Sun Jan 25th, 3g - Duke-SJU, Seton-Butler, Creigh-VU.

[billyjack]

From Lunardi about St John's:
For the record, I've always liked St. John's and spent a lot of friendly time with Steve Lavin during his ESPN days. But it was clear to me Sunday as Duke sprinted past the Red Storm that his team is a tease. And that Selection Sunday isn't going to end well for the Johnnies.

St. John's has seemingly done everything right to get back to the NCAA tournament. The Red Storm scheduled well, were decent in nonconference play and are headed to an acceptable numerical profile (current 51/13/43 RPI/SOS/BPI combo).

But here's the rub: The Johnnies aren't going to win enough games (or, more precisely, enough of the right games). Forget about being on the wrong side of history Sunday. If the Red Storm had held on against Duke, as they should have, the remainder of their season is entirely different. Instead, St. John's will have to bank on flipping a 2-4 Big East record.

The Johnnies have had four huge opportunities at home -- Gonzaga, Butler, Villanova and Duke -- and came up empty each time. Additional chances remain, but do you trust this team to win more than it loses at Butler (away), Georgetown (twice) and at Villanova? That's what it's going to take for the Red Storm at this point, and I'm not buying.

St. John's is the first team out today for the same reason it would miss the NCAA field in March: a losing conference record and a 2-5 mark against top-50 opponents. Our last team in, Kansas State, is 5-2 in a better league and 4-4 against the top 50. The Red Storm would win the so-called "eye test," but K-State has won more meaningful games.

So for everyone who tweeted me today that Duke was a "good loss," I'll say only that too many of them put your team in the NIT.

Translation:
from the desk of Joe Lunardi:
"To make my point, which makes no sense, I, Joe Lunardi, am going to ignore road wins at Syracuse and #19 RPI Providence, and a win over Minnesota (which matches Louisville's best win), and a win over St Mary's, and a win over Long Beach (who beat Kansas State).

My ESPN overlords scolded me last week because i accidentally put 7 Big East teams in the NCAA's, and i dont want to be stretched out on the rack again, or return to ESPN using thumbscrews on me (as it stands now, i canthitthespacebar on my keyboard because my thumbs are shredded)."

Anyone who watches St John's play and looks at their resume, and compares it unfavorably to K-State, who has lost to Texas Southern and Long Beach State, is a freakin dimwit.

[NJRedman]

From Lunardi about St John's:
For the record, I've always liked St. John's and spent a lot of friendly time with Steve Lavin during his ESPN days. But it was clear to me Sunday as Duke sprinted past the Red Storm that his team is a tease. And that Selection Sunday isn't going to end well for the Johnnies.

St. John's has seemingly done everything right to get back to the NCAA tournament. The Red Storm scheduled well, were decent in nonconference play and are headed to an acceptable numerical profile (current 51/13/43 RPI/SOS/BPI combo).

But here's the rub: The Johnnies aren't going to win enough games (or, more precisely, enough of the right games). Forget about being on the wrong side of history Sunday. If the Red Storm had held on against Duke, as they should have, the remainder of their season is entirely different. Instead, St. John's will have to bank on flipping a 2-4 Big East record.

The Johnnies have had four huge opportunities at home -- Gonzaga, Butler, Villanova and Duke -- and came up empty each time. Additional chances remain, but do you trust this team to win more than it loses at Butler (away), Georgetown (twice) and at Villanova? That's what it's going to take for the Red Storm at this point, and I'm not buying.

St. John's is the first team out today for the same reason it would miss the NCAA field in March: a losing conference record and a 2-5 mark against top-50 opponents. Our last team in, Kansas State, is 5-2 in a better league and 4-4 against the top 50. The Red Storm would win the so-called "eye test," but K-State has won more meaningful games.

So for everyone who tweeted me today that Duke was a "good loss," I'll say only that too many of them put your team in the NIT.

Translation:
from the desk of Joe Lunardi:
"To make my point, which makes no sense, I, Joe Lunardi, am going to ignore road wins at Syracuse and #19 RPI Providence, and a win over Minnesota (which matches Louisville's best win). My ESPN overlords scolded me last week because i accidentally put 7 Big East teams in the NCAA's, and i dont want to be stretched out on the rack again, or return to ESPN using thumbscrews on me (as it stands now, i canthitthespacebar on my keyboard because my thumbs are shredded)."

Anyone who watches St John's play and looks at their resume, and compares it unfavorably to K-State, who has lost to Texas Southern and Long Beach State, is a freakin dimwit.

We also beat LB State. Though he likes to throw out there that K State is in the tougher conference though our last place team beat OU.

[stever20]

From Lunardi about St John's:
For the record, I've always liked St. John's and spent a lot of friendly time with Steve Lavin during his ESPN days. But it was clear to me Sunday as Duke sprinted past the Red Storm that his team is a tease. And that Selection Sunday isn't going to end well for the Johnnies.

St. John's has seemingly done everything right to get back to the NCAA tournament. The Red Storm scheduled well, were decent in nonconference play and are headed to an acceptable numerical profile (current 51/13/43 RPI/SOS/BPI combo).

But here's the rub: The Johnnies aren't going to win enough games (or, more precisely, enough of the right games). Forget about being on the wrong side of history Sunday. If the Red Storm had held on against Duke, as they should have, the remainder of their season is entirely different. Instead, St. John's will have to bank on flipping a 2-4 Big East record.

The Johnnies have had four huge opportunities at home -- Gonzaga, Butler, Villanova and Duke -- and came up empty each time. Additional chances remain, but do you trust this team to win more than it loses at Butler (away), Georgetown (twice) and at Villanova? That's what it's going to take for the Red Storm at this point, and I'm not buying.

St. John's is the first team out today for the same reason it would miss the NCAA field in March: a losing conference record and a 2-5 mark against top-50 opponents. Our last team in, Kansas State, is 5-2 in a better league and 4-4 against the top 50. The Red Storm would win the so-called "eye test," but K-State has won more meaningful games.

So for everyone who tweeted me today that Duke was a "good loss," I'll say only that too many of them put your team in the NIT.

Translation:
from the desk of Joe Lunardi:
"To make my point, which makes no sense, I, Joe Lunardi, am going to ignore road wins at Syracuse and #19 RPI Providence, and a win over Minnesota (which matches Louisville's best win), and a win over St Mary's, and a win over Long Beach (who beat Kansas State).

My ESPN overlords scolded me last week because i accidentally put 7 Big East teams in the NCAA's, and i dont want to be stretched out on the rack again, or return to ESPN using thumbscrews on me (as it stands now, i canthitthespacebar on my keyboard because my thumbs are shredded)."

Anyone who watches St John's play and looks at their resume, and compares it unfavorably to K-State, who has lost to Texas Southern and Long Beach State, is a freakin dimwit.

Texas Southern is RPI 128 right now- which is better than DePaul. Long Beach State is 60- hardly a bad loss. Kansas St is also 4-4 vs RPI top 50 right now. I can kind of see it long term...

And what Lunardi said about what St John's needs to do is frankly spot on. They have to get some good wins. Are they good enough to go 4-4 against Providence, @ Butler, @ Xavier, @ Georgetown, Seton Hall, Xavier, Georgetown, and @ Villanova? They don't have the mental toughness to do that. They have had 4 real chances to get a real top notch win. They are 0-4. That's the issue. And, don't forget the fact that they have a losing conference record. That's something that is a big problem as well....

Oh and billyjack- Louisville did beat Ohio St and Indiana- so Minnesota is hardly their best win. Indiana ranked and Ohio St barely out right now.

[billyjack]

Ok, so i can't believe I'm wasting more time on this when i should be working...

KANSAS STATE: RPI at 79.
OOC Wins:
W 323 Southern Utah.
W 302 UMKC.
W 95 Purdue <--- remember this one.
W 307 Omaha.
W 265 Bradley.
W 293 Savannah State.

KANSAS STATE:
OOC Losses:
L 60 Long Beach.
L 5 Arizona.
L 77 Pitt.
L 55 Tennessee.
L 128 Texas Southern.
L 25 Georgia.

K-State had 7 opportunities to beat an OOC opponent with an RPI rating of better than 265, and they're 1-for-7.
14.3%

K-State had 5 opportunities to beat an OOC opponent with an RPI rating of better than 95, and they're 0-for-5.
0% winning percentage.
Zero.
Best Ooc win is #95 Purdue.
2nd best OOC win is #265 Bradley.
3rd best OOC win is #293 Savannah State.
3rd best OOC win is #293 Savannah State.
3rd best OOC win is #293 Savannah State.