Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: The mid-major favorites and darkhorses

By Doug Winkey

Mar 20, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; View of the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders shirts worn during warm-ups prior to the game in the second round against the Syracuse Orange of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; View of the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders shirts worn during warm-ups prior to the game in the second round against the Syracuse Orange of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 17, 2016; Providence, RI, USA; Wichita State Shockers forward Markis McDuffie (32) and forward Rashard Kelly (0) and guard Ron Baker (31) and center Rauno Nurger (20) and guard Conner Frankamp (33) huddle during the first half of a first round game against the Arizona Wildcats in the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Dunkin Donuts Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2016; Providence, RI, USA; Wichita State Shockers forward Markis McDuffie (32) and forward Rashard Kelly (0) and guard Ron Baker (31) and center Rauno Nurger (20) and guard Conner Frankamp (33) huddle during the first half of a first round game against the Arizona Wildcats in the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Dunkin Donuts Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /

MVC

Favorite: Wichita State Shockers

The Missouri Valley will be competitive as always, but I fully expect WSU to take the crown again. Despite losing perennial stars Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet, head coach Gregg Marshall still has plenty of talent to stay ahead in the conference.

Markis McDuffie is the leading returning scorer at 7.4 points. The 6’8″ sophomore looks like the Shockers’ next great player.

Kansas transfer Conner Frankamp might be ready to handle the point guard position and Landry Shamet could be huge. Overall, Wichita State has a number of guys ready to take the next step and win another conference title.

Dark Horse: Northern Iowa Panthers

Three big seniors are gone in Cedar Falls. In their place are former role players and an interesting transfer. Coach Ben Jacobson has done a marvelous job keeping UNI at the top of the conference and a staggeringly deadly mid-major nationally. This was a team that knocked off North Carolina, Iowa State, and Texas throughout last season.

Swing man Jeremy Morgan comes back with a chance to crush last year’s 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Junior Wyatt Lohaus (18.3 minutes, 4.0 points) will battle several newcomers, including Iowa’s Gatorade Player of the Year, for the right to direct the offense.

The team’s wildcard could be ISU transfer Jordan Ashton. The grad transfer barely played in Ames, but scored 16.4 points as a junior college player. A new home could mean big things.

Next: MEAC

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