Ranking Nashville area mid-major basketball programs' best chances to reach March Madness
The NCAA basketball regular season is winding down so it's time to take a look at which Nashville-area Division I men's and women's teams not in a Power 4 conference have the best chance to earn a berth in the 2025 NCAA Tournament and be part of March Madness.
Each Nashville area team can earn a spot into the NCAA men's or women's tournament by winning their respective conference tournament. Conference tournament champions earn an automatic berth into March Madness.
Here are the top four Nashville-are men's and women's mid-major teams ranked in order that we believe have the best chance at getting into the 2025 NCAA Tournament:
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Conference USA
MTSU has been near the NET top 50 all season. The Lady Raiders (21-6, 13-1) are currently 54th. MTSU is riding its longest win streak at seven games and in first place in Conference USA.
The Lady Raiders are led by the trio of Ta'Mia Scott (16.7 ppg), Anastasiia Boldyreva (15.4) and Jalynn Gregory (13.2), which is capable of getting them back to the NCAA tournament for the second straight season.
Ohio Valley Conference
After going to the NCAA tournament in 2022-23 and the WNIT the year before, Tennessee Tech did not play in the postseason last year. The Golden Eagles (22-5, 16-2) have reached 20 wins for the fourth time in nine seasons under coach Kim Rosamond. Led by Reghan Grimes (12.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg), Tech is peaking at the right time having stretched its current win streak to 13 games. The Golden Eagles are tied with Lindenwood for first place in the conference with two regular season games left including a visit from Lindenwood Saturday (1 p.m. CT).
Missouri Valley Conference
After giving Tennessee a scare in the second round of the 2021-22 NCAA Tournament, Belmont failed to make it back the last two seasons. The Bruins (16-11, 11-5) started this season at 6-7 before going on a 10-game win steak and climbing to the top of the Missouri Valley. The Bruins, who finish the regular season March 8 at Evansville, are now tied for fourth place and ranked 64th in the NET.
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Atlantic Sun Conference
The Bisons (18-9, 11-5) clinched a berth in the ASUN tournament last week. The program's all-time leading scorer Jalyn Holcomb has Lipscomb poised to challenge Florida Gulf Coast for the conference tournament title. That's a lofty challenge, however, considering Lipscomb has never beaten FGCU.
Atlantic Sun Conference
Lipscomb has the highest NET ranking of any local mid-major team at 90. The Bisons (21-9, 13-4) are tied for first in the ASUN and feature one of the league's best players in 6-foot-8 forward Jacob Ognacevic, who is 13th nationally in scoring (20.0 ppg).
Even with the NET ranking and a No. 85 KenPom ranking, the Bisons need to win the ASUN tournament to make the NCAA tournament and they have the momentum, having won seven of their last eight games, to do it.
Conference USA
MTSU has the second-highest NET ranking among local mid-majors at No. 104 and the highest RPI at No. 54. The Blue Raiders (18-9, 9-5) feature 6-9, 250-pound, Essam Mostafa, the conference's leading rebounder (8.7), and one of the leading scorers Jestin Porter (15.8 ppg).
MTSU, currently two-and-a-half games out of first place, has made the conference tournament semifinals the last three seasons and could finally win it this season to get in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2017.
Missouri Valley Conference
After earning NCAA tournament or NIT berths in nine out of 11 seasons, Belmont has not made it to the postseason since joining the Missouri Valley in 2022. The Bruins (19-10, 11-7) have been in the upper half of the league each season and find themselves there again in fourth place with a No. 103 RPI ranking.
Led by Memphis transfer Jonathan Pierre (14.0 ppg), Belmont is the top scoring team in the MVC (81.0 ppg), but next-to-last in defense (78.8 ppg).
Ohio Valley Conference
After starting the season at 4-10, TSU reversed course and became one of the hottest teams in the OVC in January. The Tigers (14-15, 10-8) have climbed from the bottom to the top half of the league by winning eight of their last 11 games.
Rhode Island transfer Brandon Weston is the third-leading scorer (16.0 ppg) in the OVC and will try to keep the Tigers' momentum going as the regular season ends Saturday at home against Southern Indiana (3:30 p.m. CT).
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: March Madness: Ranking Nashville mid-major basketball teams best teams
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