Mid-major Basketball: Top 30 power rankings heading into 2022 NCAA Tournament
By Ryan Kay
No. 15 – Drake
Conference: Missouri Valley
Regular Season Conference Standing: Tied for 2nd Place
Conference Tournament Finish: Lost to Loyola Chicago in the championship game
NCAA Tournament Automatic qualifier: No
Last Ranking: 17
Best Wins: Richmond (73-70), at Loyola Chicago (83-76), at Northern Iowa (82-74), and Loyola Chicago (77-68)
Quad One and Quad Two Wins: Five (5-8)
Notable Defeats: Belmont (69-74) in the ESPN Events Invitational, Clemson (80-90) in the Holiday Hoopsgiving, Alabama (71-80) in the ESPN Events Invitational, at Missouri State (56-61), and North Texas (54-57) in the ESPN Events Invitational, at Bradley (59-68), and Missouri State (62-66)
RPI Ranking: 94
KenPom Ranking: 83
College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 91
Net Ranking: 80
Sagarin Ranking: 86
Total Points from Rankings: 434
No. 14 – New Mexico State
Conference: WAC
Last Ranking: 12
Regular Season Conference Standing: 1st Place
Conference Tournament Finish: Defeated Abilene Christian in the championship game
NCAA Tournament Automatic qualifier: Yes
Best Wins: Davidson in the Myrtle Beach Invitational (75-64), at Washington State (64-61), Grand Canyon (71-61), at Stephen F. Austin (72-58), at New Mexico (78-76), at Grand Canyon (82-66), at Seattle (68-55), and UC Irvine (62-51)
Quad One and Quad Two Wins: Six (6-2)
Notable Defeats: Utah State in the Myrtle Beach Invitational (58-85), New Mexico (94-101), at Utah Valley (68-72), and at Sam Houston (46-71)
RPI Ranking: 30
KenPom Ranking: 85
College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 121
Net Ranking: 82
Sagarin Ranking: 88
Total Points from Rankings: 406
No. 13 – Iona
Conference: Metro Atlantic Athletic
Last Ranking: 8
Regular Season Conference Standing: 1st Place
Conference Tournament Finish: Lost to Rider in the quarterfinals
NCAA Tournament Automatic qualifier: No
Post Season Tournament: National Invitation Tournament
Best Wins: Hofstra (82-74), Monmouth (70-62), Liberty in the MAAC/ASUN Challenge (54-50), Alabama in the ESPN Events Invitational (72-68), Delaware (83-72), and at Monmouth (86-85)
Quad One and Quad Two Wins: Two (2-3)
Notable Defeats: Belmont in the ESPN Events Invitational (65-72), Kansas in the ESPN Events Invitational (83-96), and at St. Louis (67-68)
RPI Ranking: 31
KenPom Ranking: 94
College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 80
Net Ranking: 89
Sagarin Ranking: 105
Total Points from Rankings: 399
No. 12 – Towson
Conference: CAA
Last Ranking: 13
Regular Season Conference Standing: 1st Place
Conference Tournament Finish: Lost to Delaware in the semifinals
NCAA Tournament Automatic qualifier: No
Post Season Tournament: National Invitation Tournament
Best Wins: New Mexico in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational (73-58), at Navy (69-52), and, at Charleston (80-77), Hofstra (78-66)
Quad One and Quad Two Wins: Two (2-2)
Notable Defeats: Monmouth (71-79), at Pitt (59-63), San Francisco in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational (61-71), and at Ohio State (74-85)
RPI Ranking: 59
KenPom Ranking: 77
College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 76
Net Ranking: 72
Sagarin Ranking: 104
Total Points from Rankings: 388
No. 11 – Furman
Conference: Southern
Last Ranking: 14
Regular Season Conference Standing: 2nd Place
Conference Tournament Finish: Lost to Chattanooga in the championship game
NCAA Tournament Automatic qualifier: No
Best Wins: At Louisville (80-72), Wofford (70-69), Appalachian State (73-65), at Wofford (75-50), VMI (79-64), and Charleston (91-88)
Quad One and Quad Two Wins: One (1-6)
Notable Defeats: At Belmont (89-95), Navy (66-77), at North Carolina (61-74), at Mississippi State (66-69), Chattanooga (58-64), at VMI (67-76), and at Chattanooga (69-71)
RPI Ranking: 67
KenPom Ranking: 74
College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 69
Net Ranking: 79
Sagarin Ranking: 91
Total Points from Rankings: 380