Magic Number of Wins for the Tournament 2021

[Galway Eagle]

So I know there's always exceptions but usually speaking I'd wager we get to 19 wins and we're in with a decent schedule.

What's the number of games this year? Are we expecting a whole season? Are we going to say something like 15-7 gets us in?

[CountryRoads]

Joe Lunardi moved us to the second to last team in the tournament after last nights win...lol

[Galway Eagle]

Joe Lunardi moved us to the second to last team in the tournament after last nights win...lol

That's nice of him... I don't understand how that's where we are on the bracket right now.

[brewcity77]

I don't think they'll be holding a retroactive Tournament, but I suspect our 18 wins were sufficient.

[Galway Eagle]

I don't think they'll be holding a retroactive Tournament, but I suspect our 18 wins were sufficient.

Hah nice catch

[TallTitan34]

Joe Lunardi moved us to the second to last team in the tournament after last nights win...lol

Here's his post.  I don't get it.

https://twitter.com/ESPNLunardi/status/1338857728148533255?s=20

[brewcity77]

Hah nice catch

In all seriousness, it's so hard to say because the number of games will vary so greatly. 15-7 would absolutely do it. My guess is, with our resume, 3 games over .500 will do it. Usually it's closer to 4. So if we played 21 games, I think 12-9 would get us in.

Aside, that's one reason I think Kentucky is in real trouble. They'll be underdogs in their next two. If they fall to 1-6, they likely need to be +7 in conference just to have a shot. So 13-5 for a bid assuming they get all their games in? That's a tall order.

[HowardsWorld]

Joe Lunardi moved us to the second to last team in the tournament after last nights win...lol

Aside from a talking point theres no reason to look into this before February. AS of right now with 2 top 10 wins, Marquette is at worst a 5 seed.

[The Big East]

If MU can have a winning record in conference play , that should be enough to get into the tournament. Our overall resume would be very attractive with a lot of quality wins if that happened.

It would be helpful is Butler and DePaul could get some of their non conference games rescheduled. We don't want them dragging the league down.

[tower912]

Moving target based on games played.

[TallTitan34]

With the UW and CU wins, I think .500 or better in conference does it no matter how many games are played.

[The Lens]

Creighton stayed a 4.

Our game tipped off at 9pm Philly time, it's pretty clear Joe turned his assignment in early.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

.500 in however many Big East games we end up playing. 

[Eye]

If all games currently scheduled actually get played, I'll say 15, including BET.

[bilsu]

.500 in however many Big East games we end up playing.

I think .500 in Big East is good enough, if we win first game in Big East tournament. I would be very worried, if we lost first game in Big East tournament. 4-2, 10-10 & 1-1=15-13. I would say 16 wins is a lock given our two top 10 wins. Also our two current losses are to good teams.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Unfortunately there is no magic number because of COVID. Who knows how many games we and the other at large candidates will end up playing. I think anything north of .500 in the BEast will get us in since we already have two signature wins to pad the resume with.

[MU82]

I'm gonna get all optimistic and say we ain't gonna be on the bubble this season.

Eventually, we're gonna be debating what the Magic Number of Wins is for us to get a top-4 seed.

[TallTitan34]

Eventually, we're gonna be debating what the Magic Number of Wins is for us to get a top-4 seed.

The roller coaster that is MUScoop.

[MU82]

The roller coaster that is MUScoop.

Hopefully not making you have to hurl!

(But I do tend to lean to the optimistic side when it comes to our team.)

[brewcity77]

I'm gonna get all optimistic and say we ain't gonna be on the bubble this season.

Eventually, we're gonna be debating what the Magic Number of Wins is for us to get a top-4 seed.

That seems likely, as does the inevitable debate a few weeks later as to whether we're really a lock or if we'll miss the tournament altogether.

[MU82]

That seems likely, as does the inevitable debate a few weeks later as to whether we're really a lock or if we'll miss the tournament altogether.

Yeah ... remember the guy who kept insisting that a team had to win 20 games to get in? Can't remember which Scooper it was, but he didn't care about evidence or facts or anything. He wouldn't relent. It cracked me up.

[dgies9156]

The bigger question is, What have we shown so far that will serve us well when we get into the tournament? Some thoughts:

1) We can play with anybody. Already, we have beaten the then 4th and 9th rated teams. We did so with strength and ultimately by forcing them into our game. Even in our two losses, we were in the game both times and not really blown out

2) We're finally playing defense. In the NCAA tournament, teams that can and do play defense have a decided edge over those that don't. Imagine what would have happened if our defense had shown up two years ago against Murray State. As good as Ja Morant was, he can be defended.

3) We have a distributive offense. More than one or even two players are in the game and contributing to our success. My guess was that this is what the Brothers Hauser were looking for when they wrote the infamous letter. Good news is that Theo looks a lot better and Lewis, Garcia and McEwen are the real deals this year.

In short, this is a team that because of our freshmen core was largely unnoticed. We're outside the core of where basketball writers write from (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hlll) and have been off the beaten path for awhile. Writers are creatures of habit. If we defeat Villanova and UConn, we'll suddenly be the "flavor of the day" and to the earlier's poster's point about Lunardi, be arguing about a 4 seed.

[war1980rior]

The bigger question is, What have we shown so far that will serve us well when we get into the tournament? Some thoughts:

1) We can play with anybody. Already, we have beaten the then 4th and 9th rated teams. We did so with strength and ultimately by forcing them into our game. Even in our two losses, we were in the game both times and not really blown out

2) We're finally playing defense. In the NCAA tournament, teams that can and do play defense have a decided edge over those that don't. Imagine what would have happened if our defense had shown up two years ago against Murray State. As good as Ja Morant was, he can be defended.

3) We have a distributive offense. More than one or even two players are in the game and contributing to our success. My guess was that this is what the Brothers Hauser were looking for when they wrote the infamous letter. Good news is that Theo looks a lot better and Lewis, Garcia and McEwen are the real deals this year.

In short, this is a team that because of our freshmen core was largely unnoticed. We're outside the core of where basketball writers write from (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hlll) and have been off the beaten path for awhile. Writers are creatures of habit. If we defeat Villanova and UConn, we'll suddenly be the "flavor of the day" and to the earlier's poster's point about Lunardi, be arguing about a 4 seed.

Good stuff Dgies!  I'd like to add a little of my uneducated opinion.

1) Our defense is significantly better, but what I really like is they adjusted mid-game and got even better.  Something we haven't seen a lot of in the past.
2) Our offense is getting better the more they play together.  The cohesion and unselfish play is great.  Different STOG every game, and we still have plenty of runner ups!  Last year oppositions planned for Markus.  Who do you plan for now?
3) Love the team chemistry!
4) My firm belief is we will not get any love from anyone associated with ESPN.  They're still bitter about the BEast going to Fox.

[wadesworld]

Good stuff Dgies!  I'd like to add a little of my uneducated opinion.

1) Our defense is significantly better, but what I really like is they adjusted mid-game and got even better.  Something we haven't seen a lot of in the past.
2) Our offense is getting better the more they play together.  The cohesion and unselfish play is great.  Different STOG every game, and we still have plenty of runner ups!  Last year oppositions planned for Markus.  Who do you plan for now?
3) Love the team chemistry!
4) My firm belief is we will not get any love from anyone associated with ESPN.  They're still bitter about the BEast going to Fox.

ESPN has Villanova (a Big East team, with a loss to Virginia Tech) as a 1 seed.

[MU82]

Maybe -- maybe -- corporately, ESPN is still not pleased with the Big East.

But I sincerely doubt that the individuals at ESPN -- including those who vote in polls, those who look ahead to brackets, and those who write/broadcast about college hoops -- harbor anti-Big East bias.

It's a non-story.