going back to season 1 in combined Knight and Phelan.
Since there is no official beginning number I like to look at the results and see where the schools were after that season.

Big West:
2 schools ended up at C+. RPI's of 85 and 144. Both made NT tourney and lost in 1st round. Avg 17.5 wins

1 school ended up at C. 70 RPI, 18 wins, 1st round PIT loss

8 schools ended at C-. Avg wins 16.4. no postseasons
RPI: 92,93,101,105,114,124,126,148.

9 schools ended the year with D+ prestige.
RPI: 198,201,209,214,215,217,220,224,231
averaged 11.9 wins with no postseasons.

4 schools ended at D. Avg 7.5 wins
RPI: 246,264,296,305

I don't see any way all those schools ending up at D+, saw a bump after their sub .500 season's results.

compare the Big West results above to a true D baseline conference Big South

again, where the 24 teams ranked prestige wise after season 1.

1 team C+. RPI 113, 19 wins, NT 1st round loss.

1 team at C. RPI 167, 17 wins, loss 1st round NT

3 teams at D+. avg 15.3 wins. no postseason
RPI: 128,134,186

6 teams at D. avg wins 14.5. no postseason
RPI: 165,199,210,210,211,213

13 teams with D-. avg 9.1 wins.
RPI: 244,265,266,273,275,281,294,296,297,309,311,322,323

the Big South schools ending at D probably had equal or better seasons than the 9 Big West schools that ended higher at D+

Posted by Benis on 9/25/2020 10:47:00 AM (view original):
No way big west is C-. All the teams are D prestige baseline, I'm pretty sure. I was at NMSU in Big West and it sure looked like it's a low major D baseline conf.

Big west is on same level as SL, big South, etc.

Big West is D+ then. Its not D.