I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this is the year of the mid-major. According to Joe Lunardi’s bracketology, as it stands today, the Mountain West would have 5 teams, with a potential of 6, in the tournament which is more than the ACC and the Pac12. The A10 and the American have multiple bids as well, but there are a ton of deserving teams who will be left out of this years dance. It’s our job to find them so we have something to be pissed off about when the final bracket is revealed.
Before we get into it, the Missouri Valley conference is the gift that keeps giving every night. I’m about to start pounding the table to put Indiana State in the tournament as an at large bid regardless and give a second bid to the conference tournament winner. Southern Illinois at Drake was much watch basketball last night. I’m willing to say Drake is the best single word university that starts with the letter “D” in the country…maybe second to Dayton. Anytime Indiana State, Drake or Bradley is on ESPN+, I have to have it on an ancillary tv. They’re that fun.
ASun
I won’t pretend to get too excited about this conference. So far Eastern Kentucky has been dominating everyone in the conference, but they will be a play-in 16 seed caliber team. I personally believe it will be Stetson, who has the best win (at UCF) and went 8- 7in their non-conference schedule and could avoid a play-in game. The biggest gripe I’d have for these teams is that, whoever come out of this conference, won their league. They should not have to play a play-in game.
America
It’s Vermont and everyone else in this conference, and I LOVE Vermont. Right now, Joe Lunardi has them as a 14 seed against Duke and I would be all over that upset. It’s the Catamount’s year.
American
After making a Final Four last year, FAU got a testy non-conference schedule, went 10-3, and picked up some quality wins against Loyola Chicago, Texas A&M, St. Bonaventure and Arizona. They also had a terrible road lost to Florida Gulf Coast. They still have to play SMU and South Florida once and Memphis twice, so they’re not out of the woods yet, but they should get in regardless of their conference tournament result.
South Florida is having a breakout year, but unfortunately their non-conference schedule is atrocious with losses to Maine, Hofstra and Central Michigan. I think they could still be deserving if they get to 20+ wins and don’t win the tournament, but it’ll be tough to stack their resume up to anyone else’s and say they’re the better team.
Charlotte has also been a surprise this year and has a win against FAU to bolster their resume. They had a tough non-conference schedule, but unfortunately couldn’t get an eye popping win out of it. Their worst loss of the season has been to Stetson, who isn’t bad, but they’ll need to win the conference in order to go dancing. Still, a solid season from the 49ers.
I don’t give a shit how inconsistent they’ve been, SMU and Memphis are still frisky enough to win the conference tourney. WHEN that happens, I hope the committee doesn’t steal a bid from FAU or South Florida, take it from the B1G. This could be a sneaky 3 bid league by the end of the year.
A10
Joe Lunardi only has 2 teams from this conference in the tournament, and that’s probably fair considering the resumes of Loyola Chicago, VCU and St. Bonaventure. None of them have a Q1 win and each of them have a bad loss with Loyola Chicago losing to 9-15 UIC, St. Bonaventure lost to 8-14 Canisius, and VCU lost to Norfolk State (respectively, that’s a quality basketball progrum).
It’s been a down year outside 18th ranked Dayton and Richmond, a bubble team, for the A10. I love this conference, so I hope Loyola Chicago or VCU can win the conference tourney and hopefully steal a bid from the B1G.
We gotta give these smaller conferences more shine. This season, the Power 5 has given us great Big 12 and SEC seasons, but the ACC and B1G have been booty cheeks. Let’s turn on some ESPN+ and watch these smaller progrums who are going to upset those overrated frauds in March.
The Morning Flush 