At Large Discussion

[Aargh]

Let's get this out of the various game threads and other places where it's off topic.

25-5

This isn't realistic. For an at large, we'd have to lose in St. Louis. That plus 2 losses already would only allow for 2 losses the rest of the year. With a young team, and being everybody's Super Bowl, that's unlikely.

No more OOC losses and no real mess ups in Valley play (16-2) and we're in easily. This is the scenario I consider unrealistic.

Lose 1 OOC, win the Valley and we're in with a mid-level seed. This figures out to 6 losses - none of them bad losses.

Lose 2 OOC, win the Valley, but lose in St. Louis, and we're in bubble/First 4 territory. That would be 6 or 7 losses. This would require a 16-2 (ir better) finish in Valley play.

I have no idea if that's accurate. If we're going to have a discussion, we need a point to start from. I'm just proposing this a starting point for discussion.

[Dave Stalwart]

This is a thread for UNI fans, right?

[Aargh]

This is a thread for UNI fans, right?

No - and we don't need the first post to already go off topic

[shocks771]

This is a thread for UNI fans, right?

Agreed, no reason to even start this discussion yet.

[SHOCKvalue]

It was still November less than 24 hours ago, at which point we were 6-2 and 23 in kenpom.

...but don't let that stop you.

[AZ Shocker]

25-5 gets us an at-large even if we lose in St. Elgin. Missouri. The league is so bad right now anything less than 25-5 is probably non-negotiable.

This years team is good but needs some luck to finish with a 25-5 record. And with luck I mean staying healthy, having consistent intensity and simply making shots in big moments. It would also take some serious focus and development along the way...something us fans can appreciate and get behind for this younger Shocker team.

Marshall is a tremendous teacher, motivator and coach. ShockerNation needs to be STRONG and ENCOURAGING more this year than the past few years. This young team needs to "feel" it from fans as they are a work in progress. This shall be a fun season no doubt!!

[shock]

[molly jabali]

No - and we don't need the first post to already go off topic

You are a good poster...agree with you MOST of the time...relax a little....it IS December 2....

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

I'm not even going to look at this deeply right now, but my gut says 5 losses (4 regular season + 1 in St. Louis) = atlarge bid, while 6 losses = auto-bid or bust.

It is only December 2nd. LSU may stay a top 100 win, or they may not. OU and OSU may end up as top 50 opponents, or they may not. Michigan State may end up being really good by season's end, or they may not. March is a loooong way away.

I can say that 4 losses total is 100% safe, and 7 losses total seems 100% NIT bound.

[WstateU]

I can say that 4 losses total is 100% safe, and 7 losses total seems 100% NIT bound.

Hope it comes out like your Trump prediction. :) 

[ShockingButTrue]

[QUOTE=WstateU;681017]Hope it comes out like your Trump prediction. :) 

[RoyalShock]

I can say that 4 losses total is 100% safe, and 7 losses total seems 100% NIT bound.

Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for yooouuurrrrrrr Missouri Valley Conference!!!

[CBB_Fan]

More than most years, our RPI could shift based on our OOC foes and our conference's OOC foes. If Michigan State, Louisville, Xavier, and UNC all win their conferences and get Top 10-15 RPIs then our RPI will be artificially inflated even with the losses. If they all lose three starters and go 50-50 in conference, we might need to win the tournament. Of course this can happen to lesser or greater extent any year, but I feel like this year we have more potential to get a boost. I would put the cutline at 45-50 RPI, not 5 losses or 6 losses. I do think we need to take care of business in our marquee games though for the rest of the season not only for RPI but for perception's sake.

[Stickboy46]

More than most years, our RPI could shift based on our OOC foes and our conference's OOC foes. If Michigan State, Louisville, Xavier, and UNC all win their conferences and get Top 10-15 RPIs then our RPI will be artificially inflated even with the losses. If they all lose three starters and go 50-50 in conference, we might need to win the tournament. Of course this can happen to lesser or greater extent any year, but I feel like this year we have more potential to get a boost. I would put the cutline at 45-50 RPI, not 5 losses or 6 losses. I do think we need to take care of business in our marquee games though for the rest of the season not only for RPI but for perception's sake.

Louisville and UNC are in the same conference :)

Though to your point, Michigan state just lost Miles Bridges for a couple of weeks.

[60Shock]

Obviously, based on 5 straight trips to the NCAA, this is not, necessarily, the same old Wichita State University it has been in past, although we did get somewhat screwed last year because we did not take care of business.

Seems to me that we all should have learned by now that Wichita State University can not leave anything to chance and certainly can not count on the records of our opponents alone to get us a post season bid to the NCAA. How many teams have we scheduled in the recent past who looked damn good on paper and were ranked fairly high when we beat them, suddenly tank later on in the season.

In my humble opinion, if we don't win three of the four games against CSU, SL, OU, and OS, then we are leaving way too much to chance and then we are down to what seems the age old quandary of needing to win the MVC tournament.

Easier said than done, but I am hoping we take a significant step forward prior to the start of conference play.