Mid-Major Madness: How Sweet 16 It Is For Additional Mid-Level Members
After an average of four mid-level schools reached the Sweet 16 in a six-year span from 2006 through 2011, the previous three seasons could have cemented the premise about mid-major schools deserving additional 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 in 2012, the Mountain West Conference flopped in 2013 and only two mid-majors reached the Sweet 16 in 2014.
Wichita State advancing to the Final Four plus victories by Lehigh, Norfolk State and Florida Gulf Coast the previous four years were invigorating but the mid-major community missed out on a potential bonanza. Wichita State, a Final Four participant in 2013, was eliminated in second round last season by Kentucky but the Shockers returned to the Sweet 16 this year. 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 64 teams in 1985: