New bracketology: rematch of first round 2009

[ChicosBailBonds]

I'd love to get in as a 10 (or 11) and catch fire in the tournament. This team isn't better than the one two years ago by a long shot, but they have proven that they can play with anyone. I'm just happy to be "in the game" knowing that it's possible that DJO or Crowder could get hot and go for 40 in a game. These guys are streaky and if and when they get hot -- watch out.

(Cue the crotchety old man voice) All you half-empty young guns have been spoiled by recent success. In the mid to late 80's when I was at MU, our whole season was one stinking Notre Dame home game and zero NCAAs. We beat Bucky and ND once (ND was even home and away) the entire time I was in school. We finished 10-18 one year losing to Cleveland State, Fordham, Valpo, Iona and Loyola. This year's team is a good one filled with studs and a ton of potential for next year. Enjoy the talk of seedings, NCAAs, NBA potential, etc. Success is fleeting.

+1

We rushed the court.  I'll bet IU message boards back then were starting threads saying "Look how far MU has fallen that they have to rush the court to beat Notre Dame"

[Pakuni]

Pakuni, that Gonzaga financial report is not complete.  We've been through this a number of times with the MU one as well.  They are a private institution, they are not required to turn over those numbers which are qualified by the source.

I figured since you were so good at identifying who isn't top 25 worthy, you could share additional sage advice and let us know who the proper top 25 should be.  We would all benefit.

Sigh ...

Yes or no, is Utah State a top 25 team in your opinion?

If you say yes, you're ridiculous.
If you say no, you agree with me. In which case, you're arguing throughout this thread no reason other than cause you like arguing.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Sigh ...

Yes or no, is Utah State a top 25 team in your opinion?

If you say yes, you're ridiculous.
If you say no, you agree with me. In which case, you're arguing throughout this thread no reason other than cause you like arguing.

Are they a top 25 team?  Yes, both polls say so.  It's a fact.

Here, I'll even provide links to them for you.  LOL

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings


In my opinion, as I stated much earlier, college basketball is HORRENDOUS this year.  I also think the rankings are terribly constructed, especially the preseason rankings (which again this year show how ridiculously misguided those are).  Saying anyone outside of the top 10 is truly a top team is a stretch.  A great article about this last week that I can't find but will post if I can.

Looking at the top 25, it looks to me like teams 20 through 35 are pretty much interchangeable.  Not much distinguishes them from one another.  They all have terrible losses, or good wins that are largely on their home courts only.  I'd cut off the rankings at the top 10 and be done with it.

[Pakuni]

Are they a top 25 team?  Yes, both polls say so.  It's a fact.

Here, I'll even provide links to them for you.  LOL

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings

Thanks for not answering my question.
I'll take it that your gamemanship simply means you think I'm right, but don't dare say it.

[Freeport Warrior]

If you say yes, you're ridiculous.

Not at all. It's a poll average. Utah State has not beat anyone of note, but they've taken care of business home and away. They held their own against BYU and were only down 4 at half to Georgetown so it's not like they are a total fraud.

Put me down as "ridiculous" because I think they are in back end of the Top 25 discussion.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Just search Youtube for some clips on Utah State & their fans.  Wild Bill is always fun to watch... how many people can say they inspired their entire student section to sing "I'm a little teapot" AND got the shooter to miss a FT?

Their fans get into it - the cheers, the chants, everything.  And it's not just the students... it's everyone.  (Evidently the majority of their season ticket-holders aren't over the age of 60.)  For a low-major in the middle of nowhere, that's quite impressive in my book.

Wildbill was literally dead for 7 minutes last year.  Guy is lucky to be alive

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/seth_davis/02/10/utah.state/

[brewcity77]

Love ya, Chicos, but one thing I didn't miss about you being gone was that threads tended to stay on topic. Yes, Utah State is projected as our opponent, but is the debate of whether or not they belong in the top 25 really pertinent here?

Let's try to get this back to talking about Marquette. I just looked at Sports Illustrated's new bracket prediction from Andy Glockner, and frankly, I think it'd almost be a free pass for Marquette to the Sweet 16.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/andy_glockner/02/07/bracket.projection/index.html

It has us as a 10-seed against Xavier in the first round and San Diego State in the second. I don't think this year's Xavier is anywhere near as good as last year's team, and San Diego State reminds me of last year's New Mexico. Great in a poor conference, but largely still flying high off a winning streak against other mid-majors, highlighted by a win over a vastly overrated Gonzaga team. I even think we'd have a decent shot against UNC or 'Nova in the Sweet Sixteen.

And with that in mind, this Marquette team reminds me of the Green Bay Packers. Sure, we probably have more losses than we should have, and even a loss to a team that we shouldn't have lost to (Gonzaga = Detroit Lions), but no one has blown us out (Green Bay's biggest loss 4, our biggest loss 8). If we get hot, there's no one in the country we couldn't beat on our night. While I do think we could lose to just about anyone capable of making the Dance (like GB in the playoffs), I also think we could beat anyone in the land. The only teams that really give me pause are Ohio State and Kansas, but I think that with a decent draw, this team could just as easily be an Elite 8 team as it could be a one-and-done. It wouldn't even surprise me if we made the Final Four. My guess is our luck would run out before a title, but we've already shown we can play with anyone. The only game where I never really felt like we had a chance was Duke. Against Pitt, I thought the shooting would run out, against 'Nova we had the ball in the closing minutes down just three. We had a chance in every game, and I think we'd have a shot against Duke if we played them again.

Thoughts? Is a Final Four possible? Is there anyone in the country that really scares you?

[Doris Burkes Thong]

Wildbill was literally dead for 7 minutes last year.  Guy is lucky to be alive

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/seth_davis/02/10/utah.state/

Wow, that was an eye opening article. Thnaks for sharing. Wild Bill most importantly better get his health under control because that's just crazy how much he's been in the ER.

[Tugg Speedman]

Insider has more info ....

http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology/predictions

Marquette
Odds to Make Sweet 16 = 15.2%
Odds to Make Final Four = 3.2%
Odds to Win Tournament = 0.3%

[ChicosBailBonds]

Brew, no one scares me but we don't scare anyone either.  The Packers were a popular pick to win the super bowl before the season started, I don't think it's appropriate to compare us to them.  It would be Cinderella run if we made the Final Four, but it wasn't for the Packers.  They won because they were the best team in the NFC regardless of their seed

[NavinRJohnson]

Brew, no one scares me but we don't scare anyone either.  The Packers were a popular pick to win the super bowl before the season started, I don't think it's appropriate to compare us to them.  It would be Cinderella run if we made the Final Four, but it wasn't for the Packers.  They won because they were the best team in the NFC regardless of their seed

I agree that as it turned out, the Packers were the best team in the NFL, as most expected them to be before the season started. Obviously, a lot of things happened throughout the season to put that in serious doubt, and they did an unbelievable job, sticking with it and piecing things together to get back to being the best team in the NFL by the time the end of the year rolled around. Plenty of people declared the season over after some of their struggles, particularly that loss to Detroit, heading into a game at New England, so I think the comparison isn't too bad. I made it myself a couple weeks ago after everyone was wringing their hands about the loss to UConn.

I don't see any way this team goes to the Final Four. In fact with the PG combo of Buycks and Cadougan, I don't like their chances of doing much in the tournament, but as I think brewcity is ultimately suggesting, nothing would surprise me. Like the Packers back in December, even after all of the injuries, I think they are a better team than most are giving them credit for.

[We R Final Four]

It wouldn't even surprise me if we made the Final Four???????????????????????

Have you lost your mind?  Have you seen this team play?  If it wouldn't surprise you to make the Final Four, why stop there?  What about a National Title?

If people of here are not afraid of the likes of Kansas, OSU and Texas........what about St. Johns, Seton Hall and Cincinnati?  Those are the teams that should scare you.  Comedy.

C'mon, man.

[4everwarriors]

MU beatin' Georgetown is no gimme. All the smack talk in the middle of Feb. Don't mean stink.

[brewcity77]

While a Final Four wouldn't shock me, neither would a first round exit. I don't honestly believe we will string together the 4 consecutive needed to make it to the Final Four, but I'm just saying there's no one in the country we can't beat, and if we catch fire, it's not unfathomable. As an overall goal I agree it looks like too much to hope for, but taken one game at a time there's no team Buzz's boys can't compete with.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Thanks for not answering my question.
I'll take it that your gamemanship simply means you think I'm right, but don't dare say it.

I did answer and will answer again.  You can fill in any one of probably 20 teams that could fill those spots from 15 to 25, they're all the same.

Tonight, #24 Utah State beat #23 ranked St. Mary's in Nor. Cal by 10 tonight.  In my mind, they're both basically the same types of teams...good but not great.  Are they top 25?  Polls say so, but I'm not much a of a poll guy.  Tell me the teams that should be ahead of them...I can't argue any that are slam dunk that should be.