The Final Four is set: FAU vs. San Diego State & UConn vs. Miami.
How many teams from the vaunted Big Ten made it to the Final Four? None.
What about the SEC, where it supposedly "just means more"? Also, none.
Checking in on arguably the best regular season league in college basketball this year, the Big 12? Nada.
The ACC has once again sent another league representative to the final weekend of March Madness, with Miami making it's first ever trip to the Final Four. I've been told the ACC has been bad since Covid (looking at you, Joe Lunardi).
The media narrative has been clear in recent years: The ACC may be the best basketball conference historically, but currently they're 7th at best. Not even close to the Big Ten(who hasn't had a champion since 2000).
However, the ACC has accounted for 3 of the last 8 teams to make the Final Four, with no repeat representatives. Duke and UNC both made it in 2022, and Miami is making it's first trip ever in 2023.
This begs the question, why are the Big Ten and SEC getting so much love from the "Traditional Media" and the ACC being dubbed a lesser league? It's especially curious when factoring in ESPN's media deal with the ACC, while a media rival has the rights to the Conference with Rutgers.
You can quote all the regular season computer metrics you want, but as the old saying goes "Ball Don't Lie." The ACC beat the Big Ten head to head in the last ever ACC/Big Ten Challenge. And now, the ACC once again is playing in the Final Four, while every team from the alleged "Best conference in basketball" is sitting at home...again.
Well, at least Wisconsin is still playing in the NIT. I guess the Big Ten has that going for them, right??