Everyone wants it, but not everybody has it.
Earning respect in college basketball, in all of sports, really, is one of the most difficult things to do.
Overcoming pre-conceived notions or shedding those negative connotations can be hard to do, but the best time to sway the perceptions is in the post-season.
Whether it be making up for less than impressive tournaments in recent years, or simply taking advantage of the limelight, here are four conferences that stick out as leagues that could really benefit from an overall strong showing.
Because they need to earn some respect
Big East
Remember last season when the Big East became the Big Bust? The Big Least? A record 11-teams from the conference were awarded NCAA Tournament berths, only to have nine of them eliminated in the first weekend. The two that advanced to the Sweet 16? UConn and Marquette, who both beat a Big East club to advance.
With nine teams particiaping this season, hostile fans of otehr conferences won’t take it any easier on the league, and now that Fab Melo is donzeo there’s arguably no real Final Four threats.
If the Big East screws this up again, expect plenty of voracious criticism.
Big Ten
A conference like this can’t possibly be the best in college basketball, right? Well, maybe, but for a league with five of their six participants seeded six or higher, this league is either ripe to stay releveant well into the tournament, or fail dismally and face the wrath of public opinion.
Beware, however, as teams like Wisconsin (offensive woes), Michigan (frontcourt woes) and Indiana (road woes) all have obvious flaws that make them suspectible to an early round exit, and No. 1 seed Michigan State faces a dangerous road to New Orleans.
But with the aforementioned departure of Fab Melo, the East Region has opened right up, and it could be an ideal situation for Ohio State to march right back into the Final Four.
The league needs to be successful this season to validate the regular season praise they received.
Because they deserve some respect
Mountain West Conference
If there can be something trendy in college basketball, it’s the MWC. Better than the ACC and Pac-12, RPI wise, the past two seasons, this is a league that could be represented by two teams in the regional final (if you’re brave), and possibly three teams in the Sweet 16 (if you’re brave and intelligent). It’s a stretch even offering that possibility up, sure, but both UNLV and New Mexico have the personnel and the pod(s) get win some games here.
The Rebels have the athleticism to match Baylor, and enough skill to get past the fairly underwhelming Duke Blue Devils. And we didn’t even mention San Diego State, the MWC conference tournament runner-up, who boasts the league’s player of the year Jamaal Franklin.
There’s the potential for a real memorable close to this league’s season, which would give it some must-deserved respect.
ACC
We’re on to this conference. A league once holding the discintion as the best in college basketball, that’s simply not the case anymore. But hold your horses.
North Carolina has the easiest road to the Final Four, and Florida State is a real dangerous three-seed in the East, proving that sound defense can really go a long way in the NCAA Tournament.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Heels and Seminoles match-up for the third time this season, and it would not be a complete fluke. You’d have to be impressed by the feat.
Virginia, matched-up against an inconsistent Florida team that has not been playing well lately, could serve as a nice statement victory for the league over an SEC foe.
Follow Nick Fasulo on Twitter @billyedelinSBN
