The Jay Bilas Index: Top 68 Teams

[CLONECONES]

Jay Bilas ranks the nation's top 68 teams - College Basketball - ESPN

The Bilas Index measures basketball merit and proficiency, and is calculated constantly and trended over time for accuracy that makes a laser look like a dull machete wielded by a shaky-handed hack. The Bilas Index is a synthesis of the best measures and practices in the game, all brought together by the most powerful force in the game's history: the high-functioning brain, basketball experience and perspective of The Bilastrator. The Bilas Index is dedicated to providing all of the answers in the game, and is not just some after-the-fact measure of changed variables. The Bilas Index is concerned not with "snapshots" that are simply lagging indicators that shuffle things around for the sake of today's discussion, but rather reliable measures that are predictive of future outcomes and, in some ways, help determine future outcomes. The Bilas Index is the ultimate leading indicator.

46. [URL="http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/66/iowa-state-cyclones"]Iowa State Cyclones[/URL] (Previous ranking: No. 39)

The Cyclones lost to top-20 teams Cincinnati and UNLV, but Will Clyburn and [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/56161/tyrus-mcgee"]Tyrus McGee[/URL] have been very good to start the season. Unfortunately, Michigan State transfer [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/41761/korie-lucious"]Korie Lucious[/URL] is shooting only 28 percent from the floor and is turning the ball over more than four times per game.

^^^I think Korie gets on track with some more games... we'll be fine - still projected as a 13 seed

 

[mj4cy]

I would love a 12-13 seed....much better than 8-9. Just have to get hot at the end of the year and forget the seeding.

 

[MNCyGuy]

Yea, I'm not terribly worried just yet. This team still has time to find it's feet.

 

[cyclonespiker33]

I'm assuming this includes the small conference champs? So we would be on the very edge of the bubble. Obviously a lot can change.

 

[State43]

I want a 5 seed

 

[Knownothing]

Just out of curiosity where does he have the hawks

 

[CLONECONES]

Just out of curiosity where does he have the hawks

55. [URL="http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2294/iowa-hawkeyes"]Iowa Hawkeyes[/URL] (Previous ranking: No. 59)

The Hawkeyes are 5-1 and have lost only to Wichita State (though so did VCU). The problem for Iowa has been offensive efficiency; the Hawkeyes have shot the ball poorly, and have turned it over at a high rate. When you turn the ball over, you don't get a shot, a chance for an offensive rebound or a chance for a foul -- and you put yourself at a disadvantage going the other way.

inb4instaterivals

 

[BringBackJohnny]

Still too early to tell much about the season. I do think the Clones are already at a crossroads after the two losses. We will get to see if this team is a team that will start to step it up throughout the season or not. Looking for some nice strides to be made the next few weeks. W's over both Drake and the U of I this year will be a good sign.

 

[awd4cy]

13 seeds are for mid majors that won their conferece tourney.

 

[mj4cy]

4-2 and two losses to good teams is much better for shaping a team than 6-0 against cupcakes IMHO

 

[cyclones500]

I'm assuming this includes the small conference champs? So we would be on the very edge of the bubble. Obviously a lot can change.

I don't have Insider, so I can't see the list, but I think Bilas does just straight "top 68" -- based on at least one column I read when he said tournament field should be all at-large. If I recall properly.

(I typically respect his analysis, but I disagree with him on that -- I like the mix of auto qualifiers and best-of's)

 

[JJ4ISU]

I like that we have faced two good teams, so we know what we need to improve on. I would have hated to go into Big 12 season thinking we are OK at point guard. We are still far enough away that we can address that issue and try to get it taken care of. We are only six games into the season, and already KL knows that he needs to be more of a distributor than a scorer.

 

[PabloDiablo]

I didn't look at the list but I assume he has Duke occupying spots 1 through 12.

 

[cyclones500]

I didn't look at the list but I assume he has Duke occupying spots 1 through 12.

Heh-heh. But wrong.

I can see Nos. 1 & 2 without insider -- IU & Lewisville.

 

[Dryburn]

Some other teams that might be of interest:

11 Kansas
12 Missouri
15 Cincinnati
17 Okie State
18 Creighton
19 Marquette
20 UNLV
27 Colorado
29 K-State
30 Baylor
44 Oregon
45 Texas
50 Witchita State (beat Iowa)
52 BYU
55 Iowa
56 Oklahoma
57 West Virginia
67 UNI

 

[Cycl1]

where is VT, who also beat Iowa?

 

[Dryburn]

where is VT, who also beat Iowa?

This list was made before that loss I believe, and they were not listed. No doubt, their win over Iowa will vault them into at least the top 25.

 

[Wesley]

4-2 and two losses to good teams is much better for shaping a team than 6-0 against cupcakes IMHO

The group concern is how the last five minutes finished in each game. The go to guy did not materialize for all the plays that did not work. Finishing games will be an area that needs immediate improvement.

 

[Wesley]

I like that we have faced two good teams, so we know what we need to improve on. I would have hated to go into Big 12 season thinking we are OK at point guard. We are still far enough away that we can address that issue and try to get it taken care of. We are only six games into the season, and already KL knows that he needs to be more of a distributor than a scorer.

I think he knew it before, but he likes stats and the ball in his hand. Now, how do we convince him to be more team instead iof jacking shots from beyond in first ten seconds.

 

[madcityCY]

Matt Thomas with 37 pts in 2.5 qtrs of play last night.
'15 PG Nick Noskowiak with 13 pts for Sun Prairie.