We're Not Dead Yet
Joe Lunardi still has us in on his Bracketology, but we're hanging by a thread. We don't need any crazy cinderella runs in the other conference tournaments, and obviously a win or two in the Big Ten tournament would help a great deal.
He also has Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio State, and Minnesota all in the tournament. I think it's a bit crazy to say the Big Ten is going to get eight teams in this year.
about 3 years ago
BSD
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Two more wins seals it.
Beating Indiana and losing in the next round puts us in a coin-flip situation. Losing to Indiana = NIT.
"Never. We would never shoot nuclear weapons at Decepticons." -- Gen. Jack Jacobs
by Run Up The Score on Mar 9, 2009 2:00 PM EDT reply actions
Totally
We have a better overall record than OSU and Wisconsin. Our record against the top three teams in the league is 4-2. Just seems like we deserved better than a #6 seed.
Seems like the Big Ten should re-evaluate their seeding system and tournament bracket somehow. The team that finishes 6th in the conference is always going to be on the bubble for the NCAA tournament. Why pair them up with an RPI busting #11 seed where nothing good can happen for them. Even if we win I bet our RPI drops, and Purdue gets to rest up and scout us while we’re killing ourselves to beat a team with nothing to play for. I would rather see them just send the top eight teams to the Big Ten Tournament and play it out. The bottom three who probably have nothing to play for an no chance of winning more than one game should stay home.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on Mar 9, 2009 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions
well, nothing realistic to play for
they could always win the Big 10 tournament ;-)
by The JuggerNitt on Mar 9, 2009 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah
I like the idea of making it more balanced but seeing a low seed team make a run is always a good time. Illinois went to the champ game as a #10 last year. Plus with the way the BT does their tiebreakers I feel like the possibility of screwing someone could get ugly…we get enough of that in football.
BSD
I like this matchup
better than playing LSU. I would pick PSU over Gonzaga.
WE ARE.......PENN STATE!
B101
The more historically accuracte Bracketology 101 has us as an 11 seed, not even the last 4 in. Basically they think if we get by Indiana and unless lots of bid-stealing occurs, we are in. Interesting to compare the two.
I concur here
Beat Indiana and we’re in barring a slew of conference tourney upsets.
I think Michigan and Minnesota are in the toughest spots. Minnesota’s been on the slide, and jNW is a team that could pull an easy upset here. Michigan is in the same spot as us – beat Iowa and they’re basically in. However, they are likely out before us should a push of mid-majors occur.
"I'm a man, and I can change, if I have to, I guess..."
I'm not so sure
There’s still a lot of Big Ten hating going on, so while we’ve done our damage exclusively in the Big Ten, Michigan’s beaten omg Dook and UCLA (nevermind the fact that Duke pounded them on a neutral court also). Because Michigan’s actually gone out and done something in the non-conference better than beating Mt St Mary’s and @Georgia Tech, I think they’ll probably get the nod before we do. And that annoys me.
Let's Go State!
There's always a chance...
the committee will make an example out of us to schedule better in the Non conference. THey have done that in the past with teams like Syracuse. I totally agree about Michigan’s non conference schedule…I think they are definitely in at this point. We have some RPI killers like Army and NJIT, and this Indiana game isn’t gonna help our RPI either.
by mundyscorner99 on Mar 9, 2009 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions
10 seed
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9072987&postID=3434189153984736637
I posted a question and the response I got was..
If PSU loses to lowly Indiana they will be out. If they win and Michigan or Minnesota losses then they should be good. If all three of the teams mentioned win then they may have to beat Purdue (or at least make a good showing) to be safe.
ranked teams
what’s our record against ranked teams (top 25) it’s got to be pretty off the chart for a team still fighting for a tourny bid…
"We hugged as grown men do. It was a great moment. Then, it was business as usual." -- LJ Sr.
6-8 vs RPI top 50
I believe 4-2 vs. RPI top 25.
A Loss to Indiana
Will give the Lions 2 straight losses against teams with poor records….Iowa and Indiana. The must beat Indiana.
fran welsh
Indiana
I think a win, and we’re in. A 10-8 team in the Big 10 gets in, and shouldn’t be punished even if we lose to Purdue (seen as the 2nd best in the conference).
We have 6 wins vs. RPI top 50, which is a heck of a lot more than most other teams fighting for a bid. And road wins at Michigan State, Illinois, and Georgia Tech will also be key factors (road wins also get high consideration).
A loss to Indiana would be devasting, though. Need to play with no fear.
"I want to eat some dessert." - Brandon Ware
by The Man with One Black Shoe on Mar 9, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions
this will be a crazy week of scoreboard watching
Unless we win 2 games. I think we all agree that 2 wins should be enough and that losing to Indiana guarantees an NIT bid. If we can get past the Hoosiers, playing a Purdue team that we don’t particular matchup that well against with fresh legs would be a tough assignment, but I’ve watched too many games this season to know not to count this team out yet.
I think there is a possibility of getting in with just one win and a good showing against Purdue. There are so many other factors though which makes it fun to be a part of but also nerve-wracking, like the fact that it would be good for a few of the teams that we beat, like Michigan and Minnesota, to keep their RPIs better than 50 so it looks better on the resume. And rooting for all chalk in the mid-major tourneys.
Nothing crazy about eight
When you compare resumes with the other teams sitting on the bubble, the Big Ten’s are pretty strong across the board. Minnesota, Michigan, and PSU each have at least as many top 50 wins as Florida, South Carolina, and Auburn combined. (For that matter, so does Northwestern, but they’ve blown too many chances to make it.) Providence barely has that many top 100 wins, Maryland, Miami, and VT all went below .500 in conference (granted, a slightly tougher conference, but not much – the Big Ten is #2 in the RPI) and have some ugly recent losses. Eight in would require a few things to break right, but if all three win on Thursday, don’t look terrible on Friday (Michigan’s almost certainly safe at this point, PSU and Minn are dicey but probably going to make it), and nothing ridiculous happens in other tournaments it’s possible.
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