March Madness 2024

[xubrew]

Teams are starting to get eliminated, so I guess it's time to fire this up!!

Cal Poly was eliminated from qualifying for the Big West Tournament last night. UTRGV was eliminated from the WAC today, and I think Dartmouth and Penn have both been eliminated from the Ivy.

With Chicago State not being in a conference, and the transitional teams that are not eligible for the NCAA Tournament, I believe that leaves 345 teams that are still alive to win it all!! HAPPY MARCH MADNESS!!!

[GoMuskies]

I don't think they've been eliminated yet, but I'm going way out on a limb and crossing Mississippi Valley State off the list of championship contenders.

[X-band '01]

I'm at least hoping they run the table the rest of the way. Detroit-Mercy missed their window to do so.

[xubrew]

The opening round of the Atlantic Sun is about to tip!!!

[xubrew]

The games last night, particularly the Sun Belt and ASun, were CRAZY!!!! Go back and watch the last minute of each of the ASun games, and the of regulation of the Texas State v ODU game.

I know these are early round games in one bid leagues where none of the teams that are playing are expected to do much. All they are really playing for is the chance to play one more day. But, even though that's all they're playing for, the games have still been super fun to watch! Sometimes those are the best kinds of games.

[GoMuskies]

Pacific came out fired out for the first round of the WCC Tournament! They trail Pepperdine 33-2. The Lorenzo Romar era continues.

[X-band '01]

NKU also started similarly flat in a 17-2 role at Wright State. Unlike Pacific, the Norse actually came back and move on to the Horizon semifinals that will be played in front of tens of people in Indianapolis.

[GoMuskies]

Not really sure where to put this....but there's been talk of expanding the NCAA Tournament to 80 teams. In that case, Xavier would probably be in with a win tomorrow over Marquette (however unlikely that may still be). Is anyone actually in favor of expanding the Tournament to 80 teams so that more very mediocre teams like this year's Xavier team might make it?

[Xville]

Not really sure where to put this....but there's been talk of expanding the NCAA Tournament to 80 teams. In that case, Xavier would probably be in with a win tomorrow over Marquette (however unlikely that may still be). Is anyone actually in favor of expanding the Tournament to 80 teams so that more very mediocre teams like this year's Xavier team might make it?

I'm sure it will grow because $ .

This will never be the case, but I wish the extra spots would be to those Lower League Conference Regular Season Champions that happen to lose in their conference tournaments.

[X-band '01]

Not really sure where to put this....but there's been talk of expanding the NCAA Tournament to 80 teams. In that case, Xavier would probably be in with a win tomorrow over Marquette (however unlikely that may still be). Is anyone actually in favor of expanding the Tournament to 80 teams so that more very mediocre teams like this year's Xavier team might make it?

It feels like some expansion will be inevitable because the potential alternative are the major football conferences pulling out of the NCAA and starting their own basketball tournament, consequences be damned.

Given the amount of expansion in D1 in the past 20 years, I'm honestly surprised we've only added 4 spots since 1985.

[Fireball]

I'd do the following:

1) Expand the tournament to 72 teams.
2) Make the "First Four" two all-day states of games.
3) Make all of the now first eight games for the last 8 at large spots
4) If you have a sub-.500 conference record, you are ineligible for the NCAA tournament.


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[X-band '01]

ESPN - Antelope Valley in NAIA Tournament Despite School's Shutdown (https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39684474/antelope-state-play-tournament-school-shutdown)

No pressure for these teams.

[Xville]

Congrats to dieonte miles and Morehead state punching their ticket to the dance tonight!!!

[GoMuskies]

Kyky had 32 tonight (6-9 from 3), but his team lost. They'll be the 8 seed in the A-Sun, so he probably won't join Miles in dancing.

[Xville]

Kyky had 32 tonight (6-9 from 3), but his team lost. They'll be the 8 seed in the A-Sun, so he probably won't join Miles in dancing.

He’s had one hell of a year. I wish it would have clicked for him here, but glad to see he’s done so well. Guessing he will make some money overseas

[X-band '01]

Congrats to dieonte miles and Morehead state punching their ticket to the dance tonight!!!

Elijah Tucker also has a shot of making the NCAAs with Longwood advancing to the Big South title game tomorrow against UNC-Asheville.

[GoMuskies]

I said Kyky and Jax St were in the A-Sun. They're actually C-USA. Hard to believe that used to be the league of Louisville, Cincinnati, Memphis, Houston, etc.

[X-band '01]

As of next year, add Kennesaw State and Delaware to the legendary league that is C-USA.

[GoMuskies]

The Fighting Kelseys are in the semifinals of the CAA today against Towson. 5.5 point favorites. Is this the year Kelsey gets his major conference gig? Frankly, building a John Kresse-like career in Charleston doesn't sound like a terrible option, either. Charleston is a fantastic city.

[Xville]

The Fighting Kelseys are in the semifinals of the CAA today against Towson. 5.5 point favorites. Is this the year Kelsey gets his major conference gig? Frankly, building a John Kresse-like career in Charleston doesn't sound like a terrible option, either. Charleston is a fantastic city.

Yep. I'm riding the charleston train in my DK account.

I think he gets offer a big boy job this year. Starting to hear his name by the national guys when I didn't hear it before until now..whether he takes it or not remains to be seen.

[Xville]

Why are these one bid conferences not helping out their top seeds and playing at neutral sites? The coastal playing in d.c. ? IMO in these one bid leagues you should be playing at the top seeds arena. Can’t be for money…. Not like there is huge interest in the colonial.

Sorry to Kelsey for betting on them.

[Xville]

Go fighting kelseys!!!

[GoMuskies]

Charleston had em the whole way.

[GoMuskies]

Do you think Pat asked Pete in the prep why he didn't recruit him to Xavier?

[X-band '01]

I'd say closing the game on an 11-0 run was fairly clutch. Did you also see Towson airball a free throw in the closing seconds?

[X-band '01]

EDIT: It was actually a 13-1 run. Was that point relevant for entertainment purposes in Vegas?

[GoMuskies]

EDIT: It was actually a 13-1 run. Was that point relevant for entertainment purposes in Vegas?

I don't think that point was very entertaining for Ville.

[Xville]

I don't think that point was very entertaining for Ville.

I got on Charleston last night when they were -4 so that was a fantastic finish :)

[GoMuskies]

I got on Charleston last night when they were -4 so that was a fantastic finish :)

Nice work. I saw 5.5 today. Glad I did not wager on that!

[Xville]

I know the wcc is pretty weak this year but I still can’t believe the st Mary’s team that Xavier absolutely waxed is 24-7.

[GoMuskies]

The second CAA semi has been good as well. I'm feeling a Hofstra run to pull away from Geno Ford's Stony Brook squad, though.

[GoMuskies]

Charleston stopped scoring. This one is tough.

[GoMuskies]

Harder than it needed to be, but Charleston pulls it out. Congrats to Pat.

[Xville]

Congrats to the fighting kelseys and congrats to our budddy Townsend and Oakland. He had 38 and 11 in the championship game. Wouldn’t mind him in a Xavier uniform.

[XUGRAD80]

Congrats to the fighting kelseys and congrats to our budddy Townsend and Oakland. He had 38 and 11 in the championship game. Wouldn’t mind him in a Xavier uniform.

Just said that same thing….id like to see him playing for X next year.

[noteggs]

Elijah Tucker also has a shot of making the NCAAs with Longwood advancing to the Big South title game tomorrow against UNC-Asheville.

Lancers do make NCAAT. Unfortunately, Tucker got hurt in semis and didn’t play in blowout win. Hopefully he’s ok to play in the dance.

[X-band '01]

I don't see either Charleston or Oakland winning their first round games, but they are going to be tough outs in Round 1. I'm a bit surprised it took Oakland as long as it did to return to the Big Dance. Congrats to both Kampe and Kelsey.

[Xville]

St Mary’s started the year 3-5. Since, they are 23-2. It’s almost like they gelled? Nah couldn’t be. Hett said that doesn’t exist.

[X-band '01]

That's the first time in the 21st century that Gonzaga failed to win either the WCC regular season OR tournament crown.

[X-band '01]

I also wonder how many people successfully sat through all 6 games of the Metro Atlantic tournaments (women AND men) at Boardwalk Hall today.

[xubrew]

I also wonder how many people successfully sat through all 6 games of the Metro Atlantic tournaments (women AND men) at Boardwalk Hall today.

Anyone who did deserves a medal!!!

[drudy23]

I don't see either Charleston or Oakland winning their first round games, but they are going to be tough outs in Round 1. I'm a bit surprised it took Oakland as long as it did to return to the Big Dance. Congrats to both Kampe and Kelsey.

Oaklands two post guys will give them a chance. They're still playing well like they did against us.

Agree on Charleston. Don't see them winning, but you never know.

[Three Point Pete]

Cincinnati over Kansas 38-25 after 1st half. Lahken not playing.

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[GoMuskies]

Cincinnati over Kansas 38-25 after 1st half. Lahken not playing.

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Bill Self mailed in the Big XII tournament. UC was actually favored.

[X-band '01]

Surely Baylor isn't going to mail it in, are they?

[xubrew]

Bill Self mailed in the Big XII tournament. UC was actually favored.

So this is sort of new. We've seen a lot teams not play whole lot of urgency in conference tournaments, but this is the first time I can ever remember a team basically saying they don't care. Kansas has two key players that they chose to rest. Samford did this in a late regular season game that they also lost. I know we see this in baseball and in the NFL, but not really in college basketball. The thinking was that every game actually did matter. But, I guess Kansas felt this one didn't. Is this going to become more and more of a thing now??

[Xville]

Wasn’t Dickinson injured? I know McCullar has been injured off and on most of the year. I think it was more trying to get the team healthy than load management or something like that.

To your point though, I could see some teams certainly saying it's not worth the extra seed line to win the whole thing or whatever. (I wish that Uconn would do that today but Hurley is not that kind of guy lol )I'm sure at this point in the season, everyone is banged up so maybe rest is better. I'd be curious to see the correlation between conference tournament success and final four/championships.

[X-band '01]

Memphis must also really love the NIT. Not a good look losing to a Wichita State team that would finish in the bottom half of the Valley.

[Xville]

Dayton losing to Duquesne in the a10 quarters is hilarious. Does mean there is a bid stealer for our big East friends though

[D-West & PO-Z]

Dayton losing to Duquesne in the a10 quarters is hilarious. Does mean there is a bid stealer for our big East friends though

Yep, only bad news, but still hilarious.

[GoMuskies]

If UC beats Baylor a night after beating the KU JV squad...I will not be pleased.

[xudash]

Dayton losing to Duquesne in the a10 quarters is hilarious. Does mean there is a bid stealer for our big East friends though

They bring failure to the level of an art form.

I wonder if they still believe they deserve to be in the Big East.

[D-West & PO-Z]

If UC beats Baylor a night after beating the KU JV squad...I will not be pleased.

Crisis averted!

[Xville]

Riddle me this one, Batman:

Team A

6 Quad 1 wins, zero Quad 3 or 4 losses
21-12
Still out
Wins over Wisconsin, Marquette, Creighton 2x

Team B

3 Quad one wins; zero quad 3 or 4 losses
19-13
In

Wins over Baylor, Illinois, NW

Team A is 57 in the net; Team B is 24. That's one WTF. The net is a scam.

The second WTF is how is Team A projected out while Team B is projected in?


Of course, Team A is Providence and B is Michigan State.

Makes zero sense.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Im not sure I understand how seton hall is in over providence right now either. Haven’t looked too deep so maybe missing something, not sure

[Xville]

Only thing I can think of with hall is if conference record in power 5 is a big thing… 13-7 in a power 5 is strong.

Maybe it’s conference rpi with Michigan st and providence… they are both 10-10 and by conference rpi the big ten is third while be is sixth.

[MHettel]

Only thing I can think of with hall is if conference record in power 5 is a big thing… 13-7 in a power 5 is strong.

Maybe it’s conference rpi with Michigan st and providence… they are both 10-10 and by conference rpi the big ten is third while be is sixth.

I was ridiculed for suggesting that conference record/ standings matter, but SHU finished Clearly ahead of the “pack” of bubble teams in the Big East. That’s gonna matter

[Xville]

I was ridiculed for suggesting that conference record/ standings matter, but SHU finished Clearly ahead of the “pack” of bubble teams in the Big East. That’s gonna matter

I checked again. It's not on any of the team sheets. Could be SOS in both cases

[Xville]

Mich State SOS is 12

Hall is 35 and Providence 42.

[MHettel]

I checked again. It's not on any of the team sheets. Could be SOS in both cases

I believe the range for the BE is 4-6 teams, with a strong lean towards 5. I’d be shocked if SHU isn’t one of them. The conference record will be a factor, officially or not.

[Xville]

I believe the range for the BE is 4-6 teams, with a strong lean towards 5. I’d be shocked if SHU isn’t one of them. The conference record will be a factor, officially or not.

I agree there will probably be 5, and I think SHU will be one but it's just based off what im seeing on the interwebs. Providence could make it 6 if they win tonight...I think they should be in anyways based on the other bubble teams around them but whatever.

[XU 23]

Which 16 seed will beat Purdue this year?

[GoMuskies]

Andy Kennedy is at UAB?!? Either forgot or never knew that.

[X-band '01]

Riddle me this one, Batman:

Team A

6 Quad 1 wins, zero Quad 3 or 4 losses
21-12
Still out
Wins over Wisconsin, Marquette, Creighton 2x

Team B

3 Quad one wins; zero quad 3 or 4 losses
19-13
In

Wins over Baylor, Illinois, NW

Team A is 57 in the net; Team B is 24. That's one WTF. The net is a scam.

The second WTF is how is Team A projected out while Team B is projected in?


Of course, Team A is Providence and B is Michigan State.

Makes zero sense.

I'd also throw in Dayton's resume for shits and giggles. They may really be sweating this weekend after their late-season slide.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I'd also throw in Dayton's resume for shits and giggles. They may really be sweating this weekend after their late-season slide.

Bracket matrix is updated today and they have UD as a 7 seed.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Providence is the 3rd team out on bracket matrix right now.

[Xville]

How did anyone they played beat UConn this year? Geezus

[American X]

Damnit, I told you we should have played in the Atlantic 10 Tournament! The top four seeds all lost!

[GoMuskies]

St John's is way better than us.

[Xville]

St. John’s is playing about the best that they can, and still no threat to win this game. UConn’s o is surgical

[GoMuskies]

St. John’s is playing about the best that they can, and still no threat to win this game. UConn’s o is surgical

But they covered the shit out of that 9.5!

[Xville]

But they covered the shit out of that 9.5!

Yes they did! $$$ :)

Now if unc can get their head out of their ass

[XUGRAD80]

I don’t know how you play defense to stop UConn. They consistently put teams into 3 on 2 situations in the half court and can run with just about anyone.

[Xville]

This providence-Marquette game should be a classic

[Xville]

I don’t know how you play defense to stop UConn. They consistently put teams into 3 on 2 situations in the half court and can run with just about anyone.

I think there are very very few teams that even have a chance. You need a stud big, maybe two in order to stop the backdoor and slip screens, and then two dynamic big guards to at least try to keep newton and Spencer off the 3 line.

I missed the game against ku, but somehow they stopped them. Creighton has the personnel and they got it down once… have no clue how seton hall did lol.

I think unc has a chance though they didn’t earlier in the year … uk has the talent but they just don’t want to play d, maybe Houston but they are a little undersized on their frontline.

Anyways, it’s really stinkin hard lol.

[Xville]

Btw ole miss has let the nit know they will reject an invitation. Goodman says to expect more teams especially high major to not accept due to worrying about players going to portal and not playing, and wanting to get going on the portal themselves

[Xville]

This providence-Marquette game should be a classic

Or not

[MHettel]

Btw ole miss has let the nit know they will reject an invitation. Goodman says to expect more teams especially high major to not accept due to worrying about players going to portal and not playing, and wanting to get going on the portal themselves

Some posters swore that teams could work the portal simultaneously while playing still. Sounds like an actual insider (Goodman) is hearing otherwise.

I’ll have to order a new T shirt that says “I was right, again”

[Xville]

Some posters swore that teams could work the portal simultaneously while playing still. Sounds like an actual insider (Goodman) is hearing otherwise.

I’ll have to order a new T shirt that says “I was right, again”

This was actually something we agreed on, so I want a t shirt as well.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Some posters swore that teams could work the portal simultaneously while playing still. Sounds like an actual insider (Goodman) is hearing otherwise.

I’ll have to order a new T shirt that says “I was right, again”

Yeah I’ll go with Sean Miller over MHettel, lmao.

[GoMuskies]

If UK is as talented as some of you guys claim, Calipari must be the worst coach in the country (now that Payne is out).

[MHettel]

This was actually something we agreed on, so I want a t shirt as well.

Done. schmedium tshirt coming right up.

[Xville]

If UK is as talented as some of you guys claim, Calipari must be the worst coach in the country (now that Payne is out).

He’s a really bad x and o coach, and he has his two best players (nba lottery picks) coming off the bench.

[D-West & PO-Z]

If UK is as talented as some of you guys claim, Calipari must be the worst coach in the country (now that Payne is out).

Cal does seem like an underachiever in terms of the total results to the talent.

Last mock draft I saw had 6 UK guys being drafted. 6!

[noteggs]

Obviously he’s been a good player for Nebraska, but Keisei reminds me of long dong in sixteen candles

[X-band '01]

NC State is the first team in the ACC that will get to play 5 games in 5 days after knocking out Virginia tonight. Bubble teams will be cheering hard for North Carolina to keep the Wolfpack from stealing an automatic bid.

We already know that a bid will be stolen out of the A-10, and the Pac-12 could have a bid thief should Oregon win. Colorado may be in even if they lose tomorrow night, but the Ducks are in must-win mode.

[Xville]

Iu another program that has said they will say no to the stupid nit due to the portal.

Funny that the nit changed the rules to try to get more power programs in and karmically its going to back fire.

[Xville]

NC State is the first team in the ACC that will get to play 5 games in 5 days after knocking out Virginia tonight. Bubble teams will be cheering hard for North Carolina to keep the Wolfpack from stealing an automatic bid.

We already know that a bid will be stolen out of the A-10, and the Pac-12 could have a bid thief should Oregon win. Colorado may be in even if they lose tomorrow night, but the Ducks are in must-win mode.

Conflicted… I’d like to nc state pull it off just because it’s awesome but don’t want another bubble stealer for our be conference friends

[D-West & PO-Z]

Iu another program that has said they will say no to the stupid nit due to the portal.

Funny that the nit changed the rules to try to get more power programs in and karmically its going to back fire.

IU declining an NIT invite is like me saying I will decline a date with Sydney Sweeny. An NIT invite wasn’t coming.

IU was 7th in NET among Big 10 teams who weren’t going to make the tourney, lol.

[Xville]

IU declining an NIT invite is like me saying I will decline a date with Sydney Sweeny. An NIT invite wasn’t coming.

IU was 7th in NET among Big 10 teams who weren’t going to make the tourney, lol.

If I’m the nit, I’m inviting iu over teams like Minnesota etc. not just the net AQs that make it. Doubt anyone cares to scrutinize the nit selections

When there are now multiple teams with the probability of more declining the nit and giving the reason for it that they do, there may be something to the portal talk.

[X-band '01]

Conflicted… I’d like to nc state pull it off just because it’s awesome but don’t want another bubble stealer for our be conference friends

Providence is the team in the most trouble now - I also forgot to mention New Mexico getting a pair of wins against Boise State and Colorado State in the Mountain West tournament. I think the Lobos are safer, but if they lose to San Diego State they aren't a lock to make the field, either.

[Xville]

Just saw with lunardi ( he’s actually horrible at his job but still) he has seton hall and providence both out right now. That would mean be with only 4 bids. Think that’s a little bs.

[X-band '01]

Imagine the howls at Texas A&M if they again make it to the championship game and not only lose the game but also get left out of the NCAAs. Remember that also happened in 2022 before they eventually lost to X in the NIT Championship. They've got a decent record against Quads 1 and 2 but also have 5 losses against Quad 3.

I could see Seton Hall also being left out because their metrics are bad compared to other bubble teams, but have enough good wins in my book (only one Tier 3 loss at home to Rutgers) that I'd think they sneak in the field. They also have to be cheering for the North Carolinas, Florida Atlantics and Colorados of the world.

Of course, all bets are off on FAU if they lose to Temple today. That would be a fatal loss for the Owls.

[X-band '01]

Princeton is absolutely getting mugged by - Brown?

[xudash]

Iu another program that has said they will say no to the stupid nit due to the portal.

Funny that the nit changed the rules to try to get more power programs in and karmically its going to back fire.

You had me looking up “karmically” - very well done.

[JTG]

IU thinks they are beneath the NIT. I've got news for them, Knight is gone and he ain't coming back. You're nothing more than mid pack, if that, B1G. Those banners at ASSembly Hall are ancient history.

[GoMuskies]

Duquesne is in the A-10 title game. That's....something.

[X-band '01]

They knocked Dayton out of the A-10 Tournament, so they definitely deserve our gratitude. Hope they finally break their 47-year drought tomorrow.

That city will be crazy if Duquesne is in the NCAA Tournament and Pitt gets left out in the cold (which is likely anyhow).

[Xavgrad08]

Kent St was up one vs Akron in the final seconds. The Kent St. player did not know the score and intentionally fouled the Akron player putting him at the line. Kent St loses and Akron now heading to the dance. That is a brutal way to lose a conference championship game.

[X-band '01]

Keeping score elsewhere:

Mountain West - New Mexico was a bubble team going into the conference tournament, but they removed any doubt by winning the auto bid here.

ACC - this was a major shockwave with NC State winning 5 games in 5 days.

Pac-12 - Oregon also stole the automatic bid with wins against UCLA, Arizona and Colorado.

American - Florida Atlantic is suddenly endangered after losing against a Temple team that was seeded 11th. Temple could also win 5 games in 5 days and win the automatic bid (although they may end up on the 15 line should they win later today).

Long story short, a disastrous day if your name is St. John's, Seton Hall, Providence, Virginia, Pittsburgh, Oklahoma or Indiana State.

[Xville]

Crazy that with the bid stealers and the bubble actually being strong this year the be probably only gets 4 in. In a “normal” year it’s probably 6

[WCWIII]

(BracketMatrix (http://www.bracketmatrix.com/)) has St Johns, Seton Hall, and Providence all on the outside. That would only be three Big East teams dancing. The Mountain West is projected to have six teams. The bubble busting of Oregon, NC State, (UAB,Temple), (VCU,Duquesne) probably pushed one or two BE teams out.

The mid-tier of the Big East and the Mountain West have similar (team sheets (https://www.warrennolan.com/basketball/2024/net-teamsheets-plus)). In closer inspection, teams like New Mexico and Utah State lost their only non-conference Quad 1 game. It will be interesting what the Committee actually decides.

[noteggs]

That was a great Ivy championship game. Yes I have a problem

[X-band '01]

Confetti going off in the middle of the A-10 Championship is one of the most A-10 things to ever happen.

Keep in mind Duquesne is pounding VCU as we type this.

[X-band '01]

That was a great Ivy championship game. Yes I have a problem

Brown led by 6 with 27 seconds to go and couldn't hit a free throw to save their lives. Almost as bizarre as the Kent State-Akron ending last night.

And then there was Grand Canyon getting a celebratory dunk in the end of their game where the guy who got the dunk got a forearm shiver from a UT-Arlington player and another UTA player threw a basketball at him as that happened. It was amazing a brawl didn't break out at the end of that game - although a GCU player was ejected for leaving the bench. That guy may end up missing their first-round game because of that.

[American X]

Keep in mind Duquesne is pounding VCU as we type this.

Kid X1 who has only known the Big East trying to pronounce Duquesne for the first time is fun.

[chico]

Confetti going off in the middle of the A-10 Championship is one of the most A-10 things to ever happen.

Keep in mind Duquesne is pounding VCU as we type this.

They're putting on a Master Class in incompetence. Duquesne is 2-21 in the second half and still winning by 6.

[Section 200]

Wow Duquense wins the A10! Wow has the A10 fallen!

[American X]

Clear your conscience, go to Reconciliation, and tell your families that you love them. The End Is Nigh. Duquesne is going to the NCAA Tournament. We really, really should have played in the A10 tournament this year.

[X-band '01]

Who wants to be the poor soul that tells Duquesne they can't play in Pittsburgh since they're hosting?

[chico]

I wonder how well Duquesne's fans will travel because the last time they played in the post season they likely traveled by stage coach.

[chico]

To be honest I haven't really looked at the A-10 in a while. I didn't realize the number of up and coming coaches in that league - Fran Dunphy, Anthony Grant, Frank Martin, Archie Miller (and until a week ago, Travis Ford). Those guys are going places!

[X-band '01]

I wonder how well Duquesne's fans will travel because the last time they played in the post season they likely traveled by stage coach.

To be fair, it was either a Pinto or a Chevy Nova.

Or a Caprice Classic.

[JTG]

To be honest I haven't really looked at the A-10 in a while. I didn't realize the number of up and coming coaches in that league - Fran Dunphy, Anthony Grant, Frank Martin, Archie Miller (and until a week ago, Travis Ford). Those guys are going places!

Mostly a retirement home

[waggy]

I’ll be very surprised if St. John’s doesn’t get in. They have great efficiency numbers from pomeroy, torvick, etc.

[waggy]

And no way does Mwc get six

[xu82]

Kid X1 who has only known the Big East trying to pronounce Duquesne for the first time is fun.

That made me chuckle again, so I had to quote it. Well done!

.

[Three Point Pete]

Illinois looks like a FF team, and they could be a handful for UConn.

Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk

[Xville]

Really hoping at least one be team is in this final region or that’s complete bs

[Xville]

Mich state an effing 9? Good gawd this big ten shit is ridiculous

[Xville]

Only 3 be teams what a load of bullshit. Time for the conference to load up on cupcakes in non-con. What a huge crock of shit. Val needs to get to work

[noteggs]

Mich state an effing 9? Good gawd this big ten shit is ridiculous

Especially being 19-14! Yea SOS was good but c’mon.

[Xville]

This was one of the worst committee jobs I have ever seen. This bracket blows

[noteggs]

Did DePaul and Gtown really bring BE down this much?

[XUGRAD80]

6 mt. west and 3 BE? Like Ville said….have to rethink the OOC league matches.

I don’t know who all will choose to go the NIT, but I’d think that if they went in motivated that there could well be 3-4 BE schools make it to the final 4 there. I hope that the whole league has a chip on their shoulder in the fall.

[Xville]

The big East nit teams should all say F off and decline bids.

Good for the mw but them getting 6 and the be getting 3 is a crock of shit

[XU_Lou]

The BE OOC games didn't kill the BE, it was too many teams with near 500 records in the BE. More importantly, there were a ton of conf tourney upsets that forced SJU and others out.

BTW, I was very surprised to see that the BE ranks 5th TY. That certainly didn't help.

[waggy]

St. John’s belonged in before 3 or 4 of the mwc teams. Even the net says so.

[Xville]

Yes it was the non-con. There were power 6 teams that got in with losing and .500 conference records. Again conference record is not on the team sheets for the committee.

Take sec for example..

Miss st gets in with a 8-10 conf record.

This imo was a very poorly constructed bracket. Not something I ever complain about, but this was egregious.

[JTG]

Mich St with 14 losses seems like some lifetime achievement bullshit for Izzo.

[X-band '01]

New York Post from Thursday (https://twitter.com/thefull40/status/1769493111871316180?s=46&t=i533GYWYlMMfz46DQir1nA)

This didn't age well.

Clearly Barry Collier did the Big East no favors while being on the Selection Committee this year.

[X-band '01]

Did DePaul and Gtown really bring BE down this much?

Apparently St. John's and Seton Hall losing to Xavier also really hurt, apparently.

[Xville]

St. John’s already told the nit to fuck off. Good the rest of the big East should do the same

[XUGRAD80]

9 of the 11 BE teams were ranked in the top 50 for SOS….6 of those teams had more than 20 wins each and only one (X) had an overall losing record.

All 9 of those teams are within the top 68 for net rankings. X didn’t deserve to be in there, but SJU and SH certainly did.

Yet over and over the ncaa selection committee comments about how they look at the complete season for every team and not just how they finish out the end.

Just cut the BS and tell the truth…they want teams in there that bring TV ratings.

[Xville]

9 of the 11 BE teams were ranked in the top 50 for SOS….6 of those teams had more than 20 wins each and only one (X) had an overall losing record.

All 9 of those teams are within the top 68 for net rankings. X didn’t deserve to be in there, but SJU and SH certainly did.

Yet over and over the ncaa selection committee comments about how they look at the complete season for every team and not just how they finish out the end.

Just cut the BS and tell the truth…they want teams in there that bring TV ratings.

Yep… oh you’re a big school with a lot of alumni? Ok you’re in.

And it’s clear that unless you win the automatic, conference tourney wins mean nothing

[Xville]

Frankly Val Ackerman needs to pay for this. Get out from the shadows and actually do something. She should be getting on every damn show and bitching for the next 48 hours

[Xville]

Frankly Val Ackerman needs to pay for this. Get out from the shadows and actually do something. She should be getting on every damn show and bitching for the next 48 hours.

[Section 200]

Xavier & Butler won too many games - Miller & Matta are too good of coaches for the schools that finish 8 & 9. With the Pac 12 dying, next year should be better. I like the conference challenges, but Miller might be right that its too many hard games.

[D-West & PO-Z]

The BE OOC games didn't kill the BE, it was too many teams with near 500 records in the BE. More importantly, there were a ton of conf tourney upsets that forced SJU and others out.

BTW, I was very surprised to see that the BE ranks 5th TY. That certainly didn't help.

Ranked 5th in what? They were the 2nd rated conference according to KenPom.

[Section 200]

Mich St with 14 losses seems like some lifetime achievement bullshit for Izzo.

Yes, that is absolutely what that is. I also wonder if Dayton's 7 seed is an award for Anthony Grant after losing the COVID year.

[waggy]

Sean had a losing record against his peers. X isn’t out because of loses to Houston and Purdue

[Xville]

This committee sent a message to the new power 4 to please don’t break away from us and create your own tournament.. We will do whatever you want bracket construction.

[Xville]

Ranked 5th in what? They were the 2nd rated conference according to KenPom.

5th in net but it’s pretty clear net doesn’t matter anyways so who cares

[XU_Lou]

Ranked 5th in what? They were the 2nd rated conference according to KenPom.

https://www.warrennolan.com/basketball/2024/net-conference

[Xville]

Thank goodness we have pitino in this conference because he is going to lose his effing mind. Val I don’t think is gonna do shit. We need a new commissioner

Shocking that Barry collier had no fucking balls and didn’t do shit to help the big East inside that room

[bobbiemcgee]

6teams from mt west?

[X-band '01]

I think the Committee was prepared to take 5 Mountain West teams, but New Mexico stole a bid by virtue of their 11 seed. They weren't getting in without it.

Yes, they got 6 bids but they didn't all earn high seeds with the exception of a so-so San Diego State team.

[X-band '01]

Thank goodness we have pitino in this conference because he is going to lose his effing mind. Val I don’t think is gonna do shit. We need a new commissioner

Shocking that Barry collier had no fucking balls and didn’t do shit to help the big East inside that room

Barry Collier's also retiring - he basically gave the league a middle finger out the door.

[X-band '01]

Still, I think we ought to at least pull for Nevada to knock out a grossly overseeded Dayton team.

[XU_Lou]

St. John’s belonged in before 3 or 4 of the mwc teams. Even the net says so.

NET and Kenpom.

Maybe the committee thinks their algorithms are flawed, and simply chucked them TY???

Auburn is 4th in Kenpom and 5th in NET, but got a 4 seed.

NM is 22/23, but got an 11 seed.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I believe Indiana State is now the only team ever to have a NET inside the top 30 and not make the tourney.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Pitino and St John’s are out and said no to the NIT.

[JTG]

Thank goodness we have pitino in this conference because he is going to lose his effing mind. Val I don’t think is gonna do shit. We need a new commissioner

Shocking that Barry collier had no fucking balls and didn’t do shit to help the big East inside that room

Shocking no, it's the Butler Way. Collier is a dickhead.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Doesn’t the Ivy League have more tourney wins than the Mountain West?

[Section 200]

We aren't going to accept a NIT bid are we? If teams keep declining I think we get offered as Big East rep.

[XUBison]

I believe Indiana State is now the only team ever to have a NET inside the top 30 and not make the tourney.

Correct.

[Xville]

Non con soa of some teams that got in:

Virginia 161
Colorado 262
Miss st 234
Tcu 328
Nebraska 301
Nw 330



Time for cupcake city in the non con and beef up those w-l records before heading into conference

[D-West & PO-Z]

Non con soa of some teams that got in:

Virginia 161
Colorado 262
Miss st 234
Tcu 328
Nebraska 301
Nw 330



Time for cupcake city in the non con and beef up those w-l records before heading into conference

The message is clear. Beat cupcake teams by a lot of points and it’s going for your numbers.

Always run up the score in every game as much as possible.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Non con soa of some teams that got in:

Virginia 161
Colorado 262
Miss st 234
Tcu 328
Nebraska 301
Nw 330



Time for cupcake city in the non con and beef up those w-l records before heading into conference

I have zero issue with those teams getting a bid.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I have zero issue with those teams getting a bid.

Zero issue with Virginia? They were 2-7 in quad 1 wins and 54 in the NET.

[Xville]

I have zero issue with those teams getting a bid.

The point is, it’s clear the non con doesn’t matter. Don’t play good teams, and just prop up that w-l record.

You should have an issue with Virginia getting in over St. John’s. Just sayin

[ArizonaXUGrad]

St John’s should be in at the expense of some of that mountain west trash.

[D-West & PO-Z]

St John’s should be in at the expense of some of that mountain west trash.

Can you address Virginia? Why should they be in?

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Can you address Virginia? Why should they be in?

Got me there admittedly I am some hits in today of a Bowman Bros bourbon, Redwood Empire Rye, and some local Chandler Az single malt American whiskey BIB. The Virginia I saw is decent but that mountain west is terrible. BE was a better conference with the SEC.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I think we could see The 3 Big East teams do really well, even though I havent looked at the matchups yet.

I believe the national champion is almost always a top 25 offense and defense in the adjusted KenPom rankings.

All 3 BE teams are top 25 in both. There are only 8 teams that are and the BE has 3 of them.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Whats the thought on basically zero response from Val Ackerman and the Big East about only 3 teams?

We have heard from some of the coaches but no response from anyone in the BE office? Seems odd.

[xubrew]

Can you address Virginia? Why should they be in?

I will address WHY I think Virginia got in, which is not the same as addressing whether or not they SHOULD be in...

It has been pretty clear to me, for the past ten years, that two things the committee wants to see are OOC games away from home, and OOC wins against teams that are either in the field or on the board. If a team does not do either of those things, they are almost never selected unless they finish more than 4 games over .500 in their league. I'm sure there are some examples of that happening, but if you go back for the last ten years or so they're harder to find than you think.

Virginia beat Florida and Texas A&M.

Seton Hall, despite being objectively better Virginia overall IMHO, did neither of those things. Providence didn't either. When I look at a team's schedule before the year starts and you see almost no OOC road games, and/or no real shots to win a game against a likely tournament team, I think to myself that this team has basically screwed themselves. They better finish WAAAAY above .500, or they're getting left out.

Now people are saying the way to game the system is to schedule incredibly weak OOC games and blow them out. I personally think this is a huge mistake. If you're looking to game the system, I think the easiest thing to do is to do what TCU did. TCU, as weak as their OOC was, still played and won both at Hawaii and at Georgetown. They beat no one on the board OOC, but they did win two OOC road games. To game the system, schedule a few road games that will be easy to win!!

[xubrew]

Whats the thought on basically zero response from Val Ackerman and the Big East about only 3 teams?

We have heard from some of the coaches but no response from anyone in the BE office? Seems odd.

My thought is that there is nothing she could really say that would make any difference.

[Xville]

My thought is that there is nothing she could really say that would make any difference.

May not make a difference this year, but could in the future to show a bit of a spine.

Let me ask ya....hypothetically, (since this would never happen to that conference), you think Greg Sankey would be quiet right now?

Being this quiet to me is a major problem, whether 3 Big East teams "deserved" to be in or not.

[Xville]

BTW I think the fighting kesleys got a great matchup...Charleston can score, Bama can't defend, and Charleston will be able to stop them just enough.

Go Fighting Kelseys

[profson]

May not make a difference this year, but could in the future to show a bit of a spine.

Let me ask ya....hypothetically, (since this would never happen to that conference), you think Greg Sankey would be quiet right now?

Being this quiet to me is a major problem, whether 3 Big East teams "deserved" to be in or not.


Just to be clear, I think SH and maybe StJ should have made it, and I don't care either way as to Val commenting, but

- the committee had SH in but for the very unusual case of 5 bid thieves; as the committee chair said ,there were only 3 for the last two years combined
- every year you can assert that a team at the margin should have made it and another on the margin should not have
- the vast majority of "bracketologists" had neither in (again I disagree, but the omission is not thought to be grossly wrong in the marketplace)
- Val saying something does absolutely nothing other than make a few fans feel better
-there is a downside in that she has to deal going forward with the NCAA infrastructure and conference heads, so why annoy them where there is no upside

[Xavier]

Wish I knew what Kolek might look like. Would have them final four if he were fully healthy. Don’t know too much about auburn outside of metrics. They appear to be a tough team for Uconn to face in sweet 16.

[xubrew]

May not make a difference this year, but could in the future to show a bit of a spine.

Let me ask ya....hypothetically, (since this would never happen to that conference), you think Greg Sankey would be quiet right now?

Being this quiet to me is a major problem, whether 3 Big East teams "deserved" to be in or not.

Probably not, but I just don't think it would make any difference. Both the SEC and the Big East had someone on the committee. Their selections were consistent with how they've always been. Teams like Seton Hall and Providence, who played very few games away from home out of conference and who didn't beat anyone on the board out of conference, have never gotten selected unless they've blown through their leagues. Pittsburgh wasn't selected either for the same reason. Texas A&M had a non-con SOS of 21, and beat both Iowa State and Ohio State away from home.

My point is the committee wasn't any different this year than it has ever been. They've ALWAYS taken teams like TAMU, and NEVER taken teams like Providence and Seton Hall. So...Val Ackerman can issue all the statements she wants, I suppose, but I don't think it would change anything because they'll simply continue to leave those types of teams out.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I will address WHY I think Virginia got in, which is not the same as addressing whether or not they SHOULD be in...

It has been pretty clear to me, for the past ten years, that two things the committee wants to see are OOC games away from home, and OOC wins against teams that are either in the field or on the board. If a team does not do either of those things, they are almost never selected unless they finish more than 4 games over .500 in their league. I'm sure there are some examples of that happening, but if you go back for the last ten years or so they're harder to find than you think.

Virginia beat Florida and Texas A&M.

Seton Hall, despite being objectively better Virginia overall IMHO, did neither of those things. Providence didn't either. When I look at a team's schedule before the year starts and you see almost no OOC road games, and/or no real shots to win a game against a likely tournament team, I think to myself that this team has basically screwed themselves. They better finish WAAAAY above .500, or they're getting left out.

Now people are saying the way to game the system is to schedule incredibly weak OOC games and blow them out. I personally think this is a huge mistake. If you're looking to game the system, I think the easiest thing to do is to do what TCU did. TCU, as weak as their OOC was, still played and won both at Hawaii and at Georgetown. They beat no one on the board OOC, but they did win two OOC road games. To game the system, schedule a few road games that will be easy to win!!

Didn't the MWC and Big 12 schedule no one in the out of conference and get handsomely rewarded for it after great out of conference records and then beating up on each other in conference?

[Xville]

I guess...but we can play this game a lot.

Who did Nebraska beat in the Non-Con? Duquesne? 8 seed. Providence at least beat Wisconsin. Seton Hall at least went and played Baylor and got smoked.

Texas beat no one and was a 7 seed...i guess getting smoked by two non-con teams is better than 1 like Seton Hall.

TCU beat no one and a 8/9?

I think a lot of this is literally the size of the school and thus the number of alumni tuning in. I know that's tin foil hat to say, but nothing really would surprise me about the NCAA. And yes I know TCU doesn't fit that argument but Texas and Nebraska sure as heck do.

[D-West & PO-Z]

My thought is that there is nothing she could really say that would make any difference.

Not an excuse imo.

She clearly doesn't have the power of the football conference commissioners but she is commish of the conference that has won 3 of the last 7 championships and has the favorite and 3 top 12 teams this year as well.

It's close to malpractice imo to hear nothing from her on the leagues disappointment. It would obviously not change anything in this moment but it comes across as she is afraid to speak out.

[Xville]

Not an excuse imo.

She clearly doesn't have the power of the football conference commissioners but she is commish of the conference that has won 3 of the last 7 championships and has the favorite and 3 top 12 teams this year as well.

It's close to malpractice imo to hear nothing from her on the leagues disappointment. It would obviously not change anything in this moment but it comes across as she is afraid to speak out.

Agreed. It really doesn't matter if it changes anything or not. It's a bad look. You can be political about it and not go scorched earth, but you should say something.

I wish Pitino would have gone scorched earth...he sure as hell shouldn't care what the NCAA thinks.

[xubrew]

Agreed. It really doesn't matter if it changes anything or not. It's a bad look. You can be political about it and not go scorched earth, but you should say something.

I wish Pitino would have gone scorched earth...he sure as hell shouldn't care what the NCAA thinks.

Or it just makes you look stupid for ignoring what has been plainly stated on countless occasions. The response would be "This has been stated a thousand times. OOC is a major point of emphasis. Are you freakin' deaf!!?? We will never select a team that has that kind of profile no matter what conference they are from. We never have. Don't ignore us and then complain about it. You sound ridiculous."

[D-West & PO-Z]

-there is a downside in that she has to deal going forward with the NCAA infrastructure and conference heads, so why annoy them where there is no upside

This is my least favorite reason for her to not speak out but I am afraid it is the truth but makes me less confident in her as commissioner than I have ever been.

She's done a good job in the Big East but think she deserves some criticism here.

To Xville's point, I remember Sankey coming out, after some talk when UGA lost, about the SEC was being left out of the playoff. He came out immediately and forcefully about how without the SEC there is no playoff. Obviously he is the most powerful commissioner in the NCAA but a comment was warranted.

It is less about SH or SJU or Providence individually but the lack of respect of the 2nd best KenPom conference getting 3 teams only. I think that was 7th or 8th most.

[Xville]

Or it just makes you look stupid for ignoring what has been plainly stated on countless occasions. The response would be "This has been stated a thousand times. OOC is a major point of emphasis. Are you freakin' deaf!!?? We will never select a team that has that kind of profile no matter what conference they are from. We never have. Don't ignore us and then complain about it. You sound ridiculous."

Providence beat Wisconsin and lost @ Oklahoma 21-13
Seton Hall lost @ Baylor 20-12

Texas lost to UConn and @Marquette. 20-12 and got a 7 seed.

And yes I understand there are obviously other metrics at play, but she can make a point. It's not even about being right, it's about defending your conference.

It makes me question her tenacity and grit about certain things. She's done great things the past ten years, but maybe it's time for her to move on. This is a whole new era of college basketball and the big east needs someone very aggressive in pushing the agenda forward in a league without the most important sport in football.

[xubrew]

Or it just makes you look stupid for ignoring what has been plainly stated on countless occasions. The response would be "This has been stated a thousand times. OOC is a major point of emphasis. Are you freakin' deaf!!?? We will never select a team that has that kind of profile no matter what conference they are from. We never have. Don't ignore us and then complain about it. You sound ridiculous."

I do have to give Buzz Williams credit! He did get the message!! Seth Greenberg never did. He just whined about getting snubbed year after year after year and never changed how he scheduled despite being told in no uncertain terms that was the reason he was not getting selected.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5xzRfi55qs

[D-West & PO-Z]

Or it just makes you look stupid for ignoring what has been plainly stated on countless occasions. The response would be "This has been stated a thousand times. OOC is a major point of emphasis. Are you freakin' deaf!!?? We will never select a team that has that kind of profile no matter what conference they are from. We never have. Don't ignore us and then complain about it. You sound ridiculous."

I literally watched the 2nd guy on the selection committee this year say in an interview when asked what is more important, beating good teams or avoid losing to bad teams, basically say I don't know. He admitted to every person having different metrics important to them and the committee changing every year and the things important thus changing.

I think he was the UNC AD and he said he didn't know how to advise his coaches or the conference on what was important and if everyone knew the most important criteria selection would be easy.

I was shocked he said what he said and basically admitted, despite being on the committee, he isn't sure what is important. Haven't seen anybody write anything on it yet but havent really looked either.

[xubrew]

I literally watched the 2nd guy on the selection committee this year say in an interview when asked what is more important, beating good teams or avoid losing to bad teams, basically say I don't know. He admitted to every person having different metrics important to them and the committee changing every year and the things important thus changing.

I think he was the UNC AD and he said he didn't know how to advise his coaches or the conference on what was important and if everyone knew the most important criteria selection would be easy.

I was shocked he said what he said and basically admitted, despite being on the committee, he isn't sure what is important. Haven't seen anybody write anything on it yet but havent really looked either.

I didn't hear it, but I have absolutely no doubt he said it. Some people on the committee know more than others. Some on the committee know far less than others. I heard tell of one person who served the full five year term, and needed the RPI repeatedly explained to them. THE RPI!!! It's junior high level math!!! So, yes. It's not always the sharpest crayons in the box.

It does raise the question of what the best way to do this is. Should it be done by committee, or should it be a strict metric? With 363 D1 teams next year, there's no way to completely objectively say who the best ones are unless you play a 362 game season, or get rid of conferences altogether and have 34 divisions that play a double round robin and the top two teams get in.

Football used to have the BCS and they screamed for a committee. Basketball (and all the other sports) have a committee, and everyone (correctly) points out how that system is flawed too. I don't really know what the best method is. I just know WHAT the method is and that it will not likely change any time soon. it's pretty much the same method for all the sports in all 3 divisions. It's done by a committee of administrators.

[JTG]

Or it just makes you look stupid for ignoring what has been plainly stated on countless occasions. The response would be "This has been stated a thousand times. OOC is a major point of emphasis. Are you freakin' deaf!!?? We will never select a team that has that kind of profile no matter what conference they are from. We never have. Don't ignore us and then complain about it. You sound ridiculous."

Ville just pointed out a bunch of teams that beat no one, he even left out Dayton who didn't beat any of the other 68 teams in the field. I don't think that makes him, or Val or Pitino look stupid. The Committee, including Butler's head moron Barry Collier, made a mess of these Selections. I for one, hope the B1G, Mountain West, and some of the Big 12 get embarrassed, and hope all 3 Big East teams make the Final Four. I think the Big East should have a well mapped out scheduling strategy next year. UCONN, Marq, Creighton, play some good teams, Middle of the pack, schedule some power 5 mid packs, and bottom three of the league take it easy, but try to schedule some bottom of the Power 5 teams.

[XUGRAD80]

Statement by the BE……

“We are very proud that UConn earned the No. 1 overall seed in this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament following another tremendous season that included both the Big East regular season and tournament titles.

Marquette, a No. 2 seed, and Creighton, a No. 3 seed, give the Big East three of the top 10 overall seeds in the tournament, as many as any other league. We consider each of them legitimate contenders for a Final Four berth and another Big East national crown on April 8th.

These high seeds follow our most successful Big East Tournament to date, which saw five sellouts and our usual impassioned crowds at The World's Most Famous Arena. Our four-year extension with Madison Square Garden, announced on Friday, means that the event, a New York City staple, will celebrate its 50th anniversary at MSG in 2032, a run unmatched in the college basketball world.

We have great respect for the NCAA men's basketball committee and the time and effort that goes into selecting and seeding the teams for the NCAA tournament. It is a very challenging job, and we have been advised that this year’s upsets added to the complexity and contributed to the committee's final bracket selections. Given the high level of play in our league, we are understandably very disappointed that some worthy Big East teams were not selected to participate. We will be working closely with our schools in the coming months to best position the Big East next year and to ensure that we continue to be represented in March Madness in a manner befitting our stature as one of the best conferences in college basketball.”

Looks like there are going to be some suggestions regarding scheduling for next year.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Statement by the BE……

“We are very proud that UConn earned the No. 1 overall seed in this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament following another tremendous season that included both the Big East regular season and tournament titles.

Marquette, a No. 2 seed, and Creighton, a No. 3 seed, give the Big East three of the top 10 overall seeds in the tournament, as many as any other league. We consider each of them legitimate contenders for a Final Four berth and another Big East national crown on April 8th.

These high seeds follow our most successful Big East Tournament to date, which saw five sellouts and our usual impassioned crowds at The World's Most Famous Arena. Our four-year extension with Madison Square Garden, announced on Friday, means that the event, a New York City staple, will celebrate its 50th anniversary at MSG in 2032, a run unmatched in the college basketball world.

We have great respect for the NCAA men's basketball committee and the time and effort that goes into selecting and seeding the teams for the NCAA tournament. It is a very challenging job, and we have been advised that this year’s upsets added to the complexity and contributed to the committee's final bracket selections. Given the high level of play in our league, we are understandably very disappointed that some worthy Big East teams were not selected to participate. We will be working closely with our schools in the coming months to best position the Big East next year and to ensure that we continue to be represented in March Madness in a manner befitting our stature as one of the best conferences in college basketball.”

Looks like there are going to be some suggestions regarding scheduling for next year.

So weak. Almost like a victim of a crime apologizing and promising to do different things to be less of a target in the future. Like wearing more modest clothes so as not to be assaulted.

Pathetic statement honestly.

[Xville]

So weak. Almost like a victim of a crime apologizing and promising to do different things to be less of a target in the future. Like wearing more modest clothes so as not to be assaulted.

Pathetic statement honestly.

Seriously… thank you sir may I have another?

Ackerman really should be canned for this. This is an absurd response.

How can anyone trust that she will do what is right for the conference after this ridiculous statement?

[Xville]

Dan Hurley: “ our league does not get near the marketing power that it needs” yep…. Show Ackerman the door and get a real commissioner

[xubrew]

So weak. Almost like a victim of a crime apologizing and promising to do different things to be less of a target in the future. Like wearing more modest clothes so as not to be assaulted.

Pathetic statement honestly.


Seriously… thank you sir may I have another?

Ackerman really should be canned for this. This is an absurd response.

How can anyone trust that she will do what is right for the conference after this ridiculous statement?

It's also very possible that as the commissioner she had repeatedly advised teams on how to manage their OOC schedules and this is sort of her looking at them, shrugging, and saying "See, I told you."

[xubrew]

Ville just pointed out a bunch of teams that beat no one, he even left out Dayton who didn't beat any of the other 68 teams in the field. I don't think that makes him, or Val or Pitino look stupid. The Committee, including Butler's head moron Barry Collier, made a mess of these Selections. I for one, hope the B1G, Mountain West, and some of the Big 12 get embarrassed, and hope all 3 Big East teams make the Final Four. I think the Big East should have a well mapped out scheduling strategy next year. UCONN, Marq, Creighton, play some good teams, Middle of the pack, schedule some power 5 mid packs, and bottom three of the league take it easy, but try to schedule some bottom of the Power 5 teams.

Okay, Dayton kind of proves the point I was trying to make the most when it comes to what a team needs to do OOC. They are objectively not a good team. Their OOC SOS was 40, they won the one road game they played, and they beat a team on the board away from home. And...that's ALL they did! Yet, they are somehow a 7. Perhaps the worst team that's ever worn white in the entire 85 years of the NCAA Tournament.

Another thing that I know is available to them is miles traveled. I'd like to think they don't look at that, but there are times I think they do. Since the Big 12 is spread throught three timezones, the look at the miles traveled and think "WOW! These guys go everywhere!" And then look at Saint John's and think "these guys never went anywhere."

I don't know what else to really say. I wasn't surprised by the selections. That's not at all the same as saying I agreed with them. But to me it looks like they did exactly what they always do. What's different about this year than any other year??

[Xville]

It's also very possible that as the commissioner she had repeatedly advised teams on how to manage their OOC schedules and this is sort of her looking at them, shrugging, and saying "See, I told you."

I guess it is possible, but I doubt it. Looking at the three schedules, it looks pretty fair to me. Some of these teams ended up being historically bad but those three had no reason to believe that would happen at that time they scheduled them. Here is who Seton Hall scheduled:

USC who was ranked at the time.
Iowa
@Baylor
Rutgers
Missouri who had just been to the tourney and was not supposed to be this bad.


Providence:

K State ---coming off an elite eight
Wisconsin
Georgia
@Oklahoma

St Johns:

Michigan who was not supposed to be this bad and they lost to them
Dayton
Utah
BC
@WVU would have been fine had huggy bear not gone scorched earth

I think her ChatGPT response was soft bs and instead of sticking up for the teams in her conference, she kind of blamed them.

Her competency over the last year should be highly questioned at this point, and I don't trust her to get a tv deal done that is beneficial for the conference. Where the Big East stands in the landscape of college sports, which honestly isn't great being that we don't have football to fall back on, we need a visionary like Gavitt, who btw would have never had that kind of crap response.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Okay, Dayton kind of proves the point I was trying to make the most when it comes to what a team needs to do OOC. They are objectively not a good team. Their OOC SOS was 40, they won the one road game they played, and they beat a team on the board away from home. And...that's ALL they did! Yet, they are somehow a 7. Perhaps the worst team that's ever worn white in the entire 85 years of the NCAA Tournament.

Another thing that I know is available to them is miles traveled. I'd like to think they don't look at that, but there are times I think they do. Since the Big 12 is spread throught three timezones, the look at the miles traveled and think "WOW! These guys go everywhere!" And then look at Saint John's and think "these guys never went anywhere."

I don't know what else to really say. I wasn't surprised by the selections. That's not at all the same as saying I agreed with them. But to me it looks like they did exactly what they always do. What's different about this year than any other year??

Well 2 teams were the highest NET teams to ever be left out. Historically if you were in the top 35 you were in. That changed.

Also they have historically been more concerned with who you beat that’s good and how many teams was that.

Seton Hall is the first team ever left out with 6 quad 1 wins. That feels different.

[xubrew]

Well 2 teams were the highest NET teams to ever be left out. Historically if you were in the top 35 you were in. That changed.

Also they have historically been more concerned with who you beat that’s good and how many teams was that.

Seton Hall is the first team ever left out with 6 quad 1 wins. That feels different.

I think you answered the first part with the second part. And while Seton Hall did have six quad 1 wins, Rutgers was left out last year with 5 quad 1 wins, and arguably a better record against both quad 1 and quads 1 and 2. Seton Hall was 6-8 vs quad 1 and 9-12 vs quad 2. Last year's Rutgers team was 5-4 vs quad 1 and 9-9 vs quad 2. So, while Seton Hall did have one more win, they also had way more chances to do it.

It's also worth noting that it wasn't a normal year. the ACC, Pac 12, A10, American, and Mountain West conference all had someone win the conference tournament that would not have made it into the field without the auto-bid. SOMETIMES you see that in the A10 or the AAC, and maybe once every twenty years you see that in one of the power conferences. Prior to this year I can only think of two examples, and that was Oregon State in 2021, which was the COVID year, and Georgia in whatever year it was the tornado hit the Georgia Dome. This year, it happened FIVE TIMES!! That's ABSURD!. That means that five teams that would have otherwise been in weren't. So, in a normal year, Seton Hall and Indiana State are both in.

Indiana State won 15 games away from home. I believe that is also a record for not being selected. Not only that, but if you look at the committee's final list of the teams they ranked 1 thru 68, Drake is ranked ahead of some of the teams in the First Four, so perhaps Indiana State has the biggest gripe.

[xubrew]

One more thought...

There are two teams with NETs in the top 30 that are in the first four, and another team with a top 30 net that was left out altogether. So, it seems pretty obvious to me that they aren't valuing teams that they feel are just gaming the NET, and that the answer is not to schedule weak teams and blow them out.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Regardless of bid stealers I will never understand Virginia being in.

54 NET
2-7 Quad 1
69 in KenPom (not an official tool but one at their disposal)

[xubrew]

Regardless of bid stealers I will never understand Virginia being in.

54 NET
2-7 Quad 1
69 in KenPom (not an official tool but one at their disposal)

They perfectly fit the profile of a team that shouldn't be in, but that normally gets selected anyway. They won an OOC game away from home against a tournament team. Whenever a team does that, their odds of making it go up exponentially. As someone that has looked at this pretty closely for a long time, I'm not saying that it SHOULD, I'm just saying that it DOES. They got in because on the fourth day of the season they beat Florida in Charlotte (which isn't even THAT far away) in a game that almost no one even realized was being played, and that if they were to replay it today they'd almost assuredly get destroyed.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Virginia blown out but the Big East is 0-3 in the NIT opening round.

[Xville]

Virginia blown out but the Big East is 0-3 in the NIT opening round.

Virginia should not have been picked. Butler/Xavier lost a game that doesn't matter and X would not have even been in it had 6-7 teams not declined the invite. Providence didn't have their best player play a meaningless game.

Anyways, in regards to the selection committee, something needs to change. You can't watch basketball and believe that Virginia was a tournament team over Indiana State, Seton Hall, St. Johns etc. I don't know if we need some real basketball people in that room to add some common sense along with the "metrics" or what, but this was the worst bracket job I have seen in my lifetime. I'm not talking just about whether teams made it or not, but a lot of the seedings made absolutely zero sense.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Virginia should not have been picked. Butler/Xavier lost a game that doesn't matter and X would not have even been in it had 6-7 teams not declined the invite. Providence didn't have their best player play a meaningless game.

Anyways, in regards to the selection committee, something needs to change. You can't watch basketball and believe that Virginia was a tournament team over Indiana State, Seton Hall, St. Johns etc. I don't know if we need some real basketball people in that room to add some common sense along with the "metrics" or what, but this was the worst bracket job I have seen in my lifetime. I'm not talking just about whether teams made it or not, but a lot of the seedings made absolutely zero sense.

Seedings are just their opinion, but it's clear to me that the BE was good 1-3 and 4-11 were dog shit and beat each other up. BC was 8-12 in conference, Georgia was 6-14, Minnesota was 9-11. Villanova and Seton Hall are left to show some face for the mid-table teams. I really hope they win a few games and save face for the conference as a whole. If not all this talk of the BE being the second best conference is nonsense.

[Xville]

I know he's not everyone's cup of tea, but he's been my favorite coach (outside of Miller) for a long time now. I really appreciate how vulnerable he has become over the last couple of years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GKfBfeqCms

[XU_Lou]

Well, after all the bitching and moaning about the NCAA snubbing the BE, it looks like maybe the committee got it right after all. The BE has absolutely laid an egg in the NIT. Hopefully the big 3 will redeem the conference.

Maybe Val should've been on the sidelines coaching these teams?? Apparently it's all her fault??

[D-West & PO-Z]

Well, after all the bitching and moaning about the NCAA snubbing the BE, it looks like maybe the committee got it right after all. The BE has absolutely laid an egg in the NIT. Hopefully the big 3 will redeem the conference.

Maybe Val should've been on the sidelines coaching these teams?? Apparently it's all her fault??

Stop, Xavier stunk and shouldn't have even made the NIT. There were 3 BE teams who were good enough have been selected.

Providence had like 6 guys and was without BE POY Devin Carter.

Seton Hall won.

St. Johns didn't play.

NIT games mean nothing towards whether the BE got screwed.

Also it kind of sucks when the President of Fox comes out defending the BE more than the BE commissioner does. It isn't Val's fault what happened but her response has been weak sauce.

[XU_Lou]

Stop, Xavier stunk and shouldn't have even made the NIT. There were 3 BE teams who were good enough have been selected.

Providence had like 6 guys and was without BE POY Devin Carter.

Seton Hall won.

St. Johns didn't play.

NIT games mean nothing towards whether the BE got screwed.

Also it kind of sucks when the President of Fox comes out defending the BE more than the BE commissioner does. It isn't Val's fault what happened but her response has been weak sauce.

Who cares what the bigwigs have to say. It means absolutely nothing. Winning speaks volumes.

If the middle half of your conference can win only one game in the NIT, I'm sorry, but that's the weak sauce.

[Xville]

People that use the nit as a barometer for how good/bad a conference is are the same people that use non playoff bowl games as such.

[Xavier]

Yep. I actually do think the Big East wasn’t that good this year, but probably should’ve gotten one more in. Still, judging the NIT as anything more than exhibition games is about as dumb as it gets.

[UCGRAD4X]

It's just not a good look and makes the argument harder to make.

[Xville]

Not really. One has nothing to do with the other.

As far as Val, of course this is not her fault, no one said it was. However, her statement was complete bs and shows weakness. You’d never see or hear people like gavitt or sankey ever come out with a chatgtp soft ass response like that. They would be pounding the table, whether it did anything or not. It doesn’t even matter if the big East deserved more or not, it’s about defending your schools and making sure they are taken care of which is ultimately the job of the commissioner. She has had numerous things come out over the last year in which she has failed… Cooley, divine providence, the reaction and statement for March madness. There are legitimate concerns over whether she is the best person for the job to secure the next tv contract. I have my doubts.

[XU_Lou]

It's just not a good look and makes the argument harder to make.

Exactly - that was my point.

[muskiefan82]

BYU loses to Duquesne, but they sure were fun to watch.

[MHettel]

BYU loses to Duquesne, but they sure were fun to watch.

who would have ever though that we'd be watching Duquesne win an NCAA game 2 days after we flamed out in the first round of the NIT?

[GoMuskies]

Go Nevada

[X-band '01]

Terry Bradshaw hadn't even been drafted by the Steelers the last time Duquesne won an NCAA Tournament game (1969).

[muskiefan82]

Go Nevada

I, too, am a huge Nevada fan right now. Go Wolfpack!

[xu82]

Nevada is my favorite team of the day.

[Strange Brew]

BYU loses to Duquesne, but they sure were fun to watch.

My Mom’s a DU grad. It was so much fun to talk to her about it today.

It made me realize how spoiled we X fans have become. I’m rooting for UD (please don’t kick me off this board :) ) as I have many friends/family who are grads.

X isn’t UK, KU, UCLA, Carolina or any other blue blood and that’s what made it great for me. Let’s not forget who we are with all this talk about the NIL.

[Xville]

One of the most epic collapses I have ever seen in the tournament there by Nevada. That was pathetic.

[Three Point Pete]

I, too, am a huge Nevada fan right now. Go Wolfpack!Ooops

Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk

[muskiefan82]

Looked like the UC collapse against Nevada

[Three Point Pete]

Colo State with only 11 points in 1st half.


Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk

[Xville]

Townsend is legit

[Xavgrad08]

Ky fans are going to stick a for sale sign in Calipari s fromt lawn if he doesn’t win this.

[Xville]

If cal does this again, uk has to fire him, right? This does not fly there. Either that or they gotta demand me get someone one his bench that has a clue how to x and o

[Xville]

lol Kentucky.

[BandAid]

Our loss to Oakland somehow doesn’t hurt as much now

[bjf123]

Our loss to Oakland somehow doesn’t hurt as much now

Beat me to it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Xville]

X apparently had the hardest schedule known to man. Even our buy games are tourney winners

[X-band '01]

S-e-c

s-e-c

s-e-c!

[Blue Blooded-05]

Is Cal’s seat getting hot? Haven’t made it past the first weekend since 2019.

In the past 4 years:
2024 - Lost 1st round to a 14 seed
2023 - Lost 2nd round to a 3 seed
2022 - Lost 1st round to a 15 seed
2021 - Missed the tournament with the losing record

I guess it’s not so easy when everyone can pay players

Edit: Just saw his buyout is $33,000,000.

[X-band '01]

Or you consistently recruit freshmen to go up against transfer-heavy teams.

[Strange Brew]

X apparently had the hardest schedule known to man. Even our buy games are tourney winners

You’re not wrong.

That may be the first time I’ve ever said that. :)

[D-West & PO-Z]

One of the most epic collapses I have ever seen in the tournament there by Nevada. That was pathetic.

6 years after the UC collapse against them.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Looked like the UC collapse against Nevada

Sorry didn't see this before my post. Reminded me of the same thing. Wolfpack on the wrong end this time.

[D-West & PO-Z]

If cal does this again, uk has to fire him, right? This does not fly there. Either that or they gotta demand me get someone one his bench that has a clue how to x and o

Most overrated coach in college basketball.

He went that entire second half without calling a timeout. That is unreal. He called 2 after the game was already decided. Hilarious.

If Cal stays he is going to need to change and use the portal and not just go for the best freshmen.

UK seniors have seen 1 UK tourney win.

They have 1 NCAA tourney win and 1 SEC tourney win since 2019. That is amazing at UK.

[X-band '01]

Most overrated coach in college basketball.

He went that entire second half without calling a timeout. That is unreal. He called 2 after the game was already decided. Hilarious.

If Cal stays he is going to need to change and use the portal and not just go for the best freshmen.

UK seniors have seen 1 UK tourney win.

They have 1 NCAA tourney win and 1 SEC tourney win since 2019. That is amazing at UK.

And no NCAA investigation. They've been cheated.

[Strange Brew]

Is Cal’s seat getting hot? Haven’t made it past the first weekend since 2019.

In the past 4 years:
2024 - Lost 1st round to a 14 seed
2023 - Lost 2nd round to a 3 seed
2022 - Lost 1st round to a 15 seed
2021 - Missed the tournament with the losing record

I guess it’s not so easy when everyone can pay players

Edit: Just saw his buyout is $33,000,000.

How does this help X?

[X-band '01]

Kansas on the verge of blowing a 22-point lead against Samford. This would be even bigger than the Nevada collapse.

[Xville]

Looks like Kansas got bailed out by a horrendous foul call that was a clean block by samford . Gross.

[Xville]

Ruh Roh Marquette....we looking at two years in a row for the warriors? Maybe its Karma for Smart stepping out onto the court trying to play defense as a sixth guy every single possession.

[Xville]

good on marquette to have seemed to right the ship...it'd be nce to have three be teams in the final four :)

[xu82]

Yeah, I didn’t need the scare from Marquette personally.

[Xville]

Good thing 6 mw teams got in

[XUGRAD80]

SEC is not showing up very well.

[X-band '01]

It just means more?

[Xville]

Kelsey is going to need one heck of a comeback :(

[X-band '01]

Yes, The College has seen better days.

[paulxu]

Yale ? :popcorn:

[Xville]

Kelsey probably didnt make himself any money tonight… oh well. Worse places to be than Charleston making a mil a year or whatever he makes

[noteggs]

https://x.com/awfulannouncing/status/1771578577554637194?s=42&t=U5TyKr_wshJKowj_nNzfHg

Classic Greg Kampe

[Xville]

Kansas sure sucked with all their nil money. I know McCullar was injured, but they were still mediocre even with him. Way overseeded

[xudash]

Kansas sure sucked with all their nil money. I know McCullar was injured, but they were still mediocre even with him. Way overseeded

$586k for the Michigan Center.

Now down the tubes.