College basketball has as much parity this year as it has in a long time. With teams like North Carolina struggling, the road has been paved for some obscure teams to prove their talent on a national stage. But which of these teams stand out above the rest?
The "Davids"
Northern Iowa Panthers
This team has spent a good part of the past two weeks in multiple top 25 polls, which should be a fairly clear-cut sign that they've got some talent. Digging a little further shows just how dangerous this team really is. They've returned not only every starter from last year, but every player that scored even a single point in their first-round matchup with Matt Painter's Boilermakers. Considering they almost won that game, I can't imagine them faltering late this season, especially in the surprisingly weak Missouri Valley Conference.
The Panthers also have a physically dominating powerhouse in the paint in Jordan Eglseder, who stands at seven-feet tall. Even ignoring the irony of this "David" team having a Goliath of their own, the implications of Eglseder's presence are far-reaching. I'm not saying he automatically puts them on the same level as schools like Kentucky, Kansas, and other consistently great teams. What he really brings to the table is the ability to occasionally beat those teams at their own game, which together with the Panthers' experience and ability to play nearly mistake-free basketball, makes them as undesirable of an opponent as anyone in the county.
BYU Cougars
It might seem strange to have a team ranked in the top 10 listed as a "David" team, but with BYU, it makes plenty of sense. That's because while they've dominated the MWC for quite some time, they haven't been a major player in the national picture over the same period. As a matter of fact, they've failed to make it past the first round of the NCAA tournament since 1993.
On a more positive note, the Cougars haven't won less than 20 games since head coach Dave Rose arrived in 2005, a streak they've already extended this year, as they currently have a record of 20-1. They're also on a 15-game winning streak and averaging more than 80 points per game. The most impressive thing about this team is the starting backcourt, which, despite lacking a senior, is averaging 45 points per game. They can run with the best of them, and they probably will, deep into March.
Cornell Big Red
Unlike the other two teams on this list, Cornell has never had any success to speak of. Their back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances have doubled the number of trips to the Big Dance in school history, and they have yet to win once there.
On the list of things working in Cornell's favor is a starting frontcourt averaging 38 points per game. In their game against Kansas, which they almost won, this group outscored the Jayhawks' frontcourt by 24 points. Given that one of those players was All-American center Cole Aldrich, this domination was no small task.
Still not convinced? They've also amassed 16 wins in 19 games, and they play in a consistently anemic conference that won't make it very hard to reach 25 wins or more. Expect to see them in the tournament, and don't be surprised if they win multiple games once there.
If these three teams continue to live up to their potential, what teams will present the greatest challenge to their success in the NCAA tournament? The answer is fairly simple. In order to be the best, you've got to beat the best, and it's obvious which two teams stand head and shoulders above the rest.
The "Goliaths"
Kentucky Wildcats
It's hard to meet, let alone exceed, the expectations of Kentucky Wildcats fans, but John Calipari has his team at No. 1 in the polls, and looking almost unstoppable through 19 games this season. It should be fairly obvious to everyone why Kentucky is a "Goliath." They've won more games than any team in history, are currently the only undefeated team in the nation, and have the best player in college basketball, John Wall.
While Wall might be their greatest strength, he's also their greatest weakness in a way. What I mean is that when John Wall struggles, this team struggles. I know he isn't bad very often, but when he's had a hard time hitting shots this year, Kentucky has had a hard time winning games as comfortably as they should. It's not that they'll necessarily lose if John Wall isn't at full-throttle all the time, but they just might get upset if they aren't prepared for that possibility.
Kansas Jayhawks
This team isn't as talented as Kentucky, but I like their chances to win it all more than the Wildcats. This isn't due to anything other than experience, which they have plenty of, due to two preseason All-Americans, Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich. This duo is in their third year together, and they both played on the team that won the national championship two years ago. Composure won't be an issue for this team.
The Jayhawks, like the Wildcats, find their weakness in relying on their strength too much. The loss to Tennessee proved that even when Collins and Aldrich are at their best, this team can lose without help from the rest of the team. If the role players on this team don't consistently hit shots, the Jayhawks won't have a chance to beat teams like Kentucky.
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