College Basketball 2016-2017

[Patrick425]

Looking at the Braketolgy on ESPN that states it was updated today. However, neither UWM or N. Kentucky are listed as a team in the bracket (not even as a play-in team). So, clearly there is already one team that he predicting to make it that is not correct. In fact, there are no teams from the Horizon league listed. I'm not usually one to rant about ESPN like many others on this site...but c'mon ESPN.

[patrickgpe]

couldn't disagree more with the comment that mid major tournament winners shouldn't get an automatic bid. Lets face it, 95% of these teams would not get a bid if their tournament didn't get an automatic seed. For example, Oakland (horizon regualr season champ) has a kenpom ranking of 113, which is hardly worthy of an atlarge bid. The teams that have a truely special season in a mid major conference will get their at large bid, but it is rare and it should be like that.

 

the conference tournament gives each and every team something to play for all season, without UWM could have checked out months ago. The NCAA tournament was never about putting the best 68 teams in the tourmament, because if they did it would be a bunch of power 6 conference teams and be very boring.

[patrickgpe]

Looking at the Braketolgy on ESPN that states it was updated today. However, neither UWM or N. Kentucky are listed as a team in the bracket (not even as a play-in team). So, clearly there is already one team that he predicting to make it that is not correct. In fact, there are no teams from the Horizon league listed. I'm not usually one to rant about ESPN like many others on this site...but c'mon ESPN.

N kentucky is a 15

[FVBrewerFan]

couldn't disagree more with the comment that mid major tournament winners shouldn't get an automatic bid. Lets face it, 95% of these teams would not get a bid if their tournament didn't get an automatic seed. For example, Oakland (horizon regualr season champ) has a kenpom ranking of 113, which is hardly worthy of an atlarge bid. The teams that have a truely special season in a mid major conference will get their at large bid, but it is rare and it should be like that.

 

the conference tournament gives each and every team something to play for all season, without UWM could have checked out months ago. The NCAA tournament was never about putting the best 68 teams in the tourmament, because if they did it would be a bunch of power 6 conference teams and be very boring.

 

First, I cringe at the term "mid major" conference. Horizon League is nowhere near a major conference, and certainly not a MID major.

 

But semantics aside, I'm not saying the Horizon League shouldn't have a team in the field. But the regular conference season gives each and every team a chance to compete for the title, and the bid. What is the incentive to compete in the conf season (see UWM) just wait until the tourney and bring your best then.

[brewcrewdue80]

Looking at the Braketolgy on ESPN that states it was updated today. However, neither UWM or N. Kentucky are listed as a team in the bracket (not even as a play-in team). So, clearly there is already one team that he predicting to make it that is not correct. In fact, there are no teams from the Horizon league listed. I'm not usually one to rant about ESPN like many others on this site...but c'mon ESPN.

N kentucky is a 15

 

Yep. Theres a part on the top, auto bids are filled in with champion or highest seed remaining. Which N. Kentucky is as stated a 15. One could assume UWM's win would switch a better deserving 16 to N. Kentucky's place and UWM in to the vacated 16.

 

 

FV. Butler, Illinois St probaby a cpl others, used to be in the Horizon until recent. But of course all this Conference shifting remolded some of these conferences in to well jokes. So what you see today, yeah Mid-major they are not. Imagine if Mlb teams did the same thing, We'd probably get stuck as a Milw, Pitts, TamBay, Miami, Oakland "Central" Division lol.

[Patrick425]

Looking at the Braketolgy on ESPN that states it was updated today. However, neither UWM or N. Kentucky are listed as a team in the bracket (not even as a play-in team). So, clearly there is already one team that he predicting to make it that is not correct. In fact, there are no teams from the Horizon league listed. I'm not usually one to rant about ESPN like many others on this site...but c'mon ESPN.

N kentucky is a 15

 

Ah, I somehow missed that (I think I was expecting to see "N. Kentucky" and not Northern spelled out).

[brewcrewdue80]

Whoa, thankfully the Panthers didnt pull that off. A 16 vs. 1seed I'd expect Vegas would have had them 34point dogs and it would be too little. a 95-37 type of outcome. The athletic talent/passing ability would have just been demolished by a 1seeded team.

 

At Least the program got put in some tv coverage. I like that Detroit Court. Lets go Eagles and Badgers!

[DHonks]

brewcrewdue80, UWM would have been playing on Tues or Wed in the First Four, along with the other 3 worst automatic qualifiers. As for the big line, I'm not so sure. I've been going to Vegas for 9 years now for March Madness, and we've noticed a progression of smaller betting lines for #1 and 2 seeds. We may see 2 or 3 lines in the 20s, but there likely won't be anything higher than about 24.

 

And TPlush, had Valpo won the Conf tourney, they likely would have been a 12 or 13 seed. This kind of thing happens every year in conference tournaments.

[brewcrewdue80]

brewcrewdue80, UWM would have been playing on Tues or Wed in the First Four, along with the other 3 worst automatic qualifiers. As for the big line, I'm not so sure. I've been going to Vegas for 9 years now for March Madness, and we've noticed a progression of smaller betting lines for #1 and 2 seeds. We may see 2 or 3 lines in the 20s, but there likely won't be anything higher than about 24.

 

And TPlush, had Valpo won the Conf tourney, they likely would have been a 12 or 13 seed. This kind of thing happens every year in conference tournaments.

 

Maybe that has to do with the First Four games eliminating teams like UWM was going to represent. Also that's my guess based on a team that would have been all time record losses. The Offense looks like the Badgers 2nd string in the final 2-5min. of a game that's a blowout. They did do very well on guarding without fouling, very Badger like, hands up, light body. But a 1seed would have just moved straight through those guys and getting contact fouls called. Foul trouble to guys who are your scorers? Bench guys coming in to the game, it'd be mop up duty. I'd honestly wonder if the 1seed's bench started the game, would UWM have had a chance to keep within 10 points.

[patrickgpe]

First, I cringe at the term "mid major" conference. Horizon League is nowhere near a major conference, and certainly not a MID major.

 

But semantics aside, I'm not saying the Horizon League shouldn't have a team in the field. But the regular conference season gives each and every team a chance to compete for the title, and the bid. What is the incentive to compete in the conf season (see UWM) just wait until the tourney and bring your best then.

 

just curious, what do you consider the Horizon league? I think they are the definition of a mid major. Every couple years they will have a team that will make a run in the tourney. Its a quality league but doesn't compete with the top 7 basketball conferences for recruits.

 

Also i to your second point, there is definitely a desire to get a decent seed which is based on your conference schedule. UWM would have been destined for Dayton and would have been destined to play the #1 overall seed if they won that game. Northern Kentucky is probably a 15, which is a much better position than UWM would have been. I am not sure where Oakland would have fit in, maybe a 14?

[MrTPlush]

As a Kansas fan kind of disappointed Milwaukee didn't pull it off. Though I guess they still wouldn't have faced Milwaukee as Kansas is likely to get a play-in game opponent and Milwaukee would have gotten a guaranteed spot in the field.

 

Let's be honest though N. Kentucky barely won and will likely get whooped the same way Milwaukee would have. Who cares though that's part of the fun.

[owbc]

I would like to see more mid-majors in the tournament--both the conference champ winner and the regular season winner from every conference. Or at least make major conference teams have a winning record in conference play to get in. Or even just add more play-in games so we can weed out the crappy teams before the field of 64 is set.

[MrTPlush]

It is fine as it is. I don't see the need for even more garbage teams in the tourney. They almost always get beat in the first round and the ones that do win are usually 6-11 match-ups against a weak power conference team. Maybe if they actually surprised us more than 1/100 march-ups one would take them more seriously. However they prove they are exactly what we think they are. Come the Sweet 16 none are left on the bracket. Heck hard to find one in the second round honestly. Hey I love the occasional FGCU or the team slipping my mind that beat Kansas a couple years back, but adding more to the bracket probably isn't going to make more cinderella stories and I am not even sure the NCAA would want that.

[brewcrewdue80]

Im for more at-Large bids among mid-majors. I wanna say the other night, they mentioned Clemson? As part of the last 4 out and earning a bid if they had beaten Duke....this with a 6-12 conf. record heading to their tourney.

 

Maybe the committee should have a minimum mid major tourney participation. Auto bids +4 at large. Or 6 whatever would seem appropiate.

 

Because I feel like when a conference is going 7-8 deep in the tourney those just make it ins as 10/11 seeds often get bounced. I'd rather see a 25win mid major who didnt win their conference tourney get a chance over an 18win big conference school. That idea of Clemson having even a mention of getting in with a Duke win doesnt sit well with me with their record. Where as youre rewarding them for the competition they faced and lost, you ignore potentially the mid major who faced weaker competition, but just needs a shot at a bigger school. That 4 at large guarantee to 10 or 11 line. Better than giving a 18win team that spot

[CheeseheadInQC]

The problem for the mid-majors is that the middles of the conferences have gotten a lot weaker, which gives the top teams fewer chances for decent wins and a lot less margin for error on having an off night. Illinois State went 17-1 in the MVC and is firmly on the bubble only because, other than Wichita State, none of the other conference wins counted for much. That wasn't the case when the conference was placing five teams in the RPI top 50. Even the A-10, which is still the deepest of the mids, isn't what it used to be. Some of this is because of conference expansion (Butler, Xavier, Creighton, etc.) but other programs that used to be perennially top 50 or at least top 100 need to get back to that level to strengthen the case for their conferences getting more bids.

[FVBrewerFan]

Depends what we mean by "Mid Major." That term gets thrown around a lot, yet there's a huge difference between the Atlantic 10 and the Horizon League. Missouri Valley, MAC, a couple others could probably send two teams in certain years. But most of these conferences that are called "Mid Majors" are actually "Low Minor" conferences. And it's not entertaining to have a bunch more of those crappy teams in the Tourney.

 

I would say this though. When you get to the last couple teams in/out, I would take another team from some lower level conf than the 6th or 7th team in one of the big 6 conferences. Every year is different, but usually there's usually an Illinois State type of team that I would rather see get in.

[pacopete4]

This Badgers team is fun to watch!

[bjkrautk]

This Badgers team is fun to watch!

 

Where has this team been for the past month?

[homer]

When you literally have one guy making threes (Showalter) that isn't what you'd call a "shooter" there's only so much you can do in this offense. Team really needed someone else to start hitting from outside to open things up for everyone and that happened once Koenig got healthy. If Vitto can somehow find his stroke they could do some damage in the tourney because their D can keep it close. Weird year for sure though.

[pacopete4]

They have suffocated Indiana and Northwestern. A beautiful display of team basketball on both ends of the floor this weekend.

[nodakfan17]

One of the cruelest fates in college sports is a mid-major regular season champion losing in the conference finals and missing the tourney.

[nodakfan17]

I would like to see more mid-majors in the tournament--both the conference champ winner and the regular season winner from every conference. Or at least make major conference teams have a winning record in conference play to get in. Or even just add more play-in games so we can weed out the crappy teams before the field of 64 is set.

I agree with you in spirit, but I believe there is something like 31 auto bids (31 D1 conferences). So right there, you're getting 20 mid-majors or about 1/3 of the field. I think that's an appropriate level of representation.

[brewcrewdue80]

So the last bracketology lists WI still a 6seed. Also Michigan would be placed a 6seed. Purdue a 4 seed. I'm going to guess the winner for today will find a 5seed and loser a 6seed. Midwest Big10 easy last minute flip flop. I'd guess the 5seed in Orlando in the East and the 6 seed in Sacramento in the South(where WI is placed in the 6seed)

Marquette comes in as an 11seed. Matched vs. Saint Mary's.

 

WI played it's best game I'd seen all season yesterday. Everyone contributed that you hoped would in the way that they do. Happ even hit FTs. Hayes took and made a 3pt shot. Koenig has made his jumpers, and Brown found a few 3pt makes surprising with the arch he puts on the ball.

WI just makes sense to put on the 5 line for that classic 5/12 matchup. At 6 if they proceeded to the sweet 16, you'll just hear a Tourney successful/battle tested team shouldn't have been listed at 6 vs. so and so being put at 5 who lost day 1. But the current Seed in the south they would face UCLA at 3 if holds true.

[young guns]

What a complete and ugly second half egg they laid.

[brewcrewdue80]

Well, that didnt take long to have an answer. Wow on this East Bracket. WI at really a deserved 8, still plays great defense. That wont be an easy matchup for Villanova.

Marquette a 10 seed. Already mentioned how their 3pt shooting will create problems, while still having an inside scorer plus FT shooting. To Face a Duke in 2nd rd who was being harped to be #1 potential. Add Baylor and SMU? What a grouping that will only have 1 advance to elite 8.

 

Creighton a 6? Wow. Weakest Region no doubt now. Kansas to final 4.

now Minnesota a 5seed? Like NC in this bracket the upsets for Milwaukee is huge possibility 12/13 seeds.

Northwestern also an 8? Maryland a 6? Wow they really punished a WI team who finished 2nd in Big10 conference and made to championship game. I mean not only that but a win means facing the tournament #1.

 

I always like Arizona, generally they are a lower seed. Ill take them in this Region.