 58 percent from downtown. His best game was Monday at Tulsa, when he dropped 35 points on the Golden Hurricane.

The Bluejays are an elite team in the Missouri Valley Conference, and they are tops in the nation in assists with 20.7 per contest.

But do they have what it takes to make a championship run in March? If they keep up the torrid shooting and take care of the ball, the Final Four is within reach.

College of Charleston Cougars

Bobby Cremins' College of Charleston Cougars served notice that they won't be pushed around this season.

After beating Tennessee last week, they went on the road to Louisville and gave the No. 4 Cardinals a huge scare. In fact, Rick Pitino admitted that Charleston outplayed them and was the better team that night.

Antwaine Wiggins fills up the stat sheet, but he's got a great supporting cast around him.

The Cougars are a tough group that plays hard on both ends of the floor, and they will make the Southern Conference proud come March.

UNLV Rebels

UNLV shook the college basketball world to its core when they toppled North Carolina this November, but the Rebels proved they aren't a one-hit wonder.

They've shown they not only can stay with any team in a shootout, but also can play defense and win the ugly games.

They did hit a couple bumps in the road, but they won their last three games by double digits, including a 16-point drubbing of No. 19 Illinois.

Dave Rice has a balanced roster, with six players contributing eight points or more per game.

6'8" forward Mike Moser is averaging a double-double so far, registering 13.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. He will be a handful for opposing forwards come tournament time.

St. Mary's Gaels

Gonzaga is a household name now, so the true underdog out of the West Coast Conference is St. Mary's College. 

The Gaels busted up everyone's brackets in the 2010 NCAA tournament, and they have the capability to do it again this season.

Australian sensation Matthew Dellavedova is running the show with 13 points and six assists per game, but he's not the only one distributing the rock. The team is ninth in the country with 18 assists per game.

St. Mary's has torn through its schedule so far, and it will be a contender for the WCC title once again. The Gaels can hang with any team because they rebound and share the ball extremely well.

Long Beach State 49ers

Long Beach State made waves with their November upset of No. 9 Pittsburgh, but to me, the games that signal future success are road losses at San Diego State, Louisville, Kansas and North Carolina.

The 49ers are a senior-laden team that will learn from these losses and fuel up for March success.

In the North Carolina game, Dan Monson's crew was up at halftime, but the Tar Heels edged them out for the win. Long Beach will adjust and make sure that doesn't happen in the postseason.

If this veteran group gets hot in March, they could ride the upset train all the way to Indianapolis.

Davidson Wildcats

Time will tell if Davidson's upset win over Kansas Monday night was a substantial aberration or a warning for its tournament opponents.

Yet Bob McKillop's bunch showed what they are capable of when they are firing on all cylinders.

The Wildcats took down a strong Jayhawk team that has weapons on the perimeter and interior. Nik Cochran lit up the scoreboard from three-point land and De'Mon Brooks held his own inside the arc.

Six different Wildcats scored from long range, which was tough even for Kansas to contain.

If McKillop can bottle that up and use it during the NCAA tournament, Davidson could roll through several rounds of the Big Dance.

Wichita State Shockers

Last year's NIT Champions are looking to dominate a different tournament this season.

The Wichita State Shockers are probably the most balanced mid-major team in the nation. They have six players who score nine or more points per game, including five in double digits.

Rebounding is a collective effort; no one grabs more than 6.5 boards per game, but everyone attacks the glass so the team gets about 40 rebounds per game.

The Shockers are tough to prepare for, which will make it difficult for teams to get past them in the NCAA tournament.

Murray State Racers

The Murray State Racers are one of the few remaining unbeaten teams in the NCAA, and they might finish the season with one of the best records in the country.

Steve Prohm has directed his strong defensive team to a 12-0 start, including quality wins over Dayton and Memphis. The Racers are now the front-runners for the Ohio Valley Conference title.

Murray State has made 14 appearances in the NCAA tournament, but has won a total of only two tournament games.

This year, they might double that total and compete for a spot in the Elite Eight if they keep managing the games well.

St. Joseph's Hawks

Xavier is getting the most publicity of any Atlantic 10 team, and will probably garner a high seed in the Big Dance, but the St. Joseph's Hawks are another team that could do some serious bracket damage.

Phil Martelli's club has four players averaging double figures per game, including Langston Galloway, who is shooting 49 percent from three-point range.

The Hawks recently took down a solid Creighton team and dismantled crosstown rival Villanova.

The most important upcoming games include a showdown with Ivy League behemoth Harvard on Christmas Eve and a trip to Xavier on January 18th.