Mid-Majors Scheduled to Make an Impact
Every year mid-majors come from nowhere and make a splash on the national scene. Whether it is because of one player who steps up and makes an impact, from that perfect mix of talent required to make something happen, or from some other miracle mix teams come out of mid-major schools to make a name for themselves on the national stage.
Vermont is a school to look out for this year. They may not make it huge on the national stage, but they have the talent to make a big splash in their conference. They have the returning conference POY in Marqus Blakely as well as Maurice Joseph who transferred in from Michigan State.
Joseph was a highly touted high school prospect who can shoot the lights out and will create a formidable backcourt in the America East conference.
Iona has also gained a key transfer from a major program. Jonathan Huffman is a seven-footer with a jump shot a la Dirk Nowitzki. He was a star in high school because of his shooting talent and then grew seven inches without losing his jump shot. He rode the bench more than he wanted at Louisville and then decided to transfer. He is now ready to lead Iona, and his head coach who used to be an assistant under Pitino at Louisville, to a very successful season.
Then, there are the big time mid-majors:
Gonzaga (10): Gonzaga has always been the only team worth talking about in the WCC. They've won eight conference titles in a row and are a consistent force in the NCAA. This year they have some strong returning players and hope to make a bigger splash. They have some out of conference games with big time schools in order to prove themselves and get ready for the tournament. They have some doubts on defense, but they should be strong enough to make a run and definitely strong enough to win the conference.
Memphis (13): Memphis got all the way to the national title game last season before losing in overtime to Kansas. This year they are without three big components, most notably Derrick Rose, but they aren't without big talent. Tyreke Evans is a six-foot-six guard who has the skill to be a one-and-done just like Rose. Calipari has a lot of talent to put around that young man as well. Robert Dozier and Antonio Anderson are expected to pick up some of the slack from the guys who left. They were a big part of the run last year and are hoping to make another one this year. One thing is for sure, with Calipari around, the sky is always the limit for this team.
Davidson (20): What a splash Davidson made last year. The Wildcats and Stephen Curry were one shot away from the Final Four last year. They represented what the NCAA tournament is all about. However, this season Davidson is without the next three top scorers behind Curry. Those graduated seniors leave space open for others to fill in. There are a lot of young players on this team now who want to pick up the slack and use the opportunity to show they can play. Davidson may not get back to the Elite Eight but they are a very good team.