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Mid-major Basketball power rankings: Dayton, Gonzaga and ETSU rises up

By Tristan Freeman

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 01: Matt Mitchell #11 of the San Diego State Aztecs steals possession of the ball in the second half against the Utah State Aggies at Viejas Arena on February 01, 2020 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Kent Horner/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 01: Matt Mitchell #11 of the San Diego State Aztecs steals possession of the ball in the second half against the Utah State Aggies at Viejas Arena on February 01, 2020 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Kent Horner/Getty Images) /
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LAWRENCE, KANSAS – NOVEMBER 19: Patrick Good #10 of the East Tennessee State Buccaneers (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
LAWRENCE, KANSAS – NOVEMBER 19: Patrick Good #10 of the East Tennessee State Buccaneers (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /

5. East Tennessee State Buccaneers (24-7, 16-2 SoCon)

In the last couple of weeks, a few mid-major teams that were on the bubble have struggled to hold on in close games. That happened to East Tennessee State a couple of times, including in the regular-season finale against Western Carolina. It looked as if the bubble was going to burst for the Bucs but they held on for the 68-67 home win.

That made it nine straight wins to end the regular season, giving ETSU the title and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. It also puts them in an ideal spot to make the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team without even needing the auto bid. But just to be sure, the Bucs should erase all doubt and continue winning, benefitting from only having to face one of Furman or UNC-Greensboro in the finals.

The best news for this team is that they’re finally getting healthy. Senior forward Jeromy Rodriguez returned for senior night, adding even more depth inside for East Tennessee State. A very good defensive unit combined with a balanced offense has made this team very difficult to beat and matches up well with many power conference opponents. The SoCon has a number of quality teams but the Bucs stand out from the rest.

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