|
Post by Commissioner on Mar 15, 2014 22:46:18 GMT -5
20 teams have accepted invitations to the CIT, the tournament designed for low and mid-majors.
Known CIT bids: Wright State (Horizon 20-14) Valparaiso (Horizon 18-15) IPFW (Summit 24-10) Omaha (Summit 16-14) Holy Cross (Patriot 19-13) Canisius (MAAC 21-12) Quinnipiac (MAAC 20-11) Chattanooga (Southern 18-14) Columbia (Ivy 19-12) Brown (Ivy 15-13) Yale (Ivy 15-13) East Carolina (CUSA 16-15) East Tennessee State (Atlantic Sun 18-15) USC Upstate (Atlantic Sun 19-14) Grand Canyon (WAC 15-14) Missouri State (MVC 20-12) Murray State (OVC 18-11) Pacific (WCC 15-15) San Diego (WCC 16-16) VMI (Big South 20-12)
Here are first round games scheduled so far: Columbia at Valparaiso Holy Cross at Brown Chattanooga at East Tennessee State Wright State at East Carolina Murray State at Missouri State Pacific at Grand Canyon Quinnipiac at Yale
I suppose the CIT isn't really worth a lot of thought, and some of it is getting teams willing to pay to host 1st round games, but I don't get a couple of these. They seem to have rushed out to get bids to some pretty bad teams, and I suspect some better teams may eventually be available.
That aside, as for scheduled games, shouldn't IPFW play at Valpo? Local rivalry, they didn't play this year. You could give a bid to Stony Brook and send Columbia there for a game. I'm also a bit surprised Wright State isn't hosting. Maybe they didn't want to, but they typically draw well enough to make it pay.
|
|
|
Post by Commissioner on Mar 16, 2014 7:24:19 GMT -5
To answer my own question, I gather that IPFW is springing for a home game, which is why they won't play at Valpo. Similarly, Stony Brook (assuming they would get invited) may not want a home game - they drew under 1700 for the America East championship game with an NCAA bid on the line.
|
|
|
Post by motorcitysam on Mar 16, 2014 17:59:08 GMT -5
Not only did Stony Brook only draw 1700 fans, but the opposing team's fans stormed the court at the final buzzer. Can't be a good feeling to have your home court stormed by the other team.
Couple of interesting notes: Three Ivy league teams in the CIT. Grand Canyon must see this as a good opportunity, since they are springing for a home game.
|
|
|
Post by Commissioner on Mar 16, 2014 20:52:46 GMT -5
For Grand Canyon and Dan Majerle, any post-season in your first year in D-I is good, I think. And if you're Majerle, springing for a home game might itself be a recruiting tool in a way it would not be for a team with a long history: "This school is committed to becoming a basketball power. You can be part of that."
|
|
|
Post by Commissioner on Mar 16, 2014 21:35:57 GMT -5
Initial reactions to NCAA Bracket: - Not that surprised that SMU didn't make it. A little surprised, yes, but I've thought all year they were overrated and their schedule pretty soft. Their only good road win is one at Connecticut.
- Every region is - Relatedly, I used to get worked up about injustices in selection, but basically, if you can't make the field of 68, a) you weren't going to go very far anyway, and b) you've got enough flaws and missed opportunities that its hard to see as a grave injustice. Lots of good teams out there, and not everyone can make it.
- Every region is tough - no team really ever gets it easy.
- That said, I agree with the growing consensus - the Midwest really looks tough, with Wichita, Michigan, Duke, & Louisville, plus Kentucky and several other dangerous teams lurking. The South is not as tough, but it's good, with #1 Florida and #2 Kansas. Syracuse is the 3 and they're stumbling, while UCLA is a solid 4. Ohio State is playing well after a mid-season slump and is a dangerous looking #6.
- The East and West look weakest. With the East, I guess it depends in part on whether you still refuse to credit Virginia, the #1 seed. They probably are the weakest #1. #2 Villanova, while it is obviously a good team with lots of nice wins, has faltered badly against top teams. They have a really impressive 4 point win against Kansas on a neutral court back in November, but their other top 50 wins are over #32 St. Joe's, and twice each over Xavier and Providence. That's impressive, for sure. But if you're looking for a final 4 team, in top 30 games other than Kansas they lost twice to Creighton, by 28 and 21 points, and to Syracuse by 16. And they just don't eyeball to me like much better than Sweet 16 material. Iowa State is the third seed in the East, playing very well, yet not a team anybody predicted this year for the top 10, and not in the top 10. That may set it up well for Michigan State, the #4. They may be my dark horse when I fill out the bracket. In the West, Arizona and Wisconsin are solid at the 1-2, but #3 Creighton isn't that fearsome, and #4 San Diego State, well, they come from the Mountain West, which never seems to hit in the clutch. The 5-6 teams, Oklahoma and Baylor, have also been inconsistent.
- The Committee treated the Atlantic 10 quite well. Not only did they get 6 teams in (no real surprise), but they got good seeds. I think that VCU is overseeded as the #5 in the South, and St. Louis got a #5 in the Midwest despite laboring down the stretch. Dayton got in and didn't even have to be in the play-in game, with a #11 seed and one of the most intriguing first round match-ups, against Ohio State. UMass is a solid #6 seed, but it's easy to envision them being seeded 7th to 10th. Likewise, GW is a solid #9 yet you could have envisioned them being a 10-12 seed.
- As many have noted, the AAC got little respect. Not only did SMU get snubbed, but Louisville was seeded only #4. Here, a weak schedule overcame the eye test and any allowance for what they did with that schedule.
- First round games to watch:
- Harvard vs. Cincinnati. The old alma mater might beat the Bearcats. - Ohio State vs. Dayton. Great job by the Committee. - VCU v. Stephen F. Austin. I'm picking VCU, but they've been soft at times. I think Austin will be a popular upset pick, but don't buy it. Austin just doesn't play a schedule that gets you tournament ready. Their top win is over #92 Towson. Their only other top 100 opponent was Texas, a 10 point loss. Still, 28 straight wins? Gotta respect that. - Kentucky v. Kansas State - All the 8-9 and 7-10 games. - As a one-time resident of the Zoo, I'm interested in watching Western Michigan, which has been playing very well, take on Syracuse, which has been playing poorly. - I predict fewer upsets this year than usual.
|
|
|
Post by Commissioner on Mar 16, 2014 21:57:32 GMT -5
- Top RPI team not to make the NCAA Tournament: Southern Mississippi (#33) - Top RPI team not to make the NCAA or NIT: Middle Tennessee State (#64) [note: it is possible that a team turned down a bid] - Top RPI teams not to play in post season: -- Middle Tenneessee State (22-9, #64) -- Richmond (19-14, #75) -- Maryland (16-15, #78) -- Boise State (19-13, #82) -- St Bonaventure (17-15, #89) -- Marquette (17-15, #92) -- Mississippi (19-14, #94) -- La Salle (15-16, #98).
Best RPI in CBI: Oregon State, #100 Best RPI in CIT: Eastern Michigan, #86
Worst RPI in NCAA Tournament: Texas Southern, #239 Worst RPI in NIT: High Point, #171 Worst RPI in CBI: Radford, #240 Worst RPI in CIT: Portland State, #252
|
|
|
Post by motorcitysam on Mar 17, 2014 8:03:39 GMT -5
For Grand Canyon and Dan Majerle, any post-season in your first year in D-I is good, I think. And if you're Majerle, springing for a home game might itself be a recruiting tool in a way it would not be for a team with a long history: "This school is committed to becoming a basketball power. You can be part of that." Yep. Excellent point. Speaking of Grand Canyon, did they red shirt Miro Jaksic? I know that was what we thought their plan would be. I see him on their roster but I don't see any stats for him.
|
|
|
Post by motorcitysam on Mar 17, 2014 8:39:22 GMT -5
SMU is an interesting case. It kind of illustrates that the NCAA isn't about getting the best 64 (or 68) teams in the country into the tournament. I remember a few years back one of the post Tark UNLV teams was ranked in the top 25 and didn't get into the dance. I think SMU is one of the top 64 teams in college basketball; they have 23 wins and beat four ranked teams. However, I do think they were overrated this year, in part because the sports media likes the Larry Brown story. Funny how the theme from the press is "Look at the great job Larry Brown is doing recruiting all that great talent to SMU" when they ignore the other side of the argument; Larry Brown got in trouble for NCAA violations at Kansas and UCLA, and the violations were so bad at Kansas they didn't get to defend their title.
Marquette must have turned down a bid. I can't see the NIT AND the CBI not inviting them.
I still think the Big Ten has been overrated this year. U of M, MSU, and Wisconsin are good, but I think the rest of the conference is pretty average on the high major scale.
I thought the Big 12 was the best conference in the country this year, and they got seven teams in. I didn't expect to see the A-10 get six teams in the dance.
And I continue to hate the fact that the play in games have become known as the first round. :-)
|
|
|
Post by Commissioner on Mar 21, 2014 22:11:48 GMT -5
Oh man, VCU commits the unforgivable sin: leading by 4 with 5 seconds left, they fouled the three-point shooter. He made the trey, completed the 4 point play to force OT, and Stephen F. Austin won in OT.
|
|