No surprise who is #1. A10 and Mountain West having strong seasons. AAC and WCC are down.

https://www.warrennolan.com/basketball/2...%20rows%20

The ACC needs to be more ACC like.

A-10 is also having one of its best years in a while.

I'm sure NMSU is quite happy, having most sports back in the same home, but it is kinda ironic that the WAC is two spots higher.

1 XII
2 B1G
3 SEC
4 BIG EAST
5 ACC
6 Pac-12

7 MWC
8 A-10
9 MVC
10 AAC
11 WCC

12 Ivy
13 SoCon
14 WAC
15 Big West
16 CUSA

17 Big South
18 CAA
19 Sun Belt
20 America East
21 Big Sky
22 Horizon
23 Summit
24 MAC
25 MAAC
26 ASUN

27 Southland
28 OVC
29 Patriot
30 NEC
31 MEAC
32 SWAC

The biggest surprise is the MAC being all the way down at #24. There's a certain member who's posted hundreds of times how the MAC can take A-10/MVC schools willy-nilly.

The second biggest surprise is the Big South all the way up at #17. That's likely their highest ranking ever.

50 of the top 70 and the top 16 are all from the 6 major conferences (SEC, B1G, ACC, B12, P12, BE).

The Majors will move up as we move deeper into conference play, as they will be playing higher NET teams than the upper mid-majors (MWC, AAC, A10, WCC, MVC), who in turn are playing higher NET teams than the rest of the mid-majors.

To my eye this projects to 31 or 32 at-large for the 6 majors, 4 or 5 available at-large for the upper mid-majors.

Here’s the old RPI system ranking the conference s right now. Seems like there are teams that are much higher or lower in the NET or RPI, but that is largely balanced out at the conference level.

1 SEC 0.587
2 Big 12 0.577
3 Big Ten 0.575
4 ACC 0.573
5 Big East 0.570
6 Mt West. 0.570
7 Pac-12 0.558
8 A 10 0.540
9 MVC 0.523
10 American 0.519
11 Ivy 0.508
12 WCC 0.496
13 Southern 0.493
14 WAC 0.490
15 CUSA 0.484
16 Big South 0.481
17 Big Sky 0.481
18 Big West 0.480
19 Amer East 0.480
20 CAA 0.475
21 MAC 0.470
22 Sun Belt 0.470
23 Horizon 0.469
24 ASUN 0.460
25 Summit 0.456
26 MAAC 0.455
27 SWAC 0.450
28 Indy/Chicago St 0.448
29 Southland 0.442
30 Ohio Valley 0.437
31 Northeast 0.419
32 MEAC 0.417
33 Patriot. 0.410

(01-14-2024 10:21 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  The biggest surprise is the MAC being all the way down at #24. There's a certain member who's posted hundreds of times how the MAC can take A-10/MVC schools willy-nilly.

The second biggest surprise is the Big South all the way up at #17. That's likely their highest ranking ever.

Six MAC teams are below 250 in NET presently. Buffalo being the surprising shocker of an anchor in the bottom 20. I feel bad for the better MAC teams that they can never seemingly get a good sniff of the at-large pool, remote as it tends to be. The bottom of the conference, though…and this year, it’s half the teams?

(01-14-2024 10:21 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  The biggest surprise is the MAC being all the way down at #24. There's a certain member who's posted hundreds of times how the MAC can take A-10/MVC schools willy-nilly.

The second biggest surprise is the Big South all the way up at #17. That's likely their highest ranking ever.

CUSA's #16 ranking is pretty terrible. I'm actually embarrassed for them.

(01-14-2024 10:21 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  The biggest surprise is the MAC being all the way down at #24. There's a certain member who's posted hundreds of times how the MAC can take A-10/MVC schools willy-nilly.

The second biggest surprise is the Big South all the way up at #17. That's likely their highest ranking ever.

MAC is usually top 15. America East is usually bottom 5. No reason they should be that low, but they must not invest much in basketball.

(01-14-2024 11:27 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(01-14-2024 10:21 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  The biggest surprise is the MAC being all the way down at #24. There's a certain member who's posted hundreds of times how the MAC can take A-10/MVC schools willy-nilly.

The second biggest surprise is the Big South all the way up at #17. That's likely their highest ranking ever.

Six MAC teams are below 250 in NET presently. Buffalo being the surprising shocker of an anchor in the bottom 20. I feel bad for the better MAC teams that they can never seemingly get a good sniff of the at-large pool, remote as it tends to be. The bottom of the conference, though…and this year, it’s half the teams?

Half the teams, similar to the final NET from last year (NIU 252 down to WMU 353). Perhaps some of the MAC schools are putting all of their limited NIL into Football, and nothing into Basketball.

(01-15-2024 12:43 AM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(01-14-2024 10:21 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  The biggest surprise is the MAC being all the way down at #24. There's a certain member who's posted hundreds of times how the MAC can take A-10/MVC schools willy-nilly.

The second biggest surprise is the Big South all the way up at #17. That's likely their highest ranking ever.

CUSA's #16 ranking is pretty terrible. I'm actually embarrassed for them.

Is it really that embarrassing for a league that just lost half its members? At #16 they still come in ahead of the SBC and MAC. If anything I’m actually surprised they’re hanging in as well as they have.

(01-15-2024 02:41 PM)WhoseHouse? Wrote:  

(01-15-2024 12:43 AM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(01-14-2024 10:21 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  The biggest surprise is the MAC being all the way down at #24. There's a certain member who's posted hundreds of times how the MAC can take A-10/MVC schools willy-nilly.

The second biggest surprise is the Big South all the way up at #17. That's likely their highest ranking ever.

CUSA's #16 ranking is pretty terrible. I'm actually embarrassed for them.

Is it really that embarrassing for a league that just lost half its members? At #16 they still come in ahead of the SBC and MAC. If anything I’m actually surprised they’re hanging in as well as they have.

I agree fully.

(01-15-2024 12:43 AM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(01-14-2024 10:21 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  The biggest surprise is the MAC being all the way down at #24. There's a certain member who's posted hundreds of times how the MAC can take A-10/MVC schools willy-nilly.

The second biggest surprise is the Big South all the way up at #17. That's likely their highest ranking ever.

CUSA's #16 ranking is pretty terrible. I'm actually embarrassed for them.

(01-15-2024 01:41 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(01-14-2024 11:27 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(01-14-2024 10:21 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  The biggest surprise is the MAC being all the way down at #24. There's a certain member who's posted hundreds of times how the MAC can take A-10/MVC schools willy-nilly.

The second biggest surprise is the Big South all the way up at #17. That's likely their highest ranking ever.

Six MAC teams are below 250 in NET presently. Buffalo being the surprising shocker of an anchor in the bottom 20. I feel bad for the better MAC teams that they can never seemingly get a good sniff of the at-large pool, remote as it tends to be. The bottom of the conference, though…and this year, it’s half the teams?

Half the teams, similar to the final NET from last year (NIU 252 down to WMU 353). Perhaps some of the MAC schools are putting all of their limited NIL into Football, and nothing into Basketball.

Time for UMass to go full on Gonzaga in one of those conferences. They don’t have any trouble loading up on quality non-conference games.

A10's season is interesting - they have Dayton at 17 in the NET, then the 2nd highest school is George Mason at 76th. Then you have a bunch of other teams in the 70s/80s/90s. A lot of solid teams, but if Dayton wins the A10 tournament, there's a good shot it's a one bid league.

(01-14-2024 09:09 PM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  A-10 is also having one of its best years in a while.

I'm sure NMSU is quite happy, having most sports back in the same home, but it is kinda ironic that the WAC is two spots higher.

CUSA average rank is 203. If NMSU returned to WAC it would drop to 194.

WAC average rank is 196. If NMSU returned it would increase to 203.

WAC 196 (with out NMSU)
CUSA 203 (with NMSU)

CUSA 194 (with out NMSU)
WAC 203 (with NMSU)

NMSU is the cause of lower ranking.

(01-15-2024 01:41 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  Half the teams, similar to the final NET from last year (NIU 252 down to WMU 353). Perhaps some of the MAC schools are putting all of their limited NIL into Football, and nothing into Basketball.

the MAC hasn't been helped that Kent St and Ohio are struggling this season so it feel like a 2 horse race. WMU have actually started 4-0 in conference play but struggled prior.

(01-15-2024 06:31 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  A10's season is interesting - they have Dayton at 17 in the NET, then the 2nd highest school is George Mason at 76th. Then you have a bunch of other teams in the 70s/80s/90s. A lot of solid teams, but if Dayton wins the A10 tournament, there's a good shot it's a one bid league.

Shows how broken the current system is.

Surprised how well the WAC is doing.
Good for them

(01-15-2024 08:48 PM)Mid-Major Hoops Enthusiast Wrote:  

(01-15-2024 01:41 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  Half the teams, similar to the final NET from last year (NIU 252 down to WMU 353). Perhaps some of the MAC schools are putting all of their limited NIL into Football, and nothing into Basketball.

the MAC hasn't been helped that Kent St and Ohio are struggling this season so it feel like a 2 horse race. WMU have actually started 4-0 in conference play but struggled prior.

(01-15-2024 06:31 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  A10's season is interesting - they have Dayton at 17 in the NET, then the 2nd highest school is George Mason at 76th. Then you have a bunch of other teams in the 70s/80s/90s. A lot of solid teams, but if Dayton wins the A10 tournament, there's a good shot it's a one bid league.

Shows how broken the current system is.

No such thing as a perfect system but who outside of Dayton warrants at-large consideration? I don't think the system is to fault for the A10 being a possible 1-bid league. That said the one change I'd like to see made to the selection criteria is a .500 or better league record requirement for an at-large. Other than that not really sure what they can do other than expand the field (which I'm adamantly against).

Southern Conference #13. Very underrated conference with solid hoops. Had an opportunity last year to attend the SoCon Tournament in Asheville - just a few hours drive from my house. Very impressed with the quality hoops they play. Good for them.