2016-17 Bracketology

[1972Shocker]

There is little doubt for league representation purposes, WSU and ISUr should be having a 1 game play-off to decide who gets to represent our conference.

That does bring to mind one of my fondest memories as a young 13-year old Shocker fan. It was March 6, 1964. Wichita State and Drake had tied for the Missouri Valley Conference Title. A one game playoff was played at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence to determine the Valley's lone representative in the much smaller NCAA Touranment in those days. No at-large bid waiting for the loser. This was winner take all. Not a very high scoring game, but a very competitive and extremely hard fought game. Shocks won 58-50 for what I believe was the Shocks 1st ever MVC Championship and 1st ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. Shocker Nation was fantastic in support of the Shockers. The stream of cars on the turnpike that day going to and from the game between Wichita and Lawrence was amazing.

Can you imagine what a Wichita State - Illinois State playoff would draw in Kansas City or St. Louis with a Valley Title and NCAA berth on the line (especially if there were no hope of an at-large). It would be crazy. Hopefully, we get that result on Sunday (except hopefully the loser will get a consolation prize in the form of an NCAA at-large bid). If Illinois State and Wichita State win on Saturday I anticipate a rush of fans showing up for the Sunday Championship game.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

I think your understanding of bid thieves is a bit off. There are 36 at large bids IF every single champion is a bid thief. The actually level of at large who will get in is somewhere around 44-46 best team because the 6-8 champions will be at large quality therefore pushing the line down.

For further understanding. There are 68 teams in the tournament 32 auto bids and 36 at large bids. So you take the top 36 automatically. But if one of those champions happens to be a top 36 team, then number 37 fills the spot.

This is why some of us are so confident if we make it to Sunday. We are 35 now with absolutely no help.

Thank you thank you thank you. This needed said.

[XManCometh]

He's got a point.

https://twitter.com/FOX19Jeremy/status/837037872721063939

Kind of like matching up WSU & KU in Omaha.

Of course it's about money. It's always about money with the NCAA. It's why they have bowl games instead of a playoff system. It's why they want to expand the tournament even more. It's why they like to bring in "Power Conference" teams instead of good "Mid-Majors" into the NCAA tournament. It's exactly why Lunardi puts us against KU in the tournament every single year. Because he knows it gets clicks and sometimes the media brings it up on a slow day. This should not be new information for anyone.

[1972Shocker]

Of course it's about money. It's always about money with the NCAA. It's why they have bowl games instead of a playoff system. It's why they want to expand the tournament even more. It's why they like to bring in "Power Conference" teams instead of good "Mid-Majors" into the NCAA tournament. It's exactly why Lunardi puts us against KU in the tournament every single year. Because he knows it gets clicks and sometimes the media brings it up on a slow day. This should not be new information for anyone.

I think it is more about the messenger than the message. Sure everyone knows it is all about the money, but not too many high major coaches are so blunt about it that I am aware of. I wouldn't think that kind of straight talk would exactly endear him to some of the selection committee members or to the NCAA.

[AZ Shocker]

I wouldn't think that kind of straight talk would exactly endear him to some of the selection committee members or to the NCAA.

Transparency please. Come on selection committee...just admit it. Lol

[wu_shizzle]

That's the downside of playing all "neutral" site games, and as a result some of them turn out to be not quite so neutral even if the seeding has to be jacked around a bit. Like "#8" Kentucky vs. #1 WSU in an area much closer to Lexington than Wichita, for example. That one probably would have drawn at least some interest almost anywhere because of the national storylines, but putting it in easy driving distance for the Big Blue made sure about the ticket sales.

Which is why we got doubly screwed by this.

1) Kentucky plays closer to home.

2) We have to play a team that should have been a 5-7 seed in the 2nd round.

[LandStander]

Which is why we got doubly screwed by this.

1) Kentucky plays closer to home.

2) We have to play a team that should have been a 5-7 seed in the 2nd round.

#9 K-State is 75 miles closer to St. Louis than Wichita. There was no seed protection for the Shox

[ShockerGirl]

Espn bubble watch moved us to 'should be in' territory. I know it doesn't mean anything but I can't recall a team in their SBI's ever missing the tournament.

[Heinro]

Espn bubble watch moved us to 'should be in' territory. I know it doesn't mean anything but I can't recall a team in their SBI's ever missing the tournament.

We came close last year. I think perhaps he even had us in lock status last year? Anyone remember?

[ShockingButTrue]

We came close last year. I think perhaps he even had us in lock status last year? Anyone remember?

Being as we were ranked on this same day last year, I'll bet he did. Then we went out and lost to a mediocre Valley team on Saturday. It was all play in after that.

[WSUwatcher]

He's complaining about seed lines, we are complaining about play-in games and making the tournament.

Nice point, AndShock. Cincinnati has the basketball equivalent of "first world" problems.

Not so for members of the current Valley -- it definitely is NOT the same lament.

[wichshock65]

2017 NCAA Tournament Bracket: Latest Projection of the Field of 68

http://teamstre.am/2mldbis

Stock Up: Wichita State Shockers (Up Seven Spots)

Aside from taking care of business against a couple of teams hovering around .500 overall (Evansville and Missouri State), Wichita State hasn't done anything since our last projection. However, the Shockers have benefited from the collapse of other teams around them.

They jumped over VCU, which lost to both Rhode Island and Dayton. They also bypassed Northwestern, which lost to both Illinois and Indiana. Meanwhile, Creighton, Maryland, Wisconsin and Xavier all plummeted enough to help the Shockers move more comfortably into the field.

Outside of maybe Northwestern, no bubble team has been more scrutinized than Wichita State has been over the past month. Based on the proverbial eye test, this is clearly a tournament-worthy team. All but three of their 26 D-I wins have come by a double-digit margin, including a 41-point shellacking of Illinois State. Thanks to blowout after blowout, the Shockers are No. 10 on KenPom.

But the rest of the resume leaves something to be desired. Part of the reason they keep destroying opponents is because they don't play good ones. Wichita State is 1-4 against the RPI Top 75 and only has three wins against the RPI Top 145. You know who also has three RPI Top 145 wins? Oral Roberts, which is 6-22 overall and ranks 282 in RPI.

The Shockers rank No. 41 in RPI and 150 in SOS. If they lose to Illinois State in the MVC title game, they should be in with room to spare. But an early loss to a team like Indiana State or Missouri State could be catastrophic. Conversely, if they win the MVC tournament, I could see the Shockers faring as well as a No. 5 seed. There is plenty at stake in St. Louis this weekend.

[ShockingButTrue]

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[/COLOR]amar Howard 4 President;707915]Thank you thank you thank you. This needed said.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

It's exactly why Lunardi puts us against KU in the tournament every single year. Because he knows it gets clicks and sometimes the media brings it up on a slow day. This should not be new information for anyone.

I think the more likely reality is that Lunardi puts WSU and KU in the Midwest a ton because they are both teams located in the... wait for it... Midwest. He does a bazillion updates January through March. I think you overestimate the level of conspiracy involved.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

Are you really sitting around fake quoting to make it look like I made a formatting typo? Seriously?