NCAA bound, but that's about it
- Thread starter Ms3r4ISU
- Start date
It kinda sucks that we were the ONLY team in the top 16 RPI that didn't get selected to host. UCLA, with an RPI of 18 was seeded 12th. Our final RPI was 15. When I saw Kansas come up as the 16 seed in our region, I knew we would be on the road to face a fairly high seeded opponent. Personally, I think we earned the right to host, going 6-1 to end the season after starting 1-3 and keeping our RPI as high as we did. I hope we were in the discussion, at least. The problem was that the Big 12 wasn't particularly strong top-to-bottom this year and it was unlikely that more than Texas and one other league team would host 1st and 2nd round games. Kansas went 6-1 to end their season as well, but aside from playing Penn State early (an 0-3 loss), their non-con schedule was pretty soft. Maybe KU will lose at home. That would be nice to see.
Illinois will definitely be a tough match, that is if we make it past the first round. It has to help that some of the squad has played and won in that gym.
It's not a guarantee to host, unfortunately. The selection committee can (and does) look at other factors. A few years back, UNC came to Iowa State for 1st and 2nd round games and their RPI was 12 at the end of the season, IIRC. You just have to suck it up and play where they tell you to play. Sometimes, your team still comes home with two wins and you get to play again, regardless (we've done it before and can do it again). We haven't been real good away from Hilton this year and that's a big concern when you're staring at a "win or go home" situation.
