NCAA Basketball: Final 2022-23 mid-major power rankings heading into postseason

This is the third top 30 mid-major ranking for the 2022-2023 season going into the post-season tournaments. If you have not viewed the other two power rankings for this season, let’s take a look and go over which teams are eligible for these rankings and why.

Many college basketball fans know the NCAA basketball power five conference teams as they also are aware of other teams not from those five conferences like BYU and Gonzaga from the West Coast Conference, as well as the teams playing in the Big East, Mountian West, Atlantic 10, and American Athletic conferences.

These programs and the universities they represent from the non-power five conferences from the conferences listed above are part of a large size of the group of teams that are considered high-tier or upper-tier “mid-major” college basketball division one programs’ like Houston, UConn, and Marquette.

Before going in-depth and explaining the philosophy and main ideas behind these rankings, let’s take a look at what has transpired from last season to this season in terms of programs transitioning to division one basketball this season. According to the NCAA, “363 Division I teams; 352 will be eligible for the DI men’s basketball tournament and 363 will count in the NET rankings.” Part of this translates to 11 teams not being eligible for the 2023 NCAA tournament. Therefore, certain teams may not be included in these power rankings that are considered mid-major programs due to them not being eligible for the NCAA tournament that begins in March.

One major difference from the power ranking from last season to this season is that a few teams like Loyola Chicago are not eligible for these mid-major power rankings like they were last season due to them moving to the A-10 conference from the Missouri Valley conference. There are also 248 teams that are eligible to be included in these power rankings in comparison to the 236 teams from last season as well. Now here below are a few answers to some questions that may be asked while reading these college basketball rankings for those unfamiliar with this particular mid-major power rankings.

Answers to some questions about these mid-major rankings

Why are there only 23 conferences, two independent teams, and most of the programs from the West Coast Conference in these power rankings?

Why are there 248 eligible teams and 23 conferences plus some other teams in these rankings but not other teams that are considered to be mid-major teams? The best explanation for why there are nine higher profile and financially high-generating conferences which are the Big 12, SEC, Big Ten, Pac-12, ACC, Big East, AAC, Mountain West, and the Atlantic 10 that are not part of these rankings will be explained and why they are not considered for these top 30 mid-major power rankings will be explained below with specific and with thoughtful reasons with examples.

The main reason is that the nine conferences mentioned get more media coverage and attention, have by comparison to other mid-major conferences, good, quality, and substantial media rights deals, and are more than certain to get multiple teams from their conference, bids to the NCAA Tournament than the other 23 other conferences that are more than likely to get only one team into the upcoming 2023 NCAA Tournament.

For example in last season’s NCAA tournament, the Big East had six teams in the tournament while the Mountain West had four teams participate in the tournament. The American and Atlantic 10 each had two teams participate in the NCAA tournament as well in 2022. Until the NCAA tournament potentially expands to 90 or 96 or a conference like the Missouri Valley or Western Athletic can get multiple teams in the NCAA tournament in consecutive years, these mid-major power rankings will have these guidelines and procedures moving forward when determining which teams are included in these rankings.

Are the criteria of the five rankings listed below that have been chosen for these college basketball power rankings and the total number of points for each team based on those rankings, the only variable to determine these rankings?

No, and with conference play completed for this season when many teams have already finished playing in their conference tournaments a huge factor still for these power rankings is determined primarily by the five ranking systems that will be explained in these mid-major power rankings. For example, beating a traditional power five conference team on the road carries more weight in these rankings like how a team like Sam Houston went on the road and defeated Oklahoma and Utah in comparison to a team that is more well known like Murray State who has some quality wins on neutral courts like their victory over Texas A&M and a home win over Bradley but have no quadrant one or two wins on the road.

Also, a team like Western Kentucky from Conference USA did not defeat any team of significance on the road in non-conference play in comparison to teams like Utah Valley and UC Irvine. Certain teams not in the third Mid-Major Top 30 ranking do not have a quadrant one win but only some quadrant three victories and a decent amount of quadrant four victories possibly, without even having a quadrant two victory on their resume.

Also, the team’s strength of schedule especially in non-conference play matters as well because many teams are unable to get a quadrant one or even a quadrant two win in conference play. Teams like UCF and Santa Clara are in the top 100 in their strength of schedule in the nation currently. Neither team is ranked in the top three in the third installment of these power rankings but their strength of schedule with a marquee win later in conference play may get them ranked in the Top Five Mid-Major power rankings for the fourth power rankings of this season.

Are these rankings subjective and up for debate?

Yes, they are as no power rankings are perfect and flawless and these mid-major power rankings were created on specific chosen criteria that are different and unique from any other college basketball power rankings. These rankings for the top 30 mid-major teams are always challenging, difficult, and open for discussion and debate among fans, media, and alums of mid-major universities who talk and debate about mid-major basketball programs and how well they are doing this season.