As we are just days away from the start of the 2022-23 season, Mid-Major Madness put together its top 25. In the lead-up to the season tipping off Nov. 7, we are releasing five teams in the ranking each day. Here are numbers 10-6.
10. Toledo
The Rockets have been the class of the MAC the last few seasons and are looking to accomplish a feat that has not been accomplished in over 70 years. Tod Kowalczyk’s club is looking to become the first team to win three consecutive outright league titles since Cincinnati won four-straight from 1948-51. Four starters return from last year’s team that won 26 games: Setric Millner Jr., JT Shumate, RayJ Dennis and Ra’Heim Moss. Millner and Shumate each averaged 15.0 points per game. Toledo added depth with transfers Tyler Cochran, André Lorentsson and Dante Maddox. Kowalczyk pointed to depth as a major key to this year’s team.
The Rockets will play Richmond, George Mason and Vermont in non-conference play.
9. Memphis
Last season featured several highlights, including a pair of wins over Houston, a victory over Alabama and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers are looking to repeat that performance this year and expand upon it. Memphis was picked second in the American and received one first-place vote in the preseason poll. The Tigers were the only team to have multiple players named to the First-Team All-AAC: Kendric Davis and DeAndre Williams. Davis comes to Memphis after most recently playing with SMU, where he won the AAC Player of the Year honor a season ago. He poured in 19.4 points (best in the league) and 4.4 assists (third in the league). He was also named to the watch lists for the National Association of Basketball Coaches’ Player of the Year and the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. Williams, who was also named to the Karl Malone Award watch list, tallied 11.4 points per game on 56.4% shooting and 5.8 rebounds per game last season.
Memphis has a brutal non-conference schedule with the like of Alabama, Auburn, Seton Hall, Saint Louis and VCU.
8. Saint Mary’s
The Gaels have accomplished a feat multiple times in recent years that few teams have been able to do at all – beat Gonzaga. Saint Mary’s has topped the Zags three times in the last five seasons and five time in the past seven years. The most recent victory came last February – a 10-point win at home. Consistency has also been the staple for Randy Bennett. The Gaels have made every postseason (either…
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