Proving mid-majors belong

By Ross Lancaster Sports Central Columnist

Gonzaga and Cincinnati. The two words roll off of a college basketball observer's tongue almost as well as Duke and Indiana. While the Bulldogs and Bearcats are known by all of the college basketball world, they can also often be classified as back-page mid-majors. However, what these two under-appreciated Top 15 teams are doing is nothing short of remarkable.

Gonzaga, led by senior point guard Dan Dickau, has gone 15-2 and unlike their counterparts from years past, is ranked in the Top 25, and as high as No. 13. With this team playing in the less than stellar West Coast Conference, there are no more remaining games on the 'Zags schedule against teams ranked anywhere near Top 25 material. However, the Bulldogs are by no means a one-man show.

A trio of rebounders, led by Cory Violette at nearly eight rebounds per game, has turned this team from a horrible rebounding team into one that is leading the nation at the moment in rebounding margin. Not to mention that this team is playing hard-nosed defense, another addition Mark Few has added to his and the Bulldogs' resume. With great guard play from All-American candidate Dickau, and now with the added benefit of charging the glass with regularity, this team has taken off the label of "Tournament Cinderella," and is turning into a very regular fixture, not just in March, but all throughout college basketball season.

While this team got upset by Pepperdine on Friday, it should not set the Bulldogs that far back, as I expect the 'Zags to rebound quickly and still win the West Cost conference title.

Even more impressive, is what the Cincinnati Bearcats are doing. The Bob Huggins-led team is dominating a conference, in Conference USA, that arguably does not even count as a so-called mid-major conference. The Bearcats are led by a pair of guards, Leonard Stokes and Steve Logan, who combine to give Cincinnati 46 out of their 79 points per game. Like Gonzaga, the Bearcats have a multitude of rebounders who crash the boards night in and night out.

Donald Little, Immanuel McElroy, Jamaal Davis, and Jason Maxiell all average six rebounds or more every game for the Bearcats. If that isn't what you call balance, I don't know what is. This team, much like many of Bob Huggins' teams from the past, has one superstar, and very few weaknesses overall. It's these kind of teams that make the Dukes and Floridas of the world not like to see Cincinnati pop up in their draw. Don't be surprised if this team wipes the slate clean in Conference USA play, equaling the feat this same team did two years ago.

Just like Gonzaga, this was supposed to be an underachieving team, projected third in CUSA by many observers, with Memphis' Dajuan Wagner and Kelly Wise getting all the magazine covers early in the season.

Gonzaga and Cincinnati are just the teams to prove to the big boys of Division I that mid-major does not equal a blowout.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.