By Andrew Koob and Garrett Miley | National Desk There have been Cinderella teams busting brackets in the NCAA tournament for almost 50 years now. The 1966 Texas Western Minors were the first team to really be considered a Cinderella team after overcoming powerhouse schools to win the big dance. In 1985, the No. 11 seeded Villanova Wildcats shocked...
By Andrew Koob and Garrett Miley | National Desk
Colorado State's Jonathan Octeus plays defense against UNLV during the first half of a Mountain West Conference tournament NCAA college basketball game on Friday, March 15, 2013, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
There have been Cinderella teams busting brackets in the NCAA tournament for almost 50 years now. The 1966 Texas Western Minors were the first team to really be considered a Cinderella team after overcoming powerhouse schools to win the big dance. In 1985, the No. 11 seeded Villanova Wildcats shocked the nation when they cut down the nets. More recently, Butler and VCU (both in this year’s field of 68) have made Final Four runs, seemingly out of the blue.
Mid-majors have a loveable quality to them come March because of their role as the underdog. That is, unless they knock off one of the Final Four teams in your bracket for the office pool. Here are five candidates to be the Cinderella of the 2013 NCAA tournament:
1. Colorado State
The Rams are fourth in the nation in rebounding the basketball. The frontline duo of senior Colton Iverson (9.8 rebounds per game) and Pierce Hornung (9.2 rebounds per game) could create problems for almost any team in the country. However, to make a fairy-tale run in this year’s tournament, the Rams will have to get past Missouri. The Tigers are second in the nation in rebounds per game, which should make for an intense battle.
If they can outmuscle Missouri, Colorado State will almost certainly draw the top-seeded Louisville Cardinals in the next round. While facing coach Rick Pitino and the Cardinals is a daunting task this season, Colorado State has the pieces to hang with Louisville. Iverson, a transfer from Minnesota, has Big 10 experience and has played against quality opponents his entire collegiate career. The 6-foot-10 forward nearly averaged a double-double this season. The Rams took No. 3 seed New Mexico to the wire earlier this season and could be wearing a glass slipper this year if they manage to beat Louisville.
2. South Dakota State
The Jackrabbits did what Colorado State almost did early in the season: they took down the Lobos. Back on Dec. 22, South Dakota State defeated New Mexico 70-65 and turned a few heads nationally. Now that they’re in the field of 68, the Jackrabbits should be seen as dangerous to anyone in their path.
Senior guard Nate Wolters is one of the most gifted scorers in the country, and averaged 22.7 points per game this season. Wolters is capable of taking over any game, and he proved it on Feb. 7 against IPFW when he scored 53 points and shot 9-for-14 from behind the arc. Wolters is not the only dangerous Jackrabbit, however. As a team, they are shooting 47 percent from the field (28th in the nation).
The Jackrabbits could be catching the No. 4 seed Michigan Wolverines at just the right time. Michigan has gone 6-6 in their final 12 games after looking like a candidate for a No. 1 seed just weeks ago.
3. Belmont
Belmont guard Ian Clark, right celebrates with teammates after their 70-68 overtime win in an NCAA college basketball game against Murray State in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship on Saturday, March 9, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
The Bruins got one of the luckiest draws for a second-round matchup when they landed a pairing with the Arizona Wildcats, who don’t defend the three well at all. Belmont is, by all accounts, a great shooting team from anywhere on the floor. They are ranked fourth in the nation, making shots at a 49.4 percent clip from the field and hitting 38.6 percent of their attempts from deep.
The road to Atlanta certainly doesn’t get any easier, as Belmont would most likely have to face a defensive-minded New Mexico team that only allows teams to shoot 38.8 percent from the field (22nd in the nation). The Lobos, however, do not shoot a high percentage, shooting only 42.5 percent from the field (218th in the nation), while the Eagles allow opponents to shoot 40.6 percent, a mark that leaves the Eagles as the 72nd best team in opposing field goal percentage.
4. Florida Gulf Coast
A No. 15 seed upending a No. 2 seed in the second round is something that is hardly predictable. But after Lehigh and Norfolk State did the unthinkable last year, it doesn’t seem quite as crazy for those small conference tournament champs to dream.
The Eagles feature three players with double-digit scoring averages in Sherwood Brown (15.3 points per game), Bernard Thompson (14 points) and Chase Fieler (12.2 points). Those three help Florida Gulf Coast to 73.1 points per game, a mark that gives the Eagles the 49th-best scoring attack in the nation. The Eagles marquee win of the season? An impressive 63-51 victory over Miami in which Florida Gulf Coast held the Hurricanes to 29.1 percent shooting from the field.
5. NC State
The Wolfpack came into the season with high expectations, but failed to reach them while grabbing an No. 8 seed in the NCAA tournament. The seeding may benefit NC State, as they get matched up with a Temple team that made an early exit from the Atlantic 10 tournament with a loss to UMass.
If NC State advances to the round of 32, they get the arduous task of going toe-to-toe with a Final Four favorite in the Indiana Hoosiers. The Wolfpack had plenty of opportunities against Top 25 foes in ACC play, but only went 1-4 against those teams, with the lone win a January 12 victory against then-No. 1 Duke. But if NC State can get past Indiana, they’ll most likely set a date with a poor free-throw shooting team in Syracuse.
Need another opinion before you start filling out your bracket? Here's what some national voices are saying about this year's crop of Cinderella candidates:
• Pat Forde of Yahoo! Sports also sees Belmont and Colorado State as potential sleeper teams.
• ESPN.com’s Andy Katz puts it simply: "Beware of Belmont."
• Josh Harris of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes that Western Kentucky could be a bracket buster.
• After earning at-large bids, Boise State and Middle Tennessee State are on Cinderella watch, according to Huffington Post's Jon Krawczynski.