OT: D1

[bballfan03]

Agree with you here. I think the First Four should be also-rans. Conference champions, even for the lowly NEC, should get in no matter what.

Actually, scratch that. First Four is stupid.

100%. I dont mind the first four (hey, more basketball!) But conference champs should be automatically into the 64. First four should be at larges

[Ship69]

Such is life when you’re on the lower rungs of the D1 ladder. I don’t dig into the minutiae of the advanced rankings indexes, the different quads and all that, but Miami’s schedule, for a team that made the tournament as an at large, is historically bad. It’s been discussed of course, that they tried to get games and a lot of teams said no. In the end I’m glad they made it. The First Four isn’t the worst place to be. Somebody almost always comes out of it and makes a nice run.

I guarantee you that Miami's schedule is loads better than that of teams in the NEC and some other piddly D1 conferences. The MAC is a ton better than a lot of those lower D1 conferences.

[Chuck Norris]

I guarantee you that Miami's schedule is loads better than that of teams in the NEC and some other piddly D1 conferences. The MAC is a ton better than a lot of those lower D1 conferences.

I wasn’t comparing them to all those other conferences, I was saying that for a team that received an at large bid to the tournament, Miami’s schedule is among the worst ever, quite possibly the worst. They have no quad 1 and only 2 quad 2 wins. They didn’t even play a single quad 1 game.

Despite that, I’m glad they made it. I hope they at least make it to Friday.

[Chuck Norris]

Jamie Dixon and TCU will be the first game up in a couple hours. It’ll be his 5th tournament appearance in 10 years for a program that had been there twice in the previous 45.

Think he misses Pitt?

[Ship69]

I wasn’t comparing them to all those other conferences, I was saying that for a team that received an at large bid to the tournament, Miami’s schedule is among the worst ever, quite possibly the worst. They have no quad 1 and only 2 quad 2 wins. They didn’t even play a single quad 1 game.

Despite that, I’m glad they made it. I hope they at least make it to Friday.

Granted, but you can't have East Podunk directional school from some conference few people have heard of making the conference and then say that the best team from a relatively well-known and established D1 conference should be left out due to "strength of schedule." Aside from Miami and SMU, the two other teams playing in the First Four Wednesday night were Prairie View A & M and Lehigh, both with 17 losses. Prairie View actually finished eighth in its conference this year. And part of the strength of schedule thing is the refusal of the P4 teams to play outside of their comfort zone.

[Chuck Norris]

Granted, but you can't have East Podunk directional school from some conference few people have heard of making the conference and then say that the best team from a relatively well-known and established D1 conference should be left out due to "strength of schedule." Aside from Miami and SMU, the two other teams playing in the First Four Wednesday night were Prairie View A & M and Lehigh, both with 17 losses. Prairie View actually finished eighth in its conference this year. And part of the strength of schedule thing is the refusal of the P4 teams to play outside of their comfort zone.

Prairie View and Lehigh automatically qualified by winning their conference tournaments. Miami didn’t so they absolutely were subject to having their bid scrutinized due to their schedule. Whether you agree or disagree that the conference tournaments should decide who gets the bid from a conference like the NEC or SWAC is a discussion worth having but it has nothing to do with Miami’s situation. Once Miami failed to gain the MAC’s automatic bid picking apart their resume was fair game just like it was for Auburn, Indiana, Oklahoma and all the other teams who fell short of being selected.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Prairie View and Lehigh automatically qualified by winning their conference tournaments. Miami didn’t so they absolutely were subject to having their bid scrutinized due to their schedule. Whether you agree or disagree that the conference tournaments should decide who gets the bid from a conference like the NEC or SWAC is a discussion worth having but it has nothing to do with Miami’s situation. Once Miami failed to gain the MAC’s automatic bid picking apart their resume was fair game just like it was for Auburn, Indiana, Oklahoma and all the other teams who fell short of being selected.

I've never been a fan (any level) of the conference tournaments carrying so much weight. I don't think a one week wonder should bump teams that put together 3-4 months of more winning.

On our level, the CIAA is infamous for having a mid-level team catch fire for a week and then take the bid. We haven't seen it happen too often in the PSAC or MEC.

[Chuck Norris]

I've never been a fan (any level) of the conference tournaments carrying so much weight. I don't think a one week wonder should bump teams that put together 3-4 months of more winning.

On our level, the CIAA is infamous for having a mid-level team catch fire for a week and then take the bid. We haven't seen it happen too often in the PSAC or MEC.

I don’t care for it either, but championship week is a big deal for ESPN, especially since they don’t get to carry the Big Dance. And it’s fun for those conferences to get their championship game nationally televised. And it feeds into the whole March Madness narrative. Everybody (as long as your conference tournament includes everybody) has a chance to get in.

[Ship69]

Prairie View and Lehigh automatically qualified by winning their conference tournaments. Miami didn’t so they absolutely were subject to having their bid scrutinized due to their schedule. Whether you agree or disagree that the conference tournaments should decide who gets the bid from a conference like the NEC or SWAC is a discussion worth having but it has nothing to do with Miami’s situation. Once Miami failed to gain the MAC’s automatic bid picking apart their resume was fair game just like it was for Auburn, Indiana, Oklahoma and all the other teams who fell short of being selected.

Nope. I'm not buying it. You can't leave a 30-1 Miami team out of the tournament and then put Lehigh and Prairie A & M into it. Auburn lost 16 games and finished 12th in its conference and was still being talked about for a tournament bid. Yeah, they had a tougher schedule, but you actually do have to win some of those games. Even Charles Barkley didn't think Auburn should have made it. Indiana lost two games to Northwestern, which had a 5-15 B1G record this season. SMU, whom Miami beat Wednesday night, had 14 losses and was 11th in the ACC. If you're going to let a ton of also-rans from the P4 conferences into the tournament, I don't think there's a justification for leaving out Miami.

The small conferences shoot themselves in the foot with these tournaments that often send an inferior school to the NCAAs over the conference champion. Any team can get hot for a game or two. Ship beat both West Chester and East Stroudsburg in a game this season, but obviously was not better than either of those teams.

[Chuck Norris]

Nope. I'm not buying it. You can't leave a 30-1 Miami team out of the tournament and then put Lehigh and Prairie A & M into it. Auburn lost 16 games and finished 12th in its conference and was still being talked about for a tournament bid. Yeah, they had a tougher schedule, but you actually do have to win some of those games. Even Charles Barkley didn't think Auburn should have made it. Indiana lost two games to Northwestern, which had a 5-15 B1G record this season. SMU, whom Miami beat Wednesday night, had 14 losses and was 11th in the ACC. If you're going to let a ton of also-rans from the P4 conferences into the tournament, I don't think there's a justification for leaving out Miami.

The small conferences shoot themselves in the foot with these tournaments that often send an inferior school to the NCAAs over the conference champion. Any team can get hot for a game or two. Ship beat both West Chester and East Stroudsburg in a game this season, but obviously was not better than either of those teams.

I’m not sure what you’re not buying. If Miami was left out it would’ve had absolutely nothing to do with Prairie View or Lehigh or any of the other teams at that level. It almost seems like you want those lower tier conferences excluded entirely, which is a legitimate position to take, though to many those teams give the tournament its charm.

As far as the other at large contenders that Miami got selected over, I’m glad they got in and have said so. I thought Auburn’s inclusion in any discussion of at large teams was ridiculous, but the metrics said they belonged in the mix. Thankfully, a bit of common sense may have prevailed and they didn’t make it.

[Chuck Norris]

Bill Raftery is an absolute gem. 82 years old and still an incredible analyst. Has his fun little lines that he’s known for but isn’t over the top with it and provides insightful, outstanding commentary.

[bballfan03]

bill raftery is an absolute gem. 82 years old and still an incredible analyst. Has his fun little lines that he’s known for but isn’t over the top with it and provides insightful, outstanding commentary.

a kiss off the glass!

[Chuck Norris]

Duke survives a very game Siena team. Interesting note, Siena’s starting five played essentially the entire game. One player was subbed in in the last few seconds to give a foul. Their coach is former Syracuse star Gerry McNamara.

[Bart]

Duke survives a very game Siena team. Interesting note, Siena’s starting five played essentially the entire game. One player was subbed in in the last few seconds to give a foul. Their coach is former Syracuse star Gerry McNamara.

Not bad for the second year HC from Scranton. He will be the HC at Syracuse someday.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Not bad for the second year HC from Scranton. He will be the HC at Syracuse someday.

Someday may be tomorrow