The Holy Land of Hoops

SMU @Memphis - Despite all the hype, SMU is not a lock. They need another win. It's tough to see where they're going to get it.
Richmond @Dayton - Dayton needs to continue to win. They probably will.
Pitt @Clemson - Pitt has been looking shaky. They're tied with Clemson and are on the road.
Baylor @Kansas State - Someone's going to lose this game.
Utah @Stanford - Fresh off an upset of Cal, Utah is hot with a 3 game win streak and having won 6 of their last 8.
Colorado @Cal - Cal is in trouble. RPI on the bubble, 3 game losing streak, lost 4 of their last 5.
Missouri @Tennessee - The Vols need to continue to win. They probably will. Missouri won last time they met and also needs a win.

Bill Marsh wrote:SMU @Memphis - Despite all the hype, SMU is not a lock. They need another win. It's tough to see where they're going to get it.
Richmond @Dayton - Dayton needs to continue to win. They probably will.
Pitt @Clemson - Pitt has been looking shaky. They're tied with Clemson and are on the road.
Baylor @Kansas State - Someone's going to lose this game.
Utah @Stanford - Fresh off an upset of Cal, Utah is hot with a 3 game win streak and having won 6 of their last 8.
Colorado @Cal - Cal is in trouble. RPI on the bubble, 3 game losing streak, lost 4 of their last 5.
Missouri @Tennessee - The Vols need to continue to win. They probably will. Missouri won last time they met and also needs a win.

For SMU, they may not be a lock, but if even if they lose today, if UConn loses @ Louisville, it's a 3 way tie for 3rd. SMU wins that tiebreaker, as they would be 3-1 vs those teams. What that means is they would get to play Houston in the QF of the AAC, and if they win that game, that punches their ticket for the NCAA.

stever20 wrote:

Bill Marsh wrote:SMU @Memphis - Despite all the hype, SMU is not a lock. They need another win. It's tough to see where they're going to get it.
Richmond @Dayton - Dayton needs to continue to win. They probably will.
Pitt @Clemson - Pitt has been looking shaky. They're tied with Clemson and are on the road.
Baylor @Kansas State - Someone's going to lose this game.
Utah @Stanford - Fresh off an upset of Cal, Utah is hot with a 3 game win streak and having won 6 of their last 8.
Colorado @Cal - Cal is in trouble. RPI on the bubble, 3 game losing streak, lost 4 of their last 5.
Missouri @Tennessee - The Vols need to continue to win. They probably will. Missouri won last time they met and also needs a win.

For SMU, they may not be a lock, but if even if they lose today, if UConn loses @ Louisville, it's a 3 way tie for 3rd. SMU wins that tiebreaker, as they would be 3-1 vs those teams. What that means is they would get to play Houston in the QF of the AAC, and if they win that game, that punches their ticket for the NCAA.

Excellent point, Steve. If SMU is not in the 4-5 game, they are as close to a lock as they can get. Nonetheless it should be noted that losses this year to temple and south florida shows that they are capable of losing in a 3-6 game.

Bill Marsh wrote:

stever20 wrote:

Bill Marsh wrote:SMU @Memphis - Despite all the hype, SMU is not a lock. They need another win. It's tough to see where they're going to get it.
Richmond @Dayton - Dayton needs to continue to win. They probably will.
Pitt @Clemson - Pitt has been looking shaky. They're tied with Clemson and are on the road.
Baylor @Kansas State - Someone's going to lose this game.
Utah @Stanford - Fresh off an upset of Cal, Utah is hot with a 3 game win streak and having won 6 of their last 8.
Colorado @Cal - Cal is in trouble. RPI on the bubble, 3 game losing streak, lost 4 of their last 5.
Missouri @Tennessee - The Vols need to continue to win. They probably will. Missouri won last time they met and also needs a win.

For SMU, they may not be a lock, but if even if they lose today, if UConn loses @ Louisville, it's a 3 way tie for 3rd. SMU wins that tiebreaker, as they would be 3-1 vs those teams. What that means is they would get to play Houston in the QF of the AAC, and if they win that game, that punches their ticket for the NCAA.

Excellent point, Steve. If SMU is not in the 4-5 game, they are as close to a lock as they can get. Nonetheless it should be noted that losses this year to temple and south florida shows that they are capable of losing in a 3-6 game.

Kind of speaking to your point, they were 2-0 vs Houston, but the scores 75-68 and 68-64.

I think actually, despite what you see on RPIforecast, SMU may be more of a lock if they are in that 4/5 game. If you look at RPI wizard, if you put in losing today @ Memphis, their RPI goes from 44 down to 42. Remember road losses only count .6 of a loss. Well, where is the conference tourney? Memphis, and SMU would be playing @ Memphis. I wouldn't think even with another loss to Memphis their RPI would get killed to a point that they'd be in trouble.

stever20 wrote:

Bill Marsh wrote:

stever20 wrote:SMU @Memphis - Despite all the hype, SMU is not a lock. They need another win. It's tough to see where they're going to get it.
Richmond @Dayton - Dayton needs to continue to win. They probably will.
Pitt @Clemson - Pitt has been looking shaky. They're tied with Clemson and are on the road.
Baylor @Kansas State - Someone's going to lose this game.
Utah @Stanford - Fresh off an upset of Cal, Utah is hot with a 3 game win streak and having won 6 of their last 8.
Colorado @Cal - Cal is in trouble. RPI on the bubble, 3 game losing streak, lost 4 of their last 5.
Missouri @Tennessee - The Vols need to continue to win. They probably will. Missouri won last time they met and also needs a win.

For SMU, they may not be a lock, but if even if they lose today, if UConn loses @ Louisville, it's a 3 way tie for 3rd. SMU wins that tiebreaker, as they would be 3-1 vs those teams. What that means is they would get to play Houston in the QF of the AAC, and if they win that game, that punches their ticket for the NCAA.

Excellent point, Steve. If SMU is not in the 4-5 game, they are as close to a lock as they can get. Nonetheless it should be noted that losses this year to temple and south florida shows that they are capable of losing in a 3-6 game.

Kind of speaking to your point, they were 2-0 vs Houston, but the scores 75-68 and 68-64.

I think actually, despite what you see on RPIforecast, SMU may be more of a lock if they are in that 4/5 game. If you look at RPI wizard, if you put in losing today @ Memphis, their RPI goes from 44 down to 42. Remember road losses only count .6 of a loss. Well, where is the conference tourney? Memphis, and SMU would be playing @ Memphis. I wouldn't think even with another loss to Memphis their RPI would get killed to a point that they'd be in trouble.

Another excellent point. Thanks for keeping me honest.

Bill/Stever, I'm glad you guys brought up smu b/c I don't see them as a lock quite yet. The thing that could come back to bite them is the ooc SOS... 282. Due to the weak ooc schedule, they've only accumulated 4 top 100 wins (granted those 4 are also top 50). Over the past few yrs I feel like the committee has put a greater emphasis on who you play outside of your conference and smu's schedule was as weak as they come. This also holds true for Pitt and their horrendous ooc SOS.
Granted, if smu picks up one more win its a moot point b/c that would solidify a spot.

Catscratchy wrote:Bill/Stever, I'm glad you guys brought up smu b/c I don't see them as a lock quite yet. The thing that could come back to bite them is the ooc SOS... 282. Due to the weak ooc schedule, they've only accumulated 4 top 100 wins (granted those 4 are also top 50). Over the past few yrs I feel like the committee has put a greater emphasis on who you play outside of your conference and smu's schedule was as weak as they come. This also holds true for Pitt and their horrendous ooc SOS.
Granted, if smu picks up one more win its a moot point b/c that would solidify a spot.

I think for SMU, if they don't take a bad loss, they're in. If they get in the 4/5 game(which is unlikely btw, as that would require UConn to beat Louisville, something I don't think happens), getting 2 losses @ Memphis wouldn't kill the RPI enough to get in. If they get in the 3/6 game, they have to win that- but it's vs Houston.

stever20 wrote:

Catscratchy wrote:Bill/Stever, I'm glad you guys brought up smu b/c I don't see them as a lock quite yet. The thing that could come back to bite them is the ooc SOS... 282. Due to the weak ooc schedule, they've only accumulated 4 top 100 wins (granted those 4 are also top 50). Over the past few yrs I feel like the committee has put a greater emphasis on who you play outside of your conference and smu's schedule was as weak as they come. This also holds true for Pitt and their horrendous ooc SOS.
Granted, if smu picks up one more win its a moot point b/c that would solidify a spot.

I think for SMU, if they don't take a bad loss, they're in. If they get in the 4/5 game(which is unlikely btw, as that would require UConn to beat Louisville, something I don't think happens), getting 2 losses @ Memphis wouldn't kill the RPI enough to get in. If they get in the 3/6 game, they have to win that- but it's vs Houston.

We'll see...I'll just be interested in how much stock the committee puts into ooc Sos b/c there are a few bubble teams with weak ones (Pitt & ark are both in the 200s).
Quick question Stever....since the BET is being held in MSG, will these count as home games for stj or neutral? That could make a big rpi difference in their games.... For them and their opponent.

Catscratchy wrote:

stever20 wrote:

Catscratchy wrote:Bill/Stever, I'm glad you guys brought up smu b/c I don't see them as a lock quite yet. The thing that could come back to bite them is the ooc SOS... 282. Due to the weak ooc schedule, they've only accumulated 4 top 100 wins (granted those 4 are also top 50). Over the past few yrs I feel like the committee has put a greater emphasis on who you play outside of your conference and smu's schedule was as weak as they come. This also holds true for Pitt and their horrendous ooc SOS.
Granted, if smu picks up one more win its a moot point b/c that would solidify a spot.

I think for SMU, if they don't take a bad loss, they're in. If they get in the 4/5 game(which is unlikely btw, as that would require UConn to beat Louisville, something I don't think happens), getting 2 losses @ Memphis wouldn't kill the RPI enough to get in. If they get in the 3/6 game, they have to win that- but it's vs Houston.

We'll see...I'll just be interested in how much stock the committee puts into ooc Sos b/c there are a few bubble teams with weak ones (Pitt & ark are both in the 200s).
Quick question Stever....since the BET is being held in MSG, will these count as home games for stj or neutral? That could make a big rpi difference in their games.... For them and their opponent.

I believe it does count as home games for St John's.

Of note is the Arkansas/Alabama game. Fellow bubble team getting boatraced by Bama right now. Let's hope this holds up!