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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 20, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders guard Giddy Potts (20) runs up court during the first half 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; Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders guard Giddy Potts (20) runs up court during the first half in the second round against the Syracuse Orange of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

Conference USA

Favorite: Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders

The last Cinderella darling, the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee State, are one of the most exciting teams in the mid-major leagues this year. MTSU has tough competition from UAB and Old Dominion, but a second straight appearance in the Big Dance is within reach.

Giddy Potts (14.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 51 percent from downtown) and Reggie Upshaw (13.7 points, 8.5 rebounds) are one of the best inside-outside combos in the conference. The Blue Raiders also have the 6’8″ JaCorey Williams, who averaged 4.8 points as a junior at Arkansas before transferring.

Who runs the point and enforces the middle of the paint are question marks, but this team has the talent to make another run in March.

Dark Horse: North Texas Mean Green

The transfer market was very good to the Mean Green this spring. Players from SMU, San Diego, and Incarnate Word will all make Denton, TX their home this year. UNT already had several key contributors returning, but adding the transfers makes them incredibly dangerous.

Keith Frazier (who isn’t eligible until December) is the gem of the newcomers. The former SMU Mustang averaged 11.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game for an SMU team that sadly could not compete in the NCAA Tournament due to sanctions. He joins the Mean Green’s Jeremy Combs (14.9 points, 10.5 boards) for what could be the most potent one-two punch in the Conference USA. I won’t be the least bit surprised if UNT represents the conference this March.

Next: Horizon League

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