My Favorite Time of Year...

If you have listened to some of the most recent podcasts you have heard me say that college basketball is my favorite time of the year. From early November until early April, I am happy as a clam with a coke in one hand and college bball on the tube. The preseason tournaments started up a week or so ago and some of them are already finished. I love it!

I am going to do a 8 days of college basketball series starting with this one.

This post will have a preview of some teams to watch that aren't in the major conferences. The "mid-majors" as they are most often referred to. You know, those teams that just kill your bracket come march. Like George Mason or Kent St.

I am going to follow that up with the top 6 conferences in my opinion this year in that order starting with 6th.

The 8th and final post will be my sweet 16, elite 8, final 4 and national championship predictions.

Like I said, I know the preseason tournaments started and that gives me a little bit of an advantage picking but I don't think a huge one.

Anyway, here are some mid-majors to look out for this year!

Gonzaga - I know its getting harder and harder to put them in this category but in my opinion with the way they have played in the last couple NCAA's they still make it in here. This year may be the best team they have had yet. Mark Few has a great kid named Austin Daye. He is only a sophomore but he is 6'10" and can play in the low post with anyone in the country. They also have Josh Heytvelt coming back and in the backcourt Jeremy Pargo will be a standout as well. They have the senior leadership and the skill to go deep into March.

Davidson - Stephon Curry is all I really have to say here. He was amazing in last year's tournament and has been just as good so far this year. He has the shooting ability to carry this team on his back. The biggest problem Davidson will face this year is replacing three of there top players from last year. Curry was the star but his counterpart in the backcourt was Jason Richards and he graduated. He was a major part of that amazing run last year. They do have some talent to replace but this team is really all about Curry. Look for them to make the tournament but don't expect a run like last year.

Creighton - No one is talking about this team so far and rightfully so after a relatively sub-par season last year. I know they were 22-11 but some people thought they would be better then that. They will be this year. Last year they 9 players that were new to the program which makes the 22 wins actually very impressive. There isn't one player on this team that is a true stand-out but as a team they should be vastly improved. They are my pick to win the Missouri Valley and we all know that conference produces some very good teams year in and year out.

Virginia Commonwealth - Does anyone remember the name Eric Maynor. Being a Duke fan, I do. This team won the colonial last year during the regular season but were upset in the conference tournament. They lost in the first round of the NIT. What does that mean? This team is hungry. Maynor is a very good player and is also a great leader. They have a lot of players back from last year's team and with the experience and leadership of their star, this team could be very dangerous later on in the season.

St. Mary's - I know they are in the West Coast conference along with Gonzaga but that doesn't hurt them one bit. This team can play. They were an at-large selection last year but lost in the first round to Miami. Patrick Mills is a name to watch for this year. He was the point guard for the Australian national team this past Olympics and led that team in scoring. He is the point guard for St. Mary's now and could be right up there for conference player of the year. They have a lot of kids back from last year's team. The two games between the Gaels and the Zags will be two of the best games to watch all season.

Those are the top 5 mid-major teams to watch this season. Expect all of them to be in the tournament and expect all of them to make a good name for themselves in March.