College Hoops 2/27/2006 - 03/12/2006

[Guest Princess Leena]

I don't know why people are still touting Maryland as a possible tournament team; I don't think they've been in it since they picked up the 8th conference loss.

 

I don't think they'll get in... but, looking at their resume, I would have put them ahead of teams like Cincy, who people do think are in. But, with Syracuse and another A-10 team wrapping up a bid... I think Maryland is gone unless they can make the ACC SF.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

It's semi-sarcasm with Gerry, for me.

 

I can't deny he's a big moment player. If it wasn't for him against Kansas, Syracuse would not have a national title. He shot the lights out against BYU to salvage the next season. And the running 3 he hit against Cincy was very clutch.

 

But... he can also annoy the heck out of you with the amount of bad shots and no-hope drive attempts he tries. I know he tries to be the team leader... but, he's just not good enough to be that. Was a great supporting player, though.

 

You have a point here, Leena. Gerry the point guard is inferior to Gerry the Shooting Guard, last season proved that. If they had a better point man, Cuse is a 1 seed and is probably in the Final Four.

 

But after the last 4 games, two of those losses, where Gerry has played his heart out, there is no way you can't say he isn't a good leader in his own right. After his performance today, despite his poor shooting, he's not just the cog that makes Syracuse go.

 

He is the Orange for 2006. Without him, Syracuse is just as bad, if not worse than South Florida, and no one can deny this. And I may be biased cause I like the Cuse, but G-Mac is the kind of player who makes teams better just by being on the court. His unselfish play is what Adam Morrison and Redick lack at points (and I'm being nice to them) . And if he had their talent...he would be player of the year, no question.

 

If Syracuse can win a 3rd Game tomorrow, I would not be surprised to see them become the first team to win 4 Games in 4 Days in the Big East Tournament.

 

And no, this isn't an attack on you, Leena. Just my opinion, albeit an emotional one.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Oh my bad. In all honesty I have Maryland out in the cold, as they should be. But losing tonight will end any hopes they may have. Gary acutally thinks that if he beats Tech tonight and Boston College (It's so wrong to see them in Greensboro, and not in NYC.) tomorrow he's going to get a bid. I can't wait to see his face when he doesn't.

 

It might look something like that. God, I love this picture.

[2GOLD 0]

Florida State is playing themselves out of the tournament. Looks like they are about to go down hard to Wake and pop their bubble. No way they get in with 19 wins.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

Florida State is playing themselves out of the tournament. Looks like they are about to go down hard to Wake and pop their bubble. No way they get in with 19 wins.

 

YES!!! I mean...what a shame....

[iggymcfly 0]

Not just Florida State, but Michigan as well. The Wolverines' overall resume looks solid, but they've lost 7 of their last nine, and that might be enough to knock them out. Hofstra, you're still alive!

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

If Michigan gets in, they're going to get run out of the first round. They looked absolutely terrible out there. Not really shocking, but they've been on a nasty decline.

[naiwf 0]

If that 3 pointer by the Marquette shooter had gone in that might have been the craziest back to back buzzer beaters I've ever seen.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

The Big East Tournament has been fucking crazy. Syracuse has not only made 1, but 2 last second shots to give themselves chances to win. The Bearcats and the Marquette barely miss their 3 pointers to tie or win. UConn goes down, Notre Dame loses another heart breaker, Pittsburgh kicks the shit out of Louisville, and then goes on to only win by 5. Due in large part to the fact they don't score a field goal in the last 14 minutes.

 

And tonight we shall run the table as we'll be getting a full scale blowout of Rutgers by Villanova.

 

And to end the day, we have another potential classic in WVU/Pitt III

[AboveAverage484 0]

So what kind of competition do we have goin' on here at the board for the tourney?

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Championship Week is really when you start to see how little the NBA guys care about what they're doing out there. I flipped on to some of the Nuggets/Sixers game, and everyone looked bored by contrast with any NCAA game that was on today. Not contesting shots, nobody leaping for rebounds--who cares.

 

College basketball 4 life.

[Hawk 34 0]

So what kind of competition do we have goin' on here at the board for the tourney?

 

We should probably just do a simple Yahoo pick-ems pool.

[jwpeer 0]

INSANE block by Sam Young

And the most bogus offensive foul call in the world.

Until that offensive foul call.

[jwpeer 0]

Now that's a way to ice an f'in game, woo Pitt

 

Can't wait to see what Gray can do to the undersized villanova, we didn't play them this year...hopefully kendall can play as well.

 

Sam Young and Levance Fields are some mature freshmen

[cabbageboy 0]

Jwpeer, I too am intrigued immensely by the Pitt/Nova matchup of doom. I have not seen anyone this year that physically manhandled the smallish Nova despite the 4 guards. If anyone can do that it is Pitt. But Pitt/WVU III a classic? It was just your typical ugly, shitty Pitt game.

 

Allow me to throw out some RPIs for you guys, it is the official one I just found on ncaasports.com:

 

UNC Wilmington is in but their RPI is 27. Hofstra is 29, so they are in fine shape I think. And George Mason is 30, so they are in reasonable shape to get about an 8 seed.

 

Cincy's RPI is still like 32 or so but that was before the Cuse loss (this RPI goes through Tuesday). I saw one RPI on teamrankings.com that had them plummetting from 32 to about 49, which would be a killer for their chances.

 

Just wondering but why exactly are guys on ESPN (Gottlieb for instance) saying that Missouri St. is in some serious bubble trouble? The RPI is 21, dudes. They aren't leaving out a team with that good of an RPI.

[jwpeer 0]

Jwpeer, I too am intrigued immensely by the Pitt/Nova matchup of doom. I have not seen anyone this year that physically manhandled the smallish Nova despite the 4 guards. If anyone can do that it is Pitt. But Pitt/WVU III a classic? It was just your typical ugly, shitty Pitt game.

 

Allow me to throw out some RPIs for you guys, it is the official one I just found on ncaasports.com:

 

UNC Wilmington is in but their RPI is 27. Hofstra is 29, so they are in fine shape I think. And George Mason is 30, so they are in reasonable shape to get about an 8 seed.

 

Cincy's RPI is still like 32 or so but that was before the Cuse loss (this RPI goes through Tuesday). I saw one RPI on teamrankings.com that had them plummetting from 32 to about 49, which would be a killer for their chances.

 

Just wondering but why exactly are guys on ESPN (Gottlieb for instance) saying that Missouri St. is in some serious bubble trouble? The RPI is 21, dudes. They aren't leaving out a team with that good of an RPI.

 

 

Just to note, I wasn't the one to say it was a classic...Pitt plays ugly, but I like ugly as long as it puts W's on the board

 

 

won't Syracuse's RPI skyrocket because of their Connecicut win, and thus minimize the drop to Cinci

 

 

Looking at the Big East:

 

Uconn, Nova, Wvu, Georgetown, Pitt, Marquette were in before the tourney started. Seton Hall, Syracuse, and Cincinatti were on the bubble.

 

Rutgers, Notre Dame, and Louisville had to win the whole tournament to get in

 

 

 

Syracuse is obviously in, putting the Big East at a guarenteed 7 teams in the NCAA tournament.

 

I'd almost have to say that of Seton Hall and Cinci, one of them has to get in...and Seton Hall's win AT Pitt keeps looking better every game Pitt wins in the Big East Tourney. Right now I'd take Seton Hall in the tourney first, then add Cinci if they really think the conference deserves the 9 teams.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Does the RPI actually matter that much? Especially for the MVC. It's somewhat artificially inflated by the fact that those core 6 teams all have decent RPI, and they all beat up on each other. I know, I know, no team with an RPI above 34 or whatever has been left out, but the vibe I'm getting from all the talking heads who purportedly know how the committee works is that RPI won't be as important this year as strength of schedule and recent momentum. With Michigan, Seton Hall, and FSU doing their best to give up their spots, there might be room for the CAA teams, but it's gonna be rough.

[therealworldschampion 0]

In the A-10, every lower seed won today. I'd look out for Xavier, for some reason they always come to play in the A-10 tourney. Part of me does want to see Temple win it though, just because facing Mardy Collins and the Temple matchup zone could be a tough chore for a 5 seed in the first round.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

Does the RPI actually matter that much? Especially for the MVC. It's somewhat artificially inflated by the fact that those core 6 teams all have decent RPI, and they all beat up on each other. I know, I know, no team with an RPI above 34 or whatever has been left out, but the vibe I'm getting from all the talking heads who purportedly know how the committee works is that RPI won't be as important this year as strength of schedule and recent momentum. With Michigan, Seton Hall, and FSU doing their best to give up their spots, there might be room for the CAA teams, but it's gonna be rough.

 

I wasn't going to bring this up till the selection Sunday Thread I'm making, but it might as well be stated now. (And no, I'm not sensing you're attacking them. I just thought this would be the perfect lead in.)

 

Why is the MVC getting so much flack? It's very simple, They have literally cracked the RPI code. Their Conference have been able to schedule teams that they know they can beat, and won't be totally horrid (avoiding the "buy game" trap). Almost every one of the teams did well in the OOC slate, guaranteeing them a gaudy record, and in turn a Great RPI, which will only rise with competition with each other. It worked, and no one else has thought of this.

 

Except every Power Conference.

 

However, due to such power, some members can have tough schedules while the others schedule light. The powerful teams have great records and great SOS off the bat. While the weaker teams (or cowardly teams) have just great records, but a strong conference to siphon off.

 

Don't believe me. Let me show you a few schedules of some Power Conference Teams. Especially Bubble Teams.

 

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Exhibit C

Exhibit D

 

What is the common thing here? That is the word, Cupcake!! Each one of these teams and many more feasted on a healthy diet of the stuff. However, these are teams that fell way too short of their expectations and now have problems. The theory to their type of scheduling is simple when broken down. These teams would have no signature wins, except in-conference.

 

They would coast off the same thing the Valley is doing now, and have been for years. And now people want to bitch about the system, even though the system is already broken? Bullshit.

 

And before anyone brings up the Mid-Majors need to schedule tougher, because it is expected of them. Let me just say this, being from a Mid-Major School and learning the harsh reality first hand. You can't schedule tougher when most of these power conference schools when they won't return your phone calls, period. Not for a Home and Home, series, but for a one shot deal. No one in these conferences wants to play a GOOD Mid-Major team. Cause they can actually lose to them. Right now it doesn't make sense for them to do so. Of course, there is the theory of having the Good Mid-Majors play each other more, but that has already happened, and the Bracket Buster is the banner of these match ups.

 

In my opinion, the best scenario for College Hoops is for the Valley to get 5-6 Bids and the CAA to get 3 Bids, along with this message. Get your butts on the road, and start playing better games against these schools that want to play you. While people may bitch, it'll even out the playing field a lot, as many more will want the best schedules possible. Is this realistic? Probably not, but it'll be the NCAA’s loss if it doesn't.

 

(And no, I understand that not every team does this, or that this should be taken as a blanket statement. But the writing is on the wall.)

[SilverPhoenix 0]

Well Maryland has its one last chance against Boston College tomorrow. Thanks for nothing, Georgia Tech.

 

The Golden Farce rolls on, when USC couldn't win.

 

As for the Mountain West, it is now 99% certain to be a one bid league. Their best At-Large Candidate (Air-Force) got beaten by Wyoming who is a miserable 12-17 with a RPI of 190, which speaks for itself.

 

BYU (who has won 10 of 11 and 6 straight) does not have strong enough of a profile with a RPI number above 50, a 3-4 record against the Top 50 and 3 bad losses (100+ RPI applies here) to end their hopes if they lose.

 

And even though San Diego State is the Regular Season Champion of the Conference, they too suffer from a RPI above 50, which is the point of no return for the Majors like the Mountain West. To make things worse, they have 5 Bad Losses, RPI wise. With the bubble as it is, they would end up in the same situation as Western Kentucky, and be left out should they not win.

[Guest]

The Golden Farce rolls on, when USC couldn't win.

I know. SHIT.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Maryland will probably win tomorrow, Al Skinner and BC are notorious for doing jackshit in postseason tournaments, other than the Big East tourney they won in 2001.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Oh my bad. In all honesty I have Maryland out in the cold, as they should be. But losing tonight will end any hopes they may have. Gary acutally thinks that if he beats Tech tonight and Boston College (It's so wrong to see them in Greensboro, and not in NYC.) tomorrow he's going to get a bid. I can't wait to see his face when he doesn't.

 

It might look something like that. God, I love this picture.

I get to bring back the row of avatars now. Thanks a million, Ed

[SilverPhoenix 0]

ACC Tournament is on right now with Duke and Miami opening up the festivities. Redick is still cold, but its only early in the game. We'll see if this continues.

 

Penn State is beating Ohio State early, and the Memphis fans are all cheering their asses off for the Nittany Lions.

[naiwf 0]

If this is the way Duke is going to play the rest of the season, I don't see them even making the Sweet 16. I'm not really excited about the majority of these early afternoon games, bring on the Big East Semis already.

[naiwf 0]

Duke was gift wrapped the final 2 points of the game. I don't see them doing much in this tourney or the big dance. With Duke and UConn not looking great this week, I think it's anyone's guess as to who can win the NCAA title.

[Guest]

Tennessee got their ass beat by South Carolina.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Hey Wake Forest, where the hell have you been all year? The Demon Deacons are absolutely murdering NC State right now--50-28 with 16 minutes to go. I'd laugh my ass off if Wake got past Duke in the semis.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Wake ends up blowing out NC State...

 

At this point, where the only teams likely left are guaranteed a bid... can't count them out from winning the entire thing.

[Damaramu 0]

So is Texas A&M in and Colorado out? Because A&M just beat the holy living shit out of Colorado. It's 84-50 with 42.7 seconds left.