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NCAA Basketball: 2018 Christmas wish list for top mid-major conferences

By Jacob Matteson

LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 21: Josh Perkins #13 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs drives the baseline during the second half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 21, 2018 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 21: Josh Perkins #13 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs drives the baseline during the second half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 21, 2018 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – MARCH 11: Antonio Woods #2 of the Pennsylvania Quakers shoots the ball between Justin Bassey #20 and Danilo Djuricic #30 of the Harvard Crimson during the second half of the Men’s Ivy League Championship Tournament at The Palestra on March 11, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Penn defeated Harvard 68-65. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – MARCH 11: Antonio Woods #2 of the Pennsylvania Quakers shoots the ball between Justin Bassey #20 and Danilo Djuricic #30 of the Harvard Crimson during the second half of the Men’s Ivy League Championship Tournament at The Palestra on March 11, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Penn defeated Harvard 68-65. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /

Ivy wish: A clean bill of health

Hello, valued reader, while I have your attention allow me to share something with you: the Ivy League is good.

I mean it.

This year alone, three of the top teams in the conference holds wins over ACC, WCC, Atlantic 10 and Pac-12 programs.  These guys are good in the classroom and on the court.

However, despite the intriguing individual talents littering the conference, what’s most captivating is that Harvard, despite being 4-5, is a team much better than their record and are probably still the front-runners for the crown.

Despite not having dynamic guard, Bryce Aiken, or Ivy League kingpin, Seth Towns, for a single game this year, the Crimson have still held their own.  With wins over UMass, Saint Mary’s and an underrated Holy Cross team, it’s hard to argue that Harvard wouldn’t be unbeaten if they were 100% healthy.

With their biggest margin of defeat being 10-points to Northeastern, Harvard made sure they were in fights every time out in their losing efforts to Rhode Island, San Francisco, Siena and Vermont.  All road games.

For now, while we wait to see how Harvard recovers from their wounds, it’s alright to look at Yale as another team to earn a win or two come March.

Home to one of the most interesting Mid-Major guards in the country, 6’6″ Miye Oni, and 6’9″ Jordan Bruner back from a missed season due to an ACL tear, it isn’t far-fetched to say that Yale could be superior to even a healthy Harvard team.

However you cut it, the Ivy League needs to hope for good health to their top teams and continue to showcase why they are one of the better kept secrets in college basketball today.

NOTE: Hi, this is Jake from a few hours after writing this article.  Penn just knocked off Villanova.  I just wanted to revisit this and mention that the Ivy League is quality basketball.

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