Mid-majors to watch in 2018-19

Guided by veteran coach Rick Byrd, Belmont had its string of seven consecutive postseason appearances end despite winning 24 games in 2017-18. The Bruins begin this season as the favorites in the Ohio Valley, trying to record a ninth straight campaign with at least 20 victories.

The class of the Mid-American Conference hails in the shadow of Niagara Falls. After winning 27 games and stunning Arizona in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2018, the Bulls could be bound for more success this season. It helps when the top three scorers from a team that averaged 84.6 points are back.

The Wildcats are a perennial mid-major to watch, and that won't change this season. Following 21 wins and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2017-28, Davidson is among the favorites for what should be a tight race for the Atlantic 10 title. Guard Kellan Grady returns,  after averaging 18 points as a freshman.

Is this the season the Patriots end an NCAA Tournament drought that sits at seven years? Even though Mason finished 16-17 last season, it went 9-9 in the Atlantic 10 and returns its top six scorers. Guard Otis Livingston II, who averaged 17.3 points last season, is an A-10 Player of the Year candidate.

Georgia State is the clear favorite in the Sun Belt and will try to make consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in the program's existence. The Panthers have a good chance to do so behind guard D'Marcus Simonds, who averaged 21.2 points and shot 46.1 percent last season.

The Zags are mid-major only in the sense they don't play in a power conference. In reality, they are a top-five team looking to reach the Final Four for the second time in three seasons. Gonzaga has made the NCAA Tournament in each of coach Mark Few's 19 seasons, and that won't change in 2019. The question is whether or not this will be the season it finally wins a national title.

Harvard might finally have the team that will get the program back to the Big Dance for the first time since 2015. Leading the way is junior forward Seth Towns, who is one of the top players in the Ivy League after averaging 16 points last season. Tommy Amaker's bunch visits North Carolina on Jan. 2. 

The Ramblers are the favorites in the Missouri Valley, but the program has not made the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons since 1963 and '64. There is some quality left over from last season's Cinderella Final Four team, and coach Porter Moser might be one of the more underrated leaders in the country.

Montana won 26 games last season and went 16-2 in the Big Sky. The Grizzlies' season ended with a first-round NCAA loss to eventual national runner-up Michigan, but guards Ahmaad Rorie and Michael Oguine each scored 15 points in that contest. The talented backcourt duo returns for Montana, which has its sights set on back-to-back NCAA appearances for the second time this decade.

A Sweet 16 team a season ago, Nevada and its vaunted front line are ready to take the next step this season. The Wolf Pack are tabbed the team to beat in the Mountain West while ranked seventh to open the season. Non-conference tests against Loyola, USC, Arizona State and Utah should give a good idea if Nevada is for real.

No team in the WAC has enjoyed as much success of late as the Aggies. There's a good chance New Mexico State will extend its run of postseason appearances to eight years. The nation doesn't get a chance to see the Aggies play much, but early games against Saint Mary's, Washington State and even a visit to Kansas will be worth keeping an eye on.

The Norse are trying to make a third consecutive postseason appearance of any kind after totaling 46 wins over the last two seasons. NKU expects to be in the mix to again win the Horizon League, which could be as competitive as it's been in a long time. Drew McDonald (17 ppg, 9.6 rpg) is the best player in the league.

Saint Louis is another team with a good opportunity to claim the Atlantic 10 championship this season. The Billikens have not earned an NCAA Tournament bid since 2014, but last season's 17-16 finish snapped a string of three consecutive losing campaigns. Michigan State transfer Javon Bess is one of the most complete players in the league.

With four NCAA Tournament appearances in the last five years, the Lumberjacks are regular Big Dance attendees at this point. SFA hopes that stretch continues, as it returns its top three scorers from last season's squad that went 28-7. The Lumberjacks have a few tries at pulling off an upset with games against Miami, Baylor and Alabama to highlight the non-conference slate.

All-American candidate Mike Daum gets all the attention, but the Jackrabbits are not a one-man team. Guard David Jenkins Jr. averaged 16.1 points as a freshman last season when South Dakota State won both the Summit League regular-season and tournament titles en route to its third consecutive visit to the Big Dance. 

If there is one team that can seriously challenge Loyola in the Missouri Valley, Southern Illinois might be it. SIU returns its top four scorers from last season's 20-win squad and will try to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since a run of six straight trips from 2002-'07.

The Knights have not been to the Big Dance since 2005, but they are filled with belief that the drought will end this season as favorites in the American Athletic Conference. The return of coach Johnny Dawkins' son Aubrey from injury should provide a huge upgrade for a program that won 24 games two seasons ago.

Loyola wasn't the only program from the city of Chicago to enjoy postseason success in 2018. UIC (Illinois-Chicago) won 20 games and reached the final of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. The Flames return a good nucleus from that group and should be around to challenge for the Horizon crown.

It's somewhat surprising that Western Kentucky has not played an NCAA Tournament game since 2013. The addition of five-star freshman Charles Bassey to a squad that returns some decent talent from last season's 27-victory team makes for a promising 2018-19. Coach Rick Stansbury is starting to put his signature on the Hilltoppers program.

Wright State has won 67 games over the last three seasons and enters this one as the favorite in the Horizon League. Northern Kentucky and UIC will hope to challenge the Raiders, but the defending league tournament champs have the most talented roster on paper. Six-foot-9 Loudon Love averaged 12.9 points and 9.7 boards in 2017-18.