Ok, we’ll use a more subjective ranking. Charlie Creme has 4 Big 12 teams in his bracket, with 3 more listed in the next 8. The American has none listed besides UConn. Yes, a few games have gone against this, but looking at complete resumes the Big 12 is a decisively better conference.
And what you're calling "decisively" is what I call a distinction without a difference.
I'm not sure what more evidence you're looking for. Every metric I can find has the Big 12 as a top 4 conference, and the American at 8th or worse, with a large dropoff after the Power 5. There were only 6 head-to-head matchups that I could find, which is not nearly enough to determine much of anything, especially since only 8 of the 22 teams in the conferences were represented. Yes, the Big 12 lacks elite teams besides Baylor, but the mid-level teams in the Big 12 are almost universally better than their counterparts in the American.
Again, all distinctions without a difference. Baylor might as well be in the AAC.
Usually you're all over the metrics on stuff like this. I'm not sure why you are so set on this one. I would be more receptive if there was a single metric that supported this, but it's just not there. Massey, Her Hoop Stats, even RPI all show the same thing. The Big 12 has 6 or so teams in the top 60, the American has 1. The Big 12 has 9 teams in the top 100, the American has at best 5. The Big 12 has 1 team outside the top 100, the American has 7. Yes, both leagues have one elite team that generally cuts through the rest, and UConn would likely go undefeated in the Big 12 if they switched places, but it would not be nearly as easy as it has typically been for UConn in the American.
