Will Another Mid-Major Reach the Final Four in 2014?
The relevancy and strength of the mid-majors can be measured by simply looking at Final Four fields throughout history.
From 1999 through 2005, the Final Four was filled with the big schools. Utah, a WAC team at the time, made it in 1998, and then the next mid-major in the Final Four was George Mason in 2006.
Another mini-drought took place from 2007 through 2009. Since that time, it has become a good bet that at least one mid-major will make it to the Final Four each season.
In 2010, it was Butler. The next season was Butler and VCU. And then this past year, Wichita State crashed the party.
So what are the odds a mid-major makes a trip to the Jerry Dome in 2014? I’d say about 60 percent, as in if I had to bet on it, I would take the mid-major gamble.
Reason to bet on the other side is that some of the best programs that fit the mid-major definition are ending up in power conferences. Utah, for instance, is now a Pac-12 school. Butler and Creighton are off to the new Big East next season.
Since the little guys like to root for each other—they even have their own website—here’s a look at the teams that could continue to carry the mid-major banner through March and into April in 2014.
Gonzaga
Before you jump to the comment section and shout about how overrated Gonzaga is, think about this.
Which team did Wichita State have the most trouble beating on its way to the Final Four? I’ll save you the trouble of re-watching the games; it was Gonzaga.
If not for the Shockers hitting 14 threes and knocking off the Zags, Mark Few’s team could have been the one in Atlanta.
Few has another really good team returning. He loses Kelly Olynyk and Elias Harris up front, but he returns Sam Dower and Przemek Karnowski. That duo, which came off the bench last year, will be the best frontcourt of any of the mid-majors. You could probably make the argument for Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell as the most talented backcourt of any of the mid-majors as well.
We should probably stop calling Gonzaga a mid-major school, but since the Zags still play in the WCC, they qualify. And one of these years they’re going to finally get to the Final Four. Few recruits too much talent not to get there eventually.
VCU
Shaka Smart is 7-3 in his first 10 NCAA tournament games. Only nine active coaches that have coached at least 10 tournament games have a better winning percentage in the NCAA tournament, according to this list. All nine of those coaches are either in the Hall of Fame or will eventually be in the Hall of Fame.
Smart’s style works in the tournament. It’s a nightmare to prepare for because most teams haven’t faced that kind of full-court pressure all season, and it’s even more devastating to prepare for in the round of 32 or the Elite Eight when you only have one day to get ready.
VCU led the nation last year in steals per game (11.7) and turnover percentage (28.5—according to KenPom.com). They return four of their five best thieves, including Briante Weber, who averaged 2.7 steals in only 20.9 minutes per game. They also return their two leading scorers—Juvonte Reddic and Treveon Graham.
Smart is also adding an athletic big man in Terrance Shannon via transfer from Florida State. Shannon averaged 1.2 steals in 21 minutes per game last season and fits in perfectly at VCU. Weber will likely become a starter.
Every year Smart seems to figure out a way to force even more turnovers. Getting more minutes from Weber and adding Shannon could be the recipe next year.
Atlantic 10 teams, you have my sympathy.
Wichita State
Brad Stevens and Butler figured out a way to get back to the Final Four in 2011 even after losing two starters, including leading scorer Gordon Hayward.
Wichita State is losing two starters. Gregg Marshall is one of the best recruiters at the mid-major level and never has any trouble replacing talent with talent. Last year’s team included five new starters. What I’m saying here is don’t count out the Shockers.
Wichita State should also get a chance next season to navigate its way through the tournament with a higher seed. With Creighton leaving for the Big East, Wichita State has the potential to win the Missouri Valley Conference convincingly.
What will help in 2014 as well is tournament experience. Cleanthony Early proved during the tourney he’s a great scorer. Ron Baker proved he’s a great shooter. Fred VanVleet played plenty of meaningful minutes at point guard.
It will be pretty easy to pick a team with those pieces and that coach in your 2014 bracket.
Read more College Basketball news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
10 Mid-Major Stars Who Will Make Waves During 2014 College Basketball Season
Let’s take a moment to remember 2013′s favorite mid-major star: Nate Wolters.
…………..
…………..
That felt right. Wolters will be missed as college basketball’s indie star. You missed out if you did not witness the Nate Wolters experience at least once. He was kind of a big deal. I mean he even had his own hashtag.
But, my friends, it’s time to move on and find ourselves some new candidates to be our favorite men of the mid-majors. With the dizzying conference realignment, some players are no longer eligible. Sorry Doug McDermott, you’re in the Big East now.
This group of 10 players will become names you need to know by next March to impress your friends. Start studying now.
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
Final Four 2013: Wichita State Surprises as Last Mid-Major Standing
Not Gonzaga. Not Havoc. Not Brad Stevens. Not New Mexico and its No. 2 RPI. Not Saint Louis. Not Temple. Not Creighton and Doug McDermott.
A mid-major is in the Final Four for the fourth time in the last four years. Raise your hand if you live outside of Wichita and thought this would be the one.
Nevermind that a No. 9 seed had never made it to the Final Four since the tournament field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. (Penn in 1979 was the last.) Nevermind that a Missouri Valley team had not made it to the Final Four since Larry Bird took Indiana State in 1979.
The Shockers didn’t even win their league. They didn’t even win the imaginations of America until Saturday.
With “Dunk City” no longer around, Wichita State now has our attention.
What took place on Saturday, a 70-66 win over No. 2 seed Ohio State that was more convincing than the score indicates, was no fluke.
The Shockers out-schemed and outmuscled the hottest team from the consensus best league in America. And they didn’t come out of nowhere. It’s just that no one had really paid much attention.
Shame on us.
Wichita State, which beat mid-major darling VCU in November, had mostly cruised through this tournament other than a battle against Gonzaga in the round of 32. That was an easy one to write off, as Gonzaga should have never been ranked No. 1 in the nation.
Care to reconsider now?
The Shockers had to hit five straight threes in the last eight minutes to rally past the Zags, who were a really good team that ran into a really hot one.
They may have ruined Gonzaga’s storybook season, but they continued to represent for the mid-majors. They arguably had an easier time knocking off the Buckeyes, whom most picked out of the West Region, than they did the Zags.
And it’s time for us to be shocked no longer—no pun intended—when these mid-majors continue to have success in March.
Those inside college basketball know about Wichita State and know about coach Gregg Marshall. The Shockers play in a beautiful 10,506-seat arena that they pack nightly. Marshall turned down North Carolina State two years ago to stay in Wichita, and he convinces good players to come play in the middle of Kansas. He just has to look a little harder than the big boys.
Point guard Malcolm Armstead, who scored 14 points against Ohio State, was a starter for two seasons at Oregon before he decided to transfer for his final season elsewhere. Cleanthony Early was a two-time JUCO player of the year. Carl Hall, who turned 24 on Friday, was out of basketball for almost two years because of a heart condition.
Marshall, Shaka Smart and Brad Stevens might have to work a little differently than Ohio State or Kansas or UCLA, but they believe they can compete at their schools and they now have four Final Fours to show for it.
So the next time a Gonzaga or VCU or Wichita State climbs the rankings, lower your voices a bit. They do play somebody. They play each other.
Read more College Basketball news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
NCAA Bracket 2013: Mid-Major Stars Who Will Emerge in Round of 64 Games
In college basketball folklore, March is where the stars are made. It’s where ascendant talents emerge from all over the country and create a name for themselves on the national stage.
Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing and Carmelo Anthony all cut their teeth with brilliance in March. With the round of 64 teams finally set for the 2013 NCAA tournament, we finally have an opportunity to look at the full field of potential breakout players.
One thing before we begin: The concept of stars “emerging” in March is mostly a falsehood. They were there prior to the NCAA tournament, plugging away and putting together brilliant performances on a nightly basis. Most fans—especially ones who check in during March Madness—don’t watch college basketball on a nightly basis.
And even those casual fans who do watch regularly don’t get to check in on all of the action. They know the Trey Burkes, Cody Zellers and Mason Plumlees of the world. That’s easy enough. What’s important in filling out brackets—especially when scrounging for upsets—is identifying the mid-major players who shine just as bright (if not brighter) than their major-conference counterparts.
Who are those players in this year’s tournament? Here is a complete breakdown of a few guys who should emerge from mid-majors and ascend to national adoration (at least short term) in the round of 64.
Anthony Bennett (F, UNLV Rebels)
For scouts who judge collegiate players based on their potential in the NBA, Bennett is already a stud. The former 5-star recruit is averaging 16.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game this season, living up every bit to his billing as a future stud.
ESPN’s Chad Ford ranks Bennett as the fifth-best player in the 2013 NBA draft, and that’s a ranking that may only improve with a great performance in March.
Though respected, the problem with Bennett is that he has been doing his damage in the Mountain West Conference. While the Mountain West had the best conference RPI in the nation, it’s still viewed as a mid-major—and thus unworthy of regular-season recognition via nationally televised games.
Luckily, Bennett will be getting his proper national showcase starting Thursday versus California. The Rebels and Golden Bears play in the No. 5 vs. No. 12 matchup in the East region, where Bennett will instantly be able to prove his worth.
According to Ken Pomeroy’s advanced metrics (subscription required), Cal is one of the most efficient defenses in the country—especially inside. The Bears rank 31st in the nation in effective field-goal percentage and allow opposing teams to shoot just 42 percent on two pointers this season. That’s thanks mostly to the team’s abundant size, which forces altered shots and hesitation in the paint.
One thing Bennett does not do is hesitate when taking shots inside.
Bennett is one of the more explosive athletes in the nation, a guy who can consistently overpower opposing big men in the post. He can also stretch out past the three-point line, which should take the Bears big men out of their comfort zone and lead to some easier buckets for teammates.
Though he may not wind up having his best scoring performance, Bennett will get a great opportunity to flash the all-around game he’s developed thus far. With any luck, he’ll help his team and draft stock at the same time.
Mike Muscala (C, Bucknell Bison)
Much like Bennett, Muscala goes underappreciated more for the conference he plays in than his actual on-court performance. The senior center has been dominating the Patriot League for each of the past two seasons, throwing together nightly double-doubles with a complete nonchalance.
Heading into the Big Dance, Muscala is averaging 19 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. He has 22 double-doubles in 33 games this season, has scored below double digits just once and has three games where he’s gone 25-15—otherwise known as pre-Los Angeles Dwight Howard numbers.
His opportunities against elite competition have obviously been limited. Bucknell played just two games all season versus RPI Top 50 teams, one of which was versus noted defensive sieve La Salle.
The other, against Missouri, is far more notable and impressive. Facing off against solid interior defenders in Laurence Bowers and Alex Oriakhi, Muscala treated them like Patriot League no-names. He finished with 25 points, 14 rebounds and four assists as the Bison came within two points of pulling off the upset on the road.
It’s certainly a limited sample size. As is Muscala’s excellent play in the NIT last season. But it’s all we have to go on until he takes on Butler’s noted defensive stopper Andrew Smith on Thursday. Smith did a wonderful job of locking down both Cody Zeller and Kelly Olynyk earlier in the year and is a tough, smart on-ball defender.
Where Smith has trouble is one place Muscala excels—drawing fouls. The Butler seven-footer has fouled out of six games this season and finished with four fouls in nine others. Muscala has drawn 6.8 free throws per game thus far and has drained nearly 79 percent of his attempts.
Bucknell has a very good opportunity of pulling an upset in this No. 6 vs. No. 11 matchup over in the East region. If the Bison do, it will be because Muscala again ascended against elite competition.
Doug McDermott (F, Creighton)
Any college basketball fan worth his or her weight in orange leather knows the legend of Doug McDermott. The small forward with the sweetest stroke in the land, who descended upon Creighton to bring the Bluejays wonderful years of joy before becoming Kyle Korver 2.0 in the NBA.
For those who haven’t been paying attention: Yes, this is the same McDermott guy you all fell in love with after reading 300 words about him last season. Same player; only he’s back and better than ever.
McDermott’s 2012-13 season was something out of jump-shooting folklore. The junior forward is averaging 23.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, but what’s been most impressive is his efficiency. McDermott is shooting a whopping 56.1 percent from the field, including 49.7 from beyond the arc, and is fourth in the nation in true shot percentage, per Ken Pomeroy (subscription required).
That’s all undoubtedly impressive, but consider this: No one else on Creighton’s entire roster averages double-figure points per game. McDermott is the man, the only man, and teams still cannot find a way to mitigate his effect. He has gone over the 30-point mark seven times and has scored more than 25 in nearly half of Creighton’s games.
Guarding McDermott is nearly an impossible task—even for a defensive juggernaut like Cincinnati. The Bearcats rank 15th in defensive efficiency this season and ninth in effective field-goal percentage against, per Pomeroy (subscription required). They have the type of stoppers on the outside who could halt McDermott’s roll from outside—theoretically.
In practice, the Creighton star has too great of a track record to dismiss. Cincinnati certainly has the potential to stop him and everyone’s favorite schadenfreudian Duke stopper in the Midwest region, but we’ll believe it when we see it.
Link to Printable PDF
Link to Live Bracket
Follow all the exciting NCAA tournament action with March Madness Live.
Read more College Basketball news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
Mid-major madness? Gonzaga, others close the gap
Top-ranked Zags of the West Coast Conference are a top seed for first time
View full post on USATODAY.com Feed
Iona’s MAAC Championship Is Another Step Toward Becoming a Mid-Major Power
Tonight’s 60-57 win by the Iona Gaels over the Manhattan Jaspers in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship game symbolized the journey the program has traveled over the last year.
After being suffocated by Manhattan’s defense during the first half along with getting in foul trouble, the Gaels used a 17-2 run over a 5:51 stretch in the second half to win their first MAAC Championship in seven years.
They also used one of their best defensive efforts of the season to contain the Jaspers. Manhattan made 17 field goals and was held to 40.5 percent shooting on the night.
Furthermore, the 57 points Iona allowed are the fewest conceded by the Gaels this season.
Leading the Gaels in the win was junior Tre Bowman, who had 20 points off the bench to give a spark that was needed with leading scorers senior Lamont “Momo” Jones and junior Sean Armand held to a combined 21 points.
Jones and Armand were with the program in their trip to the NCAA tournament last March that was prematurely cut short after holding a 25-point first-half lead against Brigham Young.
They experienced the loss of transfer Michael Haynes, who was murdered last August shortly before he was supposed to join the Gaels.
Tonight’s win may not erase the memory of loss to BYU or of Haynes. Both are serving as motivation for the team this season.
However, winning the MAAC will serve as another memory of a season that has propelled the Gaels and their program forward.
Following tonight’s result, the Gaels have won their eighth MAAC championship, the most of any school in the conference’s 31-year history.
It also brings Iona to consecutive NCAA tournaments for the first time since the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons.
Iona, who have won 20 games in four consecutive seasons for the first time since the 1980s, are now in a position to be considered to be a mid-major power.
Under Tim Cluess, the Gaels have won 70 games in which the former C.W. Post coach has been in charge of the Maroon and Gold.
Using Cluess‘ free-flowing offensive style, the Gaels averaged 83.3 points per game, finishing first in the country in the category during the 2011-12 campaign.
This season, Iona has averaged 81.3 points per game, the second-highest total in the nation.
Cluess‘ style has convinced several players from programs in major conferences to come to the New Rochelle-based school, including Bowman (Penn State), Jones (Arizona) and Tavon Sledge (Iowa State).
The Gaels have also produced several professional basketball players who have graduated since Cluess became coach in 2010. This includes Scott Machado, the first Iona basketball player to play in the NBA since Sean Green in 1994.
With these new players, the Gaels have defeated notable nonconference programs like Maryland, Saint Joseph’s, Richmond, Nevada, Wake Forest, Georgia and St. Bonaventure during the last two seasons.
The combination of Cluess and his players allowed the Gaels to reach the final of the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) in 2011 before earning an at-large berth into the NCAA tournament last year.
By winning the MAAC, Cluess has made himself a more appealing coach to future recruits in the New York City area.
He also puts the Gaels into a position on the national stage where they will likely have to play stronger opponents.
Although Jones, Ridley, Nyandigisi “Diggs” Moikobu and Curtis Dennis will see their Iona careers end in the coming weeks, they will leave Iona as players who will have helped to lay the foundation for a mid-major power.
Considering the adversity they had to deal with this season, a spot as one of the 68 teams in the NCAA tournament is a fitting way for them to finish their collegiate careers and for the program to continue to advance.
Follow me on Twitter @Andrew_Jordan
Read more College Basketball news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
NCAA Basketball Rankings 2013: Mid-Major Top 10 for Week 18
Gonzaga finished off its regular season by completing a perfect slate in the West Coast Conference. The Zags have consistently been the No. 1 mid-major all season.
But there were some other shakeups in the rankings.
Creighton rose up to No. 6 after defeating Wichita State, and Louisiana Tech fell to New Mexico State for its first WAC loss of the season.
Read on to see the complete mid-major Top 10.
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
10 Mid-Major Basketball Teams Poised to Make a Big Run
March Madness officially begins on Selection Sunday.
On March 17, the pairings will be set and brackets will be filled out.
Some of the teams that will make deeps run in the tournament will be mid-majors.
When we are talking about mid-majors, we are talking about all of the schools that are outside of the power conferences (Big Ten, ACC, Big East, Big 12, Pac 12 and SEC).
Here are ten mid-majors that are poised to make a deep run in this year’s tourney.
Stats provided by ESPN.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
Ranking the Top 10 Mid-Major Basketball Players of the 2000′s
Some of the best collegiate players in the 2000′s have come from mid-major schools.
A surprising number of All-Americans and national Player of the Year award winners have come from schools outside the power conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big East, SEC, Big 12 and Pac 12).
The following is a list that ranks the Top 10 mid-major players of the 2000′s
You will quickly see that these individuals made their mark and accomplished much during their time on the collegiate hardwood.
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
Gonzaga Basketball: Bulldogs Complete Rise of the Mid-Major with No. 1 Ranking
As of Mar. 4, 2013, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are the No. 1 team in both the AP and USA Today polls (via ESPN). The Bulldogs currently rest at 29-2 overall and 16-0 in the West Coast Conference.
As a result of their No. 1 ranking, the Bulldogs have completed the regular season rise of the mid-major.
It may not be a National Championship, but Gonzaga has made history with their status as the No. 1 team in the nation. That history includes, but certainly isn’t limited to, that of their university.
According to a release via The Associated Press, the Zags are ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll for the first time in school history.
Furthermore, Nicole Auerbach of USA Today Sports reports that this is the first time Gonzaga has been ranked first overall in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The first time ever.
Just don’t expect head coach Mark Few to back down from the challenge.
“These kids have been ranked their whole careers,” Few said. “Whether it was 20 or 10 or 5 or 2 or even 1, they’ve still been ranked. They’ve had a huge bull’s-eye on their chest the entire time they’ve played at Gonzaga. This isn’t something new.
“There might be a larger mass of (attention), but it’s certainly not something new. We’ll keep doing what we’re doing. This group handles it really well. They don’t get too caught up in it.”
John Stockton, Ronny Turiaf, Casey Calvary, Blake Stepp, Dan Dickau and Adam Morrison—all legendary Zags who couldn’t lead the team to No. 1.
This is not to sell those players’ efforts short, but instead to acknowledge the changing of the guard in college basketball. No longer is attention focused solely on the major conferences, but instead upon the mid-majors.
Perhaps none more so than Gonzaga.
Making School History
The Zags have appeared in every NCAA Tournament since 1999. They’ve made five Sweet Sixteen appearances and have won at least 25 games in 13 of those 14 seasons.
Even still, they have never possessed the top spot in the AP or USA Today Coaches Poll. Until now.
Not during their 28-3 season in 2003-04. Not when they went 28-6 in 2008-09. Not even when they finished 29-4 in 2005-06.
Never.
With Mark Few doing his best coaching job yet, however, Gonzaga has silenced the critics and risen to No. 1. With just one game remaining, a home contest against the 11-20 Portland Pilots, it appears as if they’ll hold on to the top spot.
The last time these two teams met, Gonzaga won 81-52 at Portland.
In other words, the Bulldogs are in prime position to be ranked No. 1 overall entering the NCAA Tournament. It is then that we could, potentially, see a Mid-Major team win the National Championship.
Until then, the regular season rise of the mid-major has been completed—nine years in the making.
Third in a Near Decade
The Gonzaga Bulldogs have made more than team history. In fact, they’ve become one of the greatest mid-major teams of the century due to their recent feat.
The Bulldogs are the first mid-major to be ranked first overall since Feb. 18, 2008. Derrick Rose and the Memphis Tigers took home that honor by reaching 25-0.
With one loss, however, the Tigers fell down the rankings and never managed to reclaim the top spot.
Prior to that, it was Jameer Nelson and the St. Joseph’s Hawks on Mar. 8, 2004. The Eagles finished the regular season at 27-0 and Nelson went on to win a multitude of the National Player of the Year awards.
To put it simply, Gonzaga has joined rare company.
The Bulldogs are just the third mid-major team in nine years to secure the No. 1 ranking in the NCAA. Not only does this place an extreme burden upon the Zags to perform well come March Madness, but it has created something else.
The official regular season rise of the mid-major.
Read more College Basketball news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
