Fun(?) Fact: MU was nearly completely buried in the 2019 NCAA tournament

[5DollarPitcher]

We lost to Murray State, who in turn lost to Florida State, who in turn lost to Gonzaga, who in turn lost to Texas Tech, who in turn lost to Virginia.

The only game that saved us from being completely buried was Texas Tech over Michigan State. Thanks, Raiders!

[Cheeks]

And a few years ago we lost to South Carolina, who then won their round of 32 game, then their sweet 16 game, then their elite 8 game before narrowly losing their Final Four game.

Exactly what is your point?

[BallBoy]

And a few years ago we lost to South Carolina, who then won their round of 32 game, then their sweet 16 game, then their elite 8 game before narrowly losing their Final Four game.

Exactly what is your point?

The point is that last tourney MU lost to a final four team. The thought being MU lost to a hot team.

This year no team made it passed the next opponent after beating MU or the team that beat MU. The thought being that MU lost to a bad team because they lost to a team that lost to another team.

No science to it or any real logic but the thought being if you lose to a final four team then had you not played them you could have been top 8 vs top 64 because you lost to a top 32 who lost to a top 16 to a top 8 to a top 4. Had TT lost to MSU then the top 4 would have lost to a top 2.

Totally meaningless.

[Cheeks]

Understood, and you and I agree....totally meaningless.

[CTWarrior]

When I was in high school, Fairfield University was pretty good.  In the 1978 ECAC tournament, they lost in the last seconds to Rhode Island, which got an NCAA tournament birth as a result.  URI proceeded to lose a nail-biter to Duke in the first round.  Duke went on to the finals.  I'm remember thinking Fairfield was pretty close to having a chance to win a game or two in the NCAA tournament.  Which got me to thinking about who had the least reason to say that with a break they could have won the tournament, and I figured it was the team who lost to a team who lost in the next round right through the end of the tournament.  Ever since then I spend a few minutes at the end of the tournament figuring out who that team is.  It is not important and something I just think about myself and do not share.  Glas to hear at least someone else out there thought of the same thing.

This year it ended up being Mississippi State, who lost to Liberty, who lost to Va Tech, who lost to Duke, who lost to Michigan State, who lost to Texas Tech, who lost to Virginia.

[GooooMarquette]

In 2018, UVa lost in the first round to #16 seed UMBC.
UMBC lost its next game to KSU.
KSU won one game (like the TTU analogy to MU), then lost to #11 Loyola.
Loyola lost its next game to Michigan.
Michigan lost its next game to Nova.

So the exact same situation - "nearly completely buried" - except UVa and subsequent teams did worse because they lost to #16 and #11 seeds along the way.

In 2019, UVa won the National Championship.