Bubble Watch: Day's winners, losers, more - Men's College Basketball Nation Blog - ESPN says some nice things about ISU
bubble team article on ESPN
- Thread starter CyCloned
- Start date
Kansas really embarrassed themselves against Baylor. He says, "Anyway, I wouldn't be able to say any of this had Iowa State lost at West Virginia on Saturday. It didn't, and so I can." Also he should add, Kansas getting smoked by Baylor helped this cause. Kansas just isn't the team that it is billed, they lost their number 1 seed and that doesn't hurt my feelings.
First off, we were not on the bubble any more. I don't really care what some of these experts say, we were in regardless of the outcome with WVU. I think they like to list as many bubble teams as possible just to increase readership. We're in.
Second, it is the first time I've seen a writer use wording that actually makes it seem like something corrupt was happening with the KU officiating. For a columnist to actually use the word diabolical when referring to the officials surprises me, but I almost think that is more realistic. Those officials couldn't have been THAT horrible, it had to be on purpose. The real question is, what was their motivation?
Second, it is the first time I've seen a writer use wording that actually makes it seem like something corrupt was happening with the KU officiating. For a columnist to actually use the word diabolical when referring to the officials surprises me, but I almost think that is more realistic. Those officials couldn't have been THAT horrible, it had to be on purpose. The real question is, what was their motivation?
haha ..i posted a link on my fb to that story, highlighting both the Iowa and Iowa State parts. A hawk friend of mine questioned how ISU gets forgiven for the ku loses and Iowa doesnt for a couple of close losses they had. All I could say is "butthurt much"
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DistrictCyclone
Guest
You know what pisses me off? That Illinois and Minnesota are considered "locks" by most of these stupid experts. I don't give a **** if they both have good RPIs and have won 20+ games overall...when you finish 2 games below .500 in conference play (tied with 15-16 Purdue) because you absolutely shat the bed as soon as January 1 rolled around, you should not ever be considered a lock. Both of them have at least 2 more losses than wins against RPI top-50 teams, and both of them have 2 losses to teams with an RPI above 100.
But both will probably get in because "ooooh, they play in the big bad Big Ten". I hate to say it, but Iowa has a legitimate gripe if the selection committee leapfrogs them to pick both Illinois and Minnesota for the NCAA while they are left for the NIT.
But both will probably get in because "ooooh, they play in the big bad Big Ten". I hate to say it, but Iowa has a legitimate gripe if the selection committee leapfrogs them to pick both Illinois and Minnesota for the NCAA while they are left for the NIT.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
Iowa has at least one win over each Illinois and Minnesota, too, right?
If I were them, that would seem like an important point. Better conference record, and wins over those two teams.
It doesn't make them #1 in the Big Ten (no shame this year), but it should provide some valid comparison with teams right near them in the standings.
What is even worse is that many "experts" pick these two teams to make a surprise run in the NCAA.
I haven't seen much of I'll, but the gophers have been playing awful ball.
Absent a signature win against a legit ranked opponent, I don't see how we have much of a gripe. They have huge wins against the #1 and #2 teams in the country. We don't. If we could've closed the deal against Indiana or MSU that would've been the difference I think. Since we couldn't, and our pathetic OOC schedule, I don't think we have much to complain about. If we can beat NW and then MSU in the BTT, we'll be legitimately on the bubble. If we win the BTT, we're in. Not likely though.
Both Illinois and Minnesota had some good/great non-conference wins, which is probably why their considered "locks". Illinois winning at Gonzaga might be the best win of the year, in terms of resume.
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DistrictCyclone
Guest
Yes, although I believe Iowa only played Illinois once. Iowa should have two wins over Minnesota but they were in full-blown choke mode at Minneapolis.
Illinois is nothing special. I was trying to claim they were overrated over on HN in late December because they had been shooting freakishly good, especially from beyond the arc, IIRC. I didn't think there was any way they could keep that going through conference play.
The problem with relying on the OOC is that those games were 3 months ago. That's an eternity for a college basketball team. I believe that games later in the season should probably carry more weight, since I'm sure they're better predictors of how that team will do in the tournament than early-season games when every single team is still trying to find its identity.
Good post, Iowa needs a signature win and they can only get one if they win a minimum of two in the conference tournament. That would legitimately give them a shot. Beating Northwestern is a requirement to get to the game that gives them a chance, but it alone won't do it if the Hawks go on to lose their 2nd conference tourney matchup.
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DistrictCyclone
Guest
I feel your pain. It's got to suck knowing that you're a good enough team to compete in the tournament but don't have the "resume" to plead your case.
Iowa can also blame their "No Courage" policy when it comes to their non-conference scheduling. They have been toting the fact that they are in the toughest conference before the season ever took off, I see it as Iowa thought because of their tough conference they could just limp along and play sisters of the poor schools (minus their MANDATORY in state games) and try to get into the tournament that way.....it backfired on them, and now they want to gripe about it....
I think anyone with eyeballs can see that ISU would wipe the floor with Iowa at this point in the season, yes we were late bloomers, but the selection commitee has eyeballs and can see that Iowa is more inconsistant than the weather forcasters on TV.
I think anyone with eyeballs can see that ISU would wipe the floor with Iowa at this point in the season, yes we were late bloomers, but the selection commitee has eyeballs and can see that Iowa is more inconsistant than the weather forcasters on TV.
Edit, nevermind when you say "we" you are talking about the Hawkeyes.
How in the hell do you not consider Top 15 teams OSU and KSU legit ranked opponents? They are both excellent teams, seriously take a look at KSU's resume, huge wins and AT Hilton is their worst loss. Legit 3 seed, maybe 2 if they get hot in Big 12 tourney. OSU is legit 4 seed.
I agree they have no one to blame but themselves. Certainly even Hawk fans know that even though the B1G is tough this year, they had a very easy B1G schedule to counteract the conference strength.
I wouldn't say we would wipe the floor with them though. I do think we're playing better now, and we're a lot more confident than we were in December.
If we played in Hilton, we win. If we play in Carver, they probably win. If we played on a neutral court 5 times, I think we win 3 of them.
True. But that was pretty much a key to us getting to 20 wins, sad as it sounds. There's a lot of youth on this team, the thinking might have been to get them easy W's to build confidence and chemistry. I'm not sure how many people at the beginning of the season actually counted the NCAA tourney as a realistic possibility. Now that it looks like it could have been, yes, that weak OOC sched will probably be a big part of the downfall.
Man does it ever chap KU fan's @$$ that the national media keeps bringing up that ISU beat them at Hilton. Weeks later and it's still popping up all over the place.
