2014 NCAA Bracketology Picks & Predictions: Under the Radar Players that could Fuel Upsets

2014 NCAA Bracketology Picks & Predictions: Under the Radar Players that could Fuel Upsets: While college basketball fans are already familiar with the likes of Doug McDermott, Jabari Parker, Russ Smith and other big names, the NCAA tournament has the incredible ability to bring together players that are stars on the national level with players that are stars in their smaller conferences. More importantly, March Madness gives the smaller conference stars a chance to lead their teams to upsets over the big names. With that in mind, here is a closer look at a few players that could be the X-factors that fuel their small conference teams to big upsets in the 2014 NCAA tournament.

Taylor Braun, Small Forward, North Dakota State Bison

The Bison won the Summit League regular season and tournament title, and Braun does it all for an offense that leads the country in field goal percentage this season. His 18.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists are all tops on the team. He also knocks down 1.4 3-pointers per game and a 44.1 percent clip. Braun and the ultra-efficient offense of the Bison will open the NCAA tournament with a matchup against an Oklahoma team that doesn’t play any defense. He could stuff the stat sheet while leading North Dakota State to an upset of the Sooners.

Shawn Long, Power Forward, Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns

Long has been a double-double machine for the Ragin’ Cajuns this season, averaging 18.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.7 blocks. He can impose his will on both ends of the court, and he is a big reason why Louisiana-Lafayette ranked ranks 13th in the country in scoring. The Ragin’ Cajuns are set to meet Creighton in their opening game, and while the Blue Jays can also score a bunch of points, they struggle on the boards and on defense. Creighton isn’t particularly big inside either. Long could have his way in the paint and on the glass and fuel an upset of a Creighton team that is very reliant on scoring-machine Doug McDermott.

Sim Bhullar, Center, New Mexico State Aggies

He is only averaging 10.3 points per game, but with his 7’5″ frame, Bhullar can impact the game in a variety of ways. He leads the Aggies in rebounding with 7.9 per game and blocks with 3.4 per game. He is also shooting 64.7 percent from the floor. New Mexico State is the tallest team in the country overall, and Bhullar is the biggest of the bunch. The Aggies face San Diego State in their opening game, and while the Aztecs are lights out on defense, they aren’t an overly big team. If Bhullar and company can dominate the glass and the paint with their size, an upset is possible.

Tony Wroblicky, Center, American University Eagles

Wroblicky may be the center, but he is also one of the main distributors for an offense that ranks seventh in the county in field goal percentage. He ranks second on the team in scoring and assists, and he leads the team in rebounding. Granted, the Eagles don’t have a lot of offensive firepower, and they rely heavily on their ability to make the most of the possessions. Fortunately for the Eagles, they are slated to face Wisconsin in their opening game, and the Badgers love to play at a slow, methodical pace. A close, low-scoring game seems likely, and if Wisconsin has an off game from the perimeter, Wroblicky and company could knock off the Badgers.

Aaric Murray, Center, Texas Southern Tigers

Seeing as how the Tigers are a No. 16 seed, their chances of them winning a game in the Round of 64 are basically nonexistent. However, Texas Southern plays in one of the first-round games, and Murray is good enough to help his team advance on to face Wichita State in the second round. After all, the senior is averaging 21.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game, and he leads the team in all three categories. Facing a Cal Poly team with an abysmal offense, Murray could overpower Mustangs almost by himself.

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