This Year So Far

[xuwin]

It was a great opening night last night.

I feel terrible for the Hoya fans, but the road back to learning how to win doesn't travel easily, especially against a team that is well experienced in travelling it. That put back was amazing last night. Butler made sure the right people were executing on offense at the end of the game. Georgetown, not so much. I know nothing of that Blair kid's credentials or pedigree, but damn.

Xavier v. Marquette? Getting a "W" in Milwaukee this season will not be easy for anyone. I don't know what else to offer here besides that, except that, perception or not, I cringed and waited every time a 3-ball was hoisted by Marquette. It was a rather amazing display of hitting deep from all over. Frankly, I also liked whatever was going on between Macura and Rowsey towards the end. I believe a Xavier player was ready to shoot FT's, when the camera panned to those two. They appeared to be having a friendly conversation in the heat of battle.

Finally, as a minor point, while Nova was dismantling DePaul yet again, it was refreshing to at least watch the game play out in the new arena. Think about it. The Big East's worst team plays in Chicago in a spiffy new place. It will be interesting in this conference when the Blue Demons get it going again.

St. Johns is tracking back in the right direction. Perhaps Patrick can get things under control in D.C. Imagine if and when all three programs are firing on all cylinders, and if that's done while the other 7 continue in reasonably strong fashion for them.

Xudash...
Great sentiment in wanting teams to rebuild and compete. However, even if all 10 are strong, someone (a few) have to be the bottom. Can't have everyone 10-8, 9-9, 8-10. It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next few years.
Of course adding the Billikens & Bonnies would raise the rest (JP Schmack), but we know that story.

gtmoBlue, you are probably one of my favorite message board posters out there, and yes, I think St. Louis makes sense, not because of their recent resume, but because of their history, the fact the school is completely behind the program and are putting money into it, and because it is Catholic and they represent a big city, BUT.....THE BONNIES?!?!?!?!?!?! Come on man!!!!!!! You are better than that.

Dayton would be at the top of my list to add. They are a natural rival for X and they have great fan support. Too much love in the Big East. We need somebody to hate.

[stever20]

I know we were talking earlier about the impact of the new selection tiers....

looking so far this year:
Nova New/Old
T1 3-0/3-0
T2 3-0/3-0
T3 4-0/4-0
T4 3-0/3-0
no change at all

X new/old
T1 2-1/1-1
T2 2-0/2-0
T3 6-0/6-0
T4 3-0/3-0
no change at all

SH new/old
T1 2-1/2-1
T2 2-0/2-0
T3 3-1/4-0
T4 5-0/4-1
Rutgers loss moves to tier 3 which is a plus. 1 win drops from 3 to 4.

Cre new/old
T1 0-2/0-1
T2 2-0/4-1
T3 2-1/1-1
T4 6-0/5-0
hurt a bit- as now loss to Gonzaga now tier 1 rather than tier 2. Also games with Nebraska and UT Arlington moved from tier 2 to tier 3.

PC new/old
T1 1-2/1-3
T2 2-1/3-0
T3 3-1/3-1
T4 4-0/3-0
hurt some. now loss to Minnesota is tier 2 instead of tier 1. Also lose a tier 2 win vs Boston College.

But new/old
T1 1-3/1-2
T2 2-0/3-1
T3 4-0/2-0
T4 4-0/5-0
hurt some as loss to Maryland now tier 1 instead of tier 2. Also win vs Furman now tier 3 instead of tier 2. But on flip side, win vs Georgetown tier 3 instead of 4.

SJ new/old
T1 0-2/0-3
T2 1-1/2-0
T3 2-0/2-0
T4 6-0/5-0
loss to Providence now tier 2 instead of tier 1. Also win vs Nebraska counted as tier 3 instead of tier 2. 1 more tier 4 win instead of tier 3.

Mar new/old
T1 0-3/0-3
T2 1-1/1-1
T3 3-0/3-0
T4 5-0/5-0
no change at all

it'll be interesting to see these breakdowns at the end of the year. And other conferences will be impacted quite a bit.

[PCfriars]

I know we were talking earlier about the impact of the new selection tiers....

looking so far this year:
Nova New/Old
T1 3-0/3-0
T2 3-0/3-0
T3 4-0/4-0
T4 3-0/3-0
no change at all

X new/old
T1 2-1/1-1
T2 2-0/2-0
T3 6-0/6-0
T4 3-0/3-0
no change at all

SH new/old
T1 2-1/2-1
T2 2-0/2-0
T3 3-1/4-0
T4 5-0/4-1
Rutgers loss moves to tier 3 which is a plus. 1 win drops from 3 to 4.

Cre new/old
T1 0-2/0-1
T2 2-0/4-1
T3 2-1/1-1
T4 6-0/5-0
hurt a bit- as now loss to Gonzaga now tier 1 rather than tier 2. Also games with Nebraska and UT Arlington moved from tier 2 to tier 3.

PC new/old
T1 1-2/1-3
T2 2-1/3-0
T3 3-1/3-1
T4 4-0/3-0
hurt some. now loss to Minnesota is tier 2 instead of tier 1. Also lose a tier 2 win vs Boston College.

But new/old
T1 1-3/1-2
T2 2-0/3-1
T3 4-0/2-0
T4 4-0/5-0
hurt some as loss to Maryland now tier 1 instead of tier 2. Also win vs Furman now tier 3 instead of tier 2. But on flip side, win vs Georgetown tier 3 instead of 4.

SJ new/old
T1 0-2/0-3
T2 1-1/2-0
T3 2-0/2-0
T4 6-0/5-0
loss to Providence now tier 2 instead of tier 1. Also win vs Nebraska counted as tier 3 instead of tier 2. 1 more tier 4 win instead of tier 3.

Mar new/old
T1 0-3/0-3
T2 1-1/1-1
T3 3-0/3-0
T4 5-0/5-0
no change at all

it'll be interesting to see these breakdowns at the end of the year. And other conferences will be impacted quite a bit.

You need better things to do with your time

[sju88grad]

I know we were talking earlier about the impact of the new selection tiers....

looking so far this year:
Nova New/Old
T1 3-0/3-0
T2 3-0/3-0
T3 4-0/4-0
T4 3-0/3-0
no change at all

X new/old
T1 2-1/1-1
T2 2-0/2-0
T3 6-0/6-0
T4 3-0/3-0
no change at all

SH new/old
T1 2-1/2-1
T2 2-0/2-0
T3 3-1/4-0
T4 5-0/4-1
Rutgers loss moves to tier 3 which is a plus. 1 win drops from 3 to 4.

Cre new/old
T1 0-2/0-1
T2 2-0/4-1
T3 2-1/1-1
T4 6-0/5-0
hurt a bit- as now loss to Gonzaga now tier 1 rather than tier 2. Also games with Nebraska and UT Arlington moved from tier 2 to tier 3.

PC new/old
T1 1-2/1-3
T2 2-1/3-0
T3 3-1/3-1
T4 4-0/3-0
hurt some. now loss to Minnesota is tier 2 instead of tier 1. Also lose a tier 2 win vs Boston College.

But new/old
T1 1-3/1-2
T2 2-0/3-1
T3 4-0/2-0
T4 4-0/5-0
hurt some as loss to Maryland now tier 1 instead of tier 2. Also win vs Furman now tier 3 instead of tier 2. But on flip side, win vs Georgetown tier 3 instead of 4.

SJ new/old
T1 0-2/0-3
T2 1-1/2-0
T3 2-0/2-0
T4 6-0/5-0
loss to Providence now tier 2 instead of tier 1. Also win vs Nebraska counted as tier 3 instead of tier 2. 1 more tier 4 win instead of tier 3.

Mar new/old
T1 0-3/0-3
T2 1-1/1-1
T3 3-0/3-0
T4 5-0/5-0
no change at all

it'll be interesting to see these breakdowns at the end of the year. And other conferences will be impacted quite a bit.

Only YOU were talking about the new “tiers”. The rest of us are enjoying some of the best college hoops in the country.

[kmacker69]

Suck it Stever! Butler just throwing your crap into the trash bin!

[kayako]

Suck it Stever! Butler just throwing your crap into the trash bin!

His projecting the entire season according to kenpom was gonna be blown to bits sooner or later. Congrats to Butler. Hopefully beating Nova still basically means ncaa berth this year.

[stever20]

I still think 5 bids is extremely possible, if not likely. Butler likely has made it where 4 is out of the question. I said to start the thread that 5 was very likely.

I think for Marquette and St John's- these next few weeks are huge...

Marquette is already 1-1. January is brutal. @ Providence, @ Villanova, Seton Hall, @ Butler, trap game with DePaul, @ Xavier, Villanova, and Butler. 8 games and 2-6 could be extremely possible. Oh, and Feb starts off with Providence and then 3 road games @ Seton Hall, St John's, and Creighton.

St John's is 0-1. After tomorrow @ Seton Hall and Wed @ Creighton, got 2 home must wins vs DePaul, Georgetown. Then a gauntlet with Villanova, @ Xavier, @ Georgetown, Creighton, @ Butler, Xavier, Duke, and @ Villanova. They could easily be 2-10 after that gauntlet. If they don't get healthy here in the next few weeks, they're toast.

Those 2 are going to be lucky to stay afloat here.

Providence did get road win which was big. But they really need 10 wins due to the 4 OOC losses. And still have 10 games left with top 5 teams. If they had gone 10-3 OOC, I'd say they were in pretty decent shape, but they didn't. I could see them entering the BET at 18-13, but having to beat whoever the 3 seed is to get into the tourney. That's going to be tough. Of the other 3 teams- they have by far the best shot I think. Part of that is they have the best coach of the 3- by a wide margin.

[kmacker69]

Sorry for that response, I was drunk and giddy. But Statistical analysis can only take you so far in a world full of emotion, passion, and luck. Kenpom and other attempt to quantify that have failed and will continue to do so!

[gosports1]

Their history? SLU has won five NCAA tournament games since 1952. They have only been in nine tournaments in the history of college basketball.

SLU is a joke.

They are barely different than adding Bradley.... See Bradley below.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... team1/5424

Funny thing is after I posted that I checked out their Wikipedia page and was kind of shocked at their lack of history. To be honest for some reason I thought they were a team that was good back in the day that just faded in recent years. Boy was I wrong. I stand corrected.

I still can't figure out who the 11th team should be. I am honestly happy with the teams we have now. Think it is perfect until somebody really separates themselves.

wernt they good back in the days when the NCAA tourney meant less?. a lifetime ago for many on here.

[marquette]

I still think 5 bids is extremely possible, if not likely. Butler likely has made it where 4 is out of the question. I said to start the thread that 5 was very likely.

I think for Marquette and St John's- these next few weeks are huge...

Marquette is already 1-1. January is brutal. @ Providence, @ Villanova, Seton Hall, @ Butler, trap game with DePaul, @ Xavier, Villanova, and Butler. 8 games and 2-6 could be extremely possible. Oh, and Feb starts off with Providence and then 3 road games @ Seton Hall, St John's, and Creighton.

St John's is 0-1. After tomorrow @ Seton Hall and Wed @ Creighton, got 2 home must wins vs DePaul, Georgetown. Then a gauntlet with Villanova, @ Xavier, @ Georgetown, Creighton, @ Butler, Xavier, Duke, and @ Villanova. They could easily be 2-10 after that gauntlet. If they don't get healthy here in the next few weeks, they're toast.

Those 2 are going to be lucky to stay afloat here.

Providence did get road win which was big. But they really need 10 wins due to the 4 OOC losses. And still have 10 games left with top 5 teams. If they had gone 10-3 OOC, I'd say they were in pretty decent shape, but they didn't. I could see them entering the BET at 18-13, but having to beat whoever the 3 seed is to get into the tourney. That's going to be tough. Of the other 3 teams- they have by far the best shot I think. Part of that is they have the best coach of the 3- by a wide margin.

So you're saying we play in the Big East? Tell me more.

I'm pretty sure either us or PC has to win those matchups sooo...