But the Rams’ top victories outside the Colonial Athletic Association have come against South Florida, Akron and Northern Iowa, leaving their tournament portfolio short on sparkle. They are No. 70 in the Ratings Percentage Index, a ranking that is generally too low for a team hoping for an at-large bid.

“The problem is they just didn’t get it done out of conference,” said Jerry Palm, the publisher of CollegeRPI.com. “And the C.A.A. is way down this year.”

Of course, the Rams did not appear to have much of a chance last season either. A loss to Old Dominion in the conference tournament championship game put their record at 23-11, and they appeared to be on the wrong side of the N.C.A.A. bubble.

The team did not even gather to watch the tournament selection show. Then it received an at-large bid as a No. 11 seed, and possibility blossomed.

After winning an opening-round (or play-in) game against another No. 11 seed, Southern California, the Rams toppled Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State and top-seeded Kansas to reach the Final Four, where they lost to Butler.

“It was a game-changer, not only for the athletic department, but for the whole university,” Teague said. “It gave us brand recognition that was beyond belief.”