ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia

[OrangeandBlack74]

Over on ESPN.com, there is an interesting article on an ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia, and a ranking of the Division 1 college programs provided by Jeff Sagarin of Sagarin ratings fame. Here is the ranking of all 330 programs, followed by the Top 40 from each decade, starting with the 40's.

http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2009/1004/cbe1.pdf

Note Bradley's inclusion in the Top 10 during the 1960's...

[tornado]

I had started a separate thread..but will merge with yours, O&B

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Using Jeff Sagarin's data (considered by many to be highly accurate and reflective of true performance)

ESPN ranks ALL Division I programs ...

The ESPN/Sagarin All-Time Rankings

And Bradley is #39 All Time!!

Bradley also ranks #34 on the decade of the 1940's
...and #20 in the decade of the 1950's
...and #8 in the decade of the 1960's!!

Only one other current mid-major is even close (Temple is #31), and NO OTHER
current Valley team is under #80
Wichita State #81
SIU #84
Creighton #86
Drake #104
Evansville #106
Missouri State #112
ISU #113
InSU #125
UNI #195

http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2009/1004/cbe1.pdf

[Jack Bauer]

Obviously teams will fluctuate from decade to decade, but how can we go from a Top 10 program in the 60's to unranked ever since? I'm kind of surprised we didn't crack the Top 40 for the 80's. 3 NCAA's and an NIT Championship isn't enough to crack the Top 40? I didn't get into the particulars but did our NCAA Violation Year play into the equation?

[Chico]

Obviously teams will fluctuate from decade to decade, but how can we go from a Top 10 program in the 60's to unranked ever since? I'm kind of surprised we didn't crack the Top 40 for the 80's. 3 NCAA's and an NIT Championship isn't enough to crack the Top 40? I didn't get into the particulars but did our NCAA Violation Year play into the equation?

For awhile in the 60's, and before that even, the MVC was among the toughest and most respected conferences in the country. IMO, when ESPN and the other networks started catering to the bigger TV markets, is when the Valley started losing some of their top teams and had to bring in teams without the name recognition.

[epistibrain]

I'm kind of surprised we didn't crack the Top 40 for the 80's. 3 NCAA's and an NIT Championship isn't enough to crack the Top 40? I didn't get into the particulars but did our NCAA Violation Year play into the equation?

I was also a little curious about Bradley not making the cut, enough that I checked out the bottom five teams. Wake Forest and Minnesota both had three NCAA appearances in the 80's, but the next three teams up all appeared six times. I don't think the rankings even weigh tournament appearances more than other games, but that suggests Bradley was probably close to the cutoff.

At the bottom of the introduction it says that teams on probation by the NCAA did not qualify, and also that a small penalty was assessed in the rankings for not qualifying. Presumably 1987 hurt Bradley a little in the 80's.