Five Most Memorable March Madness Cinderella Runs

Underdogs are the main reason why the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is one of the most anticipated sporting events each year. There is nothing more college basketball fans enjoy than getting behind a mid-major team making an unthinkable run at glory. These five Cinderella mid-major teams stayed alive long enough to etch themselves into March Madness lore.

5: Gonzaga (1999) -- This is where it all started for a team that is now identified among the college basketball elite. Entering the tournament as a 10 seed, Gonzaga knocked off Minnesota, Stanford and Florida to reach the Elite Eight for the only time in school history. The Zags eventually fell to no. 1 seed Connecticut which went on to win the first of three NCAA titles.

4: Davidson (2008) -- Before Jimmer Fredette, there was Stephen Curry. The son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry nearly singlehandedly willed Davidson into uncharted territory. Curry was a beast in scoring basket after basket to propel the Wildcats to within a basket of making the Final Four. He averaged 32 points per game in leading past Davidson past Gonzaga, Georgetown and Wisconsin before it finally fell to eventual national champion Kansas in the Elite Eight.

3: George Mason (2006) -- The Patriots broke through the glass ceiling by becoming the first true mid-major team to advance to the Final Four since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. One of the great ironies is that many so-called experts blasted the committee for awarding George Mason an at-large bid and giving it an 11 seed, saying the Patriots did not deserve to make the tournament. George Mason silenced the critics in impressive fashion, knocking off Michigan State, defending champ North Carolina and top seed Connecticut to reach the Final Four.

2: VCU (2011) -- The similarities between the Rams and George Mason five years earlier were uncanny. VCU was one of the last four teams in and played in the inaugural First Four round against USC. Many critics said the Rams had stolen an at-large bid from a more deserving BCS Conference team. All VCU did was win five straight games -- punctuated by an upset of no. 1 seed Kansas in the Elite Eight -- to become just the third 11 seed to reach the Final Four.

1: Butler (2010 & 2011) -- The Bulldogs set the benchmark for all mid-majors past and future with back-to-back runs to the NCAA Championship games. A 61-59 title game loss to Duke in 2010 is still considered one of the greatest championship games in college basketball history. An mind-numbingly awful 53-41 loss to Connecuticut in the 2011 title game set the sport back several decades with the inept offense shown on both sides. Still, it does not diminish the fact that Butler is in a rare category as one of only a handful of teams to reach the NCAA Championship game in consecutive seasons.

NCAA Basketball: Southeast Region Breakdown

March Madness is here and it really is the most exciting time of the year. Nothing rivals seeing an underdog make a run through the NCAA Tournament or seeing a team win in dramatic fashion on an incredible buzzer-beater.

Here is my take on the Southeast Region: 

Southeast Region -- 

Overseeded: Michigan State

I am not buying that the Spartans even deserve to be in this field with how poorly they have played throughout the season. Michigan State seems like a better fit for one of those “First Four” games than it is as a 10 seed. Maybe Tom Izzo will work some magic and coax another Final Four run out of this crew. I wouldn't bet my house on it though.

Underseeded: Old Dominion

The Monarchs are trapped a couple seeds too low in the 8/9 game against Butler. They have a physical frontcourt and a good enough defense to go toe-to-toe with most teams. If Old Dominion gets past the Bulldogs, it is certainly more than capable of knocking off top seeded Pittsburgh.

Darkhorse: Gonzaga

It is weird to classify the Zags as a darkhorse. But things are actually favorable for the 11 seed to reach the Sweet 16. They face a St. John's team without one of its best players in D.J. Kennedy and could play a BYU team missing starting center Brandon Davies. If there is one thing Gonzaga is good at doing, it is embracing an underdog role.

Region winner: Florida

True, the SEC is not as strong as in seasons past. But the Gators did win the regular season crown. They have a balanced team – led by do-everything senior Chandler Parsons. Being a 2 seed in the weakest region should open the door for a return to the Final Four.

NCAA Basketball: Southwest Region Breakdown

March Madness is here and it really is the most exciting time of the year. Nothing rivals seeing an underdog make a run through the NCAA Tournament or seeing a team win in dramatic fashion on an incredible buzzer-beater.

Here is my breakdown on the Southwest Region:

Southwest Region –

Overseeded: Georgetown

The Hoyas were not the same team over the past month without injured point guard Chris Wright. Before Wright got hurt, Georgetown could beat anybody. Without him, the Hoyas lost to just about everybody. Wright supposedly will be ready to go against VCU. Unless he is at 100 percent, I could see Georgetown bowing out as a first weekend upset victim for the third time in four years.

Underseeded: Richmond

How do you win the Atlantic-10, beat Purdue and end up with a 12 seed? The Spiders are much better than your typical 12 seed and are more than capable of knocking off Vanderbilt in the second round. Richmond runs the Princeton offense to perfection and if the Spiders can get to the basket, the Commodores will have a hard time keeping it close.

Darkhorse: Texas A&M

No one is saying anything about the Aggies, but it is not wise to overlook a team coached by Mark Turgeon. Texas A&M has a habit of doing well with lower seeds and have a decent shot at reaching the Elite Eight if the Aggies can knock off Notre Dame in the third round.

Region winner: Kansas

The Jayhawks were the runaway favorite to win it all last year until falling to Northern Iowa in shocking fashion in the round of 32. I see that early exit being a motivator this time around. Kansas is too deep and too talented to not reach the Final Four in 2011.

NCAA Basketball: West Region Breakdown

March Madness is here and it really is the most exciting time of the year. Nothing rivals seeing an underdog make a run through the NCAA Tournament or seeing a team win in dramatic fashion on an incredible buzzer-beater. 

Here is my take on the West Region:

West Region –

Overseeded: Cincinnati

It is astounding that the Bearcats can go from being on the bubble nearly all season, net a couple of “big” victories in the Big East over a fading Georgetown squad and suddenly be good enough to snare a 6 seed. Cincinnati's inflated record will be exposed soon enough. The Bearcats are a pedestrian 6-8 against teams in the 68-team field.

Underseeded: Temple

Few teams are hotter than the Owls coming into the tournament. They may be the most dangerous 7 seeds in the bracket. If Fran Dunphy can finally snap his first round jinx, Temple has the tools to make a run to the Elite Eight. The Owls enjoy strong backcourt play from Juan Fernandez and Ramone Moore and have shown an ability to compete with Big Six teams all season.

Darkhorse: Oakland

The Grizzlies have a tough first round draw in Texas. But Oakland has a legitimate NBA prospect in center Keith Benson. And the Grizzlies won't be intimidated by the Longhorns. If it can pull off the first-round shocker, don't be surprised if Oakland makes a Sweet 16 run.

Region winner: San Diego State

Can a team go from zero NCAA wins to a Final Four berth? The odds are in the Aztecs' favor to pull off such a feat. With Kawahi Leonard, Malcolm Thomas and Billy White, San Diego State has one of the most physical and athletic frontcourts in the country. They can wear teams down and that will prove valuable in making a deep postseason run.

NCAA Basketball: East Region Breakdown

March Madness is here and it really is the most exciting time of the year. Nothing rivals seeing an underdog make a run through the NCAA Tournament or seeing a team win in dramatic fashion on an incredible buzzer-beater.

I intend to break down each of the four regions heading into this week's second and third round games. We will start with the East region:

East Region –

Overseeded: Villanova

It boggles my mind that the Wildcats can lose 10 of 15 games after a 16-1 start and still be safely in the 68-team field. This is a 11 or 12 seed masquerading as a 9 seed. Villanova hasn't beaten any team with a pulse in several weeks. I guess it pays to play in the overhyped Big East.

Underseeded: Clemson

The Tigers proved they deserved much better than a 12 seed after routing UAB on Tuesday. Clemson put a scare into North Carolina in the ACC Tournament before falling in overtime. The Tigers are more than capable of knocking off West Virginia if they don't come out flat-footed from travel fatigue.

Darkhorse: Xavier

The Musketeers have reached the Sweet 16 three consecutive years and could easily make four straight. This team is a trendy first-round upset victim. But I'm not sold on Marquette, a team with a recent history of early round flameouts. Tru Holladay is a talented and experienced backcourt leader. Teams with those kind of players tend to advance far in the NCAAs. Plus, I think Xavier has the tools to match up with Syracuse's famed 2-3 zone in the third round.

Region Winner: Ohio State

Behind powerful freshman Jared Sullinger and a talented senior supporting cast, the Buckeyes have just the right ingredients to cut down the nets in Houston. Anything short of reaching the Final Four would rank as a massive disappointment.