Mid-Majors In The Dance: Conference Tournament winners ready to make some noise

March Madness is finally here. As this year's tournament sets up to be as chaotic as ever, here are 3 mid-major schools who will be looking to play spoiler amongst power conference teams in the field.

Saint Mary's Gaels

A mid-major, but certainly not fitting of an underdog label the Saint Mary's Gaels (27-6, 15-1 WCC) come into the tournament riding high after winning the West Coast Conference tournament a week ago over Gonzaga 69-60. The Gaels earned a 5 seed and match up against 12th seeded Grand Canyon on Friday night.

Head Coach Randy Bennett has his team playing stifling defense once again. The Gaels own the 2nd best scoring defense in America giving up only 58.7 points per game second to the Houston Cougars. Defense has long been a staple for this program but make no mistake, the Gaels can score points. Five players average double-figure points for the Gaels with Aidan Mahaney leading the way averaging 13.9 points and 2.5 assists per game.

The Gaels play one of the slowest brands of basketball averaging 65.8 possessions per game, but their great defense combined with an efficient offense prove them to be a tough match-up against teams looking to get up and down the floor. This group is on a hot streak after taking the WCC regular season and tournament crowns. Look out for the Gaels to continue rolling.

New Mexico Lobos

The New Mexico Lobos come into this tournament flying high after its conference tournament win. The Lobos earned an 11 seed after an impressive run to win the Mountain West tournament, a conference that saw 6 teams earn a bid in the field of 68. 6th seeded Clemson awaits them on Friday in an intriguing West region match-up. The Lobos know how to score points and have done so all season long. Averaging just over 80 points per game combined with plenty of size on the defensive end, the Lobos pose a threat to not only Clemson but in a potential Round of 32 game with Baylor. Led by its 3 headed monster of guards Jaelen House averaging 16 PPG, Jamal Mashburn Jr. (14.4 PPG), and Donavan Dent (14.3 PPG) the depth of scoring for this squad is formidable.

It is no secret that to win in March, quality guard play is as important as ever. New Mexico has multiple guards who can get a basket in crunch time. JT Toppin (6'9) and Nelly Junior Joseph (6'10) anchor the frontcourt to provide strong frontcourt defense that will be crucial against a Clemson team that relies heavily on PJ Hall. New Mexico is one of the hottest teams entering March Madness combined with its depth of scoring and size are reasons to pick the Lobos to advance.

James Madison Dukes

The Dukes (31-3 Overall, 15-3 Sun Belt) introduced themselves early on in the season with their stunning overtime victory on the road at Michigan State. That win proved to not be a fluke as JMU just kept winning games throughout the year. Winners of the Sun Belt tournament, JMU heads to the Barclays Center as a 12 seed facing off against 5th-seeded Wisconsin. Every bracket needs a 12-5 upset and the Dukes fit the bill with one of the highest-scoring offenses in this tournament at 84.4 PPG. That mark is tied for 8th best in the country. Terrence Edwards Jr. has had a great year averaging 17.4 PPG pacing this offense for most of the season.

The Dukes have solid scoring depth out of their frontcourt between T.J. Bickerstaff shooting 62.2% from the field averaging 13.4 PPG and Julien Wooden 9.9 PPG, 51.9 FG%. Jaylen Carey has given the Dukes a lift off of the bench chipping in 7.2 PPG and 4.2 rebounds per game. JMU's ability to share the ball both inside the paint with its forwards and with its crafty guards may cause problems for Wisconsin in this second-round match-up and in future rounds if the Dukes can advance in the South region.