March Madness 2009: Kansas Jayhawks, Villanova Wildcats, Memphis Tigers Under the Radar

The Big Dance is just around the corner. If one thing has been proven in College Basketball this year, anything can happen. People have been talking about the Big 4 (UNC, Pitt, UCONN, and Oklahoma) all season, but whom else has a chance to make a run deep in March this season?

There are several teams outside of these top 4 who have proven they are capable of reaching such great heights, based on several key qualities. For any team to have the hope of going deep into the tournament they must have: good guard play, good defense, and must have experienced leaders who have been there before.

One team that is flying under the radar, but have a prime opportunity to make the Final Four are the Villanova Wildcats. With wins over Pittsburgh, Marquette, and Syracuse (2), the Wildcats have proven they can win big games. They are led by junior guard Scottie Reynolds and senior forward Dante Cunningham. Both players have been to the Sweet 16 before and both can hit shots from anywhere on the floor, averaging over 15 points per game each. The Wildcats also play tenacious defense with the 28^th ranked Adjusted Defense according to Ken Pomeroy of Kenpom.com.

Another team that has worked its way into position for a high seed in the Dance are the Memphis Tigers. Undefeated in the C-USA, Memphis is lead by Seniors Robert Dozier and Antonio Anderson, who both return from a team that went to the National Title Game in 2007-2008. The Tigers also have the #1 adjusted defense in the country. As for guard play, they are have stud Freshman Tyreke Evans. Evans, a native of Philadelphia, averages 16.7 Points and 2.1 steals per game. Although he has been stellar up to this point, Evans remains the Tigers' one question mark, as he is an inconsistent ball handler, turning it over 5 or more times in seven games this season.

Another great team from 2007-2008 that have risen like a phoenix are the reigning National Champion Kansas Jayhawks. After losing 9 players, including 4 starters, from last year's team, the Jayhawks sit in first place atop the Big 12, with a 13-1 conference record. Rock Chalk Jayhawks appears to be hitting their stride at the right time, with the 7^th ranked Adjusted Defense in the Nation. Kansas is led by guard Sherron Collins, who averages 18.3 Points per game. Unfortunately most of roster are either freshmen or sophomores, resulting in a very inexperienced tournament team. They have the resume, but do they have the maturity? Only time will tell.

As the past has taught us, there are no certainties in March Madness. Whether it is George Mason reaching the Final Four in 2006 or the 1985 National Champion Villanova Wildcats, you don't win NCAA Tournament games on paper.

Source(s): Team Statistics and Rankings provided by Ken Pomeroy, Individual Statistics provided by ESPN