2018-19 Media Hate Thread

[WuShock Reaper]

"Nine NCAA Tournament teams from last season that won't make it back to the Big Dance in 2019" - CBS Sports

By Matt Norlander
Posted: Oct 10, 2018

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/nine-ncaa-tournament-teams-from-last-season-that-wont-make-it-back-to-the-big-dance-in-2019/

Not everyone from the biggest conferences can replicate season-long success; here's who's set to slip in 2018-19

"No two NCAA Tournament fields are alike. They never have been and never will be. Each year the best bracket in the sports universe gets a makeover from the year before, which looks markedly different from the year before that one and on down the line.

For this upcoming season, we'll dish out the bad news before the good news. Later in the week I'll be publishing which teams that didn't make it into the 2018 NCAA Tournament will break through for 2019. But here, let's get to the programs that I'm forecasting to the NIT (or worse). It's not a joyous thing, but it's unavoidable. Certain schools, no matter how optimistic their fan bases or coaches are in the preseason, won't be punching their tickets to the Big Dance next March.

I did this last preseason and wound up going 6 for 8. I'm adding a ninth this time around and am drawing from the conferences from last season that earned multiple bids: the American, the A-10, the ACC, the Big 12, the Big East, the Big Ten, the Mountain West, the Pac-12 and the SEC.

To coaches who will read this and use it as bulletin board material, you're welcome.

1. ARIZONA, Last season's seed: No. 4

2 WICHITA STATE, Last season's seed: No. 4

Key non-conference opponents: vs. Providence (Veterans Classic, Nov. 9), vs. Davidson (Charleston Classic, Nov. 15) vs. Baylor (Dec. 1), at Oklahoma (Dec. 8)

Outlook: This could be a foolish pick. Wichita State last missed the NCAA Tournament in 2011. The last time it failed to win 25 games was a decade ago, in Gregg Marshall's second season there. But with the early NBA departure of Landry Shamet and the graduations of Shaq Morris, Conner Frankamp, Zach Brown and three other seniors, a few steps back from last season's No. 4 seed is a virtual guarantee. Marshall's a fiery, apt coach. Maybe he makes me look dumb here, but heading into the season it's hard to justify WSU as a top-four team in the AAC and if that's the case, finishing fifth or lower in that conference doesn't assure you NCAA Tournament inclusion.

3. MIAMI (FL), Last season's seed: No. 6
4. TEXAS A&M, Last season's seed: No. 7
5. RHODE ISLAND, Last season's seed: No. 7
6. CREIGHTON, Last season's seed: No. 8
7. OKLAHOMA, Last season's seed: No. 10
8. ST. BONAVENTURE, Last season's seed: No. 11
9. ARIZONA STATE, Last season's seed: No. 11..."

[WuShock Reaper]

"AAC basketball: Andy Katz's conference predictions and power rankings for the 2018-19 season" - NCAA.COM

BY ANDY KATZ, CORRESPONDENT
OCTOBER 15, 2018

https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2018-10-15/aac-basketball-andy-katzs-predictions-and-power-rankings

"The American produced a national champion in its first season in 2014.

The odds of another title in 2019 aren’t high.

But here is what I learned over the course of men’s basketball media day Monday in Philadelphia: There is tremendous depth with nine schools having a legit shot to be a player for an NCAA tournament berth.

Here are the revised power rankings for the AAC.

1. UCF:...Postseason prediction: NCAA tournament
2. Cincinnati:...Postseason prediction: NCAA tournament
3. Houston:...Postseason prediction: NCAA tournament
4. Memphis:...Postseason prediction: On the bubble
5. UConn:...Postseason prediction: On the bubble
6. Temple:...Postseason prediction: On the bubble
7. Tulsa:...Postseason prediction: On the bubble
8. SMU:...Postseason prediction: On the bubble
9. Wichita State: This was the hardest team to seed. The Shockers never finish this low. They just don’t. Marshall told me I wasn’t wrong to doubt the Shockers with so much gone from their previous winning teams. Markis McDuffie is healthy and he’s going to be a beast in the league. But Wichita State return almost no one else and will be recreating the Shocker identity. Marshall said this team will be much improved come February. I believe him. So, I know I’m probably going to be wrong on Wichita. Postseason prediction: NIT tournament
10. USF:...Postseason prediction: None
11. Tulane:...Postseason prediction: None
12. ECU:...Postseason prediction: None"

[ShockBand]

[Stickboy46]

8 teams in or on the bubble with a 9th team in the NIT .... if that happens .. I wouldn't even be mad .. That's a solid conference.

[im4wsu]

8 teams in or on the bubble with a 9th team in the NIT .... if that happens .. I wouldn't even be mad .. That's a solid conference.

It'll be interesting to compare with the other conferences and see how many teams are "in" and how many more are "on the bubble" and just how big the "bubble" is.

[AZ Shocker]

If the AAC can make a big splash in the out of conference part of the schedules early on...that'll help push the league to getting 4 possibly 5 teams in come March. Three teams get a chance against Villanova early on and a lot of our teams have very competitive OOC schedules. Also...did everybody notice what the AAC schedule makers did in conference? We open up at Memphis in front of 18,000 Tiger fans. Wow!

[N Crestway]

Which would you take... a play-in early out or a deep run in the NIT? Either way this team of mostly new guys will probably be hitting full stride by post season. If the NIT means a longer run and a possible championship, for me, it would be preferable.

[proshox]

I know you are stirring the part, but consistency in appearances to the NCAA is a big part of recruiting nationally. One and done is better.

[WuShock Reaper]

"Knee-Jerk Reactions to the Start of the 2018-19 NCAA Basketball Season" - Bleacher Report

BY KERRY MILLER
POSTED: NOVEMBER 14, 2018

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2805657-knee-jerk-reactions-to-the-start-of-the-2018-19-ncaa-basketball-season#slide1

"...Also, the AAC is awful, but maybe we should've known that a week ago.

Let's start these knee-jerk reactions with the title contender not a lot of people were talking about two weeks ago....

The AAC Might Be a One-Bid League
There's no surefire NCAA tournament team in the AAC.

This isn't so much a knee-jerk reaction as it is a reinforcement of something that seemed plausible before the season began.

Wichita State lost eight of its 10 leading scorers and is bound to have a rebuilding year. Connecticut and Memphis both have decent talent, but they might need a year to break in their new coaches (and to wash off the stink from the past few seasons). Cincinnati lost its three best players in Jacob Evans, Gary Clark and Kyle Washington. Houston isn't much better off after losing Rob Gray and Devin Davis.

UCF was the one team that seemed to have legitimate AP Top 25 potential—if it could stay healthy for a change. But the Knights lost a home game to lowly Florida Atlantic. As a matter of fact, Conference USA is chopping the entire AAC down to size, as Wichita State lost to Louisiana Tech and SMU lost to Southern Miss.

Those three outcomes would've been almost incomprehensible a year ago. But now, they serve as a testament to how down on its luck the AAC is.

Eventually, one team will likely rise from the ashes and get into solid position for an at-large bid. (Let's go with Memphis if I have to call my shot on that.) But if that team also wins the AAC tournament, it doesn't leave much hope for multiple teams to go dancing.

The good news is a down year in the AAC (as well as the A-10) should mean multiple bids for the likes of the Missouri Valley, Mountain West and West Coast. Those leagues have each had just one at-large bid over the last three seasons, but they each have multiple teams capable of doing damage in March...."

[Dark Lord]

It may be a little early to bury the AAC just yet. There is a lot of rebuilding, but there is also a lot of talent. Let us see how the next three or four weeks go before jumping to one bid status.

[ShockerFever]

"Knee-Jerk Reactions to the Start of the 2018-19 NCAA Basketball Season" - Bleacher Report

BY KERRY MILLER
POSTED: NOVEMBER 14, 2018

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2805657-knee-jerk-reactions-to-the-start-of-the-2018-19-ncaa-basketball-season#slide1

"...Also, the AAC is awful, but maybe we should've known that a week ago.

Let's start these knee-jerk reactions with the title contender not a lot of people were talking about two weeks ago....

The AAC Might Be a One-Bid League
There's no surefire NCAA tournament team in the AAC.

This isn't so much a knee-jerk reaction as it is a reinforcement of something that seemed plausible before the season began.

Wichita State lost eight of its 10 leading scorers and is bound to have a rebuilding year. Connecticut and Memphis both have decent talent, but they might need a year to break in their new coaches (and to wash off the stink from the past few seasons). Cincinnati lost its three best players in Jacob Evans, Gary Clark and Kyle Washington. Houston isn't much better off after losing Rob Gray and Devin Davis.

UCF was the one team that seemed to have legitimate AP Top 25 potential—if it could stay healthy for a change. But the Knights lost a home game to lowly Florida Atlantic. As a matter of fact, Conference USA is chopping the entire AAC down to size, as Wichita State lost to Louisiana Tech and SMU lost to Southern Miss.

Those three outcomes would've been almost incomprehensible a year ago. But now, they serve as a testament to how down on its luck the AAC is.

Eventually, one team will likely rise from the ashes and get into solid position for an at-large bid. (Let's go with Memphis if I have to call my shot on that.) But if that team also wins the AAC tournament, it doesn't leave much hope for multiple teams to go dancing.

The good news is a down year in the AAC (as well as the A-10) should mean multiple bids for the likes of the Missouri Valley, Mountain West and West Coast. Those leagues have each had just one at-large bid over the last three seasons, but they each have multiple teams capable of doing damage in March...."

Multiple bids from the Valley, MWC, and West Coast, but not the American? Apparently, Loyola is allowed to lose at home to Furman, Illinois State is allowed to get clobbered by Belmont and went toe for toe with Chicago State, the MWC scoreboard has been ignored, etc.

LMFAO. What an idiot.

[ShockerPrez]

So... A few questions.

Does this mean that the NCAA only allows a certain # of bids to non P5 schools, thus meaning less bids for the AAC means more for MVC, etc.

I thought that the best teams get in regardless.... which we know is bullshit, but I can't imagine him saying the fewer bids from the Big 12 means more bids for the ACC. Just odd.

If AAC sucks this year, WSU may as well win it.

[ShockingButTrue]

If the NCAA had their way, there wouldn't be any bids for a non P5 school. Not joking. Last year ou won O-N-E road game, while finishing 4-11, in the calendar year of 2018, and got an at-large.

[molly jabali]

And the OU justified it's inclusion with a first round loss...

[TheShocktocles]

Our fans just need to understand that the Big 12 conference is the best basketball conference in America . Ant that it has a hall of fame coach at Kansas with 5 Star McDonald's All Americans . Devonte Graham is awesome and he is way better than Landry Shamet. Devonte was Big 12 player of the year and is an all american. The Big 12 deserves 6 teams in tournament regardless if they have played any true road non conference games. The Big 12 teams are entitled to preferential treatment from the selection committee. Look how KU and OU performed in the Final Four. We must accept their greatness.

[WuShock Reaper]

"Wichita State Embarrassingly Celebrates Making The NIT Final Four" - The Smokeroom

By David Hookstead | Reporter
Posted: 03/27/19

https://smokeroom.com/2019/03/27/wichita-state-nit-final-four-celebration-video/

"The Wichita State basketball team was apparently impressed by making the NIT final four.

The Shockers beat Indiana Tuesday in the NIT, and that was apparently a good thing. For those of you who don’t know, the NIT is the tournament played to figure out the 69th best college basketball team in America. It’s for the loser squads not good enough to make the big dance.

It’s literally pointless and should be abolished. It’s one of the dumbest sporting events in the world. Yet WSU feels very differently.

They behaved like they’d just won the damn national title. Watch their embarrassing antics below.

Do these men have no pride? Do they have no standards? Again, these guys are playing for the right to call themselves the 69th best team in America.

If they had any respect for themselves, they would have refused to play in the NIT. The Shockers were in the Final Four (the real one) only a few years ago. Now, they’re behaving like playing in a consolation tournament means anything.

As a college basketball purist, I’m disgusted."

[DCShockerFan05]

I say take down the link in this post and anyone who hasn't already clicked through shouldn't bother. This guy is of no consequence but if he gets clicks and his page rank rises (and all of us gawking will do that--even the inbound links themselves help), it'll just tell him that this was a good idea. Worst case scenario is whoever is paying him beer money to freelance this dreck might actually be impressed with the attention he's getting.

[DCShockerFan05]

Oh and btw--I'm not saying that mods should take the link down in a censorship way--I'm suggesting that Reaper pull it down, or put it in plaintext, so the writer doesn't get the SEO benefit of another inbound link.