Schools Outside Power Conferences Making Noise in College Basketball
California, Idaho State Impress Early
While the likes of Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina typically dominate the headlines in college basketball, a number of schools outside the power conferences are making noise early in the 2022-23 season.
The California Golden Bears, who play in the Pac-12 Conference, are off to a 6-1 start after upsetting No. 6 Michigan in the semifinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament. The Golden Bears are led by senior guard Jordan Shepherd, who is averaging 20.3 points per game.
The Idaho State Bengals, who play in the Big Sky Conference, are also off to a strong start at 5-2. The Bengals are led by senior forward Malik Porter, who is averaging 22.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.
ACC Women's Basketball
In women's basketball, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is once again expected to be one of the top conferences in the country. The ACC is home to four of the top 10 teams in the preseason AP Poll, including No. 1 South Carolina, No. 2 Louisville, No. 3 NC State and No. 10 Virginia Tech.
The ACC Tournament will be held in Greensboro, North Carolina from March 7-11. The winner of the tournament will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Other Notable Teams
In addition to California and Idaho State, a number of other schools outside the power conferences are also having strong seasons early on.
- Hofstra University (Colonial Athletic Association): 6-1 start, led by senior guard Jalen Ray
- Weber State University (Big Sky Conference): 6-0 start, led by senior forward Dillon Jones
- Saint Mary's College of California (West Coast Conference): 5-1 start, led by senior guard Logan Johnson
- Mississippi Valley State University (Southwestern Athletic Conference): 5-1 start, led by senior guard Issac Thornton
