From Here to Futility: What More Could Mid-Major Schools Do?

The "Road to the Final Four" is a highway lined with daydreamers and potholes. Davidson had two of eight teams from mid-major conferences - Lafayette '78, American '81, Temple '82, William & Mary '83, Coppin State '94, Davidson '96, Austin Peay '04 and Davidson '05 - going undefeated in league round-robin regular-season competition but not participating in the NCAA playoffs after losing by a single-digit margin in their conference tournament since at-large bids were issued to schools other than conference champions in 1975.

It is any wonder many mid-level schools have an inferiority complex? Utah State was shunned in 2003-04 despite winning nearly 90% of its games (25-3 record). Drexel (27-6) and Oral Roberts (27-6) became the 12th and 13th schools in the last six seasons denied at-large bids despite posting in excess of 25 victories. Following is an alarmingly long chronological list of eligible teams to win more than 25 games but fail to earn invitations to the NCAA playoffs since the field expanded to 64 in 1985.