NCAA Basketball: Ranking the best conferences

Apr 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Ryan Boatright (11) celebrates with the trophy as CBS announcer interviews guard Shabazz Napier (13) after the Huskies beat the Kentucky Wildcats in the championship game of the Final Four in the 2014 NCAA Mens Division I Championship tournament at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /

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Nov 28, 2012; Champaign, IL, USA; The ACC Big Ten challenge logo sits on the court before the game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Illinois Fighting Illini at Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Bradley Leeb-USA TODAY Sports /

#2 – 1: Nothing But Net

#2 – Big Ten

Top 25 Teams – 3
Top 10 Teams – 3

Biggest Plus – Both Michigan schools
Biggest Minus – Like the SEC in football, cannibalization within the conference schedule

The Big Ten looked like the top conference in the nation coming into the season, and with three teams landing in the Top 10 by season’s end, things shaped up as expected. There are a handful of B1G schools that could be considered serious national contenders each year, but then there’s a severe drop-off in talent. With Illinois, Indiana and Iowa all trying to claw their way into the top of the conference, this could be an interesting season for the Big Ten. Michigan State, Michigan and Wisconsin still look to be the class of the conference, with Ohio State not far behind.

#1 – ACC

Top 25 Teams – 5
Top 10 Teams – 2

Biggest Plus – Louisville joining the conference
Biggest Minus – Weak lower half of conference

No conference can look as good and as bad as the ACC at the same time. One one hand you have always present national powers Duke, North Carolina, Syracuse and NC State, then there are the also-rans like Florida State, Pittsburgh, Clemson and Miami. Then there are teams that struggle just to keep their noses over the water line, like Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Notre Dame. The addition of Louisville automatically will make the ACC the conference to beat when you add them to the likes of the power teams in this league. If some of those teams in the lower half of the conference can step up in 2014-15 (and some are already on their way), then the ACC will be absolutely dominant next season.

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