Runaway Winners: Most Dominant Regular-Season Conference Champions
March 8th, 2020 - 9:37
Two years ago, Virginia became the first ACC member since Duke in 1999-00 to win the regular-season league title by as many as four games in final standings. The most dominant clubs in conference competition this season came from out West again - New Mexico State (won WAC by six games) and San Diego State (captured Mountain West by five games). In 2018-19, UC Irvine (Big West) and Gonzaga (West Coast) each won their leagues by five games.
The SEC is the only power league in the last decade to have a team finish atop conference standings by at least five games. New Mexico State and San Diego State are among the following 17 teams to win a DI conference regular-season crown by more than four games in the last decade (listed in reverse order):
| Season | League Champion (Coach) | Conference | Mark | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | New Mexico State (Chris Jans) | Western Athletic | 16-0 | +6 |
| 2019-20 | San Diego State (Brian Dutcher) | Mountain West | 17-1 | +5 |
| 2018-19 | UC Irvine (Russell Turner) | Big West | 15-1 | +5 |
| 2018-19 | Gonzaga (Mark Few) | West Coast | 16-0 | +5 |
| 2017-18 | Buffalo (Nate Oats) | Mid-American/East | 15-3 | +6 |
| 2016-17 | Belmont (Rick Byrd) | Ohio Valley/East | 15-1 | +5 |
| 2014-15 | Murray State (Steve Prohm) | Ohio Valley/West | 16-0 | +6 |
| 2014-15 | Kentucky (John Calipari) | SEC | 18-0 | +5 |
| 2014-15 | New Mexico State (Marvin Menzies) | WAC | 13-1 | +5 |
| 2013-14 | Wichita State (Gregg Marshall) | Missouri Valley | 18-0 | +6 |
| 2013-14 | Murray State (Steve Prohm) | Ohio Valley/West | 13-3 | +5 |
| 2013-14 | Florida (Billy Donovan) | SEC | 18-0 | +6 |
| 2012-13 | Middle Tennessee State (Kermit Davis) | Sun Belt | 19-1 | +5 |
| 2011-12 | Kentucky (John Calipari) | SEC | 16-0 | +6 |
| 2011-12 | Middle Tennessee State (Kermit Davis) | Sun Belt/East | 14-2 | +6 |
| 2010-11 | Utah State (Stew Morrill) | WAC | 15-1 | +5 |
| 2009-10 | Butler (Brad Stevens) | Horizon League | 18-0 | +6 |