{"id":2228,"date":"2011-12-28T11:40:05","date_gmt":"2011-12-28T15:40:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.broadstreetbelievers.com\/?p=2228"},"modified":"2011-12-29T10:50:34","modified_gmt":"2011-12-29T14:50:34","slug":"conference-season-preview-part-two-the-guys-you-should-have-heard-of","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/?p=2228","title":{"rendered":"Conference Season Preview, Part Two: The Guys You Should Have Heard Of"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday, we previewed the conference seasons for the “Big Six” conferences plus the A-10 and C-USA, who aren’t quite major, but not quite mid-major either.\u00a0 Today, we are going to hit up the next 8 conferences, who are all admittedly “mid-major,” but play some of the best basketball in the country and, without a doubt, should not feel inferior to all but the best of the big conferences.\u00a0 While these teams almost assuredly wouldn’t win <\/em>the Big Ten or SEC, a lot of them could easily finish in the middle of the pack.\u00a0 And, because early departures to the NBA are so abundant, I would argue that some of the most cohesive, “best” basketball is played in these conferences because they are really talented groups of kids that have stayed together for 2, 3, sometimes 4 years.<\/p>\n

THE MOUNTAIN WEST<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

High-Major Basketball in Mid-Major Uniforms<\/em>
\nYes, I do LOVE Mountain West basketball, so I am often biased towards this conference, but here’s an objective\u00a0statistic for you – the average RPI in the Mountain West is 88.\u00a0 The average RPI in the ACC is 89; the SEC is 90; the Big East is 99; and, the Pac-12 is\u00a0133.\u00a0 The average RPI in the Mountain West conference is the third lowest of any conference in America<\/em>, behind only the Big Ten (64) and the Big XII (85).\u00a0 Oh, and did I mention that this is the same conference that lost, arguably, its most accomplished program this offseason when BYU defected to the West Coast Conference?\u00a0 Who needs them?<\/p>\n

UNLV <\/strong>(13-2, 8 RPI) has proven itself to be one of the best teams in America, regardless of conference affiliation.\u00a0 The Rebels 13 wins include an 11-point win over USC, a 10-point win over previously unbeaten North Carolina, a 16-point beatdown of previously unbeaten Illinois (in Champagne), and a 17-point drubbing of Pac-12 favorite, Cal.\u00a0 The Rebels have established themselves as not only the best team in the Mountain West, but probably the best team in “The West.”<\/p>\n

The one team that might be able to challenge the Rebels for the M-West title is San Diego State<\/strong> (11-2, 57).\u00a0 The Aztecs lost a ton from last year’s Top Ten team, including NBA draft pick, Kawhi Leonard, but Steve Fisher has a couple holdovers (most notably, Chase Tapley) and has brought in a couple talented newcomers, and has the Aztecs playing really well.<\/p>\n

New Mexico<\/strong> (10-2, 74) is another team that should be really good come conference play, and Colorado State<\/strong> (7-4, 46) is a really scary sleeper team out here, as they have played their way nicely through a brutal non-conference schedule that was set up because they expected the most talented roster in school history this year.<\/p>\n

There have also been a couple teams that were not expected to do much this year that have had really promising non-conference seasons, particularly Wyoming <\/strong>(12-2, 99) and Boise State<\/strong> (9-4, 133).<\/p>\n

OVERALL<\/strong><\/span>:\u00a0 UNLV is not only the class of the conference, but almost certainly the best team west of the Rockies.\u00a0 SDSU has reloaded and could present a bit of a challenge, and I wouldn’t rule out Colorado State (despite having the worst overall non-conference record), but it’s really the Rebels conference to lose this year.<\/h4>\n

THE MISSOURI VALLEY<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Before There Can Be March Madness, There Has to be “Arch Madness”<\/em>
\nIt should be no secret to anyone that my favorite two weeks on the sporting calendar are actually the two weeks leading up to<\/em> the NCAA tournament.\u00a0 Don’t get me wrong – the four-day basketball nirvana that is the first two rounds is heavenly, but the conference tournament weeks that precede it provide nearly the same level of excitement on a game-to-game level with a LOT more games.\u00a0 And, every year, one of the best of these conference tournaments takes place in St. Louis and is affectionately referred to as “Arch Madness.”\u00a0 And, if you like hard-fought, intense basketball between some of the best teams in the country, you will love Arch Madness as much as you love March Madness.\u00a0 And, this year might be the best version yet.\u00a0 In fact, this year, if the top four teams somehow survive to play a semifinal double-header, that is appoinment viewing for any sports fan.<\/p>\n

The top of this conference is proving that they can play with anyone.\u00a0 Creighton<\/strong> (10-1, 14 RPI) handled the Cornhuskers, proving that they are clearly the best team in the state of Nebraska.\u00a0 Northern Iowa<\/strong> (10-2, 5) beat Iowa by 20 and won on the road at Iowa State, proving that they are the best team in Iowa.\u00a0 The Jayhawks and Wildcats are afraid to play Wichita State <\/strong>(9-2, 28), so we are left to simple conjecture as to the best team in the state of Kansas, but I might argue that it’s the Shockers.\u00a0 And, yes, I know that Butler has been to back-to-back championship games, Purdue has Robbie Hummel and a great supporting cast, and the Hoosiers are undefeated, but would you believe that the best RPI in the state of Indiana belongs to…Indiana State<\/strong> (9-2, 47)?\u00a0 It’s true.\u00a0 These four teams are as good a top four\u00a0as just about any conference in America, no matter what the national media wants you to believe.<\/p>\n

And, there are even a couple sleepers, as Missouri State <\/strong>(7-5, 112) has rebuilt rather quickly, and Drake <\/strong>(7-4, 92) has some talent.\u00a0 Even Illinois State<\/strong> (8-3, 213), who was picked to finish last in the conference in the preseason, made the finals of one of the better preseason tournaments.<\/p>\n

OVERALL<\/strong><\/span>:\u00a0 Whenever the top four in this conference\u00a0meet, it will be phenomenal basketball.\u00a0 While Indiana St. is outstanding, they are probably a clear 4th in the power rankings here, but as for the top three, this conference is anyone’s ballgame.\u00a0 Creighton is still\u00a0probably the odds-on favorites, but Wichita State has every bit the talent, and NIU has been as impressive as anyone in the non-conference.\u00a0 Man, I can’t wait for this conference to get into full swing…<\/h4>\n

THE COLONIAL<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

A Rare Down Year Across the Board in One of the Nation’s Most Underrated Leagues<\/em>
\nTypically right there with The Valley for the best mid-major basketball in the country every year, this year’s CAA seems to be suffering a bit of a hangover from another improbable Final Four run for one of its stalwarts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Shaka Smart’s team has lost\u00a0multiple players\u00a0to NBA rosters (more evidence of how good mid-major hoops has become) over the past couple of years, but he and the program are good enough to keep the train moving.\u00a0 VCU <\/strong>(9-3, 75 RPI) has regrouped this year and may be poised for another fine season.<\/p>\n

While the Rams might be the best team in the CAA, they won’t be without company at the top – by the typical cast of characters.\u00a0 George Mason<\/strong> (8-4, 195) should be right there in the mix, as they might have the best team in the conference, on paper.\u00a0 Old Dominion<\/strong> (6-6, 134) should be in full rebuilding mode after losing a ton to graduation, but they have looked pretty good in the non-conference and might be right there at the top, as usual.\u00a0 James Madison<\/strong> (6-3, 140) has been right on the doorstep of the top of the conference for a while now, so maybe this is the year they break through.\u00a0 And, there might be a major sleeper down south, as Georgia State<\/strong> (9-3, 270) has been really impressive, albeit against some poor competition, this year.<\/p>\n

There have also been so real disappoinments in a very down CAA.\u00a0 Drexel <\/strong>(6-4, 132) was pretty much the consensus pick everywhere you looked to win this league, and they have been incredibly disappointing so far, including an 11-point loss in their conference opener against a barely mediocre Delaware<\/strong> (5-5, 209) team.\u00a0 Hofstra<\/strong> (5-7, 271) was supposed to be rebuilding, but they have looked really bad so far.\u00a0 And, the bottom of this conference, particularly William & Mary <\/strong>(1-10, 325) and Towson<\/strong> (0-12, 332) is god awful.\u00a0 Those two teams may be two of the 5-10 worst teams in all of D-I.\u00a0 That shouldn’t happen in a conference this good.<\/p>\n

OVERALL<\/strong><\/span>:\u00a0 This is a really down year for the CAA.\u00a0 There are no real at-large contenders, and the bottom of the conference is dreaful.\u00a0 But, that doesn’t mean there won’t be excitement all year, as VCU and Mason should battle for top honors.\u00a0 ODU looks ready to compete, as does the feisty Georgia St. squad.\u00a0 And, we shouldn’t be too quick to write off everyone’s preseason favorite, Drexel, just because of\u00a0their slow start.<\/h4>\n

THE HORIZON LEAGUE<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Butler Who?<\/em>
\nBrad Stevens and the Butler Bulldogs<\/strong> (6-7, 120 RPI) put this conference on the map with two amazing postseason runs, but this is not a one-team league…which is a good thing because Butler is in a bit of a rebuild.<\/p>\n

While everyone can rattle off household names like Gordon Heyward, Matt Howard, and Shelvin Mack that all departed Butler in the past two years, but the biggest loss from the Horizon League in the past two years is without question Norris Cole from Cleveland State<\/strong> (11-2, 55).\u00a0 And, yet, even without Cole, the Vikings look like the class of the Horizon this year.<\/p>\n

They will be challenged on almost a nightly basis in this quickly improving league, so anything is in play here.\u00a0 Other than Butler, obviously, Milwaukee<\/strong> (9-4, 82) looks like the most likely to challenge the Vikings this year, but no one would be surprised if they got challenges from\u00a0several other teams.\u00a0 Valparaiso<\/strong> (8-5, 119) is exceptionally talented and poised to make a run; Green Bay <\/strong>(6-6, 78) has\u00a0survived a pretty difficult non-conference schedule right at .500;\u00a0and, even Wright State<\/strong> (6-8, 173) and Youngstown State <\/strong>(6-6, 216), who were picked to finish at the bottom of the conference, have both shown signs of possibly competing with the big boys.<\/p>\n

And, then there is Detroit<\/strong> (6-8, 258).\u00a0 The Titans were picked by most to run away with this league and possibly find themselves in the Top 25 this year.\u00a0 That’s how good their roster is.\u00a0 Well, the results haven’t quite lived up to the hype, and the Titans are already 0-2 in the league.\u00a0 But, if they can find it, who knows where they might end up.<\/p>\n

OVERALL<\/strong><\/span>:\u00a0 This is a very deep, interesting league this year.\u00a0 Cleveland State is probably the best team, but Butler needs to never be overlooked.\u00a0 Milwaukee is the regular season defending champ and returns a lot of talent, while Valpo is right there, talent-wise.\u00a0 And, the most talented team on paper, is still lurking in Detroit.<\/h4>\n

THE WEST COAST CONFERENCE<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

The Good Just Got a Lot Better<\/em>
\nThe WCC would always be a solid league with their two big boys at the top, but this year they added a third big gun and now this league is all the more interesting.<\/p>\n

BYU <\/strong>(10-3, 60 RPI) defected from the Mountain West and joined the WCC this year, creating a three-team war for West Coast supremacy.\u00a0 Unless you were asleep for the past 12 months, you probably know that the Cougars no longer have The Jimmer, but\u00a0they also\u00a0lost\u00a0his running mate, Jackson Emery.\u00a0 And, while that is a lot to lose, everyone else is back, and this team is still pretty loaded, especially when you consider they have UCLA transfer, Matt Carlino to step right into the backcourt along with highly-recruited SO Kyle Collinsworth.\u00a0 So, yes, this team is still a force to be reckoned with…and yet, they are still the third best team in this top-heavy league.<\/p>\n

St. Mary’s<\/strong> (11-2, 42) was the most popular pick to win the WCC this year – and they have lived up to every bit of the hype so far – but that’s just because there is a general fatigue around Gonzaga<\/strong> (9-2, 13).\u00a0 I guess it’s just not “cool” anymore to say just how good the Zags are – that’s when you know you’ve arrived, as a program.\u00a0 Well, I don’t care about “cool,” Gonzaga is the best team in this conference.\u00a0 BYU and St. Mary’s are NCAA tournament good, but Gonzaga is better.\u00a0 Either way, games between the top teams are even more interesting now that there is a third player in the mix.<\/p>\n

It’s highly unlikely that any of the other teams in this league can even come close to cracking the top three, but if it’s anyone, it will be either San Francisco<\/strong> (8-4, 166) or Santa Clara<\/strong> (6-4, 148) because the rest of the league is dreadful.<\/p>\n

OVERALL<\/strong><\/span>:\u00a0 As always, this is a very top-heavy league, but the top part just added another team, in BYU.\u00a0 While I have strongly stated that I feel Gonzaga is the best of the three teams, I wouldn’t be surprised if any of the three wins the league, and I definitely feel that all three are worthy of at least consideration for an at-large bid.\u00a0 No one else in the league can really compete, so any conference loss outside of the top three against one another could be devastating, especially if it’s to one of the SoCal teams.<\/h4>\n

THE BIG WEST<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Speaking of Top-Heavy…<\/em>
\nThis conference probably doesn’t even come close to belonging on this list with leagues like the WCC, the MVC, or even the CAA, but I wanted to include them for two reasons:\u00a0 (1) my love for LBSU and (2) the drama created when there are TWO teams in a low-major league that could compete in any high-major conference in the country.<\/p>\n

I’m not sure I’ve written a college hoops post in the last two years that didn’t include some sort of reference to my love for Long Beach State<\/strong> (7-6, 12 RPI).\u00a0 Their win @Pitt was no fluke, nor was their beatdown of Xavier, nor their close losses @Kansas,\u00a0@Louisville, and\u00a0@UNC.\u00a0 This team can flat-out play and this is the year…<\/p>\n

This is the year because they only have one chance left with this group of stars (Casper Ware, Larry Anderson, and T.J. Robinson are all among the best players in Big West history and they are all seniors), after failing as juniors.\u00a0 They “failed” as juniors because they got beat.\u00a0 After finishing the regular season unbeaten in conference play, the 49ers ran into a talented, but underachieving\u00a0team that finally hit their stride, UC-Santa Barbara<\/strong> (5-5, 116), who flat-out beat them in the championship game.\u00a0 Well, the Gouchos have most of their team back, including Orlando Johnson, the nation’s leading scorer, who won the Big West POY as a sophomore\u00a0before <\/em>Casper Ware did last year.<\/p>\n

While the rest of the league, to be kind, stinks, there are two teams that probably shouldn’t be automatically dismissed.\u00a0 Most notably is Cal Poly<\/strong> (8-4, 128), who has the best team in program history (which isn’t saying much) and has had a pretty solid non-conference slate.\u00a0 CS-Fullerton<\/strong> (8-3, 183) has looked decent against mostly inferior competition and might be able to surprise someone on a given night.\u00a0 The rest of the conference is bad, particularly UC-Davis<\/strong> (1-11, 344), which is in the running for worst team in D-I (which might be a decent post, actually…).<\/p>\n

OVERALL<\/strong><\/span>:\u00a0 If Big West administrators scrapped the whole conference schedule and just had LBSU and UCSB play like a best of 21 or something, I don’t think anyone would complain.\u00a0 But, instead, what we are probably relagated to is a whole lot of exhibition matches leading up to one, single, winner-take-all battle in the conference tournament.\u00a0 Hey, at least it’ll be exciting…<\/h4>\n

THE MID-AMERICAN<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

A Tale of Two Divisions<\/em>
\nThe SEC made the obvious (and overdue) decision this year to scrap the division system and just go to a single, 12-team league.\u00a0 They did this because the SEC East was, for several years now, so far superior to the SEC West, that teams like Tennessee were getting better seeds in the NCAA tournament than they were in the SEC tournament, while others that weren’t even at-large candidates (like Arkansas or Alabama) were getting byes.\u00a0 Well, that is happening in the MAC as well, as the MAC East is head and shoulders about the MAC West.<\/p>\n

But, even in the brutal East, two teams seem above the pack.\u00a0 Kent State<\/strong> (8-3, 93 RPI), who was picked to win the league this year, was rolling along at 8-1, including a big win @West Virginia, before their trip to Logan, Utah, last week for the Athletes in Action Classic.\u00a0 They struggled to a 9-point win over a bad St. Peter’s team in the opening round, before losing to UT-Arlington in the semis.\u00a0 They then got hammered in the third-place game by the hosts, Utah State.\u00a0 They will try and right the ship before their conference opener next Saturday.<\/p>\n

While Kent State was picked to win the league, the most impressive team in the league thus far (and, to be honest, one of the most impressive in the country) has been Ohio U.<\/strong> (11-1, 16), whose lone loss on the year was a 5-point loss @Louisville in which the Bobcats led almost the whole way.\u00a0 Their 11 wins include impressive wins @Marshall, @Oakland, and @N.Iowa.\u00a0 This team is for real and should be in the AP Top 25.<\/p>\n

Other teams in the East that have\u00a0been solid include Buffalo <\/strong>(6-3, 126), Akron<\/strong> (135), and Bowling Green<\/strong> (6-5, 186).\u00a0 Over in the West, there is one team that has regrouped from an abysmal start to win\u00a05 straight, and that is Western Michigan<\/strong> (5-7, 145).\u00a0 The Broncos do have a lot of talent and played a brutal schedule, so they should win the West and maybe challenge the Eastern teams for the MAC tournament bid.<\/p>\n

One team that will not be a sleeper, unless you’re talking about the race for “the worst team in D-I” is Northern Illinois<\/strong> (0-11, 336).<\/p>\n

OVERALL<\/strong><\/span>:\u00a0 Ohio has looked as good as anyone this year, but Kent State is supremely talented.\u00a0 Throw in the possible sleepers\u00a0like W.Michigan, Buffalo, Akron, Bowling Green, and even Ball State, and you’ve got yourself an interesting league this year.<\/h4>\n

THE OHIO VALLEY<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Chasing Perfection<\/em>
\nThis league is not a second-tier league this year or, pretty much any year, but I had to include in on this post because of one team – Murray State <\/strong>(13-0, 15 RPI), and its quest for perfection.\u00a0 The Racers won the Great Alaska Shootout (including a win over RPI #3 Southern Miss in the finals) and also won @UAB, @W.Kentucky,\u00a0and @Memphis.\u00a0 They also beat Dayton at home en route to a perfect 13-0 non-conference record and the national spotlight.\u00a0 Now, they enter conference play in a mediocre league having a subpar year.\u00a0 It’s hard to find a loss on the schedule outside of their to-be-determined opponent on BracketBusters weekend.\u00a0 Granted all conference games are dangerous, especially when wearing the burden of perfection, and the league isn’t all cupcakes, but the Racers might actually qualify for the NCAA tournament unbeaten.<\/p>\n

The funny thing is that the Racers weren’t even picked to win the OVC in the preseason…they were picked FOURTH!\u00a0 Tennessee Tech<\/strong> (8-5, 180) has their whole team returning and was supposed to win this league, but have had a spotty non-conference.\u00a0 Austin Peay <\/strong>(3-10, 264) was supposed to challenge Tech, but have had a dreadful non-conference.\u00a0 Tennessee State<\/strong> (7-6, 190) was picked 3rd, but haven’t shown much that would frighten Murray State.\u00a0 There is always Morehead State<\/strong> (6-7, 211), but with Kenny Faried gone, the cupboard is pretty bare there.\u00a0 Eastern Kentucky<\/strong>\u00a0(7-6, 172) and Eastern Illinois<\/strong> (6-5, 187) have looked, at least, decent, but the rest of the league has been really bad in the non-conference.<\/span><\/p>\n

OVERALL<\/strong><\/span>:\u00a0 The only real question here is will Murray State finish the season unbeaten.\u00a0 Tennessee Tech is probably their biggest threat, but even in that one, the Racers final conference game on February 25th, Murray State should be a pretty big favorite.<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday, we previewed the conference seasons for the “Big Six” conferences plus the A-10 and C-USA, who aren’t quite major, but not quite mid-major either.\u00a0 Today, we are going to hit up the next 8 conferences, who are all admittedly … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[516,493,486,509,492,546,485,494],"class_list":["post-2228","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-college-hoops","tag-big-west","tag-colonial","tag-horizon-league","tag-mac","tag-missouri-valley","tag-mountain-west","tag-ohio-valley","tag-wcc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2228","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2228"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2228\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2240,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2228\/revisions\/2240"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2228"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2228"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2228"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}