Last year we watched South Carolina go from the NBK all the way to the Final Four. We watched Northwestern make the tournament for the first time ever (never been..thumb-warred?), win a game, and grab all the preseason NBK buzz with a #18 KenPom ranking in the preseason. A lethargic, sub-.500 season (15-16) leaves them out of the NBK entirely.
TCU has a great offense, and also has a great offense. Houston features a more balanced ledger and should give Cincinnati and Wichita St a run in the American conference tournament. Creighton has been up and down of late but it coming off a big home OT win over #1 Villanova. Virginia Tech is two more sweat-soaked, discarded Buzz Williams shirts from beating Duke on ESPN.
Middle Tennessee has dominated the C-USA and lead the way for the mid-majors. Nebraska and Boise St are currently on the outside looking in, but remain solidly in the conversation and hungry for case-making wins.
My alma mater Saint Louis University (SLU), for whom the NBK was created, lost four players in a Title IX scandal and are not in the Top 100. The 16×18 Society mourns.