Best conference overall

[SCyclone]

Just for fun, I went into the latest KenPom rankings and totaled each team's rankings, by conference, and then divided by the number of schools to get an average ranking. Here are the results:

Big XII - 34.8
Big 10 - 39.0
ACC - 49.5
SEC - 55.8
Pac 12 - 105.8

Not making any specific point, just was curious. You guys can discuss below.

 

[Gunnerclone]

Big 12 has been the best conference in CBB for quite some time. I don’t see that changing any time soon.

 

[ISUCubswin]

Just amazes me out the Pac 12 was the one trying to poach teams for the super conference and are just blowing to chunks

 

[isutrevman]

Pac 12, conference of garbage.

 

[VeloClone]

Here is what Jeff Sagarin has to say about that:

CONFERENCE - CENTRAL MEAN - SIMPLE AVERAGE - TEAMS - WIN50%

1 BIG 12 = 85.45 85.22 ( 1) 10 85.26 ( 1)
2 BIG TEN = 85.00 84.85 ( 2) 14 84.88 ( 2)
3 ATLANTIC COAST = 84.48 84.75 ( 3) 15 84.61 ( 3)
4 SOUTHEASTERN = 82.98 83.19 ( 4) 14 83.14 ( 4)
5 BIG EAST = 81.88 82.10 ( 5) 10 82.06 ( 5)
6 PAC-12 = 78.78 78.33 ( 6) 12 78.50 ( 6)
7 AMER. ATHLETIC = 77.88 77.66 ( 7) 12 77.78 ( 7)
8 WEST COAST = 75.60 76.11 ( 8) 10 75.73 ( 8)
9 MAC(east) = 74.42 74.89 ( 9) 6 74.67 ( 9)
10 MOUNTAIN WEST = 74.14 74.08 ( 10) 11 74.09 ( 10)
11 MAC(west) = 73.89 73.90 ( 11) 6 73.90 ( 11)
12 ATLANTIC 10 = 73.51 73.55 ( 12) 14 73.55 ( 12)
13 MISSOURI VALLEY = 72.36 72.63 ( 13) 10 72.59 ( 13)
14 IVY LEAGUE = 71.77 71.68 ( 14) 8 71.70 ( 14)
15 SOUTHERN = 71.42 71.38 ( 15) 10 71.38 ( 15)

 

[SCyclone]

Best and worst KenPom rankings by conference:

Big XII - Best Kansas 9 Worst West Virginia 85
Big 10 - Best Michigan State 3 Worst Rutgers 109
ACC - Best Virginia 1 Worst Wake Forest 154
SEC - Best Tennessee 5 Worst Texas A&M 132
Pac 12 - Best Washington 47 Worst California 255

The Big XII schools ranking number totals was 348 (all 10 school's rankings added together). The bottom two schools in the Pac 12 totaled 452.

 

[VeloClone]

Pac 12, conference of garbage.

 

[stateofmind]

Best and worst KenPom rankings by conference:

Big XII - Best Kansas 9 Worst West Virginia 85
Big 10 - Best Michigan State 3 Worst Rutgers 109
ACC - Best Virginia 1 Worst Wake Forest 154
SEC - Best Tennessee 5 Worst Texas A&M 132
Pac 12 - Best Washington 47 Worst California 255

The Big XII schools ranking number totals was 348 (all 12 school's rankings added together). The bottom two schools in the Pac 12 totaled 452.

There are 10 schools, just saying.

 

[isutrevman]

Walton is the only reason anyone watches Pac 12 games.

 

[VeloClone]

The Big XII schools ranking number totals was 348 (all 12 school's rankings added together). The bottom two schools in the Pac 12 totaled 452.

Even when corrected for 10 schools this is incredible.

 

[stateofmind]

I would like to see the rankings of each conference when you just take their top 10 schools. I'm guessing we are still the top or near, but I bet it changes the rank a bit. More than 10 teams just may weaken a conference...

 

[CyHans]

Big 12 is good overall but we need to get to the final 4 more regularly, and not just KU.

 

[KCClone1]

The Big12 is always the deepest conference. There are no easy games. But we aren't very good at the top. I don't think there are any teams that are even close to final four worthy right now.

 

[surly]

The P12 is in serious danger of becoming a non-factor nationally. Poor location for kids to be seen on national TV is a large problem. "UCLA or Duke, let's see, which school are people going to watch me play?" Then, they recruit west coach youngsters who, in my humble view, do not have the same competitive values. Example: USC has tons of stars and zero passion. That conference would benefit from a new vision in the commissioner's office.

 

[Doc]

The top of the conference isn’t very good. KU’s been playing like a 6 seed after Dok went down. Tech has no offense. We're good at finding ways to lose. KSU is experienced and has some talent but mehhhh. I'd guess we're good for two S16.

 

[Cyclonepride]

The Big12 is always the deepest conference. There are no easy games. But we aren't very good at the top. I don't think there are any teams that are even close to final four worthy right now.

By straight up quality of team, best outing vs best outing, probably not, but we've got a few that could make a run through the right bracket.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

By straight up quality of team, best outing vs best outing, probably not, but we've got a few that could make a run through the right bracket.

The NCAA tournament isn't a good barometer on how how strong a conference is. It's amazing the breaks that even really good teams need just to advance to a final 4 or elite 8. It's all about teams getting hot at the right time and catching some breaks. Rarely does the best overall team even win the thing.

 

[SCyclone]

There are 10 schools, just saying.

Oops, you're right. Corrected - thanks!

 

[VeloClone]

I would like to see the rankings of each conference when you just take their top 10 schools. I'm guessing we are still the top or near, but I bet it changes the rank a bit. More than 10 teams just may weaken a conference...

It would be interesting, but I think the rankings as they are are most useful. A conference with a few bottom dwellers gives the best teams a break to rest up starters at the end of blowouts and pad their record as well as having more teams than you can play in a round robin allows teams to avoid playing all of the best opposition in the league home and away. There are no breaks in the Big 12. I don't think anyone would consider a game against even our worst team anything near a break (WVU).

 

[cyclones500]

Here is what Jeff Sagarin has to say about that:

CONFERENCE - CENTRAL MEAN - SIMPLE AVERAGE - TEAMS - WIN50%

1 BIG 12 = 85.45 85.22 ( 1) 10 85.26 ( 1)
2 BIG TEN = 85.00 84.85 ( 2) 14 84.88 ( 2)
3 ATLANTIC COAST = 84.48 84.75 ( 3) 15 84.61 ( 3)
4 SOUTHEASTERN = 82.98 83.19 ( 4) 14 83.14 ( 4)
5 BIG EAST = 81.88 82.10 ( 5) 10 82.06 ( 5)
6 PAC-12 = 78.78 78.33 ( 6) 12 78.50 ( 6)
7 AMER. ATHLETIC = 77.88 77.66 ( 7) 12 77.78 ( 7)
8 WEST COAST = 75.60 76.11 ( 8) 10 75.73 ( 8)
9 MAC(east) = 74.42 74.89 ( 9) 6 74.67 ( 9)
10 MOUNTAIN WEST = 74.14 74.08 ( 10) 11 74.09 ( 10)
11 MAC(west) = 73.89 73.90 ( 11) 6 73.90 ( 11)
12 ATLANTIC 10 = 73.51 73.55 ( 12) 14 73.55 ( 12)
13 MISSOURI VALLEY = 72.36 72.63 ( 13) 10 72.59 ( 13)
14 IVY LEAGUE = 71.77 71.68 ( 14) 8 71.70 ( 14)
15 SOUTHERN = 71.42 71.38 ( 15) 10 71.38 ( 15)

A-10 has really slipped the past couple of years. MWC to some extent as well --- Each had been 3- or 4-bid leagues for a few seasons running. A-10 losing Butler and Xavier to Big East I'm sure had a major impact.

Southern in top-half of conferences surprises me a bit (and Ivy a little bit, too).

MVC's heyday was about 12 to 15 years ago.