The brackets are finally set, the 64 most worthy participants (ahem, sorry Arizona State and Virginia Tech) in the country have been chosen and the Big Dance is about to get crackin. The definitive heavyweights, like North Carolina, UCLA, Kansas, Memphis and Duke are the prohibitive favorites, but there’s a slew of underdogs waiting to come derail title aspirations. Who’s going to be this year’s George Mason? Here’s a list of unheralded squads looking to do damage and knock the big dawgs off. Unlike Natalie Cole, they don’t have love on their minds, they’re thinking upsets.

South (5) Michigan State vs. (12) Temple
 
 Michigan State is a bona fide basketball powerhouse. Head Coach Tom Izzo made three consecutive Final Fours from 1999-2001, another in 2005 and won a national title in 2000. The Spartans are a very talented squad, but they’re very sporadic and Drew Neitzel hasn’t excelled at the same level he did last year.

Temple made a surprise run to the A-10 Tourney Championship, knocking off St. Joseph’s in the final. Deonte Christmas and Mark Tyndale form one of the most potent backcourts in the land, although they don’t get the notoriety they deserve. Christmas and Tyndale average a combined 36.1 points and an impressive 13 boards a night. Both are 6’5, use their size to their advantage and like Dr. Dre they’re xxplosive.

 Temple’s match-up zone has always wreaked havoc for opposing offenses, and it shouldn’t be any different for Michigan State. Neitzel will have to drain triples to create driving lanes for Raymon Morgan and Kalin Lucas. If not, the methodical half-court game will favor Temple and they’ll whoo their way to the second round.

 Midwest (4) Vanderbilt vs. (13) Siena

You might think there’s no way a MAAC team can beat one of the SEC’s premiere crews, but I’ll show you why ‘I’m not crazy’ like Gnarls Barkley. The Commodores are one of the highest scoring squads in the country, averaging 80.6 points per game. 6’11, 250 pound freshman center A.J. Ogilvy’s 17 points and 6.8 boards an outing gives Vandy a definitive advantage on the interior, and Shaun Foster is an explosive scorer (20.5 ppg) who can take over games.

 However, like Vanderbilt Siena is also a high-scoring team (76.8 ppg). Edwin Ubiles (17.3 ppg) and Kenny Hasbrouck (15.6 ppg) form an athletic duo who can score from anywhere and both shoot around 40 percent from treyland. Alex Franklin is an undersized power forward (6’5, 228 lbs) but he’s a tireless worker who can score (15.2 ppg and snatch boards (8 rbg). The Saints are a smaller team in the mold of a VCU, who can make it a heltah skeltah game and befuddle Vandy with their quickness and hops. If this happens Siena could end up demoting the Commodores.

 (7) Gonzaga vs. (10) Davidson

This is a very intriguing match-up. The preeminent mid-major versus the emerging small school. Gonzaga has been good for so many years that it’s really an insult to continue to label them as a mid-major. The Zags are perennially ranked in the top 25 and have beat powerhouse programs every season. Gonzaga is balanced team, evidenced by leading scorer Matt Bouldin’s 12.7 ppg, and four players averaging double-figures.  Point guard Jeremy Pargo drops 6 dimes a game and his trampoline bounce enables him to do some of the most disgusting highlight reel dunks you’ll ever see.

 However, it’s time for the ultimate upset squad to spend a night in heartbreak hotel. Stephen Curry’s jumper, like his father Dell has the purity of a bottle of Evian water. However, Curry’s much more than a one-dimensional flamethrower. Dropping 25 ppg, Curry can get hotter than a July summer day in St. Louis and he’s a complete player. Senior Jason Richards is master distributor, giving 8 dishes a night, and he can also score (12.6 ppg). The Wildcats are a high-octane, up-tempo team (78.7 ppg) who are primed to get out the first round.

 East (7) Butler vs. (10) South Alabama

 First off, I don’t know how Butler got a 7 seed being the 10th ranked team in the country, but they got major league shafting. Butler has established itself as the second best mid-major behind Gonzaga. The Bulldogs are an experienced, veteran club who play with incredible chemistry. A.J. Graves is a flat-out sharpshooter with icebox where his heart used to be, and Mike Green is a versatile guard, averaging a team-high 14.9 points, 6.6 rips and 5.5 assists.

 But don’t nap on South Alabama because they’re got juice too. The Jags defeated topped conference rival Western Kentucky twice, and they lost a close 91-88 affair against Vandy earlier, so they’ve proven they can get with the big dogs. South Alabama has balance, with four players scoring in double-figures, led by Demetric Bennent 20.1 a night. Bennent shoots a high percentage (48.5 percent) and connects on 41.1 percent of his triples, so he’s a late-game closer that can score from anywhere.

 The determining factor in this one could be rebounding, which is a weakness for Butler. With neither team having a legit inside force, the battle on the boards will be critical The Bulldogs average only 29.7 rebounds, but the Jags collectively snatch 37.3 boards a night. If South Alabama controls the glass they can play the pressing, fast-break style they like which is to their advantage and Butler will get bounced.

 South: (7) Miami vs. (10) St. Mary’s

Miami had an amazing season, especially considering they were predicted to finish in the cellar of the ACC. The Canes got off to a blazing hot start, winning their first 12 games, and surprisingly were able to maintain their consistency, which is something they’ve struggled with when they’ve had talented squads in the past. Jack McClinton (17 ppg) has range from here to Istanbul, and Miami is loaded with good complementary players.

 St. Mary’s is an experienced, confident team that isn’t frazzled by teams from big conferences. They challenge Gonzaga for WCC supremacy every year. Guard Patrick Mills (14.5 ppg) and Diamon Sampson (13.6 ppg and 9.5 rips) give the Gaels a good inside-outside combo. St. Mary’s attempts 22 three’s a game, and knocks down about 8 a game, which makes them dangerous because no matter large the deficit is the Gaels have the spurtability to get hot and go on a run. Look for St. Mary’s to break off a fat piece of upset pie to the Canes.