NCAA Basketball: North Texas, Loyola Chicago among best mid-major teams
By Ryan Kay
In these mid-major power rankings, these teams that are widely considered a “mid-major” NCAA basketball division one teams, are getting reading for their conference tournaments with the hopes of winning their conference tournament and earning a bid to the NCAA tournament.
Once again, in these specialized mid-major rankings, there are 236 eligible teams for these mid-major power rankings.
Questions about the mid-major rankings
Why are the Big 12, Big Ten, SEC, Big East, ACC, Pac-12, AAC, Mountain West, West Coast, and Atlantic 10 conferences not in these rankings?
There are numerous and various reasons why these ten conferences and their eligible teams are not in these power ranking rankings. The ten conferences which are the Big 12, Big Ten, SEC, Big East, Pac-12, ACC, AAC, Mountain West, West Coast, and the Atlantic 10 all have projected multiple teams projected for the NCAA tournament and all for different reasons have more financial support from their conferences in comparison to the other 22 “mid-major conferences”.
Another reason is that the “ten” non-mid-major conferences get more attention by major media outlets and their games are more likely to been viewed on national television than the 22 other conferences.
The ten conferences not included in these power rankings are also in the top ten conference rankings in the most important rankings, the NET rankings, which is primarily used by the NCAA tournament committee to determine which teams from which conferences are invited to the NCAA tournament.
As mentioned in the previous mid-major power rankings, the Atlantic 10 conference for example from the teams at the bottom to the teams at the top of their conference, is considered by various ranking systems a better conference than the Missouri Valley Conference which is the 11th ranked NET ranking composite average conference. The MVC’s highest-ranked team Loyola Chicago, is leaving their conference to join the Atlantic 10 this July which is a prime example of why the Atlantic 10 is not considered a true mid-major conference but the Missouri Valley is at this time.
Is the rational, formula, and factors used in these power rankings that include the five rankings chosen for these power rankings the best, possible way to determine these rankings?
Not necessarily because various people and media outlets use many factors on determining their power rankings and it is subjective to which means are better than others in comparison to which is the best way to determine power rankings.
However, the biggest factor for these power ranking is determined by the five ranking systems displayed for each team in these mid-major power rankings. Winning on the road against a quadrant one and or quadrant two team matters like how Oakland went on the road and defeated Oklahoma State.
Another team like Western Kentucky from Conference USA did not defeat any team of significance on the road in comparison but they played seven teams who are either a quadrant one or quadrant two team. The teams not in the top 30 mid-major power rankings do not have many quadrant one victories even though they have possibly a few quadrant two victories and some quadrant three wins.
Are these power ranking debatable and subjective to further discussion?
The simple answer is yes because no power rankings are flawless and these mid-major power rankings were developed based on specific, chosen criteria that are unique and different from other type of power rankings. When ranking mid-major programs in college basketball during the season, it is always open for conversation and debate because each power rankings have various elements, criteria, and systems that are used to determine their rankings.
What are the five rankings used in these mid-major power rankings?
Formulas from five ranking systems used to determine ranking can be viewed below
Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings
The College Basketball Power Index (BPI)
Sagarin’s College Basketball Ratings
No longer ranked in this weeks mid-major power rankings
Not Ranked – Arkansas State
Conference: Sun Belt
Last Ranking: 31
Best Wins: Texas State (67-60), at Coastal Carolina (73-66), and Air Force (68-46)
Quad One and Quad Two Wins: Zero (0-4)
Notable Defeats: At Illinois (53-92), Morehead State in the Eracism Invitational (51-75), at Texas Tech (62-75), at Texas State (67-84), and at Appalachian State (54-61)
Conference Record: 7-7
RPI Ranking: 146
KenPom Ranking: 175
College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 215
Net Ranking: 167
Sagarin Ranking: 194
Not Ranked – Navy
Conference: Patriot
Last Ranking: 30
Best Wins: At Virginia (66-58) and at Furman (77-66)
Quad One and Quad Two Wins: Two (2-4)
Notable Defeats: Virginia Tech (57-77), at Louisville (60-77), at George Mason (65-71), and Towson (52-69),
Conference Record: 12-5
RPI Ranking: 174
KenPom Ranking: 174
College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 141
Net Ranking: 150
Sagarin Ranking: 176
Not Ranked – Montana State
Conference: Big Sky
Last Ranking: 29
Best Wins: Portland in the Incarnate Word Thanksgiving Invitational (69-66), SE Missouri in the Incarnate Word Thanksgiving Invitational, and, at Southern Utah (76-71), North Dakota State (68-49)
Quad One and Quad Two Wins: Zero (0-2)
Notable Defeats: At Colorado (90-94), at South Dakota State (74-91), and at New Mexico (78-81)
Conference Record: 13-3
RPI Ranking: 97
KenPom Ranking: 137
College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 169
Net Ranking: 128
Sagarin Ranking: 146