Bracketology - January 26, 2015

[Xudash]

With Xavier, Temple and Butler removed from the A10, VCU has quickly ascended to the top position in that conference. The A10, notwithstanding the number of bids it got last year, when it was an anomaly waiting to happen with some of its senior-ladden teams, is not what it used to be.

Villanova blew VCU off the floor earlier this season and would do the same were they to meet in the NCAA Tournament.

Beyond that match-up, I believe VCU would struggle to make it in the top 5 of the Big East were they a member of the Big East now. Playing havoc night in and night out in the Big East? Sure, run with that strategy.

UD would get slaughtered in this conference this and most years. They would especially get annihilated this year. due to the fact that they had to kick two players off their team due to them being compulsive thieves and terrible students, they're short in stature - tallest player is like 6'6" or something - and short rostered.

[Gopher+RamFan]

With Xavier, Temple and Butler removed from the A10, VCU has quickly ascended to the top position in that conference. The A10, notwithstanding the number of bids it got last year, when it was an anomaly waiting to happen with some of its senior-ladden teams, is not what it used to be.

Villanova blew VCU off the floor earlier this season and would do the same were they to meet in the NCAA Tournament.

Beyond that match-up, I believe VCU would struggle to make it in the top 5 of the Big East were they a member of the Big East now. Playing havoc night in and night out in the Big East? Sure, run with that strategy.

UD would get slaughtered in this conference this and most years. They would especially get annihilated this year. due to the fact that they had to kick two players off their team due to them being compulsive thieves and terrible students, they're short in stature - tallest player is like 6'6" or something - and short rostered.

The only year that VCU was in the league with Xavier, Temple and Butler they went 2-1 (W @ X, W v. butler, L @ Temple). That was the first year out of the CAA with no top recruiting classes etc..

I have no idea how the program would fare in the Big East, but I remember A10 members on their board saying the style of play wouldn't translate to the A10 (including X fans). VCU has finished 2nd place both years, and played in the championship both years. Would that happen in the Big East? Doubtful. But VCU is adding better recruits, and our offense isn't as stagnant as before. Thankfully were no longer the 110th ranked offense (last year), but a top 35 offense. Better recruiting is leading to better talent (2 top 25 classes in a row).

People don't like havoc, but it is simply a Louisville/Florida type way of playing the game with more variations. Shaka comes from the Donovan tree, so it's to be expected. My other team (MN) obviously is coming from the Pitino pressing teams. Those programs win at a successful rate with similar styles, but superior talent. VCU is trying to reach that threshold, and hopefully it's heading there.

VIllanova and UVA both slaughtered VCU earlier in the year. Defense takes a while for the underclassmen to manage in this system, and we have 8 of them. Thankfully it's a year long process, and it seems like the team has turned the corner. Doesn't change what happened on the court earlier. Nova is for real if their 3 point shooting is on, they're impressive.

I'd like to hope VCU could be a top 5 team in the BE year in and year out, maybe one day we'll find out.

[Xudash]

With Xavier, Temple and Butler removed from the A10, VCU has quickly ascended to the top position in that conference. The A10, notwithstanding the number of bids it got last year, when it was an anomaly waiting to happen with some of its senior-ladden teams, is not what it used to be.

Villanova blew VCU off the floor earlier this season and would do the same were they to meet in the NCAA Tournament.

Beyond that match-up, I believe VCU would struggle to make it in the top 5 of the Big East were they a member of the Big East now. Playing havoc night in and night out in the Big East? Sure, run with that strategy.

UD would get slaughtered in this conference this and most years. They would especially get annihilated this year. due to the fact that they had to kick two players off their team due to them being compulsive thieves and terrible students, they're short in stature - tallest player is like 6'6" or something - and short rostered.

The only year that VCU was in the league with Xavier, Temple and Butler they went 2-1 (W @ X, W v. butler, L @ Temple). That was the first year out of the CAA with no top recruiting classes etc..

I have no idea how the program would fare in the Big East, but I remember A10 members on their board saying the style of play wouldn't translate to the A10 (including X fans). VCU has finished 2nd place both years, and played in the championship both years. Would that happen in the Big East? Doubtful. But VCU is adding better recruits, and our offense isn't as stagnant as before. Thankfully were no longer the 110th ranked offense (last year), but a top 35 offense. Better recruiting is leading to better talent (2 top 25 classes in a row).

People don't like havoc, but it is simply a Louisville/Florida type way of playing the game with more variations. Shaka comes from the Donovan tree, so it's to be expected. My other team (MN) obviously is coming from the Pitino pressing teams. Those programs win at a successful rate with similar styles, but superior talent. VCU is trying to reach that threshold, and hopefully it's heading there.

VIllanova and UVA both slaughtered VCU earlier in the year. Defense takes a while for the underclassmen to manage in this system, and we have 8 of them. Thankfully it's a year long process, and it seems like the team has turned the corner. Doesn't change what happened on the court earlier. Nova is for real if their 3 point shooting is on, they're impressive.

I'd like to hope VCU could be a top 5 team in the BE year in and year out, maybe one day we'll find out.

I respect VCU and I like Shaka. I doubt the Big East will be expanding anytime soon, but I would regard VCU as a viable candidate for expansion were the topic to heat up again. VCU is proving itself to be a strong program with a great foundation involving strong administrative and fan support.

BTW, the one year VCU was in the A10 with Xavier was a year when Xavier was down, and it didn't help when one of your players knocked our point guard (Dee Davis) unconscious without getting a call fouled. That is one example of why other fans aren't thrilled when HAVOC shows up!

I don't know if you're following the Big East all that closely this year or not, but the #2 Conference RPI rank is for real, and the toughness of this conference is being proven every night in conference play. Most of these games are wars. If I've learned anything in particular about the A10 versus this version of the Big East, it's that there are literally no "rest stop" games in this conference. You had better be ready to go at home or away against the other 9 opponents you'll face in this conference. It has been exciting,exhilarating and excruciating. Overall, VCU is good, that should be clear to anyone. The question - a question - is how would VCU's game philosophy (HAVOC) translate to the level of athletes it would face in the Big East and the intensity and physicality it would experience night in and night out throughout conference play?

I can damn well assure you that the A10 doesn't equate to what we're seeing as Xavier fans in the Big East - in this version of the Big East.

[lquarles]

I respect VCU and I like Shaka. I doubt the Big East will be expanding anytime soon, but I would regard VCU as a viable candidate for expansion were the topic to heat up again. VCU is proving itself to be a strong program with a great foundation involving strong administrative and fan support.

BTW, the one year VCU was in the A10 with Xavier was a year when Xavier was down, and it didn't help when one of your players knocked our point guard (Dee Davis) unconscious without getting a call fouled. That is one example of why other fans aren't thrilled when HAVOC shows up!

I don't know if you're following the Big East all that closely this year or not, but the #2 Conference RPI rank is for real, and the toughness of this conference is being proven every night in conference play. Most of these games are wars. If I've learned anything in particular about the A10 versus this version of the Big East, it's that there are literally no "rest stop" games in this conference. You had better be ready to go at home or away against the other 9 opponents you'll face in this conference. It has been exciting,exhilarating and excruciating. Overall, VCU is good, that should be clear to anyone. The question - a question - is how would VCU's game philosophy (HAVOC) translate to the level of athletes it would face in the Big East and the intensity and physicality it would experience night in and night out throughout conference play?

I can damn well assure you that the A10 doesn't equate to what we're seeing as Xavier fans in the Big East - in this version of the Big East.

This VCU team is much better than the one that faced Xavier, and has Shaka's best recruiting class ever, and next year's will be just as good, if not better. He has three top 100 kids this year with two in the top 50, with three more top 100s coming next year.

We have no idea what would have really happened if Davis didn't get injured doing that game. We can guess, but can't know for sure.

Yes, the Big East is good, but VCU's style of play would do fine with the caliber of athletes they have now and will have soon. And if you didn't notice before, Villanova presses full court also. VCU's half-court defense has improved tremendously since the 'Nova game, and I think we'd beat Nova convincingly today. Nova went on that 16-0 run in the second half because VCU started taking and bricking bad shots and their half-court and transition defense fell apart. Heck, the way they played against GW on Tuesday, they could be a Final Four team. Butler knows what it's like playing at VCU. It's nearly impossible to win at the Stu, and it takes an extremely disciplined team like UVA to do it. VCU and Georgetown have split wins since 2011 on neutral courts. So I think you're exaggerating the "intensity and physicality" thing, VCU is conditioned and talented enough to face it.

[muskienick]

I'm a Xavier fan who greatly admires what VCU's basketball program has done over the last decade or more. It is because of that admiration for the Rams that I hope VCU will be seriously considered for membership if and when the Big East ever decides to expand. From my perspective, they lack only one of the many criteria that have been mentioned for membership, and I believe it is the least important by far --- it is a public, rather than private, university. The Rams are pretty much "off the charts" in the other criteria categories and I would bet they annually would be, at the very least, among the top half of Conference contenders.

But, as I and many others have often stated, I am damn happy with the state of the Conference in only its second year of existence in this configuration.

[ruechalgrin]

With Xavier, Temple and Butler removed from the A10, VCU has quickly ascended to the top position in that conference. The A10, notwithstanding the number of bids it got last year, when it was an anomaly waiting to happen with some of its senior-ladden teams, is not what it used to be.

Villanova blew VCU off the floor earlier this season and would do the same were they to meet in the NCAA Tournament.

Beyond that match-up, I believe VCU would struggle to make it in the top 5 of the Big East were they a member of the Big East now. Playing havoc night in and night out in the Big East? Sure, run with that strategy.

UD would get slaughtered in this conference this and most years. They would especially get annihilated this year. due to the fact that they had to kick two players off their team due to them being compulsive thieves and terrible students, they're short in stature - tallest player is like 6'6" or something - and short rostered.

I am a Dayton fan who has not posted in 6 months and come in peace. As I stated on the board last year, the Big East had an off-season in year 1 and would recover this year and it has exceeded expectations. As I have repeatedly stated, the Big East is a materially better conference than the A-10 and while an anomaly year might occur (like 2013-2014), it is clear the Big East is vastly superior to the A-10.

However, based upon objective evidence neither VCU or Dayton would be slaughtered in the Big East the last two years and in fact would have been in the top 1/3rd of the conference in 2013-2014 and top 1/2 in 2014-2015. For the 2013-2014 season, assuming VCU and Dayton were in a 12 team Big East, VCU would have been #2 and Dayton #4 according to kenpom and RPI (we could look at sagarin elo without scoring margin, warren nolan, etc. and they all take a similar view). In 2014-2015, VUC would be #2 and Dayton #6. BTW, I prefer kenpom and warren nolan to RPI, but people look at rpi. As for the eye-test, Dayton has much better computer numbers than the ones above this year AFTER the dismissal of the 2 players and they have played teams with a lot of big men who were very physical over that stretch.

Just as I believed you were way too critical of the Big East last year, you may being a little too bullish this year (except for Xavier fans where everyone seems to be upset with Mack, but he has led Xavier to #19 in kenpom which is really impressive).

The detail of the computer polls are as follows: 2015 Kenpom (villanova #7, vic #16, Xavier #19, Butler #21, Georgetown #31, Dayton #37); 2014 kenpom (villanova #14, vcu #17, Creighton #21, Dayton #38); 2015 rpi (vcu #4, villanova #6, butler #16, providence #17, georgetown #20, Dayton #27); 2014 rpi (Villanova #8, creighton #17, VCU #19, Dayton #33).

[muskienick]

With Xavier, Temple and Butler removed from the A10, VCU has quickly ascended to the top position in that conference. The A10, notwithstanding the number of bids it got last year, when it was an anomaly waiting to happen with some of its senior-ladden teams, is not what it used to be.

Villanova blew VCU off the floor earlier this season and would do the same were they to meet in the NCAA Tournament.

Beyond that match-up, I believe VCU would struggle to make it in the top 5 of the Big East were they a member of the Big East now. Playing havoc night in and night out in the Big East? Sure, run with that strategy.

UD would get slaughtered in this conference this and most years. They would especially get annihilated this year. due to the fact that they had to kick two players off their team due to them being compulsive thieves and terrible students, they're short in stature - tallest player is like 6'6" or something - and short rostered.

I am a Dayton fan who has not posted in 6 months and come in peace. As I stated on the board last year, the Big East had an off-season in year 1 and would recover this year and it has exceeded expectations. As I have repeatedly stated, the Big East is a materially better conference than the A-10 and while an anomaly year might occur (like 2013-2014), it is clear the Big East is vastly superior to the A-10.

However, based upon objective evidence neither VCU or Dayton would be slaughtered in the Big East the last two years and in fact would have been in the top 1/3rd of the conference in 2013-2014 and top 1/2 in 2014-2015. For the 2013-2014 season, assuming VCU and Dayton were in a 12 team Big East, VCU would have been #2 and Dayton #4 according to kenpom and RPI (we could look at sagarin elo without scoring margin, warren nolan, etc. and they all take a similar view). In 2014-2015, VUC would be #2 and Dayton #6. BTW, I prefer kenpom and warren nolan to RPI, but people look at rpi. As for the eye-test, Dayton has much better computer numbers than the ones above this year AFTER the dismissal of the 2 players and they have played teams with a lot of big men who were very physical over that stretch.

Just as I believed you were way too critical of the Big East last year, you may being a little too bullish this year (except for Xavier fans where everyone seems to be upset with Mack, but he has led Xavier to #19 in kenpom which is really impressive).

The detail of the computer polls are as follows: 2015 Kenpom (villanova #7, vic #16, Xavier #19, Butler #21, Georgetown #31, Dayton #37); 2014 kenpom (villanova #14, vcu #17, Creighton #21, Dayton #38); 2015 rpi (vcu #4, villanova #6, butler #16, providence #17, georgetown #20, Dayton #27); 2014 rpi (Villanova #8, creighton #17, VCU #19, Dayton #33).

I realize that hyperbole is more the norm than the exception in such posts, but I must correct your statement, above, concerning "...Xavier fans where everyone seems to be upset with Mack..." Actually, rue, the whiners on XU Boards are in the vast minority and most of them mercifully "go into hibernation" following every Xavier victory. Should we lose again this year, you can visit either XU Hoops or Musketeer Madness and find them again in their glory.

The fact is that most of Xavier fandom is fully aware that we have a great young-(ish) head coach and staff who work well together and are making the players believers in the Muskie system and bringing about improvement where it has been most needed.

[DudeAnon]

VCU can compete in any league in America (at least while Shaka is there). Yea they have their weaknesses, but who doesn't?

[Westbrook#36]

Yes, the Big East is good, but VCU's style of play would do fine with the caliber of athletes they have now and will have soon. And if you didn't notice before, Villanova presses full court also. (Actually we don't, we use a 1-2-2 three quarter court trap often)

VCU's half-court defense has improved tremendously since the 'Nova game (Against A-10 teams), and I think we'd beat Nova convincingly today.

Nova went on that 16-0 run in the second half because VCU started taking and bricking bad shots (Because Nova was playing stifling D and VCU is slighty above St. John's level in disciplined offensive shot selection, not a good recipe)

VCU would probably compete for a top 4 place in the BE, yes, but let's not overstate the level of the A-10. That GW team you brag about crushing also got crushed by Penn State. The BE is a serious step up from the A-10.

[BEX]

Butler and Xavier leaving the A-10 was probably the best thing ever for UD fans. They should stop complaining. Chance to beat up on 100+ rpi teams and make the dance every year.