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Which FCS conference is the best at basketball? Why?

Missouri Valley. SIU, UNI, Mo State, Wichita State (non-football)

All great teams

dbackjon wrote:Missouri Valley. SIU, UNI, Mo State, Wichita State (non-football)

All great teams

Northern Iowa? I dont recall them in the NCAA Tourney but yes to the others.


That's not even the same conf in bball at all yikes!

weberwildcat wrote:

dbackjon wrote:Missouri Valley. SIU, UNI, Mo State, Wichita State (non-football)

All great teams

Northern Iowa? I dont recall them in the NCAA Tourney but yes to the others.


That's not even the same conf in bball at all yikes!

Yes, they have been in the tourney several times. Great BB program.

I have to agree with this assessment.

However, being the myopian that I am, I have to put the Big West at the top of the I-AAA world. I know some would claim that it's the WCC, but I'm not buying it. The WCC doesn't have much south of Gonzaga, and even they're coming back to Earth. The Big West is about three or four deep.

That said, the MVC goes higher than any I-AAA conference, and even higher than a couple of FBS conferences in MBB.

Atlantic 10 is one of the topBB conferences with FCS football...

Here's just the post-season record from 2007-2008 season

4/3/08 New York, N.Y. Ohio State 92, Massachusetts 85 (NIT)
4/1/08 New York, N.Y. Massachusetts 78, Florida 66 (NIT)
3/29/88 Phoenix, Ariz. UCLA 76, Xavier 57 (NCAA)
3/27/08 Phoenix, Ariz. Xavier 79, West Virginia 75 (NCAA)
3/26/08 Columbus, Ohio Ohio State 74, Dayton 63 (NIT)
3/25/08 Syracuse, N.Y. Massachusetts 81, Syracuse 77 (NIT)
3/24/08 Normal, Ill. Dayton 55, Illinois State 48 (NIT)
3/22/08 Washington, D.C. Xavier 85, Purdue 78 (NCAA)
3/22/08 Amherst, Mass. Massachusetts 68, Akron 63 (NIT)
3/21/08 Birmingham, Ala. Oklahoma 72, Saint Joseph's 64 (NCAA)
3/20/08 Washington, D.C. Xavier 73, Georgia 61 (NCAA)
3/20/08 Denver, Colo. Michigan State 72, Temple 61
3/19/08 Lincoln, Neb. Nebraska 67, Charlotte 48
3/19/08 Dayton, Ohio Dayton 66, Cleveland State 57
3/18/08 Charlottesville, Va. Virginia 66, Richmond 64
3/18/08 Omaha, Neb. Creighton 74, Rhode Island 73
3/18/08 Amherst, Mass. Massachusetts 80, Stephen F. Austin 60

BOLD is for A-10 teams with FCS football. UNDERLINED is for other A-10 teams

Played into the finals of the NIT...well into the NCAA...

The A-10 has a couple of NCAA Final Four teams, NIT finals teams...

SuperHornet wrote:I have to agree with this assessment.

However, being the myopian that I am, I have to put the Big West at the top of the I-AAA world. I know some would claim that it's the WCC, but I'm not buying it. The WCC doesn't have much south of Gonzaga, and even they're coming back to Earth. The Big West is about three or four deep.

That said, the MVC goes higher than any I-AAA conference, and even higher than a couple of FBS conferences in MBB.

WTF is I-AAA???

Col Hogan wrote:

SuperHornet wrote:I have to agree with this assessment.

However, being the myopian that I am, I have to put the Big West at the top of the I-AAA world. I know some would claim that it's the WCC, but I'm not buying it. The WCC doesn't have much south of Gonzaga, and even they're coming back to Earth. The Big West is about three or four deep.

That said, the MVC goes higher than any I-AAA conference, and even higher than a couple of FBS conferences in MBB.

WTF is I-AAA???

division one schools without football

dbackjon wrote:

Col Hogan wrote: WTF is I-AAA???

division one schools without football

Is that a recognized NCAA term??? I have never heard it before...

Col Hogan wrote:

dbackjon wrote: division one schools without football

Is that a recognized NCAA term??? I have never heard it before...

I think it used to be.

And the A-10 is not a football conference :p

dbackjon wrote:And the A-10 is not a football conference :p

True...but the A-10 does have schools with FCS football...and since the thread is about the best Basketball conbference that has FCS football...I think the A-10 qualifies for consideration...

Col Hogan wrote:

dbackjon wrote:And the A-10 is not a football conference :p

True...but the A-10 does have schools with FCS football...and since the thread is about the best Basketball conbference that has FCS football...I think the A-10 qualifies for consideration...

I that case, wouldn't it be the Big East?

dbackjon wrote:

Col Hogan wrote: Is that a recognized NCAA term??? I have never heard it before...

I think it used to be.

I've heard it. Wichita State, Bradley and Creighton come to mind.

The A-10 and Valley were the best non-BCS leagues last year.

So are we discussing best mid-majors or best FCS football conferences competing in basketball?

As for the Big West, I have notice them and the Big Sky go back and forth with each other in the rankings over the years.

How about this stat yall:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3500721

With the Prestige Rankings, we've found out which teams are the best since the 1984-85 seasons. So how do the conferences stack up one another?

Here are the conferences' average Prestige Rankings for each current team that has been in Division I for at least 15 seasons:

1. Big East -- 68
2. Big Ten -- 69
3. ACC -- 74
4. SEC -- 81
5. Big 12 -- 98
6. Mountain West -- 113
7. Pac-10 -- 118
8. Atlantic 10 -- 126
9. WAC -- 129
10. Sun Belt -- 143
11. Missouri Valley -- 143 - not a true FCS conference though, not the same schools
12. Colonial -- 145
13. Conference USA -- 145
14. Horizon -- 155
15. West Coast -- 156
16. Southern -- 156
17. MAC -- 159
18. MAAC -- 166
19. Patriot -- 173
20. Big Sky -- 177
21. Big West -- 181
22. SWAC -- 194
23. Big South -- 195
24. Ohio Valley -- 200
25. Northeast -- 207
26. Ivy League -- 208
27. Southland -- 217
28. Summit -- 224
29. MEAC -- 225
30. America East -- 228
31. Atlantic Sun -- 231

weberwildcat wrote:
11. Missouri Valley -- 143 - not a true FCS conference though, not the same schools

Both football and basketball are administered by the same league office even if some schools do not participate in all sports. Bradley, Creighton and Wichita State currently have no football programs. Youngstown plays football only in the Valley. They play basketball in the Horizon which consists mostly of teams who do not have football. The original thread title asked who was the best basketball conference of those that have FCS football. It did not say the league had to consist entirely of teams who participate in both.
The Valley is the highest rated league in the "Prestige Rankings" who do not have FBS football. Looking at the point totals listed, they should be tied at tenth with the Sunbelt rather than ranked behind them. That shows an FBS bias in itself. In more recent years, the Valley has usually been a top 10 conference in the Sagarin ratings often finishing ahead of some of the FBS conferences.

skinny_uncle wrote:

weberwildcat wrote:
11. Missouri Valley -- 143 - not a true FCS conference though, not the same schools

Both football and basketball are administered by the same league office even if some schools do not participate in all sports. Bradley, Creighton and Wichita State currently have no football programs. Youngstown plays football only in the Valley. They play basketball in the Horizon which consists mostly of teams who do not have football. The original thread title asked who was the best basketball conference of those that have FCS football. It did not say the league had to consist entirely of teams who participate in both.
The Valley is the highest rated league in the "Prestige Rankings" who do not have FBS football. Looking at the point totals listed, they should be tied at tenth with the Sunbelt rather than ranked behind them. That shows an FBS bias in itself. In more recent years, the Valley has usually been a top 10 conference in the Sagarin ratings often finishing ahead of some of the FBS conferences.

I started typing out a response to you last paragraph...then stopped...

I forgot that Temple plays football in the MAC...which is the only A-10 school at FBS level in football...

Where would UMass be right now if John Calipari was never hired?

Who will be the next UMass?

I'm voting for SoCon based upon Davidson, College of Charleston, and App St with regard to recent success.......

weberwildcat wrote:So are we discussing best mid-majors or best FCS football conferences competing in basketball?

As for the Big West, I have notice them and the Big Sky go back and forth with each other in the rankings over the years.

How about this stat yall:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3500721

With the Prestige Rankings, we've found out which teams are the best since the 1984-85 seasons. So how do the conferences stack up one another?

Here are the conferences' average Prestige Rankings for each current team that has been in Division I for at least 15 seasons:

1. Big East -- 68
2. Big Ten -- 69
3. ACC -- 74
4. SEC -- 81
5. Big 12 -- 98
6. Mountain West -- 113
7. Pac-10 -- 118
8. Atlantic 10 -- 126
9. WAC -- 129
10. Sun Belt -- 143
11. Missouri Valley -- 143 - not a true FCS conference though, not the same schools
12. Colonial -- 145
13. Conference USA -- 145
14. Horizon -- 155
15. West Coast -- 156
16. Southern -- 156
17. MAC -- 159
18. MAAC -- 166
19. Patriot -- 173
20. Big Sky -- 177
21. Big West -- 181
22. SWAC -- 194
23. Big South -- 195
24. Ohio Valley -- 200
25. Northeast -- 207
26. Ivy League -- 208
27. Southland -- 217
28. Summit -- 224
29. MEAC -- 225
30. America East -- 228
31. Atlantic Sun -- 231

The CAA now administers the Football division that used to belong to the A-10.

dbackjon wrote:

Col Hogan wrote: Is that a recognized NCAA term??? I have never heard it before...

I think it used to be.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/nac ... inutes.pdf

EPJr wrote:

dbackjon wrote: I think it used to be.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/nac ... inutes.pdf

Thanks...learn something new every day around here!!!!

weberwildcat wrote:

dbackjon wrote:Missouri Valley. SIU, UNI, Mo State, Wichita State (non-football)

All great teams

Northern Iowa? I dont recall them in the NCAA Tourney but yes to the others.


That's not even the same conf in bball at all yikes!

UNI - 2004, 2005, 2006

Hard not to notice