Tiny Dancers: What Could Have Been for Mid-Majors in 2020 NCAA Playoffs?

Prior to coronavirus cancellation, the national tourney this season was expected to be a bonanza year for mid-majors with Dayton (Atlantic 10), Gonzaga (West Coast) and San Diego State (Mountain West) ranked in Top 10. When given an opportunity via an at-large invitation to the Big Dance, members from 11 different mid-major conferences have more than held their own against opponents from elite leagues. The greatest example was Virginia Commonwealth, which defeated members from five different power leagues en route to the 2011 Final Four. It was preposterous there were any questions at all about Belmont (Ohio Valley) as an at-large team this campaign.

Power-conference setback totals against mid-major at-large entrants since 1992 include: Big Eight/Big 12 (22), Big East (19), Big Ten (15), SEC (15), ACC (13) and Pac-12 (11). In the previous 28 years (all but 2009 and 2017), the following total of 39 different mid-major at-large entrants went on to win in the NCAA playoffs against a total of 53 different power-conference members (listed in reverse chronological order):

NOTE: Butler (Big East), Cincinnati (Big East), Louisville (Big East and ACC), Utah (Pac-12) and Xavier (Big East) subsequently joined a power conference.