I can make a better case for Notre Dame than I can for Washington. Yet, I don't think ND will make it to the dance either. There are not many open spots in the tourny left and more spots will fill up as more upsets happen in the conferance tournys. Let's compare ND to Washington: Notre Dame (16-11) (9-7 in Big East) RPI: 47 SOS: 27 Last 10: 6-4 vs Top 50: 4-8 vs Top 100: 6-10 Road: 6-5 Big Wins: @ DePaul, vs UConn, vs Seton Hall, @ Syracuse Washington (17-10) (12-6 in Pac 10) RPI: 77 SOS: 87 Last 10: 8-2 vs Top 50: 3-3 vs Top 100: 4-4 Road: 6-7 Big Wins: vs Arizona, @ Arizona, vs Standord Are Washington really more deserving of a bid than ND? I don't think so. ND has been playing really well lately too and imo are a better team than Washington. The difference is ND has had a brutal schedule to get through and Washington has played nobody good other than Stanford lately(Arizona are by no means a "lock" for the tourny the way they have played this year. I still think they will get in but with only 1 top 50 win all year a loss in the quarters of the Pac 10 tourny could put them on shaky ground).
As I recall, the Hernia was a dinosaur the second it was built. Never had any character whatsoever. Granted, I haven't been there for 20 - er, 25 - years and many memorable moments, but I can't say I'll miss seeing it on TV. Do you remember the horrible grey rubber floor that it had in the early years? And it had puke green seats, which I assume they got rid of at some point as well. It seems sort of fitting to me (in a masochistic way) that it got sent out to pasture in this manner. I'm shocked at the hash Snyder has made of things. Norm Stewart never looked so good ...
I can see the arguments both ways for Washington to be left out or to be given a bid. Barring a loss to UCLA on Thursday and somebody besides Stanford or Arizona (or obviously UW) winning the Pac10 Tournament, I think the Committee will put them in. I think a lot of it has to do with they way they've ended the season. Going beyond their last 10 games, Washington has won 12 out of 14. Using the Notre Dame comparison, they're only 8-6. But Notre Dame, and other schools, do have the higher RPI ranking and better SOS. That's what's going to hurt Washington. I think Washington needs to make the final of the Pac10 Tournament to become a lock (unless somebody besides Stanford beats them in the final - I don't see the Pac10 getting 4 teams in). They are playing very good basketball right now and they are most likely going to be the Committee's toughest decision this year (barring a team like Utah State losing in their conference tournament). Speaking of upsets in conference tournaments, S. Illinois loses to SW Missouri State and Gonzaga almost goes down to Santa Clara. I think S. Illinois still gets a bid, but that makes one less bubble team that gets in.
I'm guessing that Washington is still outside looking in. The committee will be taking a hard look at how they do in the Pac 10 tourney. Plus, that Stanford game shot their RPI up almost 20 places. Another big win will certainly help their case on all fronts. Damn it, Carolina. We'll need a good showing in the ACCs to secure one of the protected seeds in the Dance.
And yet, it only took 27 games for him to actually run that play.. Massive relief from this Terp fan.. I was one game off on my pre-season prediction of 6-10 (they finished 7-9) and the key obviously was the away win at NC State last week.. Still though, I'm frickin' amazed this team still got it done.. This is the worst offensive team in Maryland's recent history.. Can't shoot free throws, can't shoot three's and their 6'10" big man Jamar Smith is coming in at a whopping .40% from the field.. Ugh... They'll probably get rolled on Friday night by Wake, but that's OK, I just hope they play well.. The Terps are probably good for a first round victory (unless they end up a #8 or #9 seed).. To tell you the truth, I'd would just love it if they end up being the #8 seed in the East and then have to play those frauds from Rt.1 and Lancaster in Philly..
Washington I think the only way UW gets in is by winning the Pac-10 tournament. If they get to the final, it will be close but I still don't think so. On the other hand, if Arizona loses to USC in the first round and Washington advances to the final, UW should get the nod over Arizona. One other thing, the committee will not count UW's win over Arizona in Tucson as a quality win due to the fact that Salim was suspended. The thing this year is just to make it in. This is easily the most wide-open tournament I can recall. There are no scary teams. I would say about 20 teams have a realistic shot at making the Final Four.
ESPN's "experts" pick the fields... http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?page=scurve I say "experts" a bit guardedly, because Katz left obvious tournament teams out of the bracket (Vanderbilt, South Carolina - though they lost Rolando Howell, and didn't finish strong) and put in weaker ones (Florida State - who didn't finish strong at all). Only Bilas doesn't appear to have Washington in. Vitale has Arizona as a 6 seed? Please.
Any idea if these are what the ESPN talking heads think should be the 65, or what they predict the 65 will be? It's not clear, but that distinction makes a huge difference.
True. On one hand, I think it's what they think, because I can't see two #1 seeds from the SEC. However, that did happen a couple of years ago with Stanford and Arizona, so it's possible. On the other hand, they imply on the front page of the Men's section that it is a list of who they think will get in. So I really don't know.
Re: Washington I'm pretty sure that the committee doesn't take into account if a specific player didn't play in a game. They just look at which team won or lost. UW's win in Tucson will be viewed as a quality win, just as UW's win over Stanford will be viewed as a quality win (Stanford was missing Justin Davis). Washington will be such an interesting case though. While they only have 3 top 50 RPI wins, they are .500 in games vs. top 50 RPI teams. That's not a bad percentage. What will the committee favor more, an overall strong schedule and RPI or a super hot finish? These are both things the committee has said are key to their selection process in year's past. In the end, I think UW is playing some of the best basketball in the nation right now. I think that they are currently one of the best 34 at large teams. But their early season form was horrendous and could come back to haunt them. Hopefully they make it easy on themselves and win the Pac10 tournament. If not, Selection Sunday will at least be full of drama and people will be complaining one way or the other about UW's fate.
For what it's worth Joe Lunardi, ESPN's resident bracketologist, has Washington as one the Last Four In while Georgia and Florida State are among the Last Four Out. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology#
Re : Florida State. They are the Rutgers of the ACC. They can't win on the road. If they lose to NC State, no way should they get the bid. Re : Washington. They finished strong in conference, and should make it, but if they manage to lose to UCLA they're out. I think a lot of stuff will be determined on Wednesday and thursday. This is the calm before the storm
Agreed about FSU. They need to NC State. A UW loss to UCLA and they're done. Also, I don't see the Pac10 getting 3 bids. So if somebody besides AZ, Stanford, or UW win the tournament, I think UW most likely stays home (or perhaps AZ if UW beats them in the semifinals). And this is the best time of the year.
No no no no - Any conference is not getting X amount of bids. the only reason why Washington would stay home in the above scenario is if they were the last team in.
Well, I messed up in a couple things. I meant to say that I don't see the Pac10 getting more than 3 bids, which in itself is a mistake. I know that the committee doesn't look at it in the manner of how many they are taking from each conference, they just look at who is the most deserving. That was my other mistake. But UW is 2nd to last "in" according to Lunardi, so it is possible that if another team besides Stanford, AZ, or UW win the Pac10 Tournament, they could be "out" because they are just barely "in" right now. But I agree, if UW beats UCLA on Thursday, they will most likely be "in".
Kentucky's ace in the hole at crunch time: Tubby Smith Close calls UK coaches since 1931 in games decided by >5 points: Coaches (SEASONS) W-L Pct. Tubby Smith (199 31-19 .620 Eddie Sutton (1986-1989) 22-15 .595 Adolph Rupp (1931-1972) 97-76 .561 Joe B. Hall (1973-1985) 52-42 .553 Rick Pitino (1990-1997) 15-22 .405
I don't like the pod system and I'm a Duke fan. One of the cool things about the Tournament before the pods was that people from different regions got to see teams that they would not normally see. For example, I went to the games in Boise in 2001. I saw Hampton v. Iowa State, Arkansas v. Georgetown, Wisconson v. Georgia State, and Maryland v. George Mason. It was fun to see some very good basketball teams from other parts of the country come to Boise. I preferred seeing those teams play compared to potentially seeing teams like Arizona, Stanford, or Gonzaga because if I really wanted to see those schools play I could easily go to Washington or Oregon to see them.
That's what they say, but they don't always follow that rule (and it is a rule). A few years back, Arkansas, with no chance of getting an at-large bid, won the SEC tournament. Vanderbilt, who everyone assumed was in, was left at home. It is widely assumed that Arkansas swiped Vanderbilt's bid on selection Sunday.
I agree with you. I can't stand the pod system, and it bothers me that there is so little discussion about it. I go to a subregional just about every year (this year is the first time in a while that I'm not), and it was always fun to watch different teams, and teams that would be playing each other in the regionals. Now, you don't have that. Plus, there's the added possibility of getting two 1 vs. 16 games at your, and in all likelihood, those games will suck. That Boise subregional you went to was one of the main talking points when they switched to the pod system, as people couldn't make sense of four teams from the MD-VA area being shipped out west. Well, that's the Selection Committee's fault - don't throw out the baby with the bath wather.
Whew! Last second Shakur 3-pointer to win it 79-76. I had a feeling USC was going to play us tough. Farmer 2-18 and Stoudamire 3-15. At least Farmer has an excuse with his injured wrist. Three games in three days does not bode well for Arizona. They're much too thin to play a schedule like this. I'm just hoping for the final. P.S. The pod system sucks!
Duke gets past Virginia despite Redick having a terrible shooting day and in foul trouble for most of the game. If Carolina can get past GTech, UNC vs Dook Part III is tomorrow.
Georgia Tech fans of BigSoccer, I hope you're happy now. There goes my weekend before it even started.