Brackets and Rankings: 2024-2025

[XUGRAD80]

The BE may have PLAYED a pretty good OOC schedule, but the problem is that they didn’t WIN enough of those games. So the SOS was good, but the conference wins weren’t. If they had won more games against highly ranked OOC opponents, then the wins against conference schools would count for more.

SJU is going to have a hard time improving their seed above a 4 because they won’t be able to play anyone the rest of the year that is ranked higher. All they can hope is that some of the higher ranked teams lose to lower rated schools. Meanwhile, bubble teams from the bigger conferences will have lots of opportunities to impress the committee by beating one of the other top seeds on the list. If the BE only has one of the top 16 ranked schools in the country, it’s going to be very difficult for a team that finishes outside the top 3-4 in the conference to even make the NCAA tourney, what with all the automatic bids from the smaller conferences, and the lack of opportunity to beat a top 16 school between now and then.

[Xville]

I did t do any research to support what I feel is occurring, but it seems to me that the NIL/Portal impact is now being seen in the bubble.

For the last 3-4 seasons, we’ve seen the “big” programs basically strip mine the mid major all-conference players. We’re seeing far fewer bubble teams out side of the big boys. The SEC is considered to have 9 locks and 4 other teams on the bubble. That’s 13 of 16 teams that are in the hunt. Some of these teams need to finish strong just to get to .500.

This is possible due to the SEC dominating the OOC schedule. Winning OOC games is by far the biggest factor in the perception of conference strength. Who you played matters, but not as much as winnning.

Another huge factor, which I’ve mentioned a zillion times is not having too many conference games. Every conference game results in a win and a loss for a common opponent. Why dilute your SOS like that. SEC plays 18 games and the BE plays 20. Mathematically, we’re at a disadvantage.

Back to the point, I think we’ll see SEC teams dancing with under .500 records. Maybe the B10 as well. While a team like XU could be on the outside with a 12-8 record.

Are the SEC teams good. Absolutely. Bought and paid for good. Should they get 75% of their conference in the dance? No way. 10 of 16? Ok, but that’s it.

The BE needs to figure it out. We play a pretty tough non-con and then beat the crap out of each other for 20 games. Last year was 3 bids out of 11. (27%). This year is probably 4 (36%) or 5 (45 %). That’s pathetic. The answer is right in front of us.

I think it just comes down to the big East having a commissioner that knows what they are doing in this new day and age. I don’t think Val has a freaking clue.

[Xville]

If you delve deep into the sec ooc records, they got fat on a really shitty acc

[waggy]

St Johns playing Georgia when they did hurt them. It's just one game, but that would have been a win under any other circumstance.

[Xville]

Good day for x. Oklahoma horrible loss, Georgia smoked, Texas losing, wvu lost, vandy lost, Arkansas lost. Sec top and bottom are starting to separate themselves. Hopefully that continues. Them getting 10-11 in vs 13-14 would be a big boost to Xavier’s chances if they take care of business.

[MHettel]

I like the “help” we got today, but I’m thinking we still control our own destiny. If we lose a game, we will be in a spot where we’re gonna need that help. But for now I think winning out with a 13-7 record will get us in. Even finishing 5th, we could be a game back of the 4 leaders, each of which has been ranked inside of the top 15 all year and if all goes well (beat Creighton) we will be 3-5 against that group. And no bad losses in conference with the other 2 losses against a respectable Nova and GTown team.

Main concern now is the health of Sorber. Need GTown to stay out of the bottom 4. 8-0 against the bottom. 2-2 against the middle. 3-5 against the top. That puts us squarely in the top half of the conference, coming in hot, and some tight losses when our best player missed a few games.

This is where Miller gets to reaffirm his stature as a top coach. No letdowns. No excuses. No games where we aren’t bringing the “do or die” intensity.

Our schedule is very favorable. But unforgiving. I see 8-9 seed potential with a strong finish.

[Xavier]

I saw on Twitter but didn’t confirm- O’conell was a ref in a deciding factor non call that cost them the game. (Obviously, it shouldn’t have come to that) but how is he still employed by the Big East after this year? He is always in controversy

[Xville]

I saw on Twitter but didn’t confirm- O’conell was a ref in a deciding factor non call that cost them the game. (Obviously, it shouldn’t have come to that) but how is he still employed by the Big East after this year? He is always in controversy

Yep it was boc and the guy that Hurley screamed and said don’t turn your back on me earlier this year. It is shocking just how bad O’Connell is. In this particular scenario though, I dunno. I guess it could have been a foul but it wasn’t like the overt tripping at the end of the Marquette game. I just think it’s hilarious seton hall beat them and UConn really effed up not in regulation but ot as well. With Hassan at like 50%, they are struggling at the pg position.

[Xville]

Torvik now says if we lose 1, x could still sneak in to Dayton. Win all 5, and x could avoid play in games. Obviously things change quickly…. Just keep winning

[Xavier]

It was about as good a weekend as you could hope for bubble wise for X. The UConn game was hard for the Q1 potential. It’s possible X catches them in the big east standings though.

X is 1.5 games back from UConn. They have @St Johns and home against Marquette left. If they lose the Nova game then I think X will catch them. If not, I could see a tie for 4th and I’m not to sure who wins that tie breaker. Frankly finishing 4th or 5th doesn’t matter really with the 4/5 seed playing each other first in the BET anyways.