Michigan State is probably ok, if they dont lose any they shouldnt, as the B1G is gonna provide a lot of wins. Florida plays in the SEC, which I expect them to have little trouble with.

Michigan, UCONN and UCLA are on the outside looking in, as far as Im concerned.

This was before the LaVert announcement. Definitely done.

As for Michigan State. Who at all have they beat? Every quality team they have played they lost, and they lost to Texas Southern at home.

I sure hope the committee doesn't reward them with a bid to the tournament because they beat up on a bunch of mediocre B1G teams.

As for the SEC, I don't see a huge difference between them and the B1G. The B1G is better, but the gap isn't as big as the media wants it to be. After the top team (Maryland might be working their way up), it's a bunch of mediocre teams who will all be 6 seeds or lower in the NCAA's.

I see MSU going like 12-6 or 11-5 in the B1G, which puts them at 20 or 21 wins. Assuming they get those 8 or 9 more wins over (Penn State, Northwestern, Rutgers, Michigan x 2, Illinois x 2, Nebraska and Purdue), that's not a single top 50 win and ONE, yes, ONE, top 50 win (Indiana) all season.

Is that NCAA worthy because their name is Michigan State?

I'll guarantee you there will be an SEC team around the 21-10, 12-6 mark with more top 50 wins, but the Spartans will be perceived to be higher in the seed line.

For instance, compare Arkansas (SEC 6th) or LSU (SEC 8th) to Michigan State and tell me who has the better resume?

I get what you are saying, but a 20+ win team from the Big Ten or SEC is not getting left out.

And, Iowa will be top 50, and that is a road win as well.

Ohio State is gonna be top 50, if they beat them (get them at home).

Michigan State with yet another underwhelming regular-season to date. At what point does Tom Izzo start to receive more criticism for his program's rather pedestrian results and less praise for brilliantly turning things around when his team does outplay its seed?

Izzo is often praised for the perception that he takes his team to the Final Four every year despite lackluster starts to the season (you hear it every March when the brackets come out, "You better just pencil Tom Izzo into the Final Four"), but in reality, Michigan State has only reached the Final Four three times in the past 14 seasons (or since turning 45), winning none of them. He is almost 60 years old now, so Izzo is close to if not already embarking on the twilight of his career. His best days are presumably behind him, and honestly his best days were not nearly as glorious as he often gets credit for (i.e. not Adolph Rupp-like).

Don't get me wrong. Tom Izzo is a very good coach, great even in his prime, who has been incredibly consistent, reaching 12 Sweet 16s and eight Elite Eights in 20 seasons at Michigan State. But measured against the game's all-time greats (to which Izzo is often compared), he simply hasn't won all that much on the biggest of stages.

tl;dr I don't like Tom Izzo

Izzo wins enough in the regular season you can be fine with the lackluster ones...because of his record in March.

He should have another title to his credit though. He has missed his best chances to be up there with the all-timers, which I once said/thought he would be. Still time though, he isnt going anywhere for a decade.

Laley23;1697702 wrote:Izzo wins enough in the regular season you can be fine with the lackluster ones...because of his record in March.

He should have another title to his credit though. He has missed his best chances to be up there with the all-timers, which I once said/thought he would be. Still time though, he isnt going anywhere for a decade.

What do you mean "should"??

He's only been to 1 other Champ game and got his ass handed to him.

wildcats20;1697704 wrote:What do you mean "should"??

He's only been to 1 other Champ game and got his ass handed to him.

I mean he has had top 5 teams many times...yet only 1 title. He SHOULD have more in the sense the Braves SHOULD have more than 1 WS in the 90s.

Okay, so say he goes 21-10 with wins over Indiana, Iowa and Ohio State. And that's it? That gets you in?

In-comparison, South Carolina, who IMO, WON'T do enough, already has wins over Oklahoma State and Iowa State. Both of those will assuredly remain top 50 wins. They also beat Alabama (44) and face seven more teams in the top 50 and another potential to (LSU at 59).

Say they go 19-11, 10-8, are they in over MSU at 21-10?

Because the Big Ten and Michigan State have more cachet (if not this year, at least in recent years) than the SEC and South Carolina, I think Michigan State gets the nod in such a scenario. You said it earlier about the Michigan State name. The selection committee is probably more apt to consider Izzo in that instance because of his consistency in March (the 12 Sweet 16s in 20 years).

I'd hope that were not the case, however, as it would be nice to see Izzo finally reap the consequences of a regular-season in which his team absolutely drifted by.

And I'm okay with it, because we're splitting hairs on average squads at that point. They should just acknowledge that name-recognition helps. Same way UK got in during Gillispie's first year with 18 wins. A joke.

Do they get in over SC? Maybe not. Id probably say they both get in. College bball is bad, 20 wins is getting you in Id think.

Laley23;1697730 wrote:Do they get in over SC? Maybe not. Id probably say they both get in. College bball is bad, 20 wins is getting you in Id think.

Was it 2012 where the tournament was absolutely horrible, with 18-14 teams making it in? I agree the sport is not strong presently

Kansas is rolling Oklahoma early. 8/8 from beyond the arc so far. Sooners could fall to 12-6 (3-3) here. Disappointing for a team many (myself included) considered a final 4 darkhorse before the season. They are the odds on favorite this year for team that will destroy my bracket when they lose early.

On the flip side, Villanova is down 24-11 to Georgetown early. Even at 17-1, they strike me as just as much of a fraud as they were last year. They will be the team that kills my bracket if they make a deep run, because I'll probably have them going out in round 2 again.

As soon as Oklahoma made a little run there, Kansas did a little zip-a-dee-doo-dah


Fuckin Brent musberger

20 wins is a joke anymore considering teams can play up to 34 or 35 games after a conference tournament. Something like 21-13 shouldn't get you in unless you're pretty solid with wins over other quality teams.

Change the channel at half, and OU somehow came back to take the lead.

2012:
-4 teams make it as an at-large at only 20 wins

2013:
-4 teams make it as an at-large at only 20 wins

2014:
-3 teams make it as an at-large at only 20 wins...including 19-12 Nebraska

20 wins is getting you in from the B1G, sorry you feel differently. If it doesnt, Ill come back here and be stunned.

Just go back and look at the tournaments. I only counted 20 win at-large teams. TONS of 21 win teams...and thats without looking at the First Four. I dont know why you think a 21 MSU team is not going to make it. If they dont, Ill be the 1st to say I am shocked.

They probably do get in.

My point was, SHOULD they just because of their name, the name of the B1G and history? They have a unique resume where they will have literally beaten 2, maybe 3 top 50 teams.

You will definitely have some 18, 19 and 20-win teams with better wins, and likely equal losses.

There's a lot of basketball left though...

Dayton @ Davidson has been a fun first 10 minutes. Wildcats raining 3s even without Jack Gibbs.

Really love all the Big Ten bashers. Its comical. When people wanted to talk conferences in past, Big Ten obviously being very good...nobody wanted to talk conference strength. Now that the Big Ten is down a little, its bashing time.

centralbucksfan;1698369 wrote:Really love all the Big Ten bashers. Its comical. When people wanted to talk conferences in past, Big Ten obviously being very good...nobody wanted to talk conference strength. Now that the Big Ten is down a little, its bashing time.

What the hell are you talking about?

SportsAndLady;1698372 wrote:What the hell are you talking about?

I love his random appearances and obscure references. He'll be back in three months to answer.

Rece Davis sounds like a 13-year-old who is trying to sound like Mike Breen. He is beyond bad. He tries so hard that he has to be at severe risk for a heart attack.

Tonight is my first real look at D'Angelo Russell. The kid is a true talent.

Bobby Portis with a tip in at the buzzer to lift the Hogs to an overtime victory over Bama in Bud Walton. Arkansas seems to have the magic at home. The finish did dredge up some pretty bitter memories of last year's UK game which lost me a lot of fucking money.

Bill Walton Alert on ESPN2.

28 points total for GA Tech in their loss to UVA