Who exactly is the best conference?

[ericd7633]

I've been trying to decide who looks like they are the best overall conference this year. IMO this has been one of the crazier starts to the season. I can't remember the last time so many P5 teams lost to mid majors and low majors before. It has caused a lot of RPI's to otherwise be lower than they normally would. I did a little breakdown of each conference's record vs. the RPI 1-25, 25-50, and 51-100. I did this for the P5 conferences and the Big East, after the surprisingly(at least to me) good start they had.

Here's how it's broken down:
Record against RPI 1-25:
ACC: 6-4 - 60% winning percentage
Big East: 2-7 - 22% winning percentage
Big 12: 2-6 - 25% winning percentage
Big 10: 4-12 - 25% winning percentage
SEC: 3-10 - 23% winning percentage
Pac 12: 4-7 - 36% winning percentage

Record against RPI 26-50:
ACC: 8-9 - 47% winning percentage
Big East: 5-4 - 55% winning percentage
Big 12: 3-2 - 60% winning percentage
Big 10: 3-6 - 33% winning percentage
SEC: 3-6 - 33% winning percentage
Pac 12: 2-6 - 25% winning percentage

Record against RPI 51-100:
ACC: 13-7 - 65% winning percentage
Big East: 12-4 - 75% winning percentage
Big 12: 17-2 - 89% winning percentage
Big 10: 11-6 - 65% winning percentage
SEC: 11-10 - 52% winning percentage
Pac 12 6-6 - 50% winning percentage

The ACC seems to be the best at the top, and the Big 12 seems to have the best depth of numbers. I think the ACC will get better seeds come selection Sunday, based on the early numbers, but I think the Big 12 will get the most percentage of their teams in the tournament.

I'd rank as follows:
1. ACC
2. Big 12
3. Big East
4. Big 10
5. SEC
6. Pac 12

 

[TDs3nOut]

American doesn't even make the list? Hmm. Poor UConn.

 

[ericd7633]

American doesn't even make the list? Hmm. Poor UConn.

American conference:

0-8 vs. the RPI top 25
1-6 vs. the RPI 26-50
6-3 vs. the RPI top 50-100

I think it's pretty clear they are behind the other 6 right now. And they currently have no top 50 RPI teams.

 

[TDs3nOut]

American conference:

0-8 vs. the RPI top 25
1-6 vs. the RPI 26-50
6-3 vs. the RPI top 50-100

I think it's pretty clear they are behind the other 6 right now. And they currently have no top 50 RPI teams.

Guess I should have looked at some standings before I piped in. Haven't paid much attention to college hoops yet this season. Apparently the AAC is down this year. Still quite early in the season, of course.

 

[rmilia1]

The top of a conference??? ACC. The entire conference?? B10.

 

[ericd7633]

The top of a conference??? ACC. The entire conference?? B10.

I'd strongly disagree with that. IMO the B1G is very much down this year, at the top, in the middle and at the bottom. Last year you'd have a good argument as it being the best.

 

[rmilia1]

I'd strongly disagree with that. IMO the B1G is very much down this year, at the top, in the middle and at the bottom. Last year you'd have a good argument as it being the best.

B10 is down this year. Its still the best league top to bottom. The B12 would be the only league close but its tough to say with only 10 teams. I still take the B10 top 10 vs the B12's... The other conferences have 0 depth and while they may be loaded at the top with 1 ( SEC/P12) or more really good teams they suck at the bottom. Its not an accident the B10 won the challenge, they are just better top to bottom. The ACC is clearly better in the top 4 though

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Right now all I can say is the ACC is clearly the best of the best teams. They have the best top dogs. But also the worst bottom dogs.


Big East is far and away the most impressive so far but not the "best".


I think I would say the Big12 is the best right now as they have a lot of "quality" teams. Oklahoma and Kstate have been a little disappointing but Texas looks phenominal. Kansas is Kansas and figuring it out. ISU is very nice.


This year we really do not have a lot of impressive teams.


UK(even they have a suspect offense), Zona(even they have a lot of growing to do) and Wisconsin(need more consistency out of Dekker) were the 3 known commodities coming in and they are all legit of course.


UL, Texas, Gonzaga and Duke have all been beyond impressive. Witchita and Nova are also very quality teams with more upside to come.


The rest of college basketball is blahhh right now. Really nothing else is surprising me right now because so many teams are flawed.

 

[SJ76]

Too early. Let's see who gets in the sweet 16. I can tell you the big 10 isn't as good as last year.

 

[rmilia1]

Kansas vs Wisconsin
Ohio State vs Texas
West Virginia vs Maryland
Illinois vs Oklahoma
Iowa State vs Iowa
Penn State vs TCU
Baylor vs Indiana
Purdue vs Texas Tech
OK State vs Minnesota
Michigan State vs Kansas State

- Now that would be an interesting couple days of basketball ( I used the current top 10 B10 teams )

 

[MI Nightmare]

Can't really argue with all that but the RPI is still developing and there are a few good match-ups left prior to conference play...

So, wtf Northwestern?!? Get on it.

 

[MI Nightmare]

UL, Texas, Gonzaga and Duke have all been beyond impressive. Witchita and Nova are also very quality teams with more upside to come.

I have to add Utah to that mix. Even if they just keep it close vs. Kansas, they are still a legit top 10-15 team, that would crack the top 10 with a W over KU.

 

[wingsauce7]

When exactly did conference chest pounding cross into CBB? I can see the whole SOS being talked about in CFB due to positioning for 4 spots and such, but is it really needed in basketball? I think not.

68 teams make the Dance and if your team isn't one of them, look to next year.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

I have to add Utah to that mix. Even if they just keep it close vs. Kansas, they are still a legit top 10-15 team, that would crack the top 10 with a W over KU.

Yeah Utah is a real nice team too(with loverridge)

But they are not "real impressive" to me yet. I feel like they can lose a lot of games as well as compete with just about anyone.

Great at home though.

 

[dcZONAfan]

Right now all I can say is the ACC is clearly the best of the best teams. They have the best top dogs. But also the worst bottom dogs.


Big East is far and away the most impressive so far but not the "best".


I think I would say the Big12 is the best right now as they have a lot of "quality" teams. Oklahoma and Kstate have been a little disappointing but Texas looks phenominal. Kansas is Kansas and figuring it out. ISU is very nice.


This year we really do not have a lot of impressive teams.


UK(even they have a suspect offense), Zona(even they have a lot of growing to do) and Wisconsin(need more consistency out of Dekker) were the 3 known commodities coming in and they are all legit of course.


UL, Texas, Gonzaga and Duke have all been beyond impressive. Witchita and Nova are also very quality teams with more upside to come.


The rest of college basketball is blahhh right now. Really nothing else is surprising me right now because so many teams are flawed.

Does anyone else feel like Louisville is incredibly overrated this year? I have to say that out of all the top 7 or 8 teams they scare me the least. I would rather play them 100 times out of 100 than play UVA, for example.

I know Harrell is really good, I just think they look like world beaters when playing crappy teams because of their style of play and even then, this year they have looked unimpressive doing so a bunch of times.

That Indiana game is an example. I know they ended up winning by 20, but they looked awful letting that Indiana team stay with them for like 33 minutes and Indiana is not at all impressive.

I think any team with good guards will shred Louisville because that press won't work against them. I guess we will see

 

[douggie]

Does anyone else feel like Louisville is incredibly overrated this year? I have to say that out of all the top 7 or 8 teams they scare me the least. I would rather play them 100 times out of 100 than play UVA, for example.

I know Harrell is really good, I just think they look like world beaters when playing crappy teams because of their style of play and even then, this year they have looked unimpressive doing so a bunch of times.

That Indiana game is an example. I know they ended up winning by 20, but they looked awful letting that Indiana team stay with them for like 33 minutes and Indiana is not at all impressive.

I think any team with good guards will shred Louisville because that press won't work against them. I guess we will see

With Jones and Rozier in the backcourt they are as competitive as you can get. Their athleticism and slashing capability makes them pretty good no matter who they face. Add in Harrell and they can do some damage. Pitino just has to make sure Rozier doesn't skip class.

 

[azchamps]

Not trying to be an a-hole, just MHO. These numbers mean about as much as preseason polls.
Absolutely nothing.

 

[ericd7633]

Not trying to be an a-hole, just MHO. These numbers mean about as much as preseason polls.
Absolutely nothing.

Wins against the top 50 RPI is a significant factor for seeding/selection purposes come March.

 

[azchamps]

So what if these wins come against top 50 teams now and they end up as .500 teams that don't even make it to the dance?
Polls mean nothing this early in the season.

 

[UK Cowboy]

Does anyone else feel like Louisville is incredibly overrated this year? I have to say that out of all the top 7 or 8 teams they scare me the least. I would rather play them 100 times out of 100 than play UVA, for example.

I know Harrell is really good, I just think they look like world beaters when playing crappy teams because of their style of play and even then, this year they have looked unimpressive doing so a bunch of times.

That Indiana game is an example. I know they ended up winning by 20, but they looked awful letting that Indiana team stay with them for like 33 minutes and Indiana is not at all impressive.

I think any team with good guards will shred Louisville because that press won't work against them. I guess we will see

I think UNC is going to play UK very strongly tomorrow, but I have no dout UK will blow Louisville's doors completely off. Harrell is a heck of a player against kids his size or bigger kids who are lesser athletes. He's gonna get broke down like a shotgun when Cal slaps WCS and Lee on him though