UC San Diego (13-2) (NET: 46)
1-1 (Q1), 1-0 (Q2), 2-1 (Q3), 7-0 (Q4)
An unlikely addition to a list like this, UC San Diego has quietly had a really great start to their season. Their Quad 1 win is a fantastic road upset over a Utah State team that looks like the real deal, while they also own a sneaky solid road win against UC Santa Barbara.
Opening the season with a 5-point loss at San Diego State wasn’t unexpected, though the Quad 3 loss a couple weeks later against Seattle wasn’t ideal. Fortunately, these are currently the only two blemishes for the Tritons, who have actually won four times as underdogs on their active 11-game winning streak.
There are issues for UC San Diego with their resume staying relevant. The Big West isn’t exactly a hotbed for great basketball and they’ll need to consistently win and with a healthy margin to keep that NET figure in great shape. There is a potential Quad 1 opportunity at UC Irvine in early February, though obviously that won’t be an easy game by any means.
A loss to the Anteaters is forgivable but anything beyond that in this Big West is likely the end of any at-large consideration. UC San Diego has had a phenomenal start to their season and simply need to keep this streak going for as long as possible with this schedule ahead.
Utah State (15-1) (NET: 28)
3-0 (Q1), 3-1 (Q2), 3-0 (Q3), 5-0 (Q4)
The best situation among any traditional mid-majors, Utah State is sitting pretty with those three Quad 1 victories. All three have come in the last three weeks, as the Aggies won road games at Saint Mary’s, San Diego State, and Nevada in quick succession to cement this resume.
Utah State’s only defeat came right before that winning streak, as they were upset at home by an upstart UC San Diego squad back in mid-December. There’s not a ton to say here, aside from appreciation that those Tritons are playing well and that this loss is only Quad 2.
A resume that also includes Quad 2 wins over Iowa, North Texas, and St. Bonaventure has even more chances to improve throughout conference play. The MWC has several teams that will contend for the NCAA Tournament and a slew of solid opportunities will come, though it may be several weeks before another Quad 1 games crosses the schedule.
The name of the game for the Aggies right now is to take care of their business. They won those tough road games and there’ll be tough ones ahead, but for now they get the good MWC teams at home for the next month and have a chance to lock themselves into place with another long winning streak.