16-17 Games of Interest

[molly jabali]

I don't know that I know a ton of KU alums, but I know enough that I could certainly buy a meal at McDonald's under the $1/alum rule. Obviously that number doesn't touch the number of non-alum KU fans I know.

I'm not willing to say every KU alum I know isn't obnoxious. There are at least one or two, but the vast majority are no more unreasonable than a fan of any basketball team. Every KU fan I know that isn't an alum is completely unbearable.

The one similarity between alums and non-alums, that I've seen, is that both groups believe KU is equal to or greater than Harvard in terms of academic excellence.

Last line made me laugh!!!!

[Dave Stalwart]

I don't know that I know a ton of KU alums, but I know enough that I could certainly buy a meal at McDonald's under the $1/alum rule. Obviously that number doesn't touch the number of non-alum KU fans I know.

I'm not willing to say every KU alum I know isn't obnoxious. There are at least one or two, but the vast majority are no more unreasonable than a fan of any basketball team. Every KU fan I know that isn't an alum is completely unbearable.

The one similarity between alums and non-alums, that I've seen, is that both groups believe KU is equal to or greater than Harvard in terms of academic excellence.

thats no joke. I would say the exact same thing about the academic comparison. There is an elitism that extends beyond basketball and makes zero sense.

[jdshock]

KenPom measures "luck," which is kind of an interesting metric. In my understanding, it basically looks at things like whether a team is winning lots of close games, is that team overperforming what the overall rating would predict, etc.

KU is currently ranked #23 in terms of "luck." In KenPom's Top 10, Baylor (#97) is the only other team in the top 100 of luck. In fact, of KenPom's top 50 overall teams, the only other teams to rank in the top 50 of luck are Arizona (#28), Xavier (#39) and Illinois State (#33).

[WUpigsooie]

KenPom measures "luck," which is kind of an interesting metric. In my understanding, it basically looks at things like whether a team is winning lots of close games, is that team overperforming what the overall rating would predict, etc.

KU is currently ranked #23 in terms of "luck." In KenPom's Top 10, Baylor (#97) is the only other team in the top 100 of luck. In fact, of KenPom's top 50 overall teams, the only other teams to rank in the top 50 of luck are Arizona (#28), Xavier (#39) and Illinois State (#33).

From Ken's blog:

"The new ones are Cons (Consistency) and Luck. The easiest one to understand is Luck, which is the deviation in winning percentage between a team’s actual record and their expected record using the correlated gaussian method. The luck factor has nothing to do with the rating calculation, but a team that is very lucky (positive numbers) will tend to be rated lower by my system than their record would suggest."

What he doesn't say is the converse, which is that a team with really lousy luck will be rated much higher than their raw record would suggest. Like WSU last year.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

The 2 teams they beat are 3-44 against D1 teams, so our RPI drops like 3 spots. Texas Tech is now a lock for the tourney, and Syracuse moves up 9 spots losing at home to Louisville. We fell 25 when we lost to the same Cardinals.

It is pointless to compare RPI "rise" or "drop" for a game in November vs a game in February. Of course there are going to be huge swings in November when every game is a huge percentage of the total sample size.

EDIT: After looking closer, how are you coming up with "Syracuse moves up 9 spots losing at home to Louisville."? They were 72 before the game. Fell to 76 today.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

Isn't this the team that the Sooners swept? Does that help our RPI?

A West Virginia win last night would have helped Oklahoma's RPI, and in turn WSU's. True. However, the impact on WSU would be about the same as the impact of you finding a nickel on the sidewalk on your total net worth.

Rooting for opponents' opponents to win is nearly pointless, only because the effect on WSU is so extremely marginal.

[1972Shocker]

A West Virginia win last night would have helped Oklahoma's RPI, and in turn WSU's. True. However, the impact on WSU would be about the same as the impact of you finding a nickel on the sidewalk on your total net worth.

You mean a 50% jump!

[WSUwatcher]

Well, Devonte Graham -- one of the few who showed well against WSU a couple of years ago -- bailed out their tail feathers, along with lots of Mountaineer help. Also, maybe one reason the Chickenhawks have tended to disappoint in postseason play is that they can't count on the same officiating boost as during the regular season.

As someone else said in another thread -- if The Flagship and Gonzaga both end up as #1 seeds, and the Shocks draw a regional containing one of them, I'd say bring on the beak. That could even be a T-shirt, or at least it could be if I learn to center text on a shirt better than I do on SN:

Stay Calm
and
Bring on
The Beak

[Cdizzle]

You mean a 50% jump!

There's actually a little validity to this point. WSU's non-conference schedule has tanked so hard, any tiny bit of help is a relatively big deal.

Oh, and what a crazy game. AFH bullcrap, WVU meltdown, and crazy KU shooting. All in 3 minutes.

[ShockingButTrue]

A West Virginia win last night would have helped Oklahoma's RPI, and in turn WSU's. True. However, the impact on WSU would be about the same as the impact of you finding a nickel on the sidewalk on your total net worth.

Rooting for opponents' opponents to win is nearly pointless, only because the effect on WSU is so extremely marginal.

You're reverting back to same ridiculous statement's you made last March concerning tournament worthiness, which is what I'm talking about. So opponents, and opponents' opponents doesn't matter to the committee? That's what I'm referring to basically, and realistically. I think you understand that? There not going to use kenpom this year, or ever. 100%!

Also, I root for whoever the chickens are playing anytime. I was trollin'.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

There's actually a little validity to this point. WSU's non-conference schedule has tanked so hard, any tiny bit of help is a relatively big deal.

Here's something to blow your mind.

% impact on WSU's RPI
West Virginia: 0.11%
Kansas: 0.14%
Illinois State: 4.31% (included ISUr just for another data point to reference)

WSU actually has more connections to KU via opponents' opponents than to West Virginia. Technically, the KU win was the better outcome for WSU's RPI.

With that said, using rough back of the napkin math, it takes about 25 wins by KU to move WSU up 1 spot in the RPI. It takes about 30 wins for WVU to do the same for the Shox. When the two teams play each other, the effects are largely neutralized. KU could beat WVU 100 times in a row and potentially still not bump the Shox a single spot in the RPI.

Root for who you want, but in games like the one last night, don't worry about the effects on WSU's RPI. It's pointless.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

So opponents, and opponents' opponents doesn't matter to the committee?

I did not say that.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

A game between Southeast Missouri St and Samford would have significantly more impact on WSU's RPI than KU v WVU. (still not much impact, but you get my point)

[JayPak]

Karnowski is 7'1", 300

They have some other large bodies

Ryan Edwards - 7'1", 295
Zach Collins - 7'0", 230
Jacob Larsen - 6'11", 227

I won't list their 6'10" guy - he only weighs 200

Collins is really good off the bench but Karnowski can't hedge ball screens.

[shockmonster]

There not going to use kenpom this year, or ever. 100%!

If they are lazy and ignorant about the system, you are correct. All one has to do is look at ISU's OCS and see that their RPI is 20 points ahead of ours in the low 30s. Their signature win is Hawaii and they lost to Murray State (that may not be the correct loss). We lack a great signature win (OU with Woodard and CSU on the road) but all of our losses are good losses. The RPI is not credible as anyone knows who follows it closely.