NCAA Tournament 2026

[Tarragona]

And they're in a potential S16 with Florida?  They definitely should have been higher than a 5. 

Committee chair had no answer for it:

https://x.com/mattnorlander/status/2033327247143154147?s=46

[The Sultan]

Florida may have to play Houston in Houston in the Elite 8. I guess because it's not on their home court and Rice is the official host they can do that.

[Viper]

I'm all about any team playing RED, of course, and LIU (always liked Rocket Rod Strickland)

Interesting that StJ's goes back-to-back as BE and BET champs, no better than a 5 tells you their SOS was meh as is the opinion of the BE as a conference this year.

[The Sultan]

I'm all about any team playing RED, of course, and LIU (always liked Rocket Rod Strickland)

Interesting that StJ's goes back-to-back as BE and BET champs, no better than a 5 tells you their SOS was meh as is the opinion of the BE as a conference this year.

They also beat no one of consequnce in the non-conference though. 2-4 against power conference teams with the wins being against Ole Miss and Baylor.

[Nukem2]

I'm all about any team playing RED, of course, and LIU (always liked Rocket Rod Strickland)

Interesting that StJ's goes back-to-back as BE and BET champs, no better than a 5 tells you their SOS was meh as is the opinion of the BE as a conference this year.

Avtually their SOS was fine, but SJ lost all the games out of conference that would have made a difference. But, when you have a team of transfers, it takes a while.

[MuggsyB]

Committee chair had no answer for it:

https://x.com/mattnorlander/status/2033327247143154147?s=46

Correct.  That was a total non-answer.  They also play a tough McNeese St. team.  Basically they got hosed. 

[CountryRoads]

https://x.com/thefieldof68/status/2033344138591056360

https://x.com/thefieldof68/status/2033344285622386690

[Badgerhater]

But, when you have a team of transfers, it takes a while.

Great, something else people will bitch about when MU gets some transfers and loses a game.

[dgies9156]

Vanderbilt.

Would love to see them go deep. Team plays hard and always gives an incredible effort.

After that, the Big East.

[Tarragona]

Correct.  That was a total non-answer.  They also play a tough McNeese St. team.  Basically they got hosed.

And, Lincoln Nebraska is a reasonable distance to Oklahoma City for a possible 2nd round matchup.

[Farley36]

I've been busy all day.   What seed did Marquette get?  What region are they in?

[Jay Bee]

I've been busy all day.   What seed did Marquette get?  What region are they in?

Ask your mom. She's only a flight of stairs away.

[The Sultan]

Ask your mom. She's only a flight of stairs away.

Because he lives in her basement? Or because he's holding her captive down there?

[muwarrior69]

I've been busy all day.  What seed did Marquette get?  What region are they in?

Bad seed in the nether regions. That about sums it up.

[MuggsyB]

And, Lincoln Nebraska is a reasonable distance to Oklahoma City for a possible 2nd round matchup.

Apparently Nebraska not really  beating anyone in well over a month had no impact on the committee. They split with Iowa though. 

[Nukem2]

Great, something else people will bitch about when MU gets some transfers and loses a game.

Well, I was speaking about a team almost entirely made up of transfers other than Zuby.

[sailwi]

If the Arby's near my house hadn't have closed, I'd be there right now trying to forget the Selection Show is even happening.   

The Arby's on Port?

[MU82]

Guess that says a lot more about how MU sucked this year.

Thanks for this incredible and original insight. You've never expressed anything like this before in any thread.

Now, can you enlighten us as to why joy is completely absent from your miserable existence?

[K1 Lover]

Don't forget High Point.  30-4. 

It feels hard to fade a Wisconsin team that played up to Michigan's level twice and seems to be peaking, but the more I learn about High Point, the more tempted I am to pick that upset.

Some fun facts about HPU:
• Of all the teams in the tourney, they currently have the longest active win streak  (14 consecutive wins; last loss was on Jan 14th).
• Their NIL budget is one of the highest, if not the highest, among mid-majors (reportedly about $4 mil).
• They have a player named Chase Johnston who is already being dubbed "the new Jack Gohlke" since he solely shoots threes. While he only averages ~6 ppg, he's shot 64-132 (48.5%) from deep so far this season and had several games with 4+ makes.

If I were a Wisconsin fan, however, what I'd probably be worried about most is the simple fact that HPU is a 30+ win team that reps the color purple — not unlike the #12 JMU that bounced them in the first round two years ago.

[Jay Bee]

• Their NIL budget is one of the highest, if not the highest, among mid-majors (reportedly about $4 mil).

source?

[K1 Lover]

source?

I'll try to find the quote again, but it came up during a conversation in one of several pods/videos I listened to last night. Fairly confident it was between Field of 68 and Eye on CBB.

Edit:

https://youtu.be/HlWU-eWazG8 (7:55, Norlander states HPU had one of the biggest NIL budgets among mid-majors)

https://www.youtube.com/live/bDallQ6RO3o?si=C8-9e6-oIeRFzs7K (43:04, Norlander indicates he was told that HPU has an NIL budget north of $4 mil)