2011 NCAA Tournament Sleepers

5 NCAA Tournament Sleepers? It seems most of the field could be considered dangerous when it comes to NCAA tournament time. 2011 will be no different. The parity in college basketball is what usually makes the NCAA tournament so fun. Or is it the fact that several "sleepers" in the pack figure out ways to knock out huge favorites? Butler was that team last year that somehow managed to make it the NCAA tournament title game only to fall to Duke. While it's true that the Bulldogs were a top 20 team most of last season, the Bulldogs certainly weren't considered a household name or even a threat to make it to the Final Four. Who could play the role of that "sleeper" this year? Here is my list of five teams that could make some huge noise in the NCAA Tournament field.

1) George Mason
George Mason has played this role before. In fact, this is a school that already has a Final Four appearance.
A relatively weak non-conference schedule leaves many questions as to how George Mason will stack up against a major conference power. The Patriots lost to North Carolina State in one of their such match ups this season. Still, George Mason is a team that nobody would want to deal with in the opening round because of their ability to play solid defense.

2) Charleston
Charleston has a decent resume that includes some close losses to strong teams. The Cougars could play the role of the "sleeper" in the 2011 NCAA tournament if they play as well as they did when they won at Tennessee or lost by 5 at North Carolina. Charleston might look like an easy win for a major conference team on paper-but they will be anything but come tournament time. Andrew Goudelock is a guard who can not only put up 20 points a game but he will hit about 40 percent of his three point attempts. In fact, the Cougars are all sharp shooters and have ranked in the top ten in the nation in field goal percentage for most of the season.

3) Temple
The Owls have a balanced team that plays great defense. Temple knocked off Georgetown earlier this season and they are completely capable of pulling off the same type of upset in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. The Owls won't exactly be a true "sleeper" considering their tournament experience in the past. That tournament experience includes 2 Final Four appearances according to ESPN.com.

4) Missouri State/Wichita State
The Missouri Valley Conference doesn't have a lock on two teams in the NCAA tournament-especially after not doing so well in the ESPN Bracket Buster games. Whoever does emerge from this conference will be a tough out in the 2011 NCAA Tournament and could play the role of sleeper that Northern Iowa did last season when they knocked off Kansas. Both Missouri State and Wichita State are athletic clubs that can handle the defensive intensity of any major conference school. If the MVC gets just one team this season, consider that team to be dangerous and a "sleeper" regardless of who it is.

5) Murray State
Murray State provided one huge tournament moment last season when they knocked off Vanderbilt. The Racers are on the path to the NCAA tournament once again and could be another huge "sleeper" this time around.
While the biggest win came against Stanford, Murray has consistently improved over the course of the 2011 season.

That's my list of five 2011 NCAA tournament "sleepers". These teams have an opportunity to provide huge tournament upsets in 2011 in the correct circumstances. Charleston is a team that is extremely capable of a Sweet 16 run or more considering their year long resume. Don't be surprised if the Cougars upset a team or two in the 2011 NCAA tournament.