Mid-Major Top 25 for March 7: Mid-Majors Punch First Bids to NCAA Tournament

Rank. Team (Previous Rank)

1. George Mason Patriots (1)

Record: 26-6, 16-2 CAA

RPI: 27

George Mason's winning streak ended with a semifinal loss to Virginia Commonwealth on Sunday. Despite this loss, the Patriots still have a good chance at making the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid.

Good Wins: Harvard (Home), FAU (Home), Drexel (Home), JMU (Home, Road), ODU (Home), VCU (Road)

Bad Losses: NC State (Neutral), Wofford (Neutral)

2. Utah State Aggies (2)

Record: 28-3, 15-1 WAC

RPI: 17

Utah State finished its regular season with a win over Louisiana Tech on Saturday. The Aggies will be the No. 1 seed in the WAC tournament, getting a bye to the semifinals.

Good Wins: Long Beach State (Home), St. Mary's (Road)

Bad Losses: Idaho (Road)

3. Old Dominion Monarchs (3) 

Record: 26-6, 14-4 CAA

RPI: 24

Old Dominion defeated Hofstra on Sunday to advance to the CAA championship game, where the Monarchs will play Virginia Commonwealth.

Good Wins: Clemson (Neutral), Xavier (Neutral), Richmond (Home), George Mason (Home) Hofstra (Road), VCU (Road), Cleveland State (Home)

Bad Losses: Delaware (Road), VCU (Home)

4. St. Mary's Gaels (6)

Record: 24-7, 11-3 WCC

RPI: 44

St. Mary's advanced to the WCC championship game with a win over Santa Clara on Sunday night. The Gaels most likely have a bid to the NCAA tournament locked up regardless, but a win on Monday would secure an auto-bid to the NCAA tournament. 

Good Wins: St. John's (Home), Long Beach State (Neutral), Gonzaga (Road) 

Bad Losses: San Diego (Road)

5. Gonzaga Bulldogs (5)

Record: 23-9, 11-3 WCC

RPI: 62

Gonzaga put itself on the good side of the bubble with a semifinal win over San Francisco on Monday. A win on Monday night over St. Mary's would give the Bulldogs an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Good Wins: Marquette (Neutral), Baylor (Neutral), Xavier (Home), St. Mary's (Road)

Bad Losses: Santa Clara (Road), San Francisco (Road)

6. Missouri State Bears (4)

Record: 25-8, 15-3 MVC

RPI: 42

Missouri State made a great run, but the Bears will most likely not be in the NCAA tournament this year. They were upset by Indiana State in the MVC championship game on Sunday. Regardless, the Bears will at least be in the NIT.

Good Wins: Wichita State (Home, Road), Northern Iowa (Road), Indiana State (Home)

Bad Losses: Northern Iowa (Home), Evansville (Road)

7. Belmont Bruins (8)

Record: 30-4, 19-1 A-Sun

RPI: 51

Belmont dominated the Atlantic Sun tournament to gain the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Bruins enter the NCAA tournament with a 12-game winning streak.

Good Wins: ETSU (Home, Road)

Bad Losses: Lipscomb (Road)

8. Virginia Commonwealth Rams (10)

Record: 23-10, 12-6 CAA

RPI: 49

Virginia Commonwealth upset George Mason in the CAA tournament to advance to the championship game. The Rams will play Old Dominion on Monday night for the CAA championship.

Good Wins: UCLA (Neutral), ODU (Road), JMU (Road), Wichita State (Road), GMU (Neutral)

Bad Losses: South Florida (Road), Georgia State (Road), Northeastern (Road)

9. Wichita State Shockers (7)

Record: 24-8, 14-4 MVC

RPI: 59

Wichita State was upset by Indiana State in the MVC semifinals. The Shockers will most likely not be in the NCAA Tournament, but they have a solid shot at the NIT.

Good Wins: Virginia (Neutral), Indiana State (Road)

Bad Losses: Northern Iowa (Home), Southern Illinois (Home)

10. Charleston Cougars (9)

Record: 24-9, 14-4 SoCon

RPI: 67

Charleston advanced to the SoCon championship game, where the Cougars will face Wofford on Monday night. This is their second championship game appearance in the last three years.

Good Wins: Coastal Carolina (Home), ETSU (Home), Tennessee (Road), Furman (Road), Wofford (Road), Vermont (Home)

Bad Losses: Chattanooga (Road), Davidson (Road), Appalachian State (Road)

11. Butler Bulldogs (13)

Record: 22-9, 13-5

RPI: 37

Butler is back in the Horizon League championship game after a win over Cleveland State in the semifinals. The Bulldogs play Milwaukee on Tuesday night.

Good Wins: Florida State (Neutral), Washington State (Neutral), Valpo (Home), Cleveland State (Home, Road, Neutral)

Bad Losses: Evansville (Home), Wright State (Road), Milwaukee (Home)

12. Harvard Crimson (16)

Record: 23-5, 12-2 Ivy

RPI: 35

Harvard guaranteed at least a one-game playoff for the Ivy League championship with a win over Princeton on Saturday.

Good Wins: Colorado (Home), Boston College (Road), Princeton (Home)

Bad Losses: Yale (Road)

13. Princeton Tigers (11)

Record: 23-6, 11-2 Ivy

RPI: 52

Princeton dropped out of first place in the Ivy League with a loss to Harvard on Saturday night. With a win over Penn on Monday, the Tigers would force a one-game playoff with Harvard for the Ivy League's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Good Wins: Rutgers (Home), Bucknell (Neutral), Tulsa (Road), Harvard (Home)

Bad Losses: Presbyterian (Neutral), Brown (Road)

14. Oakland Golden Grizzlies (14)

Record: 23-9, 17-1 Summit

RPI: 61

Oakland will play South Dakota State in the Summit League semifinals on Monday night. The Golden Grizzlies are two wins away from going to the NCAA tournament for the second straight year.

Good Wins: Tennessee (Road), IUPUI (Home)

Bad Losses: Wright State (Road), IUPUI (Road)

15. Cleveland State Vikings (12)

Record: 26-8, 13-5 Horizon

RPI: 41

Cleveland State's three-game winning streak ended with a loss to Butler in the Horizon League semifinals. The Vikings' chances for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament are very slim, but they have a good chance at making a different postseason tournament.

Good Wins: Iona (Home), Kent State (Home), Milwaukee (Road), Valpo (Home)

Bad Losses: Detroit (Road), Milwaukee (Home)

16. Fairfield Stags (15)

Record: 24-7, 15-3 MAAC

RPI: 99

Fairfield was shocked on Sunday by St. Peter's. The Stags, who host the MAAC tournament, were upset by No. 4 seed St. Peter's 62-48. Although the Stags will not get to go to the NCAA Tournament, they will play in the NIT.

Good Wins: Vermont (Home), Iona (Home), Rider (Road)

Bad Losses: St. Joe's (Home), Loyola (Road), St. Peter's (Home)

17. Valparaiso Crusaders (19)

Record: 23-11, 12-6 Horizon

RPI: 70

Valparaiso could not pull off the upset over No. 1 seed Milwaukee in the Horizon League semifinals. The Crusaders are hoping to hear their name called for one of the four postseason tournaments next week.

Good Wins: Oakland (Road), Butler (Road), Cleveland State (Home), Missouri State (Home)

Bad Losses: Toledo (Road), Green Bay (Home, Road), Loyola (Home)

18. Drexel Dragons (17)

Record: 21-10, 11-7 CAA

RPI: 72

Drexel picked up its 10th loss of the season, losing to VCU in the CAA quarterfinals. The Dragons came back in the final minutes against the Rams, but they could not finish off the comeback, losing 62-60.

Good Wins: Louisville (Road), ODU (Home), Hofstra (Road), Kent State (Home), VCU (Home)

Bad Losses: Hofstra (Home), William & Mary (Road), JMU (Home), UNC-W (Road)

19. Kent State Golden Flashes (20)

Record: 21-10, 12-4 MAC

RPI: 87

Kent State clinched a MAC regular season title with a win over Akron in the final game of the regular season. The Golden Flashes will be the top seed in the MAC tournament.

Good Wins: Iona (Neutral), Furman (Home), Western Michigan (Road)

Bad Losses: Buffalo (Road), Ohio (Home)

20. Milwaukee Panthers (23)

Record: 19-12, 13-5 Horizon

RPI: 92

Milwaukee took advantage of having the home court in the Horizon League tournament, defeating Valparaiso in the semifinals. The Panthers now host Butler on Tuesday for the Horizon League championship.

Good Wins: Butler (Home, Road), Valpo (Home, Home), Cleveland State (Road)

Bad Losses: DePaul (Road), Green Bay (Road), Loyola (Home), Buffalo (Road)

21. Iona Gaels (25)

Record: 22-10, 13-5 MAAC

RPI: 65

Iona has been the hottest team in the MAAC. The Gaels have won nine straight games and advanced to the championship game in the MAAC with a win over Rider on Sunday.

Good Wins: Richmond (Home), LIU (Road), Hofstra (Home), Rider (Road), Fairfield (Home)

Bad Losses: Bryant (Neutral), Siena (Road), Loyola (Road)

22. Long Island Blackbirds (Not Ranked)

Record: 26-5, 16-2 NEC

RPI: 80

Long Island advanced to the NEC championship game with a thrilling win over Central Connecticut State on Sunday. The Blackbirds have now won 12 straight games.

Good Wins: Robert Morris (Home), Quinnipiac (Home) 

Bad Losses: St. Francis (Road)

23. Morehead State Eagles (Not Ranked)

Record: 24-9, 13-5 OVC

RPI: 77

Morehead State won both of its games in the OVC tournament to punch a bid to the NCAA tournament. It will be the Eagles' second NCAA tournament appearance in the last three years.

Good Wins: Murray State (Home), Kent State (Home), Charleston (Home), Indiana State (Road)

Bad Losses: UNC-W (Road), Tennessee State (Road), Eastern Illinois (Road), EKY (Home)

24. James Madison Dukes (18) 

Record: 21-11, 10-8 CAA

RPI: 89

James Madison's run in the CAA tournament ended early with the Dukes being upset by William & Mary in the first round.

Good Wins: Princeton (Home), Bucknell (Home), Kent State (Road), Drexel (Road), VCU (Road)

Bad Losses: Georgia State (Road), William & Mary (Home, Neutral)

25. Hofstra Pride (24)

Record: 21-11, 14-4 CAA

RPI: 86

Hofstra's CAA tournament run went deeper, but it ended with a semifinal loss to Old Dominion on Sunday. As the third-place team in the CAA, the Pride should make an appearance in a postseason tournament.

Good Wins: Rider (Road), Drexel (Road), GMU (Home), JMU (Home)

Bad Losses: WKU (Neutral), Wright State (Road)

Added: Long Island, Morehead State 

Dropped: Coastal Carolina, Vermont

Considered: Indiana State, Wofford, FAU, East Tennessee State, Montana, Vermont, Coastal Carolina, Long Beach State, Bucknell