Busting Brackets
Fansided

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 /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 26
Next
Dec 30, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Jordan McLaughlin (11) and forward Nikola Jovanovic (32) defend against Vermont Catamounts guard Tre Bell-Haynes (2) at Galen Center. USC defeated Vermont 64-56. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Jordan McLaughlin (11) and forward Nikola Jovanovic (32) defend against Vermont Catamounts guard Tre Bell-Haynes (2) at Galen Center. USC defeated Vermont 64-56. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

American East

Favorite: Vermont Catamounts 

Vermont is poised for a return to the NCAA Tournament due to declines from both Albany and Stony Brook. The Catamounts went 11-5 in America East play last year, good for third behind the Seawolves and Great Danes. Without them in the way, UV should get back to the Big Dance, where they have had some fantastic moments over the years.

A number of strong players will power the Vermont attack this season. Trae Bell-Haynes leads a team that could blow opponents away with their outside shooting. Bell-Haynes is just one of four returning guys to hit at least 35 percent of their three pointers. The Catamounts have long been one of my favorite mid-majors. This could be another year for them to make noise in March.

Dark Horse: UMass-Lowell Riverhawks

The Riverhawks can’t yet compete in the postseason until 2017-2018, but that shouldn’t stop them from playing spoiler for the rest of the conference. UML returns 84 percent of its scoring and 75 percent of rebounding, as it looks to improve on last year’s 7-9 conference record.

Junior Jahad Thomas is a stat stuffer. The undersized forward had a line of 14.2 points, 7.4 boards, 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game in 2015-16. He gets All-Rookie Isaac White (11.5 points per game) and sniper Matt Harris (10.4 points per game, 42 percent on three pointers) back, along with four other guys who averaged at least six points a night. The Riverhawks don’t have any major weakness and have the talent to press the rest of the league.

Next: Atlantic 10

Home/Mid Major Conferences