If we make the Big Ten Finals,can we make the Big Dance?
- Thread starter Wrestlerneverdiesasacatfan
- Start date
Had the 'Cats beaten Michigan and Maryland (or Purdue), I'd say there was an outside shot, but as the resume currently stands, it's 4 in 4 days or bust. Wins over Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin/Iowa still won't cut it. Too deep of a hole.
I dunno. If we win 3 and go 23-12, with a 6 game winning streak and wins over Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin/Iowa - I do think that will cut it. Let's win all 4 and make it moot.
You know a lot more about this than I do but I think it would be reasonable. I mean, if we go 3-1 and beat Wisconsin twice this year, you are saying that Wisconsin would still get the nod?
And to be sure, it's gonna be tough for us to win 1 of these games so I doubt we can get to the finals.
So it isn't so much the 23 possible wins, but that we had a ****** OOC schedule and couldn't beat anyone of substance other than Wisconsin? I seem to remember an announcer saying OSU won't go cuz they only had 2 real wins. [I think Kentucky, Iowa]. Oh well.
It isn't even so much the ****** non-conference schedule, to be honest. We had plenty of chances to get impressive wins and failed. I think we have a pretty good stake at 9th best team in the conference --- 1-9 against teams above us, 7-1 against teams below us. Means we had 10 chances for big wins and won 1 of them. Had we gotten 3 or 4, plus Va Tech, plus a decent showing against UNC, we'd have a good case.
However .... I don't for a second want that to take away from a historic season for us. You truly have to learn to crawl before you walk before you run (or ... cheat like crazy!!!)
There were times during the year I was disappointed by our play but we just finished the season with 3 straight double-digit Big Ten wins for the first time since 1954. That's awesome. Definitely something to build on. So is 20 wins, so is 8 conference wins. One more is a school record, and I don't care even if it's our terrible history, it's still a school record.
Really good times are close at hand.
There were times during the year I was disappointed by our play but we just finished the season with 3 straight double-digit Big Ten wins for the first time since 1954. That's awesome. Definitely something to build on. So is 20 wins, so is 8 conference wins. One more is a school record, and I don't care even if it's our terrible history, it's still a school record.
Really good times are close at hand.
We looked great these last five games. The refs screwed us vs Michigan and Purdue! I'm happy with our improved play. We will be very,very solid next year
Not sure the refs screwed us --- but I agree with everything else. I just don't want to close the book on this year yet.
Just to put a bow on it, here is the 'Cats resume compared to two bubble teams (info from ESPN.com):
Northwestern
W/L: 20-11 (8-10)
RPI: 108
SOS: 161 (OOC: 340)
VS RPI Top 25: 0-7
VS RPI Top 50: 1-7
VS RPI Top 100: 2-10
Last 12: 5-7
Butler
W/L: 21-9 (10-8)
RPI: 44
SOS: 86 (OOC: 262)
VS RPI Top 25: 1-5
VS RPI Top 50: 4-7
VS RPI Top 100: 6-8
Last 12: 8-4
Connecticut
W/L: 21-10 (11-7)
RPI: 55
SOS: 57 (OOC: 112)
VS RPI TOP 25: 2-2
VS RPI TOP 50: 2-4
VS RPI TOP 100: 6-10
Last 12: 7-5
Northwestern simply has too much ground to make up on these resumes, even with an additional 3 decent to great wins in the BTT mentioned in the previous posts (RPI: 70,32,19). We've talked about the flaws in RPI, etc, but it's what the committee uses. Now let's look at Virginia Tech.
Virgina Tech
W/L: 18-13 (10-8)
RPI: 85
SOS: 56 (OCC: 255)
VS RPI TOP 25: 2-7
VS RPI TOP 50: 2-9
VS RPI TOP 100: 6-11
Last 12: 6-6
Honestly, NU doesn't stack up that well against a NIT caliber squad (outside of the head to head).
I still feel ok about the 'Cats NIT prospects (the small conference tournaments -so far- have lowered my confidence a bit), but there's just not a path to the NCAA without snagging the auto bid.
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