(12-23-2012 06:24 PM)johnbragg Wrote: (12-23-2012 03:37 PM)College Basketball Fan Wrote: For those two schools, the general information is just their conference affiliation. "Oh, they are in the MVC, so they are a mid-major."
No, that's exactly the problem. More people know Gonzaga's been in umpty-hundred Sweet Sixteens than know they're in the WCC. More people know Butler was in the Final Four than know the Horizon League exists.
That's sort of the point of my Big East Application mic drop thread. Xavier, VCU and Butler are mic-drop schools. I'd say the other candidates are--very good midmajors.
I agree (because honestly I think the best thing right now is to add just those 3 schools), but I think you could sort of make a case for Wichita State and Creighton over other candidates if you had a couple more years of information.
'
For reference, here is the number of times each team has gotten each level in the tournament:
Final Four:
Butler - 2 (2010, 2011)
VCU - 1 (2011)
Dayton - 1 (1967)
Wichita State - 1 (1965)
Xavier - 0
Creighton - 0
Saint Louis - 0
Gonzaga - 0
Elite Eight:
Wichita State - 3 (1964, 1965, 1981)
Butler - 2 (2010, 2011)
Xavier - 2 (2004, 2008)
Dayton - 2 (1967, 1984)
VCU - 1 (2011)
Gonzaga - 1 (1999)
Saint Louis - 1 (1952)
Creighton - 0
Sweet Sixteen:
Xavier - 6 (1990, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012)
Dayton - 6 (1952, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1974, 1984)
Butler - 5 (1962, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2011)
Gonzaga - 5 (1999, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2009)
Wichita State - 4 (1964, 1965, 1981, 2006)
Creighton - 3 (1962, 1964, 1974)
Saint Louis - 2 (1952, 1957)
VCU - 1 (2011)
NCAA Appearances
Xavier - 23 (1961, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
Creighton - 17 (1941, 1962, 1964, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1989, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2012)
Dayton - 14 (1952, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1984, 1985, 1990, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2009)
Butler - 11 (1962, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
VCU - 11 (1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1996, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012)
Gonzaga - 11 (1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011)
Wichita State - 9 (1964, 1965, 1976, 1981. 1985, 1987, 1988, 2006, 2012)
Saint Louis - 7 (1952, 1957, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2012)
I don't think it is nearly as clear looking at the total package. None of those schools has been to as many Elite 8s as Wichita State for instance, and Creighton is second only to Xavier appearances. VCU never made a Sweet 16 before 2011, and Butler's Elite 8s were all in the last 3 years.
However, what we see is the recent impression of teams. No mid-major team has the recent impression value of VCU, Butler, Xavier, and Gonzaga.