The preseason favorite recently absorbed a 36-point loss.

The bottom tier of the league resides in the nether region of the RPI, among the lowest-rated teams in the nation.

It’s been another rough non-league season for Conference USA. The league ranks 25th among the 32 Division I conferences in RPI – squarely in one-bid NCAA tournament territory once again.

Its eye-catching wins are few, its identity and brand hard to pinpoint. Its far-flung geography makes it a conference that belongs to everywhere, and nowhere.

The numbers aren’t pretty: C-USA has gone 4-28 against teams from Power 5 conferences and 2-19 against the RPI top 50. Its power ratings place it in low-major territory, between the America East and the Big South.

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