2-13 bracketology

[Canedude08]

SMC is another perennially overrated team. They haven't played anyone this year, but have a good record because their OOC and most of the WCC are cupcakes.

We'd win by 15.

SMC is a well coached, experienced squad. Miami struggles to beat inexperienced, weak teams, so to expect this team to beat anyone decent by 15 is a bit of a stretch. I think Miami would beat SMC, but their depth and experience would be a problem.

 

[Canedude08]

Gonzaga is a paper tiger. People only give a **** about them because they're the "good" story every year. They'll lose out in the Sweet 16.

UCLA, Oregon and Arizona are the true kings of the West. I'd take UCLA over any team in the country, even with their defensive issues.

Gonzaga has gone out and beaten some good teams OOC this season. In previous seasons, I would have agreed with you, but this team has legit Power Conference talent on the roster, thanks to transfers. This isn't a cute little midmajor program anymore, Few is starting to become a less controversial version of Tark, they are just freakishly dominant, and they do it against everyone. By the way, that Arizona team that you are bragging about, Gonzaga already beat them, they've also beaten a solid Florida, and an always dangerous Iowa State. That's not a bad haul, and two wins over SMC doesn't hurt either.

The last West Coast team to win a National Championship was Arizona in 1997. And since UCLA won in '75...only 3 West Coast champions including that Arizona team...3 times in the past 41 years. Put Gonzaga in the ACC and they would most likely have a few in conference losses already. St. Mary's college two times a year doesn't compare to the everyday schedule in the ACC...there are no "off" games.

The main difference between this Gonzaga team and the Tark UNLV teams is that they played anyone, anywhere, at anytime. They played Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Arkansas, Temple, LSU, NC State, Oklahoma St., Arizona, and Louisville just in the '90-'91 season alone. That is a who's who of that era. The Gonzaga schedule does not compare. Notice how many non-conference West Coast teams UNLV played? That is why they went far in the tournaments...3 Final 4's from '87-'91 and a Championship.

How many teams are going out and playing those kind of OOC slates today? Go ahead, I'll wait. Unless you end up playing in Maui, or the Coaches v. Cancer classic, you aren't coming close to that. By the way grading conference strength merely based on who is the last team standing at the end is a joke. Remember the following: The northeast had a streak of not winning titles, but having tons of teams advance in the tournament, does that mean that they weren't playing good basketball? Of course not, the NCAA Tournament can be random as **** at times, hence why the 85 Villanova team has a ring, while Phi Slama Jama doesn't.

Kentucky, Michigan St., Kansas over the past few years come the closest to playing that kind of schedule. You are the one that compared UNLV to today's Gonzaga...the point is that the two are not even in the same conversation.

The WCC is a joke. SMC being anywhere in the top 25 is a joke. They would be .500 in the ACC. San Diego scored 27 points in a game a few weeks ago...seriously? NC State or Wake Forest would win that league.

I was not grading conference strength by National Champions...but merely pointing out that all these so-called power teams from the west coast have only have 3 titles in 40 years.

And again, I'm pointing out that regions can have dry spells, before Georgetown won a title in 1985, no one from the northeast had won in **** near a generation. The midwest has gone through a recent dry spell. This isn't just a west coast thing. The reason I compared Gonzaga and UNLV was due to the fact that both were considered midmajors that put together runs of sustained excellence. UNLVs run was more impressive, when one considers that they had better runs in March, but then again, those UNLV teams were incredibly unique. Gonzaga has managed to put together a schedule this year that is quite good, even though it isn't some kind of murderer's row(Congrats, you found two teams out of 350+, still doesn't change the fact that with the explosion of super-conferences, teams aren't playing the same OOC slates they did 20 years ago). This team has legit high major talent on it, including two transfers that were **** good at their last stops. Is this the best team we've ever seen like those early 90s UNLV teams? Probably not, but then again, those teams were once in a lifetime assemblages of talent, and experience.

 

[Scotty3173]

Gonzaga has gone out and beaten some good teams OOC this season. In previous seasons, I would have agreed with you, but this team has legit Power Conference talent on the roster, thanks to transfers. This isn't a cute little midmajor program anymore, Few is starting to become a less controversial version of Tark, they are just freakishly dominant, and they do it against everyone. By the way, that Arizona team that you are bragging about, Gonzaga already beat them, they've also beaten a solid Florida, and an always dangerous Iowa State. That's not a bad haul, and two wins over SMC doesn't hurt either.

The last West Coast team to win a National Championship was Arizona in 1997. And since UCLA won in '75...only 3 West Coast champions including that Arizona team...3 times in the past 41 years. Put Gonzaga in the ACC and they would most likely have a few in conference losses already. St. Mary's college two times a year doesn't compare to the everyday schedule in the ACC...there are no "off" games.

The main difference between this Gonzaga team and the Tark UNLV teams is that they played anyone, anywhere, at anytime. They played Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Arkansas, Temple, LSU, NC State, Oklahoma St., Arizona, and Louisville just in the '90-'91 season alone. That is a who's who of that era. The Gonzaga schedule does not compare. Notice how many non-conference West Coast teams UNLV played? That is why they went far in the tournaments...3 Final 4's from '87-'91 and a Championship.

How many teams are going out and playing those kind of OOC slates today? Go ahead, I'll wait. Unless you end up playing in Maui, or the Coaches v. Cancer classic, you aren't coming close to that. By the way grading conference strength merely based on who is the last team standing at the end is a joke. Remember the following: The northeast had a streak of not winning titles, but having tons of teams advance in the tournament, does that mean that they weren't playing good basketball? Of course not, the NCAA Tournament can be random as **** at times, hence why the 85 Villanova team has a ring, while Phi Slama Jama doesn't.

Kentucky, Michigan St., Kansas over the past few years come the closest to playing that kind of schedule. You are the one that compared UNLV to today's Gonzaga...the point is that the two are not even in the same conversation.

The WCC is a joke. SMC being anywhere in the top 25 is a joke. They would be .500 in the ACC. San Diego scored 27 points in a game a few weeks ago...seriously? NC State or Wake Forest would win that league.

I was not grading conference strength by National Champions...but merely pointing out that all these so-called power teams from the west coast have only have 3 titles in 40 years.

And again, I'm pointing out that regions can have dry spells, before Georgetown won a title in 1985, no one from the northeast had won in **** near a generation. The midwest has gone through a recent dry spell. This isn't just a west coast thing. The reason I compared Gonzaga and UNLV was due to the fact that both were considered midmajors that put together runs of sustained excellence. UNLVs run was more impressive, when one considers that they had better runs in March, but then again, those UNLV teams were incredibly unique. Gonzaga has managed to put together a schedule this year that is quite good, even though it isn't some kind of murderer's row(Congrats, you found two teams out of 350+, still doesn't change the fact that with the explosion of super-conferences, teams aren't playing the same OOC slates they did 20 years ago). This team has legit high major talent on it, including two transfers that were **** good at their last stops. Is this the best team we've ever seen like those early 90s UNLV teams? Probably not, but then again, those teams were once in a lifetime assemblages of talent, and experience.

I'm not looking to start an argument...lol But, I guess, we are looking at things a little differently. You point out Georgetown as being from the Northeast...but plenty of of other eastern teams won the title before them. The entire west has the 3 in 40 years.

All that I am saying is that the west coast teams get way too much credit and fizzle out every year in the tourney. SMC would be a .500 team, at best, in the ACC. Playing Pepperdine, Santa Clara, Portland, and Pacific does not compare to what the east coast teams face. The Big East and AAC are superior conferences compared to the WCC.

I am watching the SMC/BYU game right now...there is no comparison to the speed/athleticism/talent that was in the Clemson/UM game earlier today.

 

[Consigliere]

It is hilarious how some of these writers focus on something for one team and disregard it for another team.

Here is Cal v. Miami (NCAA College Basketball RPI Team Comparison - CBSSports.com)

Here is the Jerry Palm Bubble Watch (NCAA College Basketball Bubble Watch - CBSSports.com)

Cal: Cal had been pretty hot, winning eight of nine before back-to-back road losses at Arizona and Stanford. The Bears have just four top 100 wins overall, including one at USC, and a questionable loss to San Diego State. They need to finish strong despite a tough schedule.

Miami: Miami is 2-7 vs the RPI top 50 after beating Virginia Tech. The other win came over North Carolina. Those are the only two wins the Hurricanes have over teams likely to make the tournament and both came at home. They need to continue to avoid bad losses and pick up another good win or two, ideally away from home. Their last four games area all against top 50 teams.

To Review...

- Miami has more wins against the top 25, 50 and 100
- Miami has a better record against the top 25, 50 and 100
- Miami has more wins against teams like to make the tourney


So for one team, we sell the good. For the other, we hardly acknowledge it. At least acknowledge the RPI and SOS for Cal if you want to sell them.

 

[tcgrad1014]

We are going to make it through the season with zero bad losses. For a young team, that is very impressive. Maybe L's most impressive coaching effort since he got here.

 

[Consigliere]

We are going to make it through the season with zero bad losses. For a young team, that is very impressive. Maybe L's most impressive coaching effort since he got here.

How about that 2013-14 team?

Somehow we went 7-11 in conference. 6 of those 11 losses were by 5 or less points, 2 of them were by 1 point.

That team shouldn't have went 7-11 in conference. That team was really bad.

 

[CTCANE]

The 2013-14 team was Coach L's best coaching job. No way it should have finished over .500 and 7 wins including beating UNC in the ACC.

 

[Scotty3173]

Well... With Georgia Tech knocking off Syracuse tonight, the win last week looks even better.

 

[Notsince1985]

Our RPI is 45 and shouldn't really tank even if we don't do great down the stretch because of who we are playing. Duke is 11, FSU is 12, UVa is 15 and VT is 35.

 

[Scotty3173]

Ken Pom has UM up to #34 .

 

[Canedude08]

We are going to make it through the season with zero bad losses. For a young team, that is very impressive. Maybe L's most impressive coaching effort since he got here.

How about that 2013-14 team?

Somehow we went 7-11 in conference. 6 of those 11 losses were by 5 or less points, 2 of them were by 1 point.

That team shouldn't have went 7-11 in conference. That team was really bad.

It was without a doubt his finest coaching performance. He made ERIC SWOOPE a passable basketball player. Had Shane Larkin returned, that team would have been an NCAA team, let that settle in. It was one scorer away from going to the tournament, with pretty much the entire front line gone, and a bunch of role players.

 

[Scotty3173]

Ken Pom now has UM up to #30 . Oddly...UVA is at #9 even after losing 4 in a row.

Lunardi has not updated yet...#9 UM playing #8 Dayton in the West.

Team Rankings has UM at an 84% chance of making the tournament...up from 46% a few days ago. (UVA is at 100% with them...lol)

USA Today has #8 UM playing #9 Dayton in the Midwest.

SB Nation has #9 UM playing #8 Northwestern in the South.

My god...they are all over the place.