NCAA Basketball: 10 potential March Madness Bracket-Busters
By Chris Kern
UNC Greensboro Spartans
UNC Greensboro made the NCAA tournament a year ago so they know what it will take to get back there this season. They lost as a No. 13 seed to No. 4 seed Gonzaga, 68-64, in the first round. They competed for the whole game and had a really good chance to win that game. They are back this season and are off to a very good start. They are 13-2 through their first 15 games as they’re led by senior guard Francis Alonso.
The four-year starter is averaging 18.5 points per game so far this season. He has shot less than 31% from the field in four straight games but still scored 30 in a win over Samford because he made 17 of 21 shots from the free-throw line. As good as he is, we all know you need a good all-around team to pull of an upset. Having a star player is key but you need a couple of other big contributors as well.
They have those guys in Isaiah Miller, Kyrin Galloway, and James Dickey. They all contribute in a variety of ways and compliment Alonso well. Miller is a sophomore guard who has averaged 14.1 points per game while only starting in one game. He is also making plays on the defensive end with 2.7 steals per game. Galloway is a 6-8 forward who has started all 15 games and is averaging 11.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. He isn’t a huge part of the offense but can make some plays when left open.
Dickey is averaging 7.1 points and 7.8 rebounds while starting all nine games he has played in. He is the team’s leading rebounder as he makes a big impact on the glass. He is also a great defender as he is the reigning Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Dickey hasn’t played since the Kentucky game on Dec. 1 due to a foot injury and they’d like to get him back as soon as possible.
These are just a few of the key players but this is a collective effort for this team. They might not have the star player you look for when picking an upset but these guys have what it takes to get it done.