ESPN bracketology

[valpotx]

If we were to make the tourney, I hope that the selection committee somehow makes Butler play us.  What a dream it would be to kick their @$$ again in a game they can't avoid

[historyman]

If we were to make the tourney, I hope that the selection committee somehow makes Butler play us.  What a dream it would be to kick their @$$ again in a game they can't avoid

In case you missed it Butler is 18th ranked in the country and second in the Big East. They play Villanova, 6th ranked in the country and #1 in the Big East this Saturday in Hinkle. If they win they would be a 1/2 game in front of Villanova and lead the Big East. Their home record is 12-1. Just thought you would want to know that before you think beating Butler would be easy.

[valpo84]

And that means Butler is 6-5 away from Hinkle, including neutral site games. Having watched a couple of their recent games, they are very similar to us in size, speed and hoops IQ, and a matchup in the Tourney would be indeed must watch TV. They also get the opportunity with the Big Catholic Least to play name teams at home in conference. Would St Johns, Providence, Seton Hall and DePaul want to play at the ARC? oh oh, are we about to start a conference discussion again??

[classof2014]

If we made it and got Butler as the first round opponent we could win that game. In 2013 when we drew Michigan State in Auburn Hills our dance was over before it started, we had about a 2% chance of winning that game. Playing a team like a Butler would give us a great opportunity to make a run in the tourney. I know this team is talented enough to beat a Butler-like team, am I saying that we beat them no but we definitely can and it'd be a lot better than playing Michigan State on the road...

[oklahomamick]

We got the short end the year they placed us against Michigan st. In Detroit.  That seeding didn't make any since except for geographics.  We play butler ten times we would pick up a couple wins.  We play Michigan st. 10 times, I don't know if we could steal one.  That goes for a unc too. 

We are very excited about this team, coaches and individual players.  I even started this topic and it's been fun discussing.  However, we all know we have a lot of work ahead of us.  We have not beaten a top HL team on the road yet and I think that's what it's going to take.

[FWalum]

Does anyone think that this Butler team is as good as the 2010-2011 NCAA team? Having a history with a team means a ton.  Having that history and also knowing that you have competed in the past with a team is a HUGE confidence builder. The mystique of a BCS conference team would not be there if we would get to play Butler. Heck we have beaten them 4 out of the last 5 time we have played!

[classof2014]

Getting a 12 seed would be crucial, thus we can't lose anymore games. Playing a team ranked 15-25 to possibly unranked is much different then a top 10 BCS program. Its not at all uncommon when multiple 12 seeds advance and playing a Butler, Northern Iowa, Wichita State, type program doesn't seem anywhere near as daunting as a good Ohio State team.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Heck we have beaten them the last 4 times we have played

FTFY

[a3uge]

If we win the Horizon and happen to draw Butler in the tournament, the universe will likely explode.

[oklahomamick]

I'm tired of hearing about Tulsa around the office.  They currently are a 11 seed.

who lost to ORU on opening night... and have since beaten a good Temple [36] team on the road, and UConn and Memphis...and only losses are to RPI 15, 16, 22 and 23... that's a pretty strong resume...and anyone who beats Bruce Pearl 53-35 deserves an extra rung up the ladder on sheer principle.

I don't think UConn and Memphis are great teams this year.  I would compare them to a Green Bay or Cleveland St.  Plus you didn't include ORU rpi loss and I guess the D2 loss doesn't count. 

[valpo4life]

For those looking to see how our RPI can improve each day, this is pretty cool.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/bracketology/jerry-palm-reader

[atkins]

We might be able to hang with Butler (because we do have their number), but let's be realistic: We lost to Mizzou, which is one of the worst big-conference teams in the nation. Even though this team is talented, I'm not sure we are anything better than a 15 at this point.  We nearly always wilt against big-conference schools. 

[Kyle321n]

So tonight we are rooting for:

Valpo to rise
Missouri to beat South Carolina (KenPom 10% to win)
Ball State to beat Northern Illinois (KenPom 30% to win)
James Madison to beat Delaware (KenPom 51% to win)
New Mexico to beat Colorado State (KenPom 28% to win)
(Looks to be a tough night for our OOC SOS)

In case of tie breaker: Green Bay to drop
Memphis over East Carolina (KenPom 67% to win)
Mizzou St. over Evansville (KenPom 18% to win)
Nebraska over Wisconsin (KenPom 15% to win)
(Looks like a decent night for GB's OOC SOS)

[a3uge]

We might be able to hang with Butler (because we do have their number), but let's be realistic: We lost to Mizzou, which is one of the worst big-conference teams in the nation. Even though this team is talented, I'm not sure we are anything better than a 15 at this point. We nearly always wilt against big-conference schools.

Death. Taxes. The prevailing opinion that the only thing that matters are victories over teams from certain conferences.

[valpo4life]

We might be able to hang with Butler (because we do have their number), but let's be realistic: We lost to Mizzou, which is one of the worst big-conference teams in the nation. Even though this team is talented, I'm not sure we are anything better than a 15 at this point.  We nearly always wilt against big-conference schools. 

Can we please stop blowing this game out of proportion. Plus, teams are judged on what have you done for me lately. Hence why Murray St. is ahead of us in basically any ranking system even though we blew them out of the water in the 2nd half.

[Kyle321n]

We might be able to hang with Butler (because we do have their number), but let's be realistic: We lost to Mizzou, which is one of the worst big-conference teams in the nation. Even though this team is talented, I'm not sure we are anything better than a 15 at this point.  We nearly always wilt against big-conference schools. 

I'd love for you to find me 12 teams from 1 bid conferences who are better than us. Seriously, the NEC, SWAC, WAC, Patriot, A-Sun, MEAC, A-East, Big South, Summit, and Big Sky still exist. Those are AWFUL leagues with TERRIBLE teams. Sometimes there's a good team from a bad conference that makes a case for a better seed, but this year only Stephen F. Austin is doing that. Hell if Wofford drops in the Southern Conference they'll probably produce a team with an RPI of 150+

[a3uge]

We might be able to hang with Butler (because we do have their number), but let's be realistic: We lost to Mizzou, which is one of the worst big-conference teams in the nation. Even though this team is talented, I'm not sure we are anything better than a 15 at this point.  We nearly always wilt against big-conference schools. 

I'd love for you to find me 12 teams from 1 bid conferences who are better than us. Seriously, the NEC, SWAC, WAC, Patriot, A-Sun, MEAC, A-East, Big South, Summit, and Big Sky still exist. Those are AWFUL leagues with TERRIBLE teams. Sometimes there's a good team from a bad conference that makes a case for a better seed, but this year only Stephen F. Austin is doing that. Hell if Wofford drops in the Southern Conference they'll probably produce a team with an RPI of 150+

But what's their record vs Wake Forest or Penn Sate?

[classof2014]

I hate it when those schools get into the tourney, they have no business being there. Last season Milwaukee was nowhere near being the best team in the conference... They didn't belong in the tourney, they had little to no chance at beating Villanova. The NCAA should have the right to veto when a team's record is sub .500 or something. That way you get more teams that deserve to get in. Last season Green Bay was the most deserving team from our conference, they had a much better chance at making a run than the mediocre Panthers.

Every year there are snubs that should get in that don't, teams that are in much tougher conferences that are much more difficult to win. Stop letting the weaker teams in just because they won the Patriot League tournament.

If a team has 20+ wins and win their conference they should get the autobid but if a team has less than 20 the NCAA selection committee should have the right to veto.

[a3uge]

I hate it when those schools get into the tourney, they have no business being there. Last season Milwaukee was nowhere near being the best team in the conference... They didn't belong in the tourney, they had little to no chance at beating Villanova. The NCAA should have the right to veto when a team's record is sub .500 or something. That way you get more teams that deserve to get in. Last season Green Bay was the most deserving team from our conference, they had a much better chance at making a run than the mediocre Panthers.

Every year there are snubs that should get in that don't, teams that are in much tougher conferences that are much more difficult to win. Stop letting the weaker teams in just because they won the Patriot League tournament.

If a team has 20+ wins and win their conference they should get the autobid but if a team has less than 20 the NCAA selection committee should have the right to veto.

I think it still has to be up to the conference - having auto bids like the Ivy league is a bad system. It eliminates multiple bids and both the teams and the league loses out on conference tourney revenues. Having a championship game where one team is already eliminated also doesn't make sense.

The Horizon sets themselves up well with their format, but we saw an anomaly last year. Prior to that, Valpo, Detroit, Butler, Butler, multi-bid. All good teams. I like the double byes and the home team hosting. As for other conferences - keep sending crappy 16 seeds. All it means is a better seed for the Horizon.

[agibson]

I hate it when those schools get into the tourney, they have no business being there. Last season Milwaukee was nowhere near being the best team in the conference... They didn't belong in the tourney, they had little to no chance at beating Villanova. The NCAA should have the right to veto when a team's record is sub .500 or something. That way you get more teams that deserve to get in. Last season Green Bay was the most deserving team from our conference, they had a much better chance at making a run than the mediocre Panthers.

Every year there are snubs that should get in that don't, teams that are in much tougher conferences that are much more difficult to win. Stop letting the weaker teams in just because they won the Patriot League tournament.

If a team has 20+ wins and win their conference they should get the autobid but if a team has less than 20 the NCAA selection committee should have the right to veto.

Here I think I don't mind a federal approach.

It's good we have the Ivy, and other leagues could experiment.

[Kyle321n]

I hate it when those schools get into the tourney, they have no business being there. Last season Milwaukee was nowhere near being the best team in the conference... They didn't belong in the tourney, they had little to no chance at beating Villanova. The NCAA should have the right to veto when a team's record is sub .500 or something. That way you get more teams that deserve to get in. Last season Green Bay was the most deserving team from our conference, they had a much better chance at making a run than the mediocre Panthers.

Every year there are snubs that should get in that don't, teams that are in much tougher conferences that are much more difficult to win. Stop letting the weaker teams in just because they won the Patriot League tournament.

If a team has 20+ wins and win their conference they should get the autobid but if a team has less than 20 the NCAA selection committee should have the right to veto.

I think it still has to be up to the conference - having auto bids like the Ivy league is a bad system. It eliminates multiple bids and both the teams and the league loses out on conference tourney revenues. Having a championship game where one team is already eliminated also doesn't make sense.

The Horizon sets themselves up well with their format, but we saw an anomaly last year. Prior to that, Valpo, Detroit, Butler, Butler, multi-bid. All good teams. I like the double byes and the home team hosting. As for other conferences - keep sending crappy 16 seeds. All it means is a better seed for the Horizon.

Detroit was a 15 seed that got trounced by Kansas. They were a the 3 seed in the HL tourney that year and of the top 4 seeds they were the worst representative we could have had according to RPI. It was a very similar situation to Milwaukee.

[atkins]

If (and it's a big if) we earn a spot in the NCAAs, I remain unconvinced that we will be able to defeat a top-25 team.  I've seen most of them play (on tv, of course), and we don't match up well.  We're too inconsistent and not strong enough under the basket.  All of those teams are quick enough to negate Alec, and we don't have the literal strength to crash the boards like most of those teams do.  In addition, we'd be blown off the court by any of the teams that are currently in the top 10.  I'm afraid we'd be one-and-done. 

[HC]

Luckily we'd still get to the play the game. 

[a3uge]

If (and it's a big if) we earn a spot in the NCAAs, I remain unconvinced that we will be able to defeat a top-25 team.  I've seen most of them play (on tv, of course), and we don't match up well.  We're too inconsistent and not strong enough under the basket.  All of those teams are quick enough to negate Alec, and we don't have the literal strength to crash the boards like most of those teams do.  In addition, we'd be blown off the court by any of the teams that are currently in the top 10.  I'm afraid we'd be one-and-done.

Its like you've never watched an NCAA tournament game before.

Also find it ironic in a thread titled "Bracketology" that you're talking about playing a top 10 team.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I find it amusing that the 25th best rebounding team in the country is also the 28th best at limiting opponent rebounds.

The same team is 13th in the country in rebounding %, and #1 in the country in defensive rebounds.

But sure, that team is us and we're probably not strong enough to crash the boards.