ISU: Are they an NCAA Team?

[tornado]

All this talk of ISU being a bubble team and several gurus have them out while putting teams like Syracuse and Georgia Tech in...

What do you think?

[pfcmsh]

All this talk of ISU being a bubble team and several gurus have them out while putting teams like Syracuse and Georgia Tech in...

What do you think?

I think ISU deserves a bid to the tournament. The had the same number of MVC victories as Wichita State. They finished 1st in the MVC. I'd like to see them go in with Wichita State and win a few games. Any MVC team in the tournament has my support. You have to credit both ISU and Wichita. They had great teams. I cant say that I like everything about either one, but I will root for them to get in and do well in postseason play, just as I hope that their fans will support Bradley, when we earn our way back to the top.

In 1982, Bradley had 10 losses. Coach Versace, like all of us, was diappointed with the NCAA Tournament snub. Motivated, we then stormed through the NIT with a 9 point average winning margin. Illinois State has 6 losses and has earned the right to play in the NCAA torunament.

[molar50]

ISU deserves to be in the NCAA. If they had lost 2 more games in the MVC season, I would likely agree that they should not be included. I hope they get in and have success. I think their fans should support them more by showing up to their games. If Bradley had their record, the Civic Center would be packed.

[Tulsa Brave]

As of now, there are 38 teams available to fill 36 spots. No one else has a realistic chance to get in, unless a bid is "stolen" in one of the conference tourneys yet to be decided. Realistically, it come down to 7 teams for 5 spots, and 4 of the 5 that get in should be your play-in game participants (again, barring no surprises in conference tourneys the next two days). Those teams are Illinois State, Kansas State, Rhode Island, Seton Hall, USC, Providence, and Syracuse. Two of those seven will miss out for sure.

[Vent]

In reality there is a 50/50 chance they get in. People from the Valley can make a good argument why they should. People from the rest of the country can make a good argument why they shouldn't. We will find out.

[Da Coach]

In reality there is a 50/50 chance they get in. People from the Valley can make a good argument why they should. People from the rest of the country can make a good argument why they shouldn't. We will find out.

I agree, though I now think the odds have dropped below 50/50.
It hurts them a bit that the last game they played was a week ago, while all these other bubble teams are still playing and getting attention from the NCAA committee members.

[Vent]

You're probably right and the dismal state of the Valley, once you get past the top two teams doesn't help. I would say ISU is only the team that will get an NIT bid if they don't go to the NCAA.

[Braves2006]

It hurts them a bit that the last game they played was a week ago, while all these other bubble teams are still playing and getting attention from the NCAA committee members.

I believe this is and has been the case in the past. This brings up a question: Is there a GOOD reason as to why we play our conference tournament so early? In these situations it seems to only hurt us...

[tornado]

some think it helps in the short term because we get a better network media deal when there aren't too many other big conference tourneys to compete against..
3 out 4 years it doesn't matter since we either have only one team in or we have no bubble teams...

[Da Coach]

Yes, it is exclusively because of the CBS national TV deal and not wanting to compete for media attention with nearly all the other tournaments that start after the MVC's ends.

[Braves2006]

some think it helps in the short term because we get a better network media deal when there aren't too many other big conference tourneys to compete against..
3 out 4 years it doesn't matter since we either have only one team in or we have no bubble teams...

Yes, it is exclusively because of the CBS national TV deal and not wanting to compete for media attention with nearly all the other tournaments that start after the MVC's ends.

Yes I knew this was the reason. A catch 22 though. Yes you get the exposure, but a week later, I'm sure you would like the 2 in the NCAA tournament exposure better.

[Vent]

Until the teams in the league improve their schedules and their teams, by quite a bit, it's a mute point what weekend they play the tournament.

[tornado]

Dan Muller tweets a challenge to all the big boys to play him...

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/18898709/dan-muller-illinois-state-redbirds-coach-tweets-search-power-5-opponents

https://twitter.com/DanMuller/status/841273731880218624

gotta be delusional tho, since he won't get many calls for home-and-home against BCS guys - unless he wants Tulane or DePaul - and Depaul has even shied away from playing other decent in-state schools - opting instead to play Chicago State and SEMO

[Da Coach]

I think he is trying to make a sarcastic point to the NCAA that they pretend not to know. The NCAA thinks midmajors should schedule better non-conference teams, but they know that those better teams simply refuse to play midmajors like MVC teams.

[mvcfan]

Well it might have worked. There is a nice dialogue on Twitter between Muller and the Ole Miss staff. Sounds like they are trying to make something work. Not a home run but its someone.