March Madness 2012: Breaking Down All the Conference Races

February is the second greatest month of the college basketball season.

This is the month that separates the men from the boys, the haves from the have-nots, the good from the great and the contenders from the pretenders.

Most of us like to look at the big conferences such as the Big 12, Big Ten and Big East and focus on them through most of this season.  While that's all well and good and all, there are more than just the big conferences to look into when it comes to March Madness.

We all look for the Cinderella story of the year and, for the most part, that story comes out of a mid-major conference, which means we need to look beyond those big conferences and give credit where credit is due.

There are some heated conference races heading down the homestretch of this season, so now is the time to look at those races and see who is involved and who will come out on top.

Let us begin.

READER DISCLAIMER: these are predictions for how the REGULAR season conference races will go.  The conference tournaments were not factored into the predictions, they will be assessed at a later date.

America East

Top Two Contenders:

Stony Brook — Overall: 15-7  Conference: 10-1

Vermont — Overall: 15-10  Conference: 9-2

The America East is a lot tighter race than anticipated.

While Stony Brook and Vermont are the top two contenders right now—they are only separated by one game in the standings at this point—Boston University and Albany are not far behind. 

The Seawolves are led in the scoring column by Bryan Dougher, who is scoring 14.0 points per game and shooting 41 percent from the three point lien, but he is not the only one contributing in a big way.

Stony Brook's scoring output is distributed evenly through four other players averaging over 7.7 ppg, giving Stony Brook a solid group of scorers willing to work together. 

Vermont has even scoring of its own.  Led by Four McGlynn's 12.0 ppg, the Catamounts have three guys averaging double digits, and four players shooting better than 35 percent from beyond the arc. 

Stony Brook won their previous meeting earlier this year at home, 65-59, but the two play at Vermont on February 12. The winner of that contest will have somewhat of an inside edge heading towards the end of the season

Predicted Conference Champion: Stony Brook

Atlantic 10

Teams Currently in the Mix:

Temple: Overall —17-5  Conference — 6-2

Saint Louis: Overall — 18-5  Conference — 6-3

Massachusetts: Overall — 17-6  Conference — 6-3

LaSalle: Overall — 17-7  Conference — 6-3

Xavier: Overall — 15-8  Conference — 6-3

Wow, what a crazy year in the Atlantic 10.

Everybody figured that Xavier would run away with this conference.  Except, as luck would have it, one bad altercation during the Cincinnati game and their entire season has been transformed.  

At the very least, we figured we would have some sort of clear cut favorite at this point in the season. Luckily for us, while Temple is leading the way in the conference, Saint Louis, Massachusetts, LaSalle and Xavier are all tied for second, currently half a game back from the leading Owls.

Right now the conference looks like a jumbled mess.  In the end, there can only be one team that walks away as the champion.

Predicted Conference Champion: Xavier

I think that, eventually, Xavier will get everything together and pull out as conference champions.  Tu Holloway won't let his team wallow in self-pity for the entire year.  

ACC

Teams Currently in the Mix:

North Carolina: Overall — 20-3  Conference — 7-1

Florida State: Overall — 16-6  Conference — 7-1

Duke: Overall — 19-3  Conference — 6-1

Of course, we all expected to see North Carolina and Duke at the top of this battle, just like every year. But who would have thought that Florida State would be the one making all the difference here?

The Seminoles throttled Carolina at home and stopped Duke's home winning streak, handing both teams their only conference loss so far this year.  Their only blemish in conference play: a 20-point road loss to Clemson.

In the end, this could become a two-horse race in the blink of an eye, as Duke and North Carolina butt heads twice in the coming weeks.  

In order for Duke to come out as conference champions, they will look for Austin Rivers to finally start contributing big numbers on a consistent basis, as opposed to him disappearing for games at a time like he has this year.  

Predicted Conference Champion: North Carolina

They were the top choice at the start of the year and given the position they are in right now, there should be no reason they don't come out on top in the end. 

Atlantic Sun

Top Two Contenders:

Mercer: Overall — 18-7  Conference — 10-2

Belmont: Overall — 17-7  Conference — 10-2

In a proverbial tie in the Atlantic Sun, Mercer and Belmont are two teams that can play some good basketball and potentially upset whichever team they take on in the Big Dance.

Belmont won their first meeting at home this year, 82-78.  Now, they must play again.  This time, at Mercer on February 25th.

Mercer is another team that doesn't rely on one scorer to take over the game.  Justin Cecil leads the way with over 12 points per game, but the Bears have two other players that average in double digits and three more averaging over eight. 

Belmont's Kerron Johnson leads a trio of Bruins players averaging double digits with 14.4 per game. Along with those three averaging over 10 ppg, there are three more Bruins averaging in the range of 9.6-9.9 points per game. Those numbers show that Belmont is a team that has the capability of spreading the ball around, giving any one of their six high scorers the chance to shine.

Predicted Conference Champion: Belmont

Looking at Belmont's scoring output per player, it's amazing to see a team spread the ball around as much as they do.  In the end, that will be the deciding factor for who becomes the champion. 

Big 12

Top Teams in Contention:

Missouri: Overall — 21-2  Conference — 8-2

Kansas: Overall — 18-5  Conference — 8-2

Baylor: Overall — 21-2  Conference — 8-2

This is one conference battle that has the entire country buzzing.  

Missouri and Baylor have become household basketball favorites over the course of the year, battling Kansas at every turn, trying to gain the upper-hand in the conference.

Missouri just beat Kansas at home this weekend, giving them the slight advantage, especially after they defeated Baylor on the road a few weeks ago.  

Baylor, in turn, got crushed by Kansas at Fog Allen.  Right now, it looks like it could be a great finish in the Big 12 year.  

Not only are there some great teams involved with this race, the list of big name players grows by the day.  I won't even go into detail of all the big names, but if you know anything about these teams, you know what I'm talking about.

Predicted Conference Champion: Missouri

Missouri is just too overly strong right now to ease up on the gas.  Frank Haith will win coach of the year in the process as well.  

Big East

Teams Currently in the Mix:

Syracuse: Overall — 23-1  Conference — 10-1

Georgetown: Overall — 18-4  Conference — 8-3

Marquette: Overall — 19-5  Conference — 8-3

Even with Syracuse being so dominant throughout the year, Georgetown and Marquette have kept their feet in the door, stopping it from closing completely.  

Syracuse's dominance has not gone unnoticed, but may be written off as they have struggled in the past few games without their star center Fab Melo.  Now that he is back, there is little stopping them from taking complete control over the conference.  

Georgetown and Syracuse do battle on Wednesday, Feb. 8 in Syracuse.  If the Hoyas can pull off the upset, this race will get a lot more interesting.

Predicted Conference Champion: Syracuse

I don't see 'Cuse letting up any time soon.  They will right the ship and get back into shape.  However, that will not guarantee them more success in the tournament than the past.  That's a whole different story. 

Big Sky

Top Two Contenders:

Weber State: Overall — 18-4  Conference — 10-1

Montana: Overall — 16-6  Conference — 9-1

Weber State is led by elite scorer Damian Lillard, who averages 25.5 points per game, ranking second in the entire nation.  The Wildcats are an elite team, as evidenced by their high ranking on colleginsider.com's Mid-Major Top 25 polls week in and week out. They have some solid non-conference wins against the likes of Utah, Utah State and Southern Utah as well.

For Montana, their trio of double-digit scorers are headlined by Will Cherry's 14.9 points per game. Montana even knocked off perennial power Long Beach State earlier this year.  

Montana and Weber State collide head-to-head on the 28th, in a potential winner-take-all game for the Big Sky championship.

Predicted Conference Champion: Weber State

Lillard's scoring prowess cannot be ignored.  I fully expect him to be able to lead his team to the promised land come Selection Sunday. 

Big South

Top Two Contenders:

UNC-Asheville: Overall — 18-7  Conference — 13-1

Coastal Carolina: Overall — 17-5  Conference — 10-2

Normally known as the team that is always scheduled to be throttled by the Tar Heels in non-conference play, the Bulldogs are making a name for themselves within their conference.  With five players averaging double digits—the highest being Matt Dickey's 16.9 per game—this high powered offense can give any team fits on the defensive end.

Coastal Carolina has a high scoring offense of its own, fronted by Anthony Raffa and his 18.0 points per game.  In their non-conference play, the Chanticleers knocked off big name schools Clemson and LSU, but trail the Bulldogs by two games.

This conference could come down to the Valentine's Day battle between Asheville and Coastal Carolina.

Projected Conference Champion: UNC-Asheville

It's hard to bet against a team with five guys that can score when called upon.  

Big Ten

Teams in Contention:

Ohio State: Overall — 20-3  Conference — 8-2

Michigan State: Overall — 18-5  Conference — 7-3

Wisconsin: Overall — 18-6  Conference — 7-4

Michigan: Overall — 17-7  Conference — 7-4

Yet another intriguing, multi-team race for the conference championship.  

Ohio State may be the front-runner as of right now, but you can never count out Tom Izzo and his Spartans, who just so happen to be on the biggest roll of the year.  

Wisconsin is an interesting story in itself.  They have the talent and coaching to be great, but every time it appears they have figured out their problems, they'll drop a game at home or stink up the court.  

Michigan also has a solid chance to make a run at the title, but in the end, it will likely come down to Ohio State vs. Michigan State twice in the next month to determine the champion.

Predicted Conference Champion: Michigan State

I can't help but feel that Tom Izzo has something special up his sleeve for the final month of the season. 

Big West

Top Two Contenders:

Long Beach State: Overall — 17-6  Conference — 10-0

Cal State Fullerton: Overall — 15-7  Conference — 7-3

Scheduling top-notch talent such as North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Louisville, San Diego State, Xavier, Kansas and Kansas State in the non-conference schedule has made Long Beach State even stronger for their conference schedule.  Some national champions don't have to face that type of talent in the NCAA Tournament, let alone before they even begin playing their conference opponents.  

Casper Ware is the star of this team and will likely use Long Beach's big bracket-buster game against Creighton to make himself nationally known.

Cal State Fullerton is completely getting lost in all the LBS hysteria this year.  Leading scorer DJ Seeley—topping out at 16.5 per game—leads a quartet of Titans averaging over 12.2 per game.  Their schedule doesn't have the same trademark games like Long Beach State's does and they have been beaten by the 49ers already this season, but if they can keep pace and have the 49ers possibly drop a game or two, their matchup to close out the season could decide the winner of the conference.

Projected Conference Champion: Long Beach State

There appears to be nothing stopping the 49ers from running away with the conference.  Until they drop a game in league play, there's no reason to doubt them. 

Colonial Athletic Association

Top Teams in Contention:

VCU: Overall — 20-5  Conference — 11-2

Drexel: Overall — 19-5  Conference — 11-2

George Mason: Overall — 19-6  Conference — 11-2 

Another multiple team race, the CAA looks like it will turn some heads in the coming weeks.  

With past Cinderellas VCU and George Mason at full strength, college basketball fans all over the country should be excited to see how this race ends.  

Right now, Drexel has the inside advantage over VCU, having beaten them in their only meeting of the year.  However, George Mason and VCU have yet to play each other, and will pair up twice in February.  Drexel has the inside advantage over George Mason as well, winning their only contest of the year at home.  

To summarize, VCU and George Mason could end up handing each other another conference loss, while Drexel could sit back and be handed the conference due to a technicality and only playing both George Mason and VCU once this year. 

Projected Conference Champion: Drexel

It all just adds up a little too well for Drexel to walk away as the CAA champion this year, but both VCU and George Mason could get at large bids.  

Conference USA

Top Teams in Contention:

Southern Miss: Overall — 20-3  Conference — 7-1

Tulsa: Overall — 14-9  Conference — 7-2

Memphis: Overall — 16-7  Conference — 6-2

Southern Miss has come on this year to surprise a number of people.  Two of their losses come at the hands of Murray State and on the road at the always tough Memphis. 

Tulsa has one somewhat solid non-conference win, defeating Atlantic Sun leader Mercer earlier in the year.

Memphis has yet to truly find its identity this year, failing to live up to the top-25 ranking they earned in the preseason.  Unless they can finally put all the pieces together, I expect them to fail to win the conference for the first time in years.  

Projected Conference Champion: Southern Miss

They appear to be the only team that has it figured out in this conference.  Yes, their loss at Memphis hurts them in the short term, but in the long run, it won't be the death of them. 

Great West

Teams in the Mix:

Utah Valley: Overall — 15-10  Conference — 5-0 

In all honesty, this is one of the few conferences that doesn't have much to go off of in terms of a championship battle.  There are only six teams in the conference, for crying out loud.  

When the second best team is the New Jersey Institute of Technology, there is something wrong with the conference as a whole.  Sorry if that offends anybody, just how I feel about it. 

Anyway, Utah Valley isn't all that bad of a team.  Isaiah Williams averages 15 points per game for the Wolverines, who actually only lost by six on the road at Oakland earlier this year, so I guess they have that as a moral victory.

Predicted Conference Champion: Utah Valley

Not much else to say here.  It's pretty much a done deal at this point. 

Horizon League

Teams in the Mix:

Cleveland State: Overall — 20-4  Conference — 10-2

Valparaiso: Overall — 17-8  Conference — 10-3

Who would have thought at the beginning of the year that we would be talking about a potential Horizon League champion and the two-time national runner-ups, Butler, would be nowhere near the conversation?

This year, Cleveland State and Valparaiso have taken full advantage of Butler's letdown season, coming out strong and becoming threats to one another to take the crown of Horizon League champion.   

For Cleveland State, both Trevor Harmon and D'Aundray Brown average over 11 points per game while Tim Kamczyc shoots an astounding 44 percent from beyond the arc, en route to the top record in the conference. A huge bracket-buster match against Drexel could be the boost they need to finish the season on top.

Valparaiso has one solid non-conference victory over Akron and feature two 15 points per game scorers in Kevin Van Wljk and Ryan Broekhoff. Valpo has one more chance to knock off the leading Cleveland State.  Keep in mind, in their first meeting this year, Valpo won at home, 72-66.

Predicted Conference Champion: Valparaiso

With only half a game separating the two teams and one more meeting between them, I expect Valpo to close the gap and take advantage after Cleveland State's presumed loss to Drexel.

Ivy League

Teams in the Mix:

Harvard: Overall — 20-2  Conference — 6-0

In what appears to be another one-horse race, Harvard stands alone as the top dog in the Ivy League.  Here's a way to help you break it down: Harvard is No. 1 in the conference at 6-0, Yale is No. 2 at 5-1.  That one Yale lost was at home to Harvard...by 30 points.

Nobody really jumps out as a dominant player for the Crimson, but Laurent Rivard is leading a well-balanced team that knows how to get the job done.  And in the Ivy League, it's easier than it looks.

Predicted Conference Champion: Harvard

MAAC

Teams in Contention:

Iona: Overall — 19-5  Conference — 11-2

Loyola: Overall — 18-5  Conference — 11-2

Manhattan: Overall — 17-8  Conference — 10-3

Another mid-major conference with a lot of intrigue behind its race, the MAAC features three schools, each with an opportunity to show their worth when it comes time for the big dance.

Iona is the headliner in this case, led by Scott Machado and his numbers (13 PPG, 10 APG).  He's their best overall player, but their leading scorer, at over 18 points a game, is Michael Glover.  

Early season victories over Western Michigan, Maryland and St. Joe's have vaulted the Gaels to prominent status amongst the small school ranks.  Iona's BracketBusters collision with Nevada could help in their efforts for an at-large bid, but winning the conference would be the best option.

Loyola is now tied with Iona for the top spot.  Their non-conference play was nothing special, to say the least, but they did battle Kentucky, which ended in a 20-plus point loss.  Dylan Cormier, at 14.4 points per game, leads a quartet of Greyhounds in double digits.  Their search for the conference championship begins Friday, February 10, when Loyola hosts Iona in a battle for first place.

Manhattan is the wildcard in this conference race.  While still in prime position to take control of first—seeing as either Iona or Loyola will be handed their third loss this week—having lost their first meetings against Iona and Loyola respectively, they're the dark horse at this point.  George Beamon is the clear star of this team, averaging over 17 points per game, the only player on the team with more than eight.  We'll see how it plays out for them the rest of the year.

Predicted Conference Champion: Iona

Part of me just can't bet against Machado right now.  That gives them this edge, for now. 

Mid-American

Teams in the Mix:

Akron: Overall — 16-7  Conference — 8-1

Ohio: Overall — 19-4  Conference — 7-2

Buffalo: Overall — 14-6  Conference — 7-2

The curious case of the three-team race in the Mid-American conference is going to get very heated in the next month.  

Thus far, Akron defeated Ohio at home, Buffalo beat Akron at home and Ohio defeated Buffalo at home. Something has to give in the final month of the season. 

Not only do all three of these teams play each other one more time in conference play, each has a crucial BracketBusters game on February 18, with each team looking to take away one, maybe two, at-large bids in the process.

Akron, led by Zeke Marshall down low, have a great non-conference victory, defeating Mississippi State in their opening contest of the season.  Their battle against Oral Roberts for BracketBusters looks to be a battle of two first place teams, each looking to increase their profile.

Ohio's DJ Cooper's numbers (13 PPG, 5 APG, 4 RPG) have the Bobcats thinking big picture come tournament time.  Victories over Oakland and Northern Iowa help their bid for the big dance, but it's their game against Big South-leading UNC-Asheville that could end up making, or breaking, their attempt to squeak their way in.

Buffalo has been up and down this season.  There are times they have looked great—their 29-point road victory at Temple—and times they have looked terrible—their loss to Miami (OH) in January.  Their one-two punch down low in Javon McCrea and Mitchell Watt have the Bulls within striking distance in the conference, but their game against South Dakota State on February 18 could be the measuring stick for the rest of the year.

Predicted Conference Champion: Ohio

With the three-way battle that it is, these teams will knock each other off track.  I see Ohio as the survivor in this triple threat contest.  

MEAC

Teams in the Mix:

Norfolk State: Overall — 16-8  Conference — 8-2

Savannah State: Overall — 13-10  Conference — 7-2

Bethune-Cookman: Overall — 10-13  Conference — 7-2

Another interesting conference battle very few people are actually following.  The MEAC, while less than high-profile, has a few teams with a good shot at making it to the Big Dance, depending on how each of these three performs in the final month of the year.  

Norfolk State has a solid neutral court victory over Drexel earlier this season, giving them that little something extra come at-large selection time.  A 16-point, 10-rebound, double-double scoring average from Kyle O'Quinn gives the Spartans a good go-to man down the stretch of the season.  The Spartans hold the tie-breaker over Savannah State, having won their only contest scheduled for this season, 60-58.

Savannah State and Bethune-Cookman don't have the luxury of possibly getting into the tournament sans conference championship, meaning both teams need to finish the season on a hot streak if they have any hopes of getting into the dance.

Predicted Conference Champion: Norfolk State

The Spartans win over Drexel and their overall record speaks to a solid team, giving them the nod at this point.  

Missouri Valley

Teams in the Mix:

Creighton: Overall — 21-3  Conference — 11-2

Wichita State: Overall — 20-4  Conference — 11-2 

All the talk this year has been centered around Doug McDermott and the Creighton Bluejays' attempt at reclaiming their spot as a mid-major power.

Creighton's loss at the buzzer to Northern Iowa over the weekend knocks them back into a tie at the top of the Missouri Valley conference race.  McDermott's 23.4 points per game and eight rebounds per game have garnered him attention in the battle for National Player of the Year.  

Despite that, Creighton needs to stay focused if they want to claim the conference title, fending off Wichita State in the process. 

Wichita State has seen two eight-game winning streaks snapped this season.  The Shockers don't have that one star like Creighton does, but they do have six players averaging over eight points a game, three of which average over 12.  Wichita State has three big games in the next two weeks against Northern Iowa, Creighton and Davidson.  All three are vital to their success in the final month.

Predicted Conference Champion: Wichita State

While Creighton is a legitimate threat to any team it plays, part of me can't help but think the Shockers will have a great game plan for Creighton the second time around, giving them the upper hand and the title. 

Mountain West

Teams in the Mix:

San Diego State: Overall — 20-3  Conference — 6-1

UNLV: Overall — 20-4  Conference — 5-2

San Diego State is a nice little story this year.  After losing much of it's scoring and leadership after a great season last year, the Aztecs are back in first place in the Mountain West.  Their one loss in conference play came on the road at Colorado State; a less than stellar loss.

But with their non-conference win against Long Beach State and their other two losses only coming against the likes of Creighton and Baylor, San Diego State will be dancing in March.

UNLV has once again become a hot name in the world of college basketball. It all began with their epic upset of then No. 1 North Carolina and they have yet to make it look like a fluke.  In fact, Mike Moser and Co. have established themselves as the real deal, sustaining their success.  Their contest on the February 11 against the Aztecs could produce the conference champion.

Predicted Conference Champion: UNLV

Regardless of who comes out on top between these two teams, both will be in the tournament, possibly being seeded as high as five.

Northeast

Teams in the Mix:

LIU-Brooklyn: Overall — 17-7  Conference — 11-1

Wagner: Overall — 19-4  Conference — 10-2

St. Francis (NY): Overall — 13-10  Conference — 10-2

Overall, there's nothing too flashy about this conference.  Despite that fact, it's still an interesting race nonetheless.  

LIU-Brooklyn features two 16 points per game scorers in Julian Boyd and Jamal Olasewere.  Losses to Norfolk State and Iona don't help their case in any way, but they should in no way hurt their chances in the long term. 

Wagner, at this point, is best known as the other no-name team that knocked off Pittsburgh when the Panthers weren't struggling.  Latif Rivers and company lost to LIU in their only contest of the year, making their job a little more difficult. 

St. Francis lost to Wagner and plays LIU twice in a four-day span, giving them an opportunity to jump the shark and gain firm control over the conference, if they can win both games.  

Predicted Conference Champion: LIU-Brooklyn

Their schedule down the stretch could be difficult, taking on St. Francis twice, but winning even one of those games gives them the advantage, and if they win both, there will be little hope for either Wagner or St. Francis to catch up. 

Ohio Valley

Running Away with It:

Murray State: Overall — 23-0  Conference — 11-0

At this point, only Tennessee Martin and Tennessee Tech have a shot at catching the red-hot Racers, and they both sit 3.5 games back.  Considering the fact that Murray State is still undefeated and they have this guy named Isaiah Cannan leading the way, there is little to no hope for anybody to catch the surprise team of the year. 

Predicted Conference Champion: Murray State

There's enough out there being written about Murray State this season, so why beat the dead horse? They're good.  Let's leave it at that. 

Pac-12

Teams in the Mix:

Washington: Overall — 16-7  Conference — 9-2

California: Overall — 18-6  Conference — 8-3

Colorado: Overall — 16-7  Conference — 8-3

Once one of the biggest and baddest conferences in all of college hoops, the Pac-12 has become a laughing stock this year, failing to generate a single ranked team over much of this year, making most think only one team will make it out of the conference and into the NCAA Tournament.

Actually, some think if it weren't for the automatic bids for conference champions, the Pac-12 wouldn't get a single team into the tournament. 

Washington appears to be the front-runner at this point, but they have lost to both California and Colorado—the two teams on their heels—and they only match up once this year with the new conference alignment.  

With all the talented players the Huskies have, such as Abdul Gaddy, Tony Wroten, Terrence Ross and Darnell Gant, it's hard to pinpoint the exact reason why Washington has been so bad this season. 

California and Colorado could control their own destinies in February.  Their matchup on the 26th could signal who will be the biggest threat to the conference crown, depending upon if Washington can get their stuff figured out and become the team we know they can be.

Predicted Conference Champion: Washington

There's only so much time left to gain momentum and if there is one team that knows how to accomplish it in a short time, it's Washington. 

Patriot League

Teams in the Mix:

Bucknell: Overall — 18-6  Conference — 8-0

Lehigh: Overall — 18-6  Conference — 6-2

American University: Overall — 15-8  Conference — 6-2

Always an interesting conference, the Patriot League is no exception this year, either.  

Bucknell stands alone on top right now with a two-game lead over Lehigh and American University.  However, in mid-major basketball, a lead like that can vanish in the blink of an eye.  

Mike Muscala is doing work for the Bison this year, scoring over 16 points a game and hauling in over nine boards a game. With one contest left against both Lehigh and American University, this picture could change in a hurry if Bucknell can't keep up the work they are currently doing.  

Predicted Conference Champion: Bucknell

Bucknell would have to drop two games in order for Lehigh and American to have a logical shot at the title.  While it could easily happen if the Bison lose to both of those teams, it's unlikely they flounder to round out the year. 

SEC

Teams in the Mix:

Kentucky: Overall — 23-1  Conference — 9-0

Florida: Overall — 19-4  Conference — 7-1

Florida is the only team that has a shot to catch the No. 1 Wildcats in the SEC.  Florida can begin their attempt to buck Kentucky when they travel to Lexington Tuesday night in an SEC showdown. 

Kentucky has all the stars: Anthony Davis, Terrence Jones, Dorran Lamb, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Darius Miller...you get the picture.  John Calipari has yet another stacked team and should be ranked as high as one considering the competition they put themselves through each year. Davis, Jones and Kidd-Gilchrist have all been in the Player of the Year conversation, which should say everything that needs to be said about Kentucky.  

Florida is no slouch on the court, either.  Undefeated at home and road losses to Ohio State and Syracuse, the Gators should not be overlooked as a legitimate threat to Kentucky at this point.  Together, the combination of Kenny Boynton, Bradley Beal and Irving Walker form one of the most formidable guard tandems in the entire country.  Their success will be defined by their guard play, something they will need to come through in a big way if they hope to knock off Kentucky at Rupp Arena. 

Predicted Conference Champion: Kentucky

There's no reason to bet against these guys.  Well, at least not in the regular season.  When it comes to the big dance, that's a whole different story.

Southern

Running Away with It:

Davidson: Overall — 17-5  Conference — 11-1

It's almost a forgone conclusion at this point that Davidson will be crowned the Southern Champions.  Barring some sort of meltdown, Bob McKillop has his team ready to go to the Big Dance for the first time since losing its star, Stephen Curry, to the NBA.  

Predicted Conference Champion: Davidson

Southland

Teams in the Mix:

Texas-Arlington: Overall — 17-5  Conference — 9-0

Northwestern State: Overall — 14-9  Conference — 7-2

McNeese State: Overall — 11-10  Conference — 7-2

Texas-Arlington currently holds a two-game lead over the rest of the conference, leading their division by three.  LaMarcus Reed III has established himself as a quality shooter, shooting nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc, averaging over 16 points per game.

The biggest plus for the Mavericks is their 10-point loss to Baylor on the road early in the year.  As most other teams have proven, it's hard to win at Baylor, and for a small school like Texas-Arlington to only lose by 10, that's a moral victory. 

A February 25th battle between the Mavericks and Northwestern State could prove to be the deciding factor in who has the edge in the conference overall.

Predicted Conference Champion: Texas-Arlington 

SWAC

Teams in the Mix:

Mississippi Valley State: Overall — 11-11  Conference — 10-1

Southern University: Overall — 12-11  Conference — 8-2

Upon further review, Mississippi Valley State had an insane non-conference schedule to begin the season: Notre Dame, DePaul, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, Northwester, Mississippi, Florida, Wisconsin and Iowa State. It's no wonder they went 1-10 outside of conference play. 

Regardless, Valley State has separated themselves from the rest of the conference, thanks in large part to the trio of double digit scorers, fronted by Terrence Joyner's 13.7 points per game. 

Predicted Conference Champion: Mississippi Valley State

Summit League

Teams in the Mix:

Oral Roberts: Overall — 21-5  Conference — 13-1

South Dakota State: Overall — 19-6  Conference — 11-2

This is one conference battle that, in my personal opinion, should be given more credit.

Oral Roberts, the preseason favorite, has plowed through most of the their schedule.  They have a marquee non-conference victory over Xavier, sans Tu Holloway, and have only lost one conference game.  That loss came at the hands of South Dakota State this past week.  Dominique Morrison averages over 20 points per game and has the skill set to match his scoring output.  

South Dakota State is a feel good story this year.  The little team from Brookings, South Dakota has come on to surprise the country—well, those who are actually paying attention, anyway—on their way, knocking off Pac-12 power Washington by 19 on the road.

Nate Wolters continues to light up the stat sheet, averaging over 21 points per game, good for 11th in the country.  He's not alone on the court, however.  His running mates Jordan Dykstra, Griffin Callahan, Brayden Carlson and Tony Fiegen help make Wolters' job a whole lot easier, which was proven in their win over Oral Roberts.

The defining factor in this race may be the game that pitted the Jackrabbits on the road at Oakland, which they dropped in a scoring fiesta 92-87, thanks in large part to Travis Bader's 10 three-pointers. That gave SDSU their second conference loss, the first coming at Oral Roberts. In the end, that could be the game that decides the conference champion.

Predicted Conference Champion: Oral Roberts

Unless Oral Roberts drops a game against someone like Western Illinois, who has proven a few times this year to be a thorn in the side of the Summit League, that second conference loss SDSU has compared to ORU's one, could decide the race. 

Sun Belt

Teams in the Mix:

Middle Tennessee: Overall — 21-4  Conference — 10-1

Arkansas Little-Rock: Overall — 11-13  Conference — 8-2

Middle Tennessee has all but clinched the East division of the Sun Belt, leaving the West to determine which team will match up with them.

Out of the West, Arkansas Little-Rock has the half-game edge over Louisiana-Lafayette.  With that said, it's a foregone conclusion that Middle Tennessee will walk away with this conference race. Having beaten teams such as Belmont and UCLA, the Blue Raiders are the clear-cut better team.

Predicted Conference Champion: Middle Tennessee

West Coast

Teams in the Mix:

Saint Mary's: Overall — 22-2  Conference — 11-0

Gonzaga: Overall — 18-4  Conference — 8-4

BYU: Overall — 20-6  Conference — 8-3

Winning against Gonzaga by 21?  Beating BYU on the road by 14? Yes, it would appear that the Gaels of Saint Mary's are for real.  Behind the leadership of Matthew Dellavedova along with his production (15 PPG, 6 APG), Saint Mary's has officially taken the name tag of top West Coast team.  

Not only are they leading their conference in a big way, they now have the chance to do something nobody has been able to do this season: Knock off Murray State and hand them their first loss of the season.  That game is the headline game for BrackBusters on February 18th.  It should be a very fun game to watch, seeing Dellavedova and Cannan square off in the battle of the backcourt generals.

Gonzaga and BYU, while each have had fairly successful seasons, haven't matched up with Saint Mary's all year.  Each has a chance to knock off the Gaels in conference play, but until they do, the West Coast belongs to Saint Mary's. 

Predicted Conference Champion: Saint Mary's

WAC

Teams in the Mix:

Nevada: Overall — 19-4  Conference — 8-1

New Mexico State: Overall — 17-7  Conference — 6-2

Nevada was one of the hottest teams in college basketball.  Was being the key word there.  The Wolfpack were on a 16-game winning streak, dominating everybody in their conference and then some.  Then came last Saturday's game against Idaho.  Keep in mind that Nevada beat Idaho in Idaho by 18 earlier this year.  Now consider the fact that the Wolfpack dropped their home game against Idaho 72-68. 

Had we been having this conversation a week ago, I'd say Nevada was on the verge of running away with the conference.  While I still think they will win, it's now a much closer race than it was a few days ago.  

New Mexico State, if they keep their slate clear of losses, have the opportunity to tie the lead with a victory over Nevada in Nevada on the first of March.  Before that, though, Nevada must go through Iona in their BracketBusters game.  Should be interesting to say the least. 

Predicted Conference Champion: Nevada

I said it was going to get interesting, not completely change the landscape of the conference. 

Closing Thoughts

After much consideration and thought, these are my picks to come away with their respective conference's championship.

Again, these are just the regular season races.  The conference tournaments were not taken into consideration, as that will be the topic of a completely different article I plan on posting. 

Thanks for reading.

Feel free to let me know what you think.