This has been an interesting year for college basketball. We have had the pleasure of seeing the high energy that is usually displayed in March Madness, throughout the entire season. We have witnessed upsets, big plays, exciting finishes, and mediocre players who have stepped up to become stars. With March Madness right around the corner, it is important to look at the teams who are set to make a lot of noise in march that might not get the respect they deserve.
Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Badgers have shown to be inconsistent at times; they have also shown that they can hang with the best of the Big Ten. So far, Wisconsin has beaten power house Indiana at Indiana, won in a thriller against Minnesota, and convincingly beat Illinois when Illinois was ranked #12 in the nation. They have a convincing resume of wins including an overtime win against Michigan. Even the losses Wisconsin has suffered have been close. In an 18 day stretch, the Badgers played five of the top fifteen teams in the country. Not only did the play them, they went toe-to-toe with each one of them. They went to the wire with teams like Michigan State and Iowa and have showed to be a tough competitor in the Big Ten. With the experience of playing so many good teams, Wisconsin is bound to make some noise come tournament time.
Iowa State
Iowa State definitely has potential to be a legitimate threat come tournament play. They have had a strong season and have played solid in conference play. They have beaten Kansas State and held strong during games against a tough Kansas team. The Big 12 conference always produces strong teams and Iowa State is without a doubt one of them. Their toughness and experience give them an edge going into March Madness. Senior Leaders Tyrus McGee and Will Clyburn along with several upperclassmen, remember what it was like to lose early in the tournament, losing to the Kentucky Wildcats last season, the eventual National Champions. They have been good at closing out games to pulling out many clutch wins. The fight that this team has is just what it needs to make a statement this March.
Georgetown
The Georgetown Hoyas have been a pretty consistent team this season. They have beaten several top teams in their conference including Louisville and also convincingly beat a good Notre Dame team on the road. The Hoyas like to slow the game down and use that to their advantage by making teams play their style of play. They also have solid defense that is bound to give teams trouble down the stretch. As of late they have played consistently good basketball and have made a statement in the Big East. Sophomore Otto Porter is one of the best forwards in the Big East averaging close to a double-double for the season, and has helped his team make an appearance in the top 25. Georgetown is definitely a team to look out for during March Madness.
Oklahoma State
The Cowboys of Oklahoma State are going into March Madness with great conference wins over the Kansas Jayhawks and Iowa State. They have had a strong showing in the Big 12 conference and had a major win against North Carolina State at the beginning of the season. Their good late game defense helps them close out games. Defense is crucial for this team due to their offense only averaging just over 70 points per game. However, they should step up to the plate and do what needs to be done to win. They have held strong in most games that they have played and will use their momentum as a spark going into tournament play.
This March looks to be a promising one. There isn’t a clear road to Atlanta. Top teams like Michigan and Indiana have suffered losses just like everyone else in the college basketball realm. There isn’t one team that can be considered the best. This years’ field has a lot of good teams who will step up and become great teams. This will make for great and exciting games this March.