As mentioned in this space two weeks ago, 2006-07 wasn't a very kind season to schools outside the eight money conferences. With a severe lack of opening-weekend victories at the NCAA Tournament, a declining number of upsets, as well as a paltry .114 winning percentage in mid-vs.-major games, Goliath was ruining all the fun. But the first week of the 2007-08 season has seen renewed hope and faith among the Davids with high-profile wins over ranked opponents dotting the scoreboard on a basis that approaches daily.
But with every Gardner-Webb or UNC-Greensboro, there are a hundred perpetually downtrodden programs still waiting for their chance to shine in the national spotlight. How can these teams break through? Is there a clippable recipe for "instant Mercer"?
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Kyle Whelliston
Senior Writer, ESPN.comKyle Whelliston has contributed to ESPN.com's college basketball coverage since 2005. He covers mid-major programs for Basketball Times magazine, and will have a basketball travelogue of the 2008-09 season published next summer. Whelliston also founded midmajority.com and statistical database site Basketball State (bbstate.com).
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Fran Fraschilla is an analyst for ESPN and was previously the head coach at New Mexico, St. John's and Manhattan.
Joe Lunardi is the resident bracketologist for ESPN.
Seth Greenberg is an analyst for ESPN and was previously the head coach at Virginia Tech, South Florida and Long Beach State.
