
Major-conference status is subject to change, but not merely on the basis of one really good, or really bad, tournament. (AP/Otto Kitsinger)
If you see someone say or write “power 5” in a basketball context, it means they’re not actually talking or writing in a basketball context. Excluding one of the six major conferences — the one that’s won two of the last three national titles, no less — just because it doesn’t play FBS football is, in basketball terms, problematic.
In other nomenclature news, there are still, by my lights, six major conferences.
Let’s look at the contenders for this label starting with the 2014 season, when conference memberships assumed more or less their current form.
1. Tournament wins
Congratulations, ACC. It’s been an impressive five years in the tournament, even allowing for the fact that you have 15 teams with which to flood that zone while other majors have just 10.
NCAA tournament wins, 2014-18
Based on current memberships Total wins Per team-season 1. ACC 69 0.92 2. Big 12 41 0.82 3. Big Ten 47 0.69 4. Big East 31 0.62 5. SEC 40 0.57 6. Pac-12 31 0.52 7. American 18 0.33