Bracketology has Michigan In
February 27th, 2011 at 12:12 AM ^
Lunardi has been putting down Michigan the last 2 weeks straight, hasn't even had us in the last 8 out and in one day we move into his bracket. I'm not complaining I just didn't think the Minnesota win was 10 team jump impressive. O well.. Beat State
February 27th, 2011 at 2:13 AM ^
The Wisconsin game probably opened his eyes a bit. Couple that with a win on the road in what was basically a de facto playoff game and the way we won (raining 3s) and I think it makes us looks like the best available team.
February 27th, 2011 at 8:49 AM ^
A large majority of the bubble lost today.
February 27th, 2011 at 12:12 AM ^
Saw that.... but having VT, Baylor, and Colorado win big games does not help.
Beat Sparty and win the first Big10 game and it's a lock. Any other scenario will make for a stressful selection sunday
February 27th, 2011 at 2:16 AM ^
A win against Iowa won't really get us anything; if anything, it just makes sure that we don't look like duds, but if you think that beating MSU and Iowa is a lock, then you really think that beating MSU makes us a lock, because a loss to Illinois won't hurt us either.
February 27th, 2011 at 7:53 AM ^
If we beat Sparty, we'll be a 4 or 5 seed in the BTT and get a bye to the quarterfinals. We'd only get a team like Iowa if we lose to Sparty.
February 27th, 2011 at 10:23 AM ^
If we lose to Sparty the discussions about what happens next will be moot.
February 27th, 2011 at 2:11 PM ^
its not that beating an iowa (though it prob won't be iowa) in the first round will help us, it's that a loss will absolutely hurt us.
February 27th, 2011 at 2:46 PM ^
Playing back-to-back against a fresh team in the 2nd round, and then going , back-to-back-to-back against a team that's only going back-to-back significantly lowers the likelihood of going deep in the B1GT.
Plus, Indiana and Iowa aren't gimmes. A game against them does carry a ~20% chance that you blow it. Especially on a Indiana "home" court.
February 27th, 2011 at 12:12 AM ^
No way we fall out if we win the next two. Beat Sparty.
February 27th, 2011 at 12:13 AM ^
Im only keeping my thread because my thread title is better. Much love.
February 27th, 2011 at 12:13 AM ^
Good to see, still work to be done. I think a win against MSU and a win in the BTT can get them in unless a few unknowns steal a bid by winning their tournament. The future looks very bright indeed.
February 27th, 2011 at 12:16 AM ^
That's stunning to me considering that he has been badmouthing Michigan all year and didn't even include us in his last version of Bracketology. Now we've just got to beat Sparty again.
February 27th, 2011 at 2:47 PM ^
but when it gets this close he stops playing favorites and goes with what he thinks is actually correct.
February 27th, 2011 at 12:16 AM ^
If this team makes the tourney, JB must get "Coach of the Year". To go from a predicted last in the BigTen to 4th/5th and a tourney appearance would be amazing. By way of contrast, Izzo could get "Most overhyped coach"...to go from #2 in the nation to barely making (or even missing) the tourney would be amazing in a whole different way.
February 27th, 2011 at 12:28 AM ^
In theory you are right, but there is no way Thad Matta does not win Coach of The Year with the team he has fielded this year.
February 27th, 2011 at 12:30 AM ^
Winning when you're supposed to with a roster of NBA players is a lot different than winning with a pack of not so heavily recruited freshmen (hell, didn't we wait to decide if we wanted Tim, Jr.?). Anyway, you're probably right...but, ugh, fuck...Matta....hate him.
February 27th, 2011 at 12:40 AM ^
Oh I agree with you one million percent, but that is just not the way these awards work. I would much rather see a coach take a team from being picked last in the conference to a possible berth in the dance, instead of a coach who takes a preseason favorite wire to wire. Yes i know Michigan State was the favorite, but i think it was a toss up between them and tsiO
February 27th, 2011 at 12:36 AM ^
Steve Lavin would like a word with you.
February 27th, 2011 at 1:54 AM ^
Theres no way in hell he doesn't win it. 6 Wins versus Top 15 oponnents? And he was a damn analyst at this time last year. Team went only one game over .500 last year. And have you seen the recruiting class thats coming in??
February 27th, 2011 at 2:24 AM ^
Their recruiting class is sick. It's getting into SEC football class range in terms of commitments...ZING
February 27th, 2011 at 7:59 AM ^
Anthony Grant
February 27th, 2011 at 8:06 AM ^
I think the NCAA will also want a word with him in a couple of years. Like Calipari, trouble seems to follow Lavin around.
February 27th, 2011 at 12:35 PM ^
I wanted when we chased Tommy. Love coach B, but have always and will always love Lavs.
February 27th, 2011 at 1:02 AM ^
I think Matt Painter has a better case to win COY than Matta, given that he's fielded a top 10 team without one of his best players (Hummel).
Beilein is up there. It's amazing to think that if you could flip-flop the results of two shots (Smotrycz's against Illinois and the one against us in the Wisc game), we'd be 10-7 in league play and a lock to make it.
February 27th, 2011 at 1:53 AM ^
CBS' announcers for the SDSU-BYU game today had the COY discussion and made some good points. The first thing they said is that there is a gray area relative to the criteria for picking a winner. Do you go with a coach who exceeded expectations, or one that did what was expected of him, with the talent at his disposal? Beilein or Matta? The other issue is that even if you decide the criteria, there are so many coaches in D1 that there would be multiple deserving candidates. COY is an award that you can take satisfaction from being mentioned for.
February 27th, 2011 at 12:42 AM ^
what is our SOS
I see our RPI is at 57
and the big ten is rated # 2 among rpi conferences
any other key ratings
top 50
top 100
etc etc ?
February 27th, 2011 at 12:49 AM ^
I think our SOS is around 20.
February 27th, 2011 at 3:22 PM ^
February 27th, 2011 at 1:19 AM ^
I think we have to win two games from here on out to make the tourney. If we only win one ill be worried.
February 27th, 2011 at 2:08 AM ^
You are batshit crazy
February 27th, 2011 at 1:19 AM ^
I think we have to win two games from here on out to make the tourney. If we only win one ill be worried.
February 27th, 2011 at 2:09 AM ^
This argument is better. I am right there with you
February 27th, 2011 at 12:44 PM ^
I think they need to win three games from here out.
February 27th, 2011 at 3:05 PM ^
I just finished watching Purdue beat the crap out of Sparty 67-47. The ESPN guys thought this was a golden opportunity for State and they blew it. They claimed MSU was playing really great basketball lately (Seriously? Coming off a 4 point win over Illinois and a 5 point win over Minnesota where both teams looked like junior high squads?)
Then for some reason, they brought up Illinois' resume for the tourament committe because they are considered a bubble team. Their home win over MSU is considered a quality win.
A win over a 12 loss team is considered quality? Does it count as a quality win for us if we sweep them?
February 27th, 2011 at 3:25 PM ^
Surf on over to RCMB and drink the Spartan tears that flow like the mighty Mississippi to the sea. I love watching Sparty blow a gasket.
February 27th, 2011 at 3:26 PM ^
It would be great if we can somehow manange 2 or 3 wins and get off the bubble completely.
Remember, this year, the field has 68 teams and its not all the 16 seeds playing in the Tuesday matchups, it also includes the last four AT LARGE selections. I understand that would still be amazing, but it would be nice to just have our name in the bracket and not in a play-in game...
On a big ten tourney note, I would love to stay in the top 6 to avoid osu or purdue in the quarters. It would be great to have that first round bye, but I think that those two teams have separated themselves from wisconsin!
GO BLUE! beat state!
February 27th, 2011 at 3:27 PM ^
February 27th, 2011 at 6:47 PM ^
Or this is all (ironically) academic.
You see what I did there?
February 28th, 2011 at 12:06 AM ^
We can push ourselves in with a few more important wins. Have been playing well at times. HOpe is continues.