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College Basketball Championship Week 2017: 5 biggest takeaways

By Chris Stone

Mar 11, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Grayson Allen (3) cuts the net after defeating against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the ACC Conference Tournament Final at Barclays Center. Duke Blue Devils won 75-69. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Grayson Allen (3) cuts the net after defeating against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the ACC Conference Tournament Final at Barclays Center. Duke Blue Devils won 75-69. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 11, 2017; Birmingham, AL, USA; Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders guard Aldonis Foote (45) and guard Tyrik Dixon (0) and forward JaCorey Williams (22) and guard Giddy Potts (20) lead the celebration after defeating Marshall Thundering Herd for the Conference USA Tournament Championship at Legacy Arena. Blue Raiders defeated the Herd 82-73. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2017; Birmingham, AL, USA; Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders guard Aldonis Foote (45) and guard Tyrik Dixon (0) and forward JaCorey Williams (22) and guard Giddy Potts (20) lead the celebration after defeating Marshall Thundering Herd for the Conference USA Tournament Championship at Legacy Arena. Blue Raiders defeated the Herd 82-73. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /

Plenty of dangerous teams from one-bid leagues made the field

Outside of the first two days of the NCAA Tournament, perhaps no set of games is as unpredictable as one-bid conference tournaments. Every year, there are casualties — upset hopefuls who bow out before even making the Big Dance. This season, there were plenty of those. UT Arlington got trounced by Texas State in the Sun Belt, for example, and Belmont got ousted in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament. Don’t worry, though, a slew of dangerous teams from one-bid leagues will be in the field. Here are a few of them:

  • Vermont made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012 after beating Albany in the America East final on Saturday. The Catamounts giant-killer resume is bolstered by their experience, depth and scoring inside the arc.
  • UNC Wilmington is headed back to the dance after falling in the opening round to Duke last season. The Seahawks are led by one of coaching’s rising stars, Kevin Keatts. They spread the floor with with shooters and have one of the best 20 offenses in the country based on adjusted efficiency. They’ll be a popular upset pick when filling out brackets.
  • Middle Tennessee is also back in the field one year after upsetting No. 2 seed Michigan State in the opening round. Names like Giddy Potts and Reggie Upshaw will be familiar to hoops fans who watched the Blue Raiders pull off the unthinkable in 2016. They’ll look to do something similar this season.
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