Bubble Watch

Quote from: Marco Baldi on March 11, 2015, 09:11:31 PM

So regular season only matters for big conferences. NCAA should just take teams from big conferences. Seems to be leaning that way.

Not true.  Regular season matters for Iona and Murray St. in that they should've scheduled a somewhat competitive non-conf schedule.  The NCAA has not made that a secret.  They want teams to at least attempt to schedule tough games. 
With the rest of their conferences being as bad as they are this year, the only thing the conference schedule was good for was avoiding bad losses.  Murray St would've been in if they'd beaten Xavier IMO.  Heck, if the committee ignores the SOS, the lack of quality wins, and all the computer numbers, they might still get in.  The committee might look past the one horrific loss. Iona is a different story with 5 horrible losses.

Again, I'm not talking Iona. I'm talking mid majors. I think the NCAA should step in and have a say in scheduling

If you're referring to just the conference regular season games - the way the system is set up, when your conference is terrible, they matter only to determine seeding in your tournament (and the avoiding bad losses thing).  That's not Texas' fault; that's the MAAC and OVC's fault for giving their bid to the conference tourney winner rather than the regular season champion.

Quote from: LoganK on March 11, 2015, 09:21:14 PM

Quote from: Marco Baldi on March 11, 2015, 09:11:31 PM

So regular season only matters for big conferences. NCAA should just take teams from big conferences. Seems to be leaning that way.

Not true.  Regular season matters for Iona and Murray St. in that they should've scheduled a somewhat competitive non-conf schedule.  The NCAA has not made that a secret.  They want teams to at least attempt to schedule tough games. 
With the rest of their conferences being as bad as they are this year, the only thing the conference schedule was good for was avoiding bad losses.  Murray St would've been in if they'd beaten Xavier IMO.  Heck, if the committee ignores the SOS, the lack of quality wins, and all the computer numbers, they might still get in.  The committee might look past the one horrific loss. Iona is a different story with 5 horrible losses.

Again, I'm not talking Iona. I'm talking mid majors. I think the NCAA should step in and have a say in scheduling

I included Murray State, not just Iona. 
Mid-majors tend to make the dance if they have 25+ wins.  You're talking low-majors.

If you're referring to just the conference regular season games - the way the system is set up, when your conference is terrible, they matter only to determine seeding in your tournament (and the avoiding bad losses thing).  That's not Texas' fault; that's the MAAC and OVC's fault for giving their bid to the conference tourney winner rather than the regular season champion.

But it is Texas' fault that they are 8-10 in their league. Why is that rewarded?

Quote from: Marco Baldi on March 11, 2015, 09:23:56 PM

Quote from: LoganK on March 11, 2015, 09:21:14 PM

Quote from: Marco Baldi on March 11, 2015, 09:11:31 PM

So regular season only matters for big conferences. NCAA should just take teams from big conferences. Seems to be leaning that way.

Not true.  Regular season matters for Iona and Murray St. in that they should've scheduled a somewhat competitive non-conf schedule.  The NCAA has not made that a secret.  They want teams to at least attempt to schedule tough games. 
With the rest of their conferences being as bad as they are this year, the only thing the conference schedule was good for was avoiding bad losses.  Murray St would've been in if they'd beaten Xavier IMO.  Heck, if the committee ignores the SOS, the lack of quality wins, and all the computer numbers, they might still get in.  The committee might look past the one horrific loss. Iona is a different story with 5 horrible losses.

Again, I'm not talking Iona. I'm talking mid majors. I think the NCAA should step in and have a say in scheduling

I included Murray State, not just Iona. 
Mid-majors tend to make the dance if they have 25+ wins.  You're talking low-majors.

Murray st has 27 wins, Iona 26. But I guess they are low majors.

Quote from: LoganK on March 11, 2015, 09:25:32 PM

Quote from: Marco Baldi on March 11, 2015, 09:23:56 PM

Quote from: LoganK on March 11, 2015, 09:21:14 PM

Quote from: Marco Baldi on March 11, 2015, 09:11:31 PM

So regular season only matters for big conferences. NCAA should just take teams from big conferences. Seems to be leaning that way.

Not true.  Regular season matters for Iona and Murray St. in that they should've scheduled a somewhat competitive non-conf schedule.  The NCAA has not made that a secret.  They want teams to at least attempt to schedule tough games. 
With the rest of their conferences being as bad as they are this year, the only thing the conference schedule was good for was avoiding bad losses.  Murray St would've been in if they'd beaten Xavier IMO.  Heck, if the committee ignores the SOS, the lack of quality wins, and all the computer numbers, they might still get in.  The committee might look past the one horrific loss. Iona is a different story with 5 horrible losses.

Again, I'm not talking Iona. I'm talking mid majors. I think the NCAA should step in and have a say in scheduling

I included Murray State, not just Iona. 
Mid-majors tend to make the dance if they have 25+ wins.  You're talking low-majors.

Murray st has 27 wins, Iona 26. But I guess they are low majors.

And if they are low mid majors, how come they have trouble scheduling games with the bigger conferences?

3/11/15  Bubble and Championship games:

Championship:

Patriot League:  American U (17-15) @ Lafayette (19-12) - Congratulations to Lafayette (fun note, this was the third meeting of the teams this year.  American won the first two.)

Bubble:

Washington @ Stanford (18-12) - Stanford 71 Washington 69  Stanford survives, for now

Texas Tech @ Texas (19-12) - Texas 65 Texas Tech 53  Will it be enough?

Virginia Tech @ Miami (20-11)-   Miami 59  VT 49  Miami stays alive

Pitt (19-13) @ NC State (19-12) - NC State 81  Pitt 70   NIT for Pitt

I don't like those 16 seed play in games either. Lunardi has Manhattan playing Robert Morris for a 16 seed.

But it is Texas' fault that they are 8-10 in their league. Why is that rewarded?

5 top 20 teams in their league.

Murray st has 27 wins, Iona 26. But I guess they are low majors.

Low major refers to the conference.  So yes, they are low majors.

I don't like those 16 seed play in games either. Lunardi has Manhattan playing Robert Morris for a 16 seed.

This is something we agree on.  I think if you win your tournament for the auto bid, you shouldn't then have to play to get into the real tourney.  Though I think they get paid the same for the first four games, so it works out monetarily.  But for the kids sake...

Was there the "bracket-buster" games this year? Those were always solid match ups for some of the non major programs.

They got rid of bracket busters, I think two years ago was the last one.

Was there the "bracket-buster" games this year? Those were always solid match ups for some of the non major programs.

They did away with the whole bracketbuster thing. No idea why. I thought it was a good measuring point and a chance to get a good win

3/12/15 Bubble and Championship games

Championship:

None

Bubble:

Michigan @ Illinois (19-12) - Illinois needs a couple of wins

Air Force @ Boise State (24-7) - Avoid the bad loss and they'll have a chance. (though I don't know who they'd play if they win).

Auburn @ Texas A&M (20-10) - A loss means pop.

Middle Tennessee @ ODU (24-6) - Some think they need the championship, but they definitely need this one.

USC @ UCLA (19-12) - UCLA needs more than this

Northwestern @ Indiana (19-12) - Seriously, Indiana, just win a bleeping game.

Texas (20-12) @ Iowa State - A win should lock it up.  A loss means a very anxious few days.

Colorado @ Oregon (23-8) - Might already be good, but should avoid the bad loss

South Carolina @ Ole Miss (20-11) - They have a few bad losses, a few good wins, do they need more?

Miami (21-11) @ Notre Dame - I think they need at least this win, if not more.

Fresno State @ Colorado St (26-5) - Might be able to afford a 2nd bad loss, but why risk it.

Stanford (19-12) @ Utah - For Stanford, their season rests on this game.  Lose, and I don't think they've done enough.  Win, and I think they're in...or at least really close, which counts for....nothing.

Would love to see Indiana, Miami, Illinois and UCLA all lose

Illinois, Texas A&M, Iowa & Old Diminion all lost this afternoon.

Quote from: LoganK on March 11, 2015, 09:21:14 PM

Quote from: Marco Baldi on March 11, 2015, 09:11:31 PM

So regular season only matters for big conferences. NCAA should just take teams from big conferences. Seems to be leaning that way.

Not true.  Regular season matters for Iona and Murray St. in that they should've scheduled a somewhat competitive non-conf schedule.  The NCAA has not made that a secret.  They want teams to at least attempt to schedule tough games. 
With the rest of their conferences being as bad as they are this year, the only thing the conference schedule was good for was avoiding bad losses.  Murray St would've been in if they'd beaten Xavier IMO.  Heck, if the committee ignores the SOS, the lack of quality wins, and all the computer numbers, they might still get in.  The committee might look past the one horrific loss. Iona is a different story with 5 horrible losses.

Again, I'm not talking Iona. I'm talking mid majors. I think the NCAA should step in and have a say in scheduling

I agree!

Quote from: LoganK on March 11, 2015, 09:21:14 PM

Quote from: Marco Baldi on March 11, 2015, 09:11:31 PM

So regular season only matters for big conferences. NCAA should just take teams from big conferences. Seems to be leaning that way.

Not true.  Regular season matters for Iona and Murray St. in that they should've scheduled a somewhat competitive non-conf schedule.  The NCAA has not made that a secret.  They want teams to at least attempt to schedule tough games. 
With the rest of their conferences being as bad as they are this year, the only thing the conference schedule was good for was avoiding bad losses.  Murray St would've been in if they'd beaten Xavier IMO.  Heck, if the committee ignores the SOS, the lack of quality wins, and all the computer numbers, they might still get in.  The committee might look past the one horrific loss. Iona is a different story with 5 horrible losses.

Again, I'm not talking Iona. I'm talking mid majors. I think the NCAA should step in and have a say in scheduling

What's next, they have a say in recruiting too? :-/

Bubble

Bubble

I hate underperforming, middling power conf. teams.  I could care less about a couple of top 50 wins when a team loses 8 others.

I'd rather put in Conf. Regular season winners that have good season records. Usually those teams have a better shot of advancing. Look at those middling power conf. 10 or higher seeds. Never beyond sweet 16. Dayton, VCU, Mason - did it.