Middle Tennessee aims for another shocking upset

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Middle Tennessee isn't your average mid-major team.

The Blue Raiders, a 12-seed in the NCAA tournament, are 30-4 on the campaign and won 20 of their past 21 games en route to a Conference USA title. With three players averaging more than 14 points per game, Middle Tennessee isn't easy to defend and has the ability to strike fear into a higher-seeded opponent. Just ask Michigan State.

Upset Special: If Middle Tennessee sounds familiar, it's because it shocked the Spartans last year as a No. 15 seed in the first round and likely destroyed your bracket.

That victory wasn't a fluke: The Blue Raiders won convincingly by nine, powered by Reggie Upshaw's 21-point effort. The 6-foot-8 forward is back this season with an average of 14.5 points per game to go along with 6.8 rebounds. Expect Minnesota to have its hands full in the opening round later this week.

Season Summary: As mentioned earlier, the Blue Raiders are coming into the tourney with plenty of momentum and have beaten some decent teams along the way. Middle Tennessee topped Ole Miss and Vanderbilt earlier this season, with the victory over the Commodores coming by a 23-point margin. Vandy is currently a No. 9 seed in the tournament, so the Blue Raiders are capable of handling solid competition.