While this may be of little consent to those of you who took Duke or Missouri to win the whole tournament, NCAA basketball is displaying parity.

The term “mid-major” is brandied about in game-time conversations, while realistically, statistics have shown a conference such as the Horizon League has a 17-9 record in the NCAA Tournament over the last seven years.

The display of talent playing on equal footing was on display last season as Butler and VCU were both part of the final four, with Butler participating in a losing effort for the finals.

This year’s tournament has already shown some signs of life in the “lesser” conferences, as powerhouses Duke and Missouri were upset by Lehigh and Norfolk State respectively.

While both “Cinderellas” have been bumped from a Sweet 16 appearance, the message remains the same: talent is dispersing through the entire collegiate ranks, not collecting in certain areas.

The more concrete example this season lies in the team right in the MAC: Ohio. After their win over South Florida, the Bobcats advanced to the Sweet 16. The Bobcats became the first MAC team to advance to the Sweet 16 in ten years.

While I’m not filled with glowing optimism for the MAC to become a regular bidder for the upper levels of the NCAA tournament, it’s obvious that all colleges have done their due diligence in scouting.

Personally I think it’s good for all of athletics to have this kind of competition, as it provides the viewer with more excitement. Sort of like in the NBA. I don’t want to see the Chicago Bulls stomp on the Charlotte Bobcats of the worlds on their way to a title, not matter how much I hate Tyrus Thomas.

In a time where controversy is around every corner regarding college athletics, it’s good to see success come from unfamiliar places.

It’s also good to see that not only the big name schools with the big recruiting coaches are the ones celebrating when the buzzer sounds.