How do the so called “mid-majors” dance in the “big dance”? Some waltz, as in right out of the tournament in the first round,  some will swing through a round or two into the Sweet Sixteen, and a  few will boogie, as into the Final Four. Since the term mid-majors was introduced about 20 years ago there have only been six programs that have made it to the finals. So what is a mid-major athletic program? A mid-major is defined as any college program outside of the Power 5. (Pac-12, Big 10, SEC, Big 12, and ACC) But in using that definition there are schools that play in conferences like American Athletic, Mountain West, Big East, Atlantic Ten, etc. that don’t seem to fit that definition. For example, the defending NCAA champion UConn Huskies are not in a Power 5 conference but no one is calling their program mid-major. The lines get blurred. But using the term mid-major, as it is defined, I thought I would look at the potential for a mid-major team to make the Final Four in this 2024 tournament.  Anyone who has followed me on any of my post or on my new website(thebasketballgoat.com) knows that I am a fan of mid-major schools. I played at one (Middle Tennessee State) and coached at another that did make a deep run in the tournament in 1974 (Oral Roberts University).

Beginning in 1979 (pre-mid-major) with Indiana State and Larry Bird there has only been 6 programs that got to the Final Four. George Mason (2006), Butler (2009 & 2010), VCU (2011), Wichita State (2013), Florida Atlantic (2023), and a stretch for me as a mid-major UNLV (1987, 1991, and winning it in 1990).  Gonzaga by definition might be in the mid-major category but no one thinks their basketball program is mid-major. They have been to the finals in 2017 and 2021. UConn, who is the favorite to win their sixth championship, is certainly no mid-major program. Villanova won the tournament in 1985, 2016, and 2018, does anyone consider them mid-major? The mid-major that started it all was Butler in 2009. The Bulldogs captured the attention of the college basketball world and the heart of basketball fans with their run to the finals. They were a #5 seed and beat #1 Syracuse, #2 Kansas State, #1 Michigan State before losing to Duke in the finals 61-59. Their star player, Gordon Hayward, barely missed a 30-footer at the buzzer that could have won it. They came out of the Horizon League with a perfect 18-0 record and finished 33-5.

So, are there any Butler’s in this year’s tournament? I certainly hope so! Now we call them “bracket busters”. There are 21 “true” mid-majors in the field of 68 teams, if we don’t count programs like San Diego State, Yale, Gonzaga, etc. The highest seed of the mid-majors goes to Saint Mary’s #5 and Florida Atlantic #8. Saint Mary’s could lose in the first round to another mid-major, Grand Canyon (29-4). Florida Atlantic is a 1.5 point favorite to beat Northwestern out of the Big 10. The Wildcats are led by one of the best and “scariest” guards in the country, Boo Bouie, so I’m not buying that. McNeese #12 is getting a lot of love in their first round game with #5 Gonzaga. The winner of that game caught a break when Coach Self at Kansas, announced that Kevin McCullar, out with a bone bruise, will not play in the tournament. Another mid-major that I think could make a deep run in the tournament is #12 James Madison (31-3). Only UConn has as many wins as Madison. (James Madison was are FOURTH president.) They are on a 13-game winning streak. Two of their three loses were against the same team (Appalachian State) so that could mean a match-up problem. Terrance Edwards is an outstanding guard who averages 17.4 points a game. They are a veteran team with good overall size. BUT they get Duke in the second round if they beat Wisconsin. My pick, and be forewarned, I have never won a tournament pool in my life, that the best chance for another Butler is in the West with Saint Mary’s, Grand Canyon, and Charleston. With no disrespect to the teams in the West I think it is the weakest of the four regionals. Bottom line, however,  no “Butler Burgers” this year, named in honor of the 2009 run by Butler.

It is an honor to play in the “Big Dance” and any team that wins ONE game has accomplished  a lot for their program. A team that wins four in a row to get to the Final Four is special. In 1974 I was fortunate to be a part of a magical tournament run with Oral Roberts University. We beat Syracuse and Louisville before losing to Kansas in the Elite Eight finals. All three of our games went into overtime, that is how close these teams are. All the teams in the tournament deserve the opportunity to play on the “big stage” regardless of what conference they come from. Some programs may not have the reputation that the “blue bloods” have, and they certainly don’t have the money, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have the players. Which brings me to my final point about March Madness and the insanity going on with the Portal and NIL. Again, as I stated in earlier posts, I think it was WAY past time for the participants (athletes) to get a piece of the “money pie”. The Portal, as it currently stands has a lot of issues, the least of which is the coaches losing their position of control. I grew up close to Southern Illinois University, a prototypical mid-major program, from the Missouri Valley Conference. SIU finished the season 19-13 and sixth in the conference. The administration wanted to “go in a different direction” and thought the coach had underachieved. That is not unique, it happens every year in programs all across the country. But the main reason, I think, that SIU fired their  basketball coach is the Portal and NIL. The two best players on last year’s SIU basketball team left to play for Big 10 schools. One is an outstanding contributor on the #1 seed Purdue Boilermakers. The other player is All-Big 10 and averages over 15 points a game for the #3 seed Illinois Illini. Both of these teams could get to the Final Four, neither would get there without these two players. I am going to go out on a limb here and say SIU would have won more than 19 games and would have finished higher than sixth in the MVC had these players stayed. The coach at SIU would still have his job, or maybe a better one. I don’t blame the players, they went to “major” programs and probably a better paying situation. The current system is rigged and the “little people” will always end up with the short straw. NIL and Portal will/is destroying college sports or as I like to say “pay for play”. I love college sports and hope it is “fixed” before the “Big Dance” turns into the “Big Sham”, and the recruiting battle cry is “show me the money”.  * Gordan Hayward and Shelvin Mack of Butler celebrate a win in the NCAA Tournament.