Without Mid-Majors, NCAA Tournament Has Lost Major Interest

After watching the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, I can honestly say the excitement that normally comes with this annual event is missing this year.

It might have something to do with higher-seeded teams playing like the 16th seeds (i.e.: Wake Forest and Pittsburgh). Or it could have something to do with only four at-large mid-major schools in it.

The lower seeds (I am not counting the top nine seeds) who won are Wisconsin, Arizona, Western Kentucky, Cleveland State, Maryland, Michigan, Dayton, and USC.

Five of the eight are from the big conferences, and Western Kentucky was not a huge surprise, considering they did the same thing last year as a 12-seed.

And now that Dayton, Cleveland State, and Western Kentucky were eliminated in the second round, there is not a single mid-major school remaining in the tournament (Gonzaga and Memphis have not been mid-major since the '90s).

The David vs. Goliath story will not happen this year. There is no "let's all root for the little guy." There is no "this year's Davidson."

All those mid-major schools were left to the NIT.

San Diego State (25-9) had an RPI higher than 14 of the at-large NCAA teams and, of those 14, had more wins than four of them.

Creighton (27-7) plays in what is considered the toughest mid-major conference in college basketball. Though the conference had a down year, the Blue Jays were able to hold an RPI of 41, higher than five of the at-larges.

What is now being used as the NIT's marquee match-up, Saint Mary's and Davidson, has the duel between two of the best point guards in the nation.

Davidson's Stephen Curry is the nation's leading scorer at just over 28 points per game, and Saint Mary's Patty Mills is the only Olympian in college basketball.

This was, by far, the worst year to be a mid-major program and have NCAA hopes. Prior to this season, only five teams with 26 or more wins had been left out of the NCAA Tournament.

This year alone, there were four more (Davidson, Creighton, Saint Mary's, and Niagara).

For much of the college basketball fandom, the tournament is over. I'm going to watch one big school play another big school in the Sweet Sixteen. Big deal. There is no excitement anymore.

It's like watching the Yankees or the Red Sox in baseball. You know what's going to happen. The only reason to tune in is to possibly see David take down the giant.

But if there is no David, why watch?

As much as it may seem crazy, mid-majors make the NCAA Tournament what it is today.

Last year it was Western Kentucky, San Diego, and Davidson. In 2006, it was George Mason. In 1998, it was Gonzaga. In 1986, it was Cleveland State.

UNLV winning a national championship from a MID-MAJOR. Fans live for the fall of the giant.

That's why most fans do not like Duke. It's why most college football fans hate USC. Same goes for the Yankees, Celtics, and Lakers.

Why was Super Bowl XLII the most watched Super Bowl ever? Because people wanted to see the Patriots lose.

Without Cinderella, the NCAA Tournament is about as exciting as the World Baseball Classic.

By the way, when is that on?