ESPN Mid-Major Power Ranking

[KSUUWSU]

Sorry if this was already posted. Hopefully someone with ESPN insider access can enlighten us if Jordan Brenner lightens up a bit. What I can read, he's not to Shocker friendly. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Bottom line is we're still #1 one on the list. Like it or not.

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/story?id=7471436&_slug_=mid-major-power-rankings-belmont-bruins-moving-ncb&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncb%2fstory%3fid%3d7471436%26_slug_%3dmid-major-power-rankings-belmont-bruins-moving-ncb

[_kai_]

Basically says we have no solid wins in the Valley, and lost 3 of our 4 toughest tests.

[KSUUWSU]

Thank you. Arguments can be made towards the quality of the losses. However, in the end, a loss is a loss.

[1972Shocker]

Temple was an OT loss and the committee might take that into consideration. We still have the opportunity to cancel out the home loss to CU and we should have an opportunity for a good road BB game.

Still a lot business to take care outside of those games to make those opportunities as meaningful as we would like.

So many potholes in the road ahead. Won't be easy dodging them all. Right now all we can do is concentrate on avoiding the next pothole (UNI) on the road.

[Capitol Shock II]

I didn't read the whole thing but if you're only going to have three losses then have them to the likes of Alabama, Temple and Creighton for crying out loud. Look that the BCS teams in the top 25 right now and compare their losses. Florida with losses to Rutgers and Tennessee. Louisville with five losses to Providence and Notre Dame. Marquette with four losses, two to Vanderbilt and LSU and wins over an over-rated Wisconsin and Louisville. At first glance some of these teams look like they have good wins but as it turns out the teams they beat early on were ranked and aren't any longer.

I think that the big ten is suspect because so many were ranked early on. As they lose to other big 10 teams, those teams jump into the rankings so you basically have five big 10 teams in the rankings at all times even though they are only beating other conference teams. I think it's BS and I personally would love to matched up with any big 10 team in the nation in the first or second round of the tournament because I think that the whole conference may be overrated.

[Capitol Shock II]

I'm sure that someone will try to make a case for Iowa to be invited with two quality wins over wisconsin and michigan. They'll forget that they just had two 30 point losses, one at home and one at Ohio State.

[KC Shox]

I'm sure that someone will try to make a case for Iowa to be invited with two quality wins over wisconsin and michigan. They'll forget that they just had two 30 point losses, one at home and one at Ohio State.

Well of course, didn't you know the BCS conference is much tougher to play in over the long haul? I'm not concerned about our current losses, we just need to avoid the bad losses.

[another shocker]

I'm sure that someone will try to make a case for Iowa to be invited with two quality wins over wisconsin and michigan. They'll forget that they just had two 30 point losses, one at home and one at Ohio State.

No solid wins in the Valley for WSU? Heh heh It happens everywhere. Bob Lutz was sneering at the MVC on Monday's Sports Talk(?), and then went on about how tough Iowa State was vs KU in Lawrence on Saturday and what a future they have. UNI already slapped Iowa State this year. Most of those people are lazy and they live in a vacuum.. they attatch themselves to what they consider to be a name team.

[1972Shocker]

No solid wins in the Valley for WSU? Heh heh It happens everywhere. Bob Lutz was sneering at the MVC on Monday's Sports Talk(?), and then went on about how tough Iowa State was vs KU in Lawrence on Saturday and what a future they have. UNI already slapped Iowa State this year. Most of those people are lazy and they live in a vacuum.. they attatch themselves to what they consider to be a name team.

Iowa State also lost at Drake. The UNI loss was in Ames.

[ShockerFever]

Ya, I don't understand what Mr. Brennen's problem is either. I really don't get his point.

What does he expect? For WSU to be 18-0 or 17-1 to be NCAA-worthy at this point? Other posters in this thread have made good points about good wins and bad losses with teams ranked right now. Now, do I wish we had a couple more really good quality wins? Uh, yeah. But UNLV is a pretty damn good win and we have ZERO bad losses. Would Mr. Brenner be happier if we traded a win against Creighton for a loss to Evansville? I guarantee you we'd be looked at worse if it were that way.

We still have a few more chances at some real statement wins (notably tomorrow night), but at 15-3 with losses to all Top 25 RPI teams, and a win over a Top 15 RPI is pretty damn good right about now. Our resume is much better than it was in 2006, at this point.

[another shocker]

Iowa State also lost at Drake. The UNI loss was in Ames.

*ell yeah they lost at Drake (they'd probably lose in Peoria too). I'm not looking forward to that Des Moines game myself.

Shox have it in their own hands. They CAN win the MVC. 'Won't be easy this year, but they can do it. Then the MVC and Big "12" champions will be in the.same.bracket.

[Aargh]

Basically says we have no solid wins in the Valley, and lost 3 of our 4 toughest tests.

He would be, basically, correct. WSU's 2-3 record against the RPI top 100 is an albatross. There are 2 shots at UNI, 2 shots at MSU, 1 against CU, and the BB game left to get a winning record against 1-100. Go 4-2 in those games and the record against the top 100 is 6-5. That's bubble material - and not comfortable bubble material. I think 5-1 in those games would do the trick, but that's one heck of a task.

No bad losses is a positive, but so far there's only one win that gets any attention. Wins over UNI and MSU aren't going to get much mileage with the committee. That leaves @ CU and a BB road game as the only remaining "quality" games before St. Louis. WSU has a gaudy W/L record, but has probably had the easiest league schedule of any Valley team to this point. WSU has left plenty of reason to have a skeptical outlook about post-season at this stage of the season.

I don't have the Shox even penciled in as an NCAA team yet.

[1972Shocker]

I don't have the Shox even penciled in as an NCAA team yet.

I can understand that. Still a lot of tough work ahead of us to reach that point. I have to say the MVC is looking like a tougher task then what I thought it might be this year. Maybe the Shocks aren't quite clicking on all cylinders yet, but mostly I think because the rest of the league has been tougher than I was anticipating.

[Capitol Shock II]

Aargh...question, and no disrespect intended, but do you have Creighton penciled in yet?

[ShockerFever]

I don't have the Shox even penciled in as an NCAA team yet.

I'd like to know what 68 teams you have penciled in, in front of them right now..