Welcome to The Holy Land of Hoops

Pre-game on FOX starts at 11:30AM ET
4 Duke @ St. John's, 12:00PM
TV: FOX - Gus Johnson, Jim Jackson, Shannon Spake

DePaul @ Butler, 12:00
TV: FS1 - Vince Welch, Nick Bahe

Providence @ Marquette, 2:30
TV: FS1 - Jeff Levering, Doug Gottlieb

Georgetown @ Xavier, 6:00
TV: CBSSN- Rich Waltz, Jordan Cornette & Tina Cervasio

HUGE game in Milwaukee. Pretty much a “must-win” for Marquette. And PC could really use another strong win.

Fortunately, both teams are entering the “easiest” and “second easiest” final stretch in conference play according to KenPom. Still, both teams probably need 20 wins to make the field (Marquette might be able to pull it off with 19 wins), especially PC with the UMASS and Minnesota stains on their resume.

Warriors need this big time. Who would've thought the MINN loss, at home, would be a head scratcher. MINN was after all ranked. UMass is another story. They are just not a good team.

thebigeXpress wrote:Warriors need this big time. Who would've thought the MINN loss, at home, would be a head scratcher. MINN was after all ranked. UMass is another story. They are just not a good team.

My last two references were regarding PC. It would seem MU is in a better spot than PC. My gut feeling is the last BE team in the tourney would probably end up in the play-in game.

Lines
St. John's +10
Marquette -5
Butler -13.5
Xavier -14.5

The friars loss at UMass will hurt. I was at the game they should have won even though Maliek White was on crutches and both Cartwright and Diallo played only sparingly because of ankle injuries. The loss of Emmit Holt and the bad stretch of injuries and sickness could come back to haunt them come selection Sunday.

thebigeXpress wrote:

thebigeXpress wrote:Warriors need this big time. Who would've thought the MINN loss, at home, would be a head scratcher. MINN was after all ranked. UMass is another story. They are just not a good team.

My last two references were regarding PC. It would seem MU is in a better spot than PC. My gut feeling is the last BE team in the tourney would probably end up in the play-in game.

Oddly enough, Bracket Matrix favors PC over Marquette right now, despite PC owning two losses worse than Marquette's "worst" loss (home vs. Georgia). Marquette is in that unfortunate area where they lack a signature win, but they don't really own any "bad" losses. Their best win is @Providence, which might not even make the Tournament.

Selection Sunday is going to be interesting. Villanova, Xavier, Seton Hall, Creighton and Butler would be comfortably in the field if Selection Sunday was today. I think the other two are a bit of a toss-up, and I can't stress how big this game is for both Marquette and PC. Getting 7 in the field is going to be a really tall order this year, especially if PC wins today.

thebigeXpress wrote:

thebigeXpress wrote:Warriors need this big time. Who would've thought the MINN loss, at home, would be a head scratcher. MINN was after all ranked. UMass is another story. They are just not a good team.

My last two references were regarding PC. It would seem MU is in a better spot than PC. My gut feeling is the last BE team in the tourney would probably end up in the play-in game.

Right, UMass and Minnesota are the tough ones.

Our RPI though is still 36 thankfully. We've been helped by URI being great, Houston and Washington being in the Top 50, plus Belmont and Rider are in the 70's, and even Boston College is in the 80's. Only real RPI millstone is Houston Baptist. Would love for Saint Louis to get hot.

If St John's can beat Duke today, then there will be a huge boost to everyone's RPI and perception, and the road to 7 teams becomes way more possible.

I thought PC's RPI if they go 9-9 is Top 50...?

billyjack wrote:If St John's can beat Duke today, then there will be a huge boost to everyone's RPI and perception, and the road to 7 teams becomes way more possible.

I thought PC's RPI if they go 9-9 is Top 50...?

If they go 9-9, they would be 18-13, assuming they don't win a BET game. 18 wins with their resume is not enough to make the field if you ask me. I think they could possibly sneak in with 19, but 18 would be very difficult.