Mid Major Conference Tournaments

One of my favorite parts of college basketball is the mid major conference tournaments. Not that the big conference tournaments aren't good or don't have better basketball, but there' just something about mid major tournaments that appeals to me more.

Part of it is that I go to a mid major school and support a mid major team. When you root for a team like George Mason, you begin to resent the big boys a bit, and how easily they can get into the Big Dance and how they can really just take it for granted. There's this commonality between al mid major teams, and I can understand and respect everything that those fans are going through, which makes me appreciate those games more.

Then there's just that underdog story. The beauty of the mid major conference is that even the favorite is really an underdog. They have centers who are too small, and point guards who can't shoot, yet they still have a shot to do the impossible and not only get into the NCAA tournament, but win in the tournament too.

I think the part that I love the most about mid major tournaments as opposed to big conference tournaments are that hint of desperation that you can actually feel from watching the games.

When I turn on the Big East tournament, or the ACC tournament, I know for a fact that nearly every semifinals team, and in some cases quarterfinals team, are going to the NCAA tournament. There are bigger, more important basketball games to be played. Winning the ACC tournament is nice, but generally not a necessity to move on.

For just about everyone else though, these tournaments are life or death. Teams from the SWAC. Teams from the OVC. Teams from the NEC. They spend their entire seasons working for these tournaments, and they cannot afford to lose.

Championship games in these mid major tournaments are as stressful an event as you will ever witness, and that's why I love them. The fans live and die on every possession. You can feel the euphoric joy of victory and the downright agony of coming so close, yet coming up short.

So if you are looking for something to watch over the next couple weeks, check the ESPN family of networks for a mid major championship game. Trust me, you will not be disappointed.