Down But Not Out: Mid-Majors Miss Out on Making Major Impact
March 23rd, 2012 - 18:56
After an average of four mid-level schools reached the Sweet 16 the previous six seasons, this year could have cemented the premise about mid-major schools deserving more at-large consideration.
But that was before eight mid-level schools - Gonzaga, New Mexico, St. Bonaventure, Saint Louis, Saint Mary's, Southern Mississippi, UNLV and Virginia Commonwealth - were eliminated in games against power six conference members by an average of only four points. Victories by Lehigh and Norfolk State, runner-ups in their respective conference standings, were invigorating but the mid-major community missed out on a potential bonanza. Following is a look at how at least one mid-major conference member advanced to a regional semifinal or beyond since the field was expanded to at least 64 teams in 1985:
Year Mid-Major School Coach Conference Playoff Advancement 1985 Louisiana Tech Andy Russo Southland Sweet 16 1985 Loyola of Chicago Gene Sullivan Midwestern City Sweet 16 1986 Cleveland State Kevin Mackey Mid-Continent Sweet 16 1986 Navy Paul Evans Colonial Regional Final 1986 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian PCAA Sweet 16 1987 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian PCAA Final Four 1987 Wyoming Jim Brandenburg Western Athletic Sweet 16 1988 Rhode Island Tom Penders Atlantic 10 Sweet 16 1988 Richmond Dick Tarrant Colonial Sweet 16 1988 Temple John Chaney Atlantic 10 Regional Final 1989 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian Big West Regional Final 1990 Ball State Dick Hunsaker Mid-American Sweet 16 1990 Loyola Marymount Paul Westhead West Coast Regional Final 1990 Texas Tom Penders Southwest Regional Final 1990 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian Big West NCAA Champion 1990 Xavier Pete Gillen Midwestern Collegiate Sweet 16 1991 Eastern Michigan Ben Braun Mid-American Sweet 16 1991 Temple John Chaney Atlantic 10 Regional Final 1991 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian Big West Final Four 1991 Utah Rick Majerus Western Athletic Sweet 16 1992 Massachusetts John Calipari Atlantic 10 Sweet 16 1992 New Mexico State Neil McCarthy Big West Sweet 16 1992 Texas-El Paso Don Haskins Western Athletic Sweet 16 1993 George Washington Mike Jarvis Atlantic 10 Sweet 16 1993 Temple John Chaney Atlantic 10 Regional Final 1993 Western Kentucky Ralph Willard Sun Belt Sweet 16 1994 Tulsa Tubby Smith Missouri Valley Sweet 16 1995 Massachusetts John Calipari Atlantic 10 Regional Final 1995 Tulsa Tubby Smith Missouri Valley Sweet 16 1996 Cincinnati Bob Huggins Conference USA Regional Final 1996 Massachusetts John Calipari Atlantic 10 Final Four 1996 Utah Rick Majerus Western Athletic Sweet 16 1997 St. Joseph's Phil Martelli Atlantic 10 Sweet 16 1997 UT Chattanooga Mack McCarthy Southern Sweet 16 1997 Utah Rick Majerus Western Athletic Regional Final 1998 Rhode Island Jim Harrick Atlantic 10 Regional Final 1998 Utah Rick Majerus Western Athletic NCAA Title Game 1998 Valparaiso Homer Drew Mid-Continent Sweet 16 1999 Gonzaga Dan Monson West Coast Regional Final 1999 Miami (Ohio) Charlie Coles Mid-American Sweet 16 1999 SW Missouri State Steve Alford Missouri Valley Sweet 16 1999 Temple John Chaney Atlantic 10 Regional Final 2000 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16 2000 Tulsa Bill Self Western Athletic Regional Final 2001 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16 2001 Temple John Chaney Atlantic 10 Regional Final 2002 Kent State Stan Heath Mid-American Regional Final 2002 Southern Illinois Bruce Weber Missouri Valley Sweet 16 2003 Butler Todd Lickliter Horizon League Sweet 16 2004 Nevada Trent Johnson Western Athletic Sweet 16 2004 St. Joseph's Phil Martelli Atlantic 10 Regional Final 2004 UAB Mike Anderson Conference USA Sweet 16 2004 Xavier Thad Matta Atlantic 10 Regional Final 2005 Utah Ray Giacoletti Mountain West Sweet 16 2005 Wisconsin-Milwaukee Bruce Pearl Horizon League Sweet 16 2006 Bradley Jim Les Missouri Valley Sweet 16 2006 George Mason Jim Larranaga Colonial Final Four 2006 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16 2006 Memphis John Calipari Conference USA Regional Final 2006 Wichita State Mark Turgeon Missouri Valley Sweet 16 2007 Butler Todd Lickliter Horizon League Sweet 16 2007 Memphis John Calipari Conference USA Regional Final 2007 Southern Illinois Chris Lowery Missouri Valley Sweet 16 2007 UNLV Lon Kruger Mountain West Sweet 16 2008 Davidson Bob McKillop Southern Regional Final 2008 Memphis John Calipari Conference USA NCAA Title Game 2008 Western Kentucky Darrin Horn Sun Belt Sweet 16 2008 Xavier Sean Miller Atlantic 10 Regional Final 2009 Gonzaga Mark Few West Coast Sweet 16 2009 Memphis John Calipari Conference USA Sweet 16 2009 Xavier Sean Miller Atlantic 10 Sweet 16 2010 Butler Brad Stevens Horizon League NCAA Title Game 2010 Cornell Steve Donahue Ivy League Sweet 16 2010 Northern Iowa Ben Jacobsen Missouri Valley Sweet 16 2010 Saint Mary's Randy Bennett West Coast Sweet 16 2010 Xavier Chris Mack Atlantic 10 Sweet 16 2011 Brigham Young Dave Rose Mountain West Sweet 16 2011 Butler Brad Stevens Horizon League NCAA Title Game 2011 Richmond Chris Mooney Atlantic 10 Sweet 16 2011 San Diego State Steve Fisher Mountain West Sweet 16 2011 Virginia Commonwealth Shaka Smart Colonial Final Four 2012 Ohio University John Groce Mid-American Sweet 16 2012 Xavier Chris Mack Atlantic 10 Sweet 16