Bracketology

[Stryker]

Queue the obligatory comment about quad 1 wins now. Blah blah blah.
Game is fixed. Absolute travesty.

It seems egregious right now with a NET of 29, but Indiana State did themselves no favors losing to ISU and SIU down the stretch. I've also noted in another thread, Indiana States non-conference schedule was complete garbage outside of Michigan State and Alabama, and they lost to Michigan State and Alabama by double digits. A mid-major just has to beat a good team if they want to get in the tournament now, and Indiana State's best win this year was at Bradley.

By comparison, most of the Mountain West teams that got bids had at least one win against a ranked team or strong power conference team this year.

We can claim that the power teams won't schedule mid-majors, and it has definitely changed in the last 15 years, but Indiana State had two of them on their schedule this year and ended up with two fat L's on their record. I'm sure the committee believes if they deserved to get in they would have beaten Michigan State, and that would have put them in IMO.

[Tommy]

It seems egregious right now with a NET of 29, but Indiana State did themselves no favors losing to ISU and SIU down the stretch. I've also noted in another thread, Indiana States non-conference schedule was complete garbage outside of Michigan State and Alabama, and they lost to Michigan State and Alabama by double digits. A mid-major just has to beat a good team if they want to get in the tournament now, and Indiana State's best win this year was at Bradley.

By comparison, most of the Mountain West teams that got bids had at least one win against a ranked team or strong power conference team this year.

We can claim that the power teams won't schedule mid-majors, and it has definitely changed in the last 15 years, but Indiana State had two of them on their schedule this year and ended up with two fat L's on their record. I'm sure the committee believes if they deserved to get in they would have beaten Michigan State, and that would have put them in IMO.

The fact is, Quad 1 and rankings are all subjective. You know what's not subjective? Wins and losses. And a 28 win team in the MVC deserves an invite to challenge for a national championship, not the 6th or 7th best team from the Big 10 or other PC's that already had their chance to win their conference or conference tournament.

[bradleyfan124]

It seems egregious right now with a NET of 29, but Indiana State did themselves no favors losing to ISU and SIU down the stretch. I've also noted in another thread, Indiana States non-conference schedule was complete garbage outside of Michigan State and Alabama, and they lost to Michigan State and Alabama by double digits. A mid-major just has to beat a good team if they want to get in the tournament now, and Indiana State's best win this year was at Bradley.

By comparison, most of the Mountain West teams that got bids had at least one win against a ranked team or strong power conference team this year.

We can claim that the power teams won't schedule mid-majors, and it has definitely changed in the last 15 years, but Indiana State had two of them on their schedule this year and ended up with two fat L's on their record. I'm sure the committee believes if they deserved to get in they would have beaten Michigan State, and that would have put them in IMO.

And if Northwestern deserved to get in they should have beaten Chicago State

[Stryker]

And if Northwestern deserved to get in they should have beaten Chicago State

I don't disagree, but NW had three wins against top 15 teams this year...that wipes the bad loss away according to the committee...

[BUSongwriter]

I don't disagree, but NW had three wins against top 15 teams this year...that wipes the bad loss away according to the committee...

I believe those three wins were all at home. How many top 15 teams came into MVC arenas? Also, NW had a whopping FOUR road wins this year. Michigan State? Three road wins. OK, winning on the road in the B1G is difficult. But if the power conference teams don't schedule -- and win -- difficult road games in their non-con, shouldn't they be penalized?

[Da Coach]

I don't disagree, but NW had three wins against top 15 teams this year...that wipes the bad loss away according to the committee...

But that is the difference... those teams like Northwestern, because they are in the Power Conference, get to play those top teams twice a year, and one of them is on their home court. So even crappy power conference teams have the opportunity that schools like Bradley, Indiana State, and every other mid-major never gets. Because of the way the NCAA has rigged the selection evaluation, if they can beat one of those top teams, it boosts their profile and NET tremendously. But even if they lose, their NET usually rises just by playing them.

[Tommy]

But that is the difference... those teams like Northwestern, because they are in the Power Conference, get to play those top teams twice a year, and one of them is on their home court. So even crappy power conference teams have the opportunity that schools like Bradley, Indiana State, and every other mid-major never gets. Because of the way the NCAA has rigged the selection evaluation, if they can beat one of those top teams, it boosts their profile and NET tremendously. But even if they lose, their NET usually rises just by playing them.

Exactly. Aside from the obvious advantage of Q1 games at home, they also played 11 Q1 games (since they're in the Big 10). ISU Blue played 5 Q1 games. Do you think if they had 6 more chances they might have pulled off a couple wins, especially had they gotten the chances at home?

Either the NCAA tournament is a tournament of champions or it's not, and it's clear at this point that it's not. It's just a tournament of teams that will bring in the most revenue, sadly.

Funny thing about all this is that I'm not even complaining that BU didn't get a shot, but conference champions should all get a slot imo, as well as conference tournament champions. After that, fill in the blanks.

[Stryker]

Exactly. Aside from the obvious advantage of Q1 games at home, they also played 11 Q1 games (since they're in the Big 10). ISU Blue played 5 Q1 games. Do you think if they had 6 more chances they might have pulled off a couple wins, especially had they gotten the chances at home?

Either the NCAA tournament is a tournament of champions or it's not, and it's clear at this point that it's not. It's just a tournament of teams that will bring in the most revenue, sadly.

Funny thing about all this is that I'm not even complaining that BU didn't get a shot, but conference champions should all get a slot imo, as well as conference tournament champions. After that, fill in the blanks.

That structure would probably be worse for mid-majors actually. You want potentially 2 teams from any number of the bottom 16 conferences? You could turn the MEAC, SWAC and Ohio Valley conferences into potential multi-bid leagues! Just this year you would have Stetson & Eastern Kentucky in the field from the ASUN, Western Kentucky & Sam Houston from Conference USA, James Madison and Appalachian State from the Sun Belt, Longwood and High Point from the Big South, and Wagner & Central Connecticut from the Northeast.

You really think that would be fair? That's 5 additional bids going to teams from bottom of the barrel conferences. Yeah you might get 2 bids for the mid majors but forget about any mid major conference ever having the ability to get more than 2 bids.

I think almost anyone would say BU is better this year than almost all the teams I've listed above. It sucks the selection process isn't more objective, but no one has seriously been able to come up with a better way to select teams at this point IMO.

[Tommy]

That structure would probably be worse for mid-majors actually. You want potentially 2 teams from any number of the bottom 16 conferences? You could turn the MEAC, SWAC and Ohio Valley conferences into potential multi-bid leagues! Just this year you would have Stetson & Eastern Kentucky in the field from the ASUN, Western Kentucky & Sam Houston from Conference USA, James Madison and Appalachian State from the Sun Belt, Longwood and High Point from the Big South, and Wagner & Central Connecticut from the Northeast.

You really think that would be fair? That's 5 additional bids going to teams from bottom of the barrel conferences. Yeah you might get 2 bids for the mid majors but forget about any mid major conference ever having the ability to get more than 2 bids.

I think almost anyone would say BU is better this year than almost all the teams I've listed above. It sucks the selection process isn't more objective, but no one has seriously been able to come up with a better way to select teams at this point IMO.

Yes, I want a tournament of CHAMPIONS. Conference champs and tournament champs. Everyone else had their chance during the season and their respective conference tournaments. I don't need to see Northwestern and Wisconsin get their 3rd try at winning a championship when they've already failed twice.

[Stryker]

Yes, I want a tournament of CHAMPIONS. Conference champs and tournament champs. Everyone else had their chance during the season and their respective conference tournaments. I don't need to see Northwestern and Wisconsin get their 3rd try at winning a championship when they've already failed twice.

Fair enough if that is your criteria.

But why not include DII conferences then? I mean there are plenty of DII teams better than the teams in the bottom D-1 conferences, and are they not champions too?

But what are they champions of?

Most people recognize a line has to be drawn somewhere in regards to the ability and talent of teams. Maybe there should only be 15 D1 conferences then. But if you stack the 64 team field with 15-20 teams that are from the bottom conferences all you will get are blow out games the first round. Clearly there are one-offs like FDU beating Purdue last year, but 99% of the time those teams will lose the first round.

[Tommy]

Fair enough if that is your criteria.

But why not include DII conferences then? I mean there are plenty of DII teams better than the teams in the bottom D-1 conferences, and are they not champions too?

But what are they champions of?

Most people recognize a line has to be drawn somewhere in regards to the ability and talent of teams. Maybe there should only be 15 D1 conferences then. But if you stack the 64 team field with 15-20 teams that are from the bottom conferences all you will get are blow out games the first round. Clearly there are one-offs like FDU beating Purdue last year, but 99% of the time those teams will lose the first round.

I'm sorry I have to explain this to you, but D1 and D2 are DIFFERENT LEAGUES. MVC and the power conferences are the SAME LEAGUE!

[Stryker]

I'm sorry I have to explain this to you, but D1 and D2 are DIFFERENT LEAGUES. MVC and the power conferences are the SAME LEAGUE!

I think we are talking past each other at this point. I was simply trying to take your position down it's logical path.

[Tommy]

I think we are talking past each other at this point. I was simply trying to take your position down it's logical path.

The logical path does not extend to entirely different leagues.

[Stryker]

The logical path does not extend to entirely different leagues.

And why does an arbitrary league classification that has teams drop out and join every year and is based on monetary resources and not talent become the dividing line you stick too? If a team drops to D2 and has all the same players as the previous year in D1 they are somehow lesser than they were the previous year? Why is that the line you draw?

[Da Coach]

ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi just posted his preview of the 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket.
He put Bradley in as the MVC automatic qualifier and as a 12-seed in the West Region - https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/st...ld-predictions

This obviously means nothing. Note that he has Missouri in the tournament as an 11-seed in the West Region.
That is a bit silly. Missouri finished dead last (14th) in the SEC this year with an 0-18 conference record, and they lose 5 of their top 6 scorers.