Let’s use the NCAA tournament as the best measuring stick, since allegedly that’s where all the best teams go in the postseason. Beating Savannah State and Tusculum just doesn’t do it for me, if you know what I mean.
In the past eight seasons, the A-10 (which has 14 teams) is 17-21 in NCAA tournament games, with 12 of those games won by Xavier. In the Horizon League (with 10 teams), the record is 14-10, with 10 of those victories by Butler.
That’s pretty much a wash, and it gets better for the Horizon League when you consider five of its 10 teams have made the NCAA field the past eight years while six of the A-10’s 14 have made it, including UD three times.
Horizon teams are worthy of more bids, especially since it is the only conference outside the Big Six to win at least one NCAA tourney game in each of the past six years. Three different teams contributed — Butler, Milwaukee and Cleveland State.
If the A-10 is a league worthy of more than mid-major status, the record indicates the HL is as well. How great for Dayton. Two leagues with high aspirations and capabilities.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157 or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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