Who are some mid-majors to keep an eye on in March?
Check out our comprehensive list below, which does not consider San Diego State or teams from the Atlantic 10 as mid-majors.
In no particular order:
Vermont: John Becker has won at least 20 games as a head coach in every season that he’s been in Burlington, but he’s never won a game in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 64. That could change next month. The Catamounts have already won a game at St. John’s this year and were very competitive in a road loss at Virginia. Vermont has a tremendous one-two punch in veterans Anthony Lamb and Stef Smith as well as a burgeoning star in sophomore forward Ryan Davis, whose emergence in conference play has given this team a different dimension offensively. The Catamounts have won 11 straight games and haven’t lost since January 11th.
BYU: One of the top offensive teams in the country, BYU has both high-major talent and efficiency. The Cougars are shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from three-point range as a team while averaging 80.0 points. Mark Pope’s squad boasts an underrated inside-outside combo with TJ Haws and Yoeli Childs, who has quietly averaged 20.7 points and 8.4 rebounds after missing the early part of the year due to suspension. BYU already owns high-major wins this season over Houston, UCLA, and Virginia Tech — all without Childs in the lineup.
Saint Mary’s: Winning in March is dependent on quality guard play and the Gaels have a special piece on the perimeter in Jordan Ford. Why is that so important to Randy Bennett’s operation? Saint Mary’s is one of the top offensive teams in the sport and it also operates at one of college basketball’s slowest paces. With Ford, Malik Fitts, and grizzled veteran Tanner Krebs, Bennett has a plethora of options to tantalize opponents with. This team is also battle tested; Saint Mary’s owns neutral site wins this season over both Wisconsin and Arizona State.
Yale: The Bulldogs were inches away from upsetting LSU last March in the Round of 64. While this team may not be as talented, it still possesses the requisites to be a factor in the field of 68. Yale has already won games this season at both Clemson and UMass while only losing by a combined five points in road games at Penn State and North Carolina. The Bulldogs also beat Vermont by double-figures. James Jones won an NCAA Tournament game in 2016 over Baylor and he has a chance to do the same thing again in 2020 — if he can get there. With the Ivy League Tournament set to be held in Cambridge next month, it will take a special effort to beat Harvard on its home floor.
Northern Iowa: High major size? Check. Capable guard play with shot making? Check. The Panthers have already beaten both Colorado and South Carolina this season and also nearly beat West Virginia. Northern Iowa’s top three guards — AJ Green, Trae Berhow, and Spencer Haldeman — all shoot 40.0 percent or better from three-point range. Ben Jacobson’s squad also possesses the size needed up front to guard high-major post players with Austin Phyfe and Justin Dahl. This team won’t be afraid of anyone it faces in the NCAA Tournament.
Utah State: The preseason favorite in the Mountain West Conference has quietly won eight of its last nine games. While the Aggies haven’t had the overall consistency they hoped for at the start of the year, they still possess the type of team that could do damage if they reach the NCAA Tournament. Six of Utah State’s top seven scorers were a part of last season’s team that won 28 games and lost in the first round of the field of 68 to Washington. That includes silky smooth guard Sam Merrill, big man Neemias Queta, and do-everything forward Justin Bean.
The SOCON winner: This league has three different teams — East Tennessee State, UNC Greensboro, and Furman — that could conceivably win a game in the NCAA Tournament. While it’s not impossible that the SOCON will be a multi-bid conference on Selection Sunday, it’s certainly not guaranteed. Still, it should be noted that whoever represents this team in the field of 68 will be a threat to advance. East Tennessee State blew out LSU in Baton Rouge earlier this season while UNC Greensboro won a game at Georgetown.
Colgate: Matt Langel has led the Raiders to back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in school history. Colgate won a game at Cincinnati earlier this year and pushed Tennessee in the field of 68 last March. This team’s top three scorers — Jordan Burns, Rapolas Ivanauskas, and Will Rayman — were all key contributors a year ago and have experience. Roughly 40.0 percent of Colgate’s field goal attempts are from three-point range, where it shoots 35.7 percent.
New Mexico State: Just ask Bruce Pearl if the Aggies are a nuisance to play against. After nearly picking off Auburn in last year’s NCAA Tournament, New Mexico State is back atop the WAC under Chris Jans, who is a combined 79-17 in three years as the head coach in Las Cruces. The Aggies aren’t quite as deep as they were a year ago due to injuries, but with Jans pulling the strings on the sidelines, they’ll still be a dangerous opponent.
Stephen F. Austin: The Lumberjacks became a national story when they beat Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium in November, but this team is about much more than one win. Stephen F. Austin has won nine straight games and 15 of its last 16. Kyle Keller has a star in Kevon Harris, but the Lumberjacks also possess the depth needed to move the needle. 10 different players on Stephen F. Austin’s roster average in double-figure minutes.
