Tied for 5th in the conference

[Doc]

What has happened to Providence? Getting smoked by Seton Hall. The Friars may be playing their way out of the tourney.

[GooooMarquette]

Looks like we turned their season around.  They came into the first game at 14-1, and have been 5-8 since.

[bilsu]

We would win the tie breaker, if we ended up only tied with Providence since we beat them both games. However, in a more than two team tie I think it goes based on the highest team you beat in the conference. Assuming we lose to Villanova we will will have lost all 6 games against the top three teams, which might make us last in a 5 team tie. I looked at the schedule and it is possible that 5 teams finish 9-9.

[BM1090]

We would win the tie breaker, if we ended up only tied with Providence since we beat them both games. However, in a more than two team tie I think it goes based on the highest team you beat in the conference. Assuming we lose to Villanova we will will have lost all 6 games against the top three teams, which might make us last in a 5 team tie. I looked at the schedule and it is possible that 5 teams finish 9-9.

First tiebreaker is mini conference, which we'd almost certainly win if we beat Georgetown and Butler.

MULTIPLE-TEAM TIE (3 or more teams)
1. Teams are viewed as a "mini-conference" when comparing head-to-head results.
The team with the best record vs. the other teams in the mini-conference gains the
advantage. The team with the worst record vs. the other teams in the mini-conference is
seeded the lowest.

[MU82]

First tiebreaker is mini conference, which we'd almost certainly win if we beat Georgetown and Butler.

MULTIPLE-TEAM TIE (3 or more teams)
1. Teams are viewed as a "mini-conference" when comparing head-to-head results.
The team with the best record vs. the other teams in the mini-conference gains the
advantage. The team with the worst record vs. the other teams in the mini-conference is
seeded the lowest.

Nice. We're 3-1 vs. those other three now, and I can't imagine the others are better than that. Flip those standings listed on Scoop!!!

[brewcity77]

What has happened to Providence? Getting smoked by Seton Hall. The Friars may be playing their way out of the tourney.

DePaul and St. John's still on their schedule, have to think with their non-con accomplishments, 9-9 would get them in considering only one really bad loss (DPU) and wins over Villanova, Arizona, and sweeping Butler.

Though at this point, they have to be hoping we finish top-100 RPI. That's two potential bad losses on the resume if we finish sub-100.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

What has happened to Providence? Getting smoked by Seton Hall. The Friars may be playing their way out of the tourney.

When the Big East season began didn't Providence's coach say they were no where as good as their ranking was at the time?

[bilsu]

Remaining schedules
Creighton (St. John's, @Providence, @Xavier)
Providence (DePaul, Creighton, @ St. John's) easiest schedule
Butler (@GT, Seton Hall, MU)
MU (Villanova, GT, @ Butler) 2nd hardest
GT (Butler, @MU, @ Villanova) Hardest

[mu03eng]

Remaining schedules
Creighton (St. John's, @Providence, @Xavier)
Providence (DePaul, Creighton, @ St. John's) easiest schedule
Butler (@GT, Seton Hall, MU)
MU (Villanova, GT, @ Butler) 2nd hardest
GT (Butler, @MU, @ Villanova) Hardest

I'm going out on a limb and saying that MU finishes regular season sked 2-1....not sure who the wins are against but I feel good about getting 2 of 3

[jsglow]

Remaining schedules
Creighton (St. John's, @Providence, @Xavier)
Providence (DePaul, Creighton, @ St. John's) easiest schedule
Butler (@GT, Seton Hall, MU)
MU (Villanova, GT, @ Butler) 2nd hardest
GT (Butler, @MU, @ Villanova) Hardest

Prediction: Blue/Goldshades

Creighton 2-1, 10-8 overall, work to do at MSG, final result NIT
Providence 2-1, 9-9 overall, work at MSG, final result NCAA
Butler 1-2, 8-10 overall, serious work at MSG, final result NIT
Marquette 2-1, 9-9 overall, serious work at MSG (beat Creighton, upset Nova)  final result NCAA
GTown 0-3, 7-11 overall, bus ride home

[mu03eng]

Prediction: Blue/Goldshades

Creighton 2-1, 10-8 overall, work to do at MSG, final result NIT
Providence 2-1, 9-9 overall, work at MSG, final result NCAA
Butler 1-2, 8-10 overall, serious work at MSG, final result NIT
Marquette 2-1, 9-9 overall, serious work at MSG (beat Creighton, upset Nova)  final result NCAA
GTown 0-3, 7-11 overall, bus ride home

You shut your mouth with all of that optimism 

[jsglow]

It's not impossible eng.  We're playing better basketball.  In my model we play the 4/5 game against Creighton after losing to Nova but finishing strong against a demoralized GTown and squeaking by Butler.  Perhaps the crazy part is beating Nova at MSG.

Okay, say we beat Nova tomorrow instead not losing again until Nova returns the favor in New York.  I strongly believe that the BEast will ultimately get 5 bids.  I have no basis except to say that they've earned it.  In that case with a very strong final month I wonder if MU dances in Dayton?

And if that was the case, your podcast from months ago would be about right.

[mu03eng]

It's not impossible eng.  We're playing better basketball.  In my model we play the 4/5 game against Creighton after losing to Nova but finishing strong against a demoralized GTown and squeaking by Butler.  Perhaps the crazy part is beating Nova at MSG.

Okay, say we beat Nova tomorrow instead not losing again until Nova returns the favor in New York.  I strongly believe that the BEast will ultimately get 5 bids.  I have no basis except to say that they've earned it.  In that case with a very strong final month I wonder if MU dances in Dayton?

And if that was the case, your podcast from months ago would be about right.

I love it when genius recognizes genius 

[jsglow]

I just ran the wizard both ways and came up with a 75 RPI.

Please, no non-con discussions. 

[mu03eng]

I just ran the wizard both ways and came up with a 75 RPI.

Please, no non-con discussions. 

I can't help it.....just proves my point from the pod like half a year ago....we schedule a bundle of 250 types instead of 310 types and the RPI is better than 65.

When this season is over and all RPI is done, I'm going to run a substitution analysis to see what it coulda been

[BossplayaOtto]

I love the optimism glow and hope you're right but your above scenario on rpi wizard gives Marquette a projected rpi of 75. The depaul and belmont losses hurt as they could have been W's (I know that some of the close wins could have been losses but we're playing the what if game), along with the frequently discussed cupcake extravaganza schedule. I do feel that the BE deserves 5 teams so rpi be damned why not MU? (If they finish strong).

I still think with your scenario we're more likey to be NIT bound but would love to be wrong & make the big dance. Our annual vegas opening weekend trip isnt nearly the same without the Warriors in the dance.

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

Big East Standings as of 2/26

1.) Villanova 13-2
2.) Xavier 13-3
3.) Seton Hall 10-5
4.) Creighton 8-7
5.) Marquette 7-8 (.750 mini-conference, 3-1 vs. GTown, Butler, and Providence)
6.) Providence 7-8 (.666 mini-conference, 4-2 vs. Butler, GTown, and Marquette)
7.) Butler 7-8 (.250 mini-conference, 1-3 vs. Providence, Marquette, and Georgetown)
8.) Georgetown 7-8 (.250 mini-conference, 1-3 vs. Butler, Providence, and Marquette)
9.) DePaul 3-12
10.) St. John's 1-15

Butler gets the 7 spot because "After the top or bottom teams in a mini-conference are determined, the remaining teams are ranked by their record in the original mini-conference. If there are any remaining teams tied by their record in the mini-conference, then head-to-head results will determine the higher seed." Butler beat Georgetown in their only encounter so far this season.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Big East Standings as of 2/26

1.) Villanova 13-2
2.) Xavier 13-3
3.) Seton Hall 10-5
4.) Creighton 8-7
5.) Marquette 7-8 (.750 mini-conference, 3-1 vs. GTown, Butler, and Providence)
6.) Providence 7-8 (.666 mini-conference, 4-2 vs. Butler, GTown, and Marquette)
7.) Butler 7-8 (.250 mini-conference, 1-3 vs. Providence, Marquette, and Georgetown)
8.) Georgetown 7-8 (.250 mini-conference, 1-3 vs. Butler, Providence, and Marquette)
9.) DePaul 3-12
10.) St. John's (1-15)

Butler gets the 7 spot because "After the top or bottom teams in a mini-conference are determined, the remaining teams are ranked by their record in the original mini-conference. If there are any remaining teams tied by their record in the mini-conference, then head-to-head results will determine the higher seed." Butler beat Georgetown in their only encounter so far this season.

Damn. If the big east had one more bad team (we probably would be the best candidate), the conference could legit get 7 bids. The middle of the conference just brutalized each other and now we could end up with 3 to 5 bids

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

The middle of the conference just brutalized each other and now we could end up with 3 to 5 bids

What's remarkable about the middle of the conference are the runs each team has had.

• Marquette lost 5 of its first 7 conference games. Since then, it's won 5 of 8.
  
• Butler entered conference play ranked. Not anymore.
• Georgetown started conference play 4-1, and 6-2. They've lost six of their last seven.
  
• Providence's fall from grace has been well documented. From Top 10 team to potentially playing themselves out of the tournament.
• Creighton entered conference play as a nobody, and now they're in 4th