UConn
Memphis
Cincy
Temple
Those are the top four teams in the 2014-15 AAC, in my opinion.
The Big East's?
Georgetown
Villanova
Marquette
Xavier
Not that much of a difference, but it's the core that matters: Creighton, Providence, Seton Hall, and St. John's compared to Houston, South Florida, Central Florida, and SMU.
Howdy ya'll.
Just out of curiosity, I decided to rank last year's conferences by their average KenPom ratings. Even though the tournament committee uses RPI (as CBB will be quick to remind us of) I have found KP to be a more accurate judge of a team's strength. I found some interesting numbers, ranked if you are curious,
B1G: 49.25
B12: 58.4
ACC: 66
PAC 12: 71.75
BEast: 75
SEC: 81.5
A10: 85.46
AAC: 89.9
WCC: 115.4
MWC: 130.27
MVC: 153.7
CUSA: 171.29
This is only one perspective but it tells me a couple of things. 1. There is a big divide between the top 8 conferences and the rest. 2. The BEast is safe inside that top 8, coming in 5th. 3. The B1G is ridiculously good. 4. The AAC is the most top heavy conference in the history of sports.
And again, just out of curiosity I re-ranked the conferences but factored in next year's realignment. Here's how the spread will look.
B1G: 56.93 (Rutgers is that bad)
B12: 58.4
ACC: 63.4
PAC 12: 71.75
BEast: 75
SEC: 81.5
A10: 85.46
WCC: 115.4
AAC: 120.82
MWC: 130.27
MVC: 153.7
CUSA: 180.07
With the trade of Louisville/Rutgers for ECU/Tulsa/Tulane, the ACC's average KP drops down to mid major levels. They will be actually worse than the WCC and only slightly ahead of the MWC. Granted, some of their programs such as Temple and South Florida should be better next season, but the AAC may be heading for mid-major status. Are the trio of UConn, Cincy, and Memphis now the Gonzaga, St. Mary's, and BYU of the east?
I'm not sure I'm right about this, but isn't Ken Pom the guy who had Bucky ranked No. 1 for like 4 straight years and he had to admit that there was something funky about Bucky's style that made them a statistical outlier in his system?
Howdy ya'll.
Just out of curiosity, I decided to rank last year's conferences by their average KenPom ratings. Even though the tournament committee uses RPI (as CBB will be quick to remind us of) I have found KP to be a more accurate judge of a team's strength. I found some interesting numbers, ranked if you are curious,
B1G: 49.25
B12: 58.4
ACC: 66
PAC 12: 71.75
BEast: 75
SEC: 81.5
A10: 85.46
AAC: 89.9
WCC: 115.4
MWC: 130.27
MVC: 153.7
CUSA: 171.29
This is only one perspective but it tells me a couple of things. 1. There is a big divide between the top 8 conferences and the rest. 2. The BEast is safe inside that top 8, coming in 5th. 3. The B1G is ridiculously good. 4. TheAACACC is the most top heavy conference in the history of sports.
And again, just out of curiosity I re-ranked the conferences but factored in next year's realignment. Here's how the spread will look.
B1G: 56.93 (Rutgers is that bad)
B12: 58.4
ACC: 63.4
PAC 12: 71.75
BEast: 75
SEC: 81.5
A10: 85.46
WCC: 115.4
AAC: 120.82
MWC: 130.27
MVC: 153.7
CUSA: 180.07
With the trade of Louisville/Rutgers for ECU/Tulsa/Tulane, theACC'sAAC's average KP drops down to mid major levels. They will be actually worse than the WCC and only slightly ahead of the MWC. Granted, some of their programs such as Temple and South Florida should be better next season, but the AAC may be heading for mid-major status. Are the trio of UConn, Cincy, and Memphis now the Gonzaga, St. Mary's, and BYU of the east?
SMU will be awesome next year in the AAC. Providence will probs be better than us next year. If you're talking about the best four programs in each conference then yes you're probably right.
Conference | Median Ranking (kpom) | Team |
B12 | 36 | Average of Texas and Oklahoma |
ACC | 41 | FSU |
B1G | 48.5 | Average of Minnesota and Illinois |
P12 | 54.5 | Average of ASU and Cal |
BEast | 63 | Average of St. Johns and Georgetown |
SEC | 81 | Average of Missou and Mississippi |
AAC | 81 | Average of Memphis and Houston |
A10 | 85 | St. Bonaventure |
I'm not sure I'm right about this, but isn't Ken Pom the guy who had Bucky ranked No. 1 for like 4 straight years and he had to admit that there was something funky about Bucky's style that made them a statistical outlier in his system?
Did the ACC and AAC get swapped in these two spots?
SMU will be awesome next year in the AAC. Providence will probs be better than us next year. If you're talking about the best four programs in each conference then yes you're probably right.
Are the trio of UConn, Cincy, and Memphis now the Gonzaga, St. Mary's, and BYU of the east?
We're supposed to overlook the fact that UConn just won its 2nd national championship in four years (and 4th overall), and lump them with three teams who each can claim an Elite Eight as their biggest-ever school achievement (with one of them not having been there in 33 years, and one 55 years removed from the achievement?)
To answer your question: No, I don't think UConn, Cincy or Memphis are now the Gonzaga, St. Mary's and BYU of the east.
Ask again in 30 years. If UConn, Cincy and Memphis have one elite eight in that time between the three of them, then the question warrants a serious discussion.