Bracket Busters come from all types of conferences

Pitt’s first-round opponent in the NCAA Tournament, Kent State, is classified as a mid-major…. Pitt’s first-round opponent in the NCAA Tournament, Kent State, is classified as a mid-major. Their 25-8 record entering the Tourney did not include a matchup against any ranked opponent, but included two Big East losses to Rutgers and Syracuse.

Such is the life of a mid-major. These teams put forth the maximum effort to have a solid regular season that will increase their chances of making the Big Dance. If a mid-major loses in its conference tournament despite a successful season, then that team sweats until Selection Sunday, when the committee decides its Tournament fate. Once they’re in the tournament, the mid-majors look to prove themselves with an upset or two that gives them respectability.

They know about disrespect. They remember that Butler’s 24-5 record (12-4 in Horizon League play) left them in the NIT. They know that Missouri State tied for second in the Missouri Valley Conference this season (20-8, 12-6), but won’t be dancing either.

Speaking of the Valley, they have a record four teams in the NCAA Tournament. Sticking out are the MVC Tourney champions, the Southern Illinois Salukis, who are making their fifth consecutive NCAA appearance that includes a 2002 Sweet 16 run. They will face Pitt’s rival, West Virginia, on Friday in the Atlanta region as an 11 seed.

The Shockers of Wichita State were the regular-season Valley champs with a 14-4 conference mark (24-8 overall) and are dancing for the first time in 18 years. They earned a No. 7 seed against the Big East’s Seton Hall on Thursday in the Washington, D.C. region.

The other two teams from the Valley are Northern Iowa and Bradley. Northern Iowa beat Bucknell this season, a team that earned a No. 9 seed in Pitt’s Oakland region, which is the highest seeding for a Patriot League team.

The Bison became the first Patriot League team to win an NCAA Tournament game when they upset Kansas in the first round, 64-63. This year’s resume of upsets includes wins at Syracuse and DePaul and a win over St. Joseph’s.

UNC-Wilmington returns to the Tournament after three years, drawing a No. 9 seed against George Washington in the Atlanta region. The Colonial Athletic champions upset USC in the first round four years ago and defending champions Maryland needed a last-second shot to knock the Seahawks off in the next year’s first round.

UNCW’s fellow Colonial rival, George Mason, earned its first ever at-large tourney bid. Their 23-7 mark puts them at an 11 seed against 2005 Final Four team Michigan State in the D.C. region.

Despite losing head coach Bruce Pearl to Tennessee after a Sweet 16 appearance last year, rookie coach Rob Jeter has Wisconsin-Milwaukee returning to the Big Dance as an 11 seed against Oklahoma in the Minneapolis region. Led by the senior tandem of Joah Tucker and Boo Davis, the Panthers won the Horizon League Tournament title over Butler, 87-71, and enter the tournament with a 21-8 mark.

Don’t be surprised if fourth-seeded LSU is upset by the 13th-seeded Gaels of Iona. The school that claims Jim Valvano as its onetime coach won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament with an 80-61 championship win over St. Peter’s. Last year, Vermont beat Syracuse as a 13th seed.

As with every tournament, a mid-major will have its work cut out for it. But with four Missouri Valley teams this year and a solid supporting cast, in this tournament the mid-majors could leave their biggest impression yet.