ISU's At-Large Possibilities

[tornado]

Nice article by Jim Benson of the Pantagraph, covering ISU and their at-large possibilities.
Benson thinks if they win one game in St. Louis it's a lock, BUT>>>>>>
he does note that ISU's 22-8 record and 33 RPI are almost as impressive as the
22-8 record and 21 RPI that Barry Hinson's Missouri State Bears had in 2006 when they got left home.

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/03/03/usports/doc47cb5581e58e2802890984.txt

Time will tell...but it is a very nice article and good coverage.

[shaunguth]

Not a real big stretch at this point as the new projections at CBS, USA Today, and Bracketography all have them in the field right now.

Right now, I've got them as the 60th most likely team to get in.

[tornado]

A Chicago Trib article talks about the possibility that it is possible NOT ONE team from Illinois could be in the NCAA. They even acknowledge even if ISU gets in, it'll reflect a sad state of affairs for the D-I teams in Illinois.

[MacabreMob]

Jerry Palm's comments regarding ISU on the bubble....

Good: swept SIU, swept Creighton

Bad: lost at Indy St, lost at UNI, lost at E Michigan

"The Redbirds finished second in the Valley. If they reach the tournament final, they have a decent chance of getting in."

[shaunguth]

USA Today's comments on ISU:

The Good:
??? Four Top 50 wins (Southern Illinois twice and Creighton twice)

??? 7-5 on the road

??? 8-4 in last 12

The Bad:
??? Eastern Michigan (225)

IN
Four straight wins and the Redbirds have played their way into the field of 65. We'll see where they take it in the MVC tournament, but a title-game run could keep them in the field.

[J Money]

If they get past presumably SIU in the semi's and get to the title game there's no way they can be left out. Finishing multiple games ahead of the third place team in the Valley and with numbers that strong? I'd call it a lock if they get to the title game.

[MacabreMob]

USA Today's comments on ISU:

The Good:
??? Four Top 50 wins (Southern Illinois twice and Creighton twice)

??? 7-5 on the road

??? 8-4 in last 12

The Bad:
??? Eastern Michigan (225)

IN
Four straight wins and the Redbirds have played their way into the field of 65. We'll see where they take it in the MVC tournament, but a title-game run could keep them in the field.

And that might not hold. SIU's 47 might hang for a little while, but if we can beat Creighton - their 48 won't. And even if SIU gets down close to 40... they could still slip in the final week when the MVC is not playing but everyone else around them (and under them are).

[shaunguth]

And that might not hold. SIU's 47 might hang for a little while, but if we can beat Creighton - their 48 won't. And even if SIU gets down close to 40... they could still slip in the final week when the MVC is not playing but everyone else around them (and under them are).

Do they count "Top 50 Wins" at the end of the season or where those teams were at the time the games were played?

[MacabreMob]

Do they count "Top 50 Wins" at the end of the season or where those teams were at the time the games were played?

At the end... so the information continues to change.

[shaunguth]

At the end... so the information continues to change.

That's bizarre....because if you beat a top 50 team and then they fall out of the top 50 BECAUSE you beat them.....that just doesn't make sense. You still beat a top 50 team.

[Bravesfan]

Nice article by Jim Benson of the Pantagraph, covering ISU and their at-large possibilities.
Benson thinks if they win one game in St. Louis it's a lock, BUT>>>>>>
he does note that ISU's 22-8 record and 33 RPI are almost as impressive as the
22-8 record and 21 RPI that Barry Hinson's Missouri State Bears had in 2006 when they got left home.

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/03/03/usports/doc47cb5581e58e2802890984.txt

Time will tell...but it is a very nice article and good coverage.

BUT, the big difference here is that ISU finished in second place (by two games to boot). MSU finished third. That's a huge difference.

[Bravesfan]

A Chicago Trib article talks about the possibility that it is possible NOT ONE team from Illinois could be in the NCAA. They even acknowledge even if ISU gets in, it'll reflect a sad state of affairs for the D-I teams in Illinois.

I wonder why they feel that way. Do they feel ISU doesn't "count"? ISU most certainly can win a game or two in the NCAA's. Plus they are no fluke in that they have a veteran team.

Yes one team from the state is not a great showing, but this one representative has the potential to do some damage in the tourney. Besides, SIU had their first off year in seven seasons, so they'll be back. And they may not be finished yet this season anyway.

And ditto for Bradley.

[BradleyBrave]

A Chicago Trib article talks about the possibility that it is possible NOT ONE team from Illinois could be in the NCAA. They even acknowledge even if ISU gets in, it'll reflect a sad state of affairs for the D-I teams in Illinois.

I wonder what they would say if both ISU and BU (or ISU and SIU) made the tournament? Would it still be a 'sad state of affairs' just because the state's flagship university didn't make it? What if both teams won a game or two?

[tornado]

Yup, mainly it was a rip against Illinois if you saw the story...
It wasn't in the Trib but the Kane Co. Chronicle

http://www.kcchronicle.com/articles/2008/03/02/sports/sunday_special/doc47ca79643a89b568484333.prt

[Da Coach]

Obviously, if ISU wins the MVC tournament, they don't have to worry about the committee's at-large choices.

But, ISU's at-large chances are dependent on a few more things--

They must hope there are not many upsets in the tournaments of low ranked conferences. For every non-deserving team that gets an automatic bid, there is one less at-large slot.

They have to hope the lower teams in the BCS conferences don't overachieve, or win out and take away another at-large slot.

They must avoid a first game upset in the MVC tournament.

And it would help them a lot if Drake wins the MVC tournament, rather than another team lower in the league than ISU. That would put a 2nd team from the MVC in the NCAA tournament, and push ISU to the edge of the bubble.

None of these are predictable right now, so, as usual, they must take care of the only thing they can control themselves, their games Friday and Saturday.