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I'm not a fan of using the "must win game" cliché very often and certainly not in the 2nd game of the season so I will call this a "probably need to win" game due to what it will do to our RPI and perception. Here is what I think a win or loss in this game will do for us.
If we lose
If we win
People might wonder why I would call this game huge when obviously games against Michigan St. and Kentucky/Washington would be bigger but as I've said we have to beat UConn to get to those two games. If we lose to UConn our big win of the tournament could be against Virginia 15-16 127th in the final RPI last year or Oklahoma 13-18 and was 128th in the RPI. If we don't get an actual big win in Maui then we would be in a postion where we would really need the win @San Diego State (very tough game to win) and the Tulsa game then the rest of our schedule is the five abysmal home games and a horrible LSU team who was 238th in the RPI last season, I think we would be in the position of not having alot of room for error in our Valley games.
:posterwu:
I'm pretty excited about this game and here tells you how long until tipoff.
If we lose
- UConn isn't exactly the juggernaut that they usually are as it looks like this could be another tough year for them like last year and I don't think the selection committee would just brush off a loss to them like some years.
If we lose we have to play Div. 2 Chaminade which will be an absolutely worthless game.
We would end up most likely playing Oklahoma or Virginia in the 5th place game, not horrible opponents but not great RPI opportunities like winning the game would open.
Our Maui schedule would most likely look like UConn, Chaminade, and Oklahoma/Virginia, not great.
How often does WSU get to play this kind of big named opponent? Not very often and this is a game that we not only can win but should win if we really are the Vallley fave, it would be a disappointment for the program to lose.
If we win
- Even though Connecticut is probably going to be down this year they were down last year with an 18-16 record and were still 65th in the NCAA official RPI.
Beating UConn is always going to impress the selection committee, we all know how much they value a named program over a less known program even if the teams are basically the same.
We get to play Michigan State, a final four team from last year that is going to be in the top 10 this year and more likely be around the top 5.
Even if the Shockers lose to Mich St. our next game would likely be against either Kentucky or (probably) Washington.
Our Maui schedule would most likely look like UConn, Michigan St., and Kentucky/Washington. Wow, what an opportunity.
All of WSU's important non-conference games are either at neutral sites or on the road and a victory in the first major test away from home could really help boost the rest of the non-con.
If WSU were to win 2 of 3 games (and Chaminade not be one of those teams) then I don't think the Maui Invitational would have any other choice but to invite us back sometime in the near future to the best pre-season tournament around.
People might wonder why I would call this game huge when obviously games against Michigan St. and Kentucky/Washington would be bigger but as I've said we have to beat UConn to get to those two games. If we lose to UConn our big win of the tournament could be against Virginia 15-16 127th in the final RPI last year or Oklahoma 13-18 and was 128th in the RPI. If we don't get an actual big win in Maui then we would be in a postion where we would really need the win @San Diego State (very tough game to win) and the Tulsa game then the rest of our schedule is the five abysmal home games and a horrible LSU team who was 238th in the RPI last season, I think we would be in the position of not having alot of room for error in our Valley games.
:posterwu:
I'm pretty excited about this game and here tells you how long until tipoff.
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