NCAA Basketball: Top 25 mid-majors through non-conference play

NCAA Basketball: Top 25 mid-major teams through non-conference play

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Eric Musselman of the Nevada Wolf Pack gestures to his team during the championship game of the 2018 Continental Tire Las Vegas Holiday Invitational basketball tournament against the Massachusetts Minutemen at the Orleans Arena on November 23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevada defeated Massachusetts 110-87. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

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LAHAINA, HI – NOVEMBER 21: De’Riante Jenkins #0 of the VCU Rams leads the fast break during the first half of the game against the California Golden Bears during the Maui Invitational at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 21, 2017 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /

23. VCU Rams (8-4)

Not too many mid-majors can afford to lose a 20-10 player such as Justin Tillman but head coach Mike Rhoades has taken this program back to their roots to remain viable in the A-10. Under former head coach Shaka Smart, VCU was one of the best defensive teams in the country. It wasn’t as good after he left but now the team is back is back as a top-25 units.

It’s a good thing for the Rams that they’re so good on one end, as at times they’re just as bad on the offensive end. They rank in the 300’s in multiple categories, including shooting just 27% from three-point range. Rice transfer Marcus Evans is the team’s leading scorer at 13.1 ppg but only two others crack double-digits on average.

The reason why VCU has made the list is due to the resume they’ve built. The team has wins over Texas, Temple and Wichita State, along with close losses to St. John’s, Virginia, and two other mid-majors who are on this list.

There are reasons for optimism for VCU going forward, including Evans continuing to recover after multiple lower body injuries from the summer. And with there being no clear-cut favorites in the A-10, there’s no reason why the team can’t make a run of their own back to the NCAA Tournament. If they could just get their shooting numbers up a bit while remaining strong on the defensive end, the Rams could pass up the upcoming A-10 teams on from this list.

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