Bracketology 2019: Buy or sell mid-majors currently on the bubble
By Logan Butts
Selection Sunday is almost here and a lot of mid-majors are on the Bracketology bubble. Which ones will the committee choose?
Earlier this week, I made a plea to the committee to include the mid-majors in the tournament field after this wild college basketball season. But, that article focused more on the non-numbers side of things, the ideas that are harder to explain.
Today, I’m going to dive into the numbers of the final mid-major squad left standing on the bubble with some buy or sell action. The premise is simple: If the resume seems tournament-worthy, it’s a buy. If the resume is lacking, it’s a sell. Let’s dig in!
* All figures as of March 15
Belmont | 25-5 (16-2 in OVC)
46 NET | 41 SOR | 53 KP
Of the “true” mid-majors (leaving out middle tier conferences like the Mountain West or the A10), Belmont has earned the most trust among bracketologists at this point.
The top-seeded Bruins fell to Murray State and future lottery pick Ja Morant in the OVC title game, the first of the conference tournament season, and have been waiting ever since.
Belmont swept fellow mid-major bubble squad and arch-rival Lipscomb, took down the Racers in the regular season, and even knocked off UCLA on the road (which sounds better than it actually is this season).
The Bruins have no Q4 losses, but two Q3 losses – one to a solid Jacksonville State team and one against a not-so-great Green Bay squad. They also have a loss at Purdue.
Dylan Windler, despite being the second-best player in his own conference, is one of the best mid-major players in the country. This would be his first trip to the Big Dance as Belmont somehow hasn’t made the cut since the 2014-15 season.
Verdict: BUY