The NCAA Tournament is only a few weeks away and the Madness is set to begin soon. The tournament field is coming into focus, but that can still change over the final few weeks of the season as sports betting favorites reveal themselves.
While much of the debate centers around the top seeds in each of the four regions, this tournament is known as March Madness for an entirely different reason. It’s the mid-majors that make this tournament fun. There are some terrific mid-major teams that have emerged this season.
Some of the top mid-major teams might have trouble even sneaking into the field. This is because they often get overlooked by the committee.
Here are some of the best mid-major programs to keep your eye on as the brackets are unveiled.
Beware of the Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference is usually a league that has some solid football teams. Most people tend to overlook this conference when it comes to basketball, but that might be a mistake this season.
This league could potentially get three teams in the NCAA Tournament, maybe four depending on the conference champion. Boise State looks like the clear favorite in this league, but Colorado State and Wyoming aren’t too far behind.
All three of these teams appear to have what it takes for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. However, each team does have some flaws as well. The fact that there are so many competitive teams in the Mountain West Conference will come into play as these teams are battle tested.
Colorado State and Wyoming look like teams that can win at least one game in the NCAA Tournament. Boise State might be able to get to the second weekend.
Atlantic 10 Teams Poised For Run
The Power 5 Conferences tend to get most of the attention when it comes to college basketball. But the Atlantic 10 might be the best league in the country. This conference has five teams that could receive an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. They all could go on a big run.
Davidson currently leads the A-10 Conference, and the Wildcats are a program that has had success in the NCAA Tournament in the past. The Wildcats might not have Stephen Curry anymore, but this is another loaded roster that can win some games.
VCU and Dayton are two other teams in the A-10 that can win some games in the NCAA Tournament, and each team still has a shot to win the league. The Dayton Flyers are arguably the best team in the A-10, and they will be a force in March Madness.
There is always one mid major conference that has a great NCAA Tournament and it seems like this could be the year for the Atlantic 10.
Familiar Faces Set to Return?
We’ve made it all this way in the article and haven’t even mentioned the Gonzaga Bulldogs yet. Even though the Bulldogs are likely going to be the number one overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, they still have to be considered a mid major.
Another team that has now become a consistent threat in the NCAA Tournament is the Loyola Chicago Ramblers. This team has made some terrific runs in recent seasons, and they are one of the best teams in the Missouri Valley Conference this season.
The other team in the MVC that could be a team to watch out for is the Drake Bulldogs. If Drake can get into the field as the MVC Champion, they could make a deep run.