5 Mid-Majors Who Could Fit the Slipper Come March

February is officially here, which means March is right around the corner. The time for bracket talk has heated up and is becoming more real each day. As you start to piece together your new foolproof plan to win the office pool, we all know sometimes it comes down to knowing which Cinderella is destined to bust the brackets this March. To help out those looking to get a possible leg up on the competition, here are 5 potential Cinderellas in the making.

#19 Saint Louis Billikens - A-10 - 22-1

So sometimes it is tough to call a ranked team a Cinderella, as they shouldn’t be surprising anyone in March. But, as a projected 7 seed currently in Bracketology, in my book they still qualify as a little-known mid-major. Let’s be honest here, how many people truly knew what a Billiken is?

Saint Louis, though, has the makeup to go far. They are very balanced on offense with 6 players averaging 10 or more points and 8 averaging 8 or more. Sometimes these mid-majors come in with one guy and the big schools just have to focus on stopping them and it’s a wrap. That is not even close to this squad. While they do have 6'10" Robbie Avila, who is known for his smooth play and bitchin’ goggles, after him they still have players more than capable of going off on any given night. The one thing that could be worrisome is ZERO power conference wins, and their only loss is to bubble team Stanford by 1. SI will remind you that the A-10 is potentially a two-bid conference with George Mason and VCU, it's no walk in the park, so they will be battle tested.

Meter Watch:

Akron Zips - MAC - 19-4

The first of two teams from the MAC that will show up on this list, a conference with a great history of Cinderellas. The Zips are also no stranger to the Big Dance, with back-to-back appearances under their belt. While they don’t have the same balance as the Billikens, they do have a guard who can flat-out score it in bunches. Tavari Johnson is averaging 20 a game and has the feeling of a name that March could put in the history books.

Akron is also a little more battle tested, as they took on top-10 Purdue early in the season. Though it was an 18-point drubbing, if they can snag a 10–12 seed they will be facing a team with a little less firepower. Is there a world in which we get two MAC teams?!?

Meter Watch:

St. Thomas (MN) Tommies - Summit - 18-6

This wouldn’t be a Cinderella story without a true longshot, and the Tommies are just that. Currently they sit 2nd in the Summit League behind another squad who could make this list in North Dakota State. Already having faced off once in a 3-point game, the Tommies will look for revenge in a few weeks. The name “Tommies” alone gives enough cause to get in their corner in my opinion. Then you throw in Tyler Herro’s little brother and almost 83 points a game as a team, and you’ve got love at first sight.

Herro, though, is not their main weapon, as sophomore Nolan Minessale and freshman Nick Janowski are the real names to know. Together they average 36.4 a game. Another little fun fact is the youth of this team, with only one senior. If they can somehow keep from getting transfer-portaled to death, they could be a problem next season as well.

Meter Watch:

Belmont Bruins - MVC - 21-3

At one point a common name for March, with many close calls... just ask Duke fans for a little story. Though still searching for that right slipper, the Bruins look primed for a chance this spring. Similar to Saint Louis, they lack power conference competition, but that is really just a common theme amongst these mid-majors. Their metrics, though, are very favorable despite the lax schedule.

They have a lengthy starting five that looks to score in bunches, which includes four players with over 30 makes from long distance this season. As a team they clock in at 40% from three, which is a scary number for power teams if it’s a night they can’t miss. Tyler Lundblade and Sam Orme lead the way, but watch out for guards Nic McClain and Jabez Jenkins, they are strong and won’t back down from anyone.

Meter Watch:

#23 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks - MAC - 23-0

And you thought I forgot about the RedHawks! WRONG, I am in love as they soar to be my Cinderella of the year(Last year I had UC San Diego who almost took down Michigan). I am all the way on the bandwagon of this team. Their up-and-down game is too infectious not to watch. Then you throw in their flair for the dramatics, which includes two straight scoring over 100pts in OT wins during conference play last month. With Akron right on their heels and one of the weakest non-conference schedules I’ve ever seen, they may need to get the auto bid or at least reach the MAC championship and hope it’s against Akron.

As a team, the RedHawks average just under 93 points a game, which is even crazier considering they lost their starting point guard over 15 games ago. They are led by senior Peter Suder and sophomore Brant Byers, but similar to Saint Louis they have five players who average 10 or more a game. The one worry about Miami (Ohio) has to be the defense, as it ranks a whopping 145th in KenPom. Their excitement level is off the charts, and we need this team in March Madness.

Meter Watch:

Others who find a way into the mix:

George Mason(A-10) High Point(Big South) UNC Wilmington(CAA) Liberty(C-USA) NDSU(Summit) Stephen F. Austin(Southland)

With about a month left in the regular season, the time is now to begin your research on who is who. The five teams above, though, are beginning to look the part and are hoping to solidify their résumés into the Big Dance. While I haven't officially selected my Mid-Major Cinderella of the spring yet, Miami Ohio is in the early lead with a decision coming soon. The best time of the year for basketball has arrived... March Madness is coming.