2017-2018 Bracketology

[ShockerPrez]

Just think aloud, Im wondering if our best matchup would be against a low scoring team like Virginia as the #1 in our bracket.

Just think we could still score adequately, but their low scoring would make it less likely our defense gets torched.

[WuShock16]

I think KU is a good matchup for us due to their lack of depth. That said, we’d obviously have to do a better job than we normally do of guarding the perimeter. Do that and get Dok in foul trouble (or just get him tired), and the Play Angry Men would run the Beakers out of the gym. Who outside out of Dok could guard Shaq? Mitch Lightfoot? HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

[AndShock]

Just think aloud, Im wondering if our best matchup would be against a low scoring team like Virginia as the #1 in our bracket.

Just think we could still score adequately, but their low scoring would make it less likely our defense gets torched.

Duke only scored 63 on them. I don’t know anything about Virginia’s roster makeup. I do know we want to face the worst guards possible.

[Aargh]

The always lovable Jerry Palm has an interesting bracket.

He's got WSU as a 4-seed and Loyola as a 12 seed. Both in the same bracket. With Kentucky as the 5 seed in that bracket. For those who might not want to do the math, WSU would face the winner of Loyola/Kentucky in the round of 32.

http://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wichita-state/article202443224.html

[FadedCrown]

I mean that is realistic. You know the NCAA wants those sweet viewers.

[AZ Shocker]

It sure seems he like many (including the Selection Committee) seek seeds to eliminate non blue bloods (or should I say Addias schools) early in the tourney.

They made that mistake in our Final Four year and seem to not want that to happen again. I mean geez...look who we have been matched up with every year in the tourney since then.

[WuShock Reaper]

"Bracketology: Madness as March arrives" - NBC Sports

By Dave Ommen
Feb 28, 2018, 11:57 AM EST

http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2018/02/28/bracketology-madness-as-march-arrives/

#3 Cincinnati vs. #14 Rider in Wichita

#3 Wichita State vs. UNC-Greensboro in Dallas

#6 Houston vs. #11 Saint Bonaventure in Pittsburgh

[Shox The Revenant]

Why is KSU making the tournament? Their non-con SOS is 324th. ALL of their non-con victories came against teams with sub .500 records. Their two losses in the non-con came against winning teams. They went 1-7 against the BIG 12's top three (KU, WVU and TT). So you're telling me that since they got a bunch of victories over Big 12 teams who have sub .500 conference records, they get a bid but Wichita State (while in the MVC) had to be almost perfect to get one. Absurdity!

[ShockerPrez]

Pretty much, yeah.

[WSUwatcher]

Well, Rev, just because some bracketologist thinks they'll make the tournament doesn't mean they will. The selection committee has a say in this, too. But, yes; you're right -- it's pretty easy to poke holes in the argument for K-State.

And of course we all know, as do pretty much all of the pundits, that WSU was woefully underseeded at times while in the MVC. Long live the American!

[GreatWhiteBuffalo]

How does Oklahoma even have a chance of MAKING the tourney? Outside of winning the B12 tourney, that is.

[shocker3]

I don't know how long it will last, but right now Warren Nolan lists Tulsa at #75 in rpi. That gives us a 4-2 quadrant 1 record right now. http://warrennolan.com/basketball/20.../Wichita-State

[another shocker]

I don't know how long it will last, but right now Warren Nolan lists Tulsa at #75 in rpi. That gives us a 4-2 quadrant 1 record right now. http://warrennolan.com/basketball/20.../Wichita-State

tulsa is a good team.. duh, i know, obvious after the shockers got pushed almost to the limit two times. free flowing style. 4th place in the aac gets you top 75.

will be a tough out in the aac tournament.. them and memphis too.

[WSUwatcher]

I suspect there will be lots of tough outs in the American tournament.

[AZ Shocker]

I kinda get this feeling someone other than us, Cincy or Houston is gonna win that AAC Tournament.

Could totally see Tulsa, Temple, UConn, Memphis or even Tulane going berserk...getting on a roll...and claiming that Auto-Bid.

[GreatWhiteBuffalo]

Temple really scares me, should WSU have to face them again. It just seems the Shocks have a bit of a mental block with them.

[Nirvana58]

I don't think Temple is consistent enough to Win 3 or 4 games to Win an Auto Bid. Tulsa doesn't really have the fire power to go through Houston, Cincy, and WSU. The only team I can see winning the tournament other than the big 3 would be SMU. That is only if they get Shake back at full strength and firing on all cylinders.

Has there been any word if he is going to come back this season?

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

How does Oklahoma even have a chance of MAKING the tourney? Outside of winning the B12 tourney, that is.

Oklahoma
RPI 36
6-9 Q1
3-3 Q2
Undefeated vs Q3 & Q4

Hard to find 45 teams to put in front of them.

(And no, the last 10 games getting extra attention is no longer an official committee criteria)

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

For reference... a true bubble team

Syracuse
RPI 49
2-7 Q1
4-3 Q2
2 losses in Q3

[AndShock]

I like Temple’s resume over Syracuse’s.

[Cdizzle]

OU is SUCH a weird case. I brought up the '07 WSU team, which I think was a pretty good comp, but that WSU team didn't have the chance to rack up as many great wins, and OU hasn't had the chance to lose to not good teams like '07 WSU.

I can't really come up with a true apples/apples comp. Resume says OU is a lock. Eye test says road NIT team. Really weird. I'm 100% sure they will get in, I think the Young story-line would have them in even if the resume wasn't solid. But the resume is good enough there really isn't anything to argue about or lose sleep over.

[Cdizzle]

What should the committee do with a game like TTU/WVU the other night?

Texas Tech deliberately sat multiple starters that could have played but were a little banged up. They had lost the reg. season conference championship and locked up a NCAAT bid, so they opted to rest guys for the post-season.

The end result was a fairly easy Q1 home win for WVU. Should WVU get full credit for that win? Should TTU be treated with kiddie gloves for "injured" players?

Both of these teams are very likely to be in contention with WSU for seeding.

[OregonShocker]

Seems like this is the very reason some things other than statistics are used to determine seeding.

[shocker3]

Right now after the UCF win, Warren Nolan is showing the Shockers with a 11 RPI, 5-2 in quadrant 1, and 10-2 in quadrant 2.

[AndShock]

Already a better resume than Duke and Michigan State but they’ll be seeded above us.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

Totally disagree regarding MSU. Their 3 losses to potential second weekend tourney teams is such an improvement over WSU's 5 that they deserve to be ahead.

I'm sympathetic to the Duke argument though. At this point, they should be neck and neck with WSU, not near the top of the 2 seed group looking at a potential 1 seed.

[shoxtop]

I must have missed where losses meant anything to the committee the last few years. All we ever hear about is the good wins. I do agree that they will probably use it this year since it’s a name team though.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

If WSU wins out (4 more wins)…

Uncatchable (5)
Virginia, Villanova, Xavier, Kansas, Michigan State

WSU Needs Help to Catch (4)
Duke, North Carolina, Auburn, Purdue

Could Go Either Way (2)
Tennessee, West Virginia

Too Close For Comfort (3)
Clemson, Texas Tech, Ohio State

I’m leaving out Cincinnati in the above groupings since so much of their fate is tied with WSU. If WSU wins out, Cincy is undoubtedly in the rear view mirror on the S-Curve.

Best Case: #6 (2 seed)
My Guess: #10 (3 seed)
Worst Case: #14 (4 seed)

I’ll continue to update this over the next week as results come in. Crossing my fingers that I don’t have to redo the whole analysis after the Cincy game Sunday. A loss there and we are probably looking at a best case #13 (4 seed).

[Shocktoberfest]

I love this banter about our seeding. Thank you Bardo and Boatright. So much better to look back at a quality year with a quality schedule. This stuff is just plain fun!