Bracketology Thread 2023

[DoctorV]

I'm enjoying it tremendously, but a possible reversion towards a 12-8 type of conference season as well as a post season loss in a big game isn't completely out of the question until it's no longer possible.

All Marquette's do reach equilibrium after all.

That said, a week ago I woulda thought 10-10 conference record and bubble bid as a worst case scenario was still a possibility.
Now I can't really see anything worse than being in the ballpark of 12-8, which would be a guaranteed bid.

Also, the two thoughts aren't mutually exclusive.
I can still enjoy a helluva season the way we've been witnessing AND still have that nightmare scenario in mind, it doesn't soil by utter enjoyment of what I'm seeing

[brewcity77]

People fear a February fade and/or a March embarrassment because that's what happened in the past. Have people not read the great work by brew, Wiz and others about our starting 5 being the best statistically in college basketball and about us having a top-5 offense?

The biggest question I have right now is how teams will adjust when they see us a second time. Our offense is really hard to prepare for because no one plays like us. It's difficult to replicate in practice the speed at which we play and the instinctive nature employed by guys like TK, Oso, and Kam. This is the benefit of running an offense that teaches concepts rather than set plays. Our offense is this good for the same reason Villanova under Jay Wright was so good. It relies on the basketball IQ of players like Ryan Arcidiacono, Josh Hart, Mikel Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Tyler Kolek, Oso Ighodaro, and Kam Jones rather than drilling repeatable sets.

I'm looking forward to seeing how Providence and Seton Hall approach us in the second meetings this week. Win games like that and I think we'll be able to avoid the feared fade.

[MarquetteMike1977]

Joe Lunardi ESPN has Marquette as a #4 Seed playing #13 Seed Marshall in Today's Bracketology

[MU82]

Bracketmatrix has us as the third #4.

That puts a full point behind next closest Virginia on the cumulative-average scale, but we're still closer to Virginia than we are to the third #5, Duke.

We're no worse than 6 on any bracket, and an outfit that goes by Bracket Forecast has us at 3.

That's quite an upgrade from just 5 days ago ...

Updated bracketmatrix has us as the top 6-seed, just .01 behind San Diego State. We're closer to being the second 5-seed than we are to being the second 6-seed. Behind us on the 6 line are Providence, Baylor and Missouri.

We're in every bracket, with the worst seed being a 9 and the best being a 4. We're a 4 in three brackets.

[barfolomew]

The biggest question I have right now is how teams will adjust when they see us a second time. Our offense is really hard to prepare for because no one plays like us. It's difficult to replicate in practice the speed at which we play and the instinctive nature employed by guys like TK, Oso, and Kam. This is the benefit of running an offense that teaches concepts rather than set plays. Our offense is this good for the same reason Villanova under Jay Wright was so good. It relies on the basketball IQ of players like Ryan Arcidiacono, Josh Hart, Mikel Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Tyler Kolek, Oso Ighodaro, and Kam Jones rather than drilling repeatable sets.

I'm looking forward to seeing how Providence and Seton Hall approach us in the second meetings this week. Win games like that and I think we'll be able to avoid the feared fade.

Thought it was interesting that last season, even with the "February Fade" we had a similar record the second time facing each conference opponent.

First game with each team we went 5-4, return game record was 4-5.
(Excluded St. Johns since we only played them once.)

[Oldgym]

Joe Lunardi ESPN has Marquette as a #4 Seed playing #13 Seed Marshall in Today's Bracketology

Today too. 

[cheebs09]

Joe Lunardi ESPN has Marquette as a #4 Seed playing #13 Seed Marshall in Today's Bracketology

The "We Are" battle.

[PGsHeroes32]

Palm has us as a 4 vs Marshall too

Also curiously has Creighton out.

[Uncle Rico]

Palm has us as a 4 vs Marshall too

Also curiously has Creighton out.

Palm is an idiot

[Newsdreams]

Palm is an idiot

Stop it

[tower912]

Sometimes, Palm is the best you got

[Tha Hound]

Sometimes, Palm is the best you got

Not bad!

[brewcity77]

Palm is an idiot

Cosign. Anyone with Creighton out is an idiot.

[GoldenEagles03]

Cosign. Anyone with Creighton out is an idiot.

I've seen a lot of UConn slander everywhere I look too.

I see they are at a 4 seed as well, but that seems low based on some of their early season wins.  Do you think they still have a path to a 1 seed if they flip the script again?

[Dr. Blackheart]

Sometimes, Palm is the best you got

Is Cheeks lunchin' with him?

[Lennys Tap]

I've seen a lot of UConn slander everywhere I look too.

I see they are at a 4 seed as well, but that seems low based on some of their early season wins.  Do you think they still have a path to a 1 seed if they flip the script again?

If they win out (11 straight in conference, then Big East Tournament champs), yes. Short of that, probably not.

[Jay Bee]

I thought he exhausted eligibility here and grad transferred. Forgot about covid year

That's not a thing. You don't exhaust eligibility at a school. You exhaust it playing college basketball, regardless of where.

[withoutbias]

That's not a thing. You don't exhaust eligibility at a school. You exhaust it playing college basketball, regardless of where.

The Ivy League says hi, Mr. Technicality.

[Elonsmusk]

The Ivy League says hi, Mr. Technicality.

Yet another non-basketball related post from Scoop's least valuable poster (who also refers to posters as "Dweebs.")  I mean at least get more current with your dis, you douche.

[brewcity77]

I've seen a lot of UConn slander everywhere I look too.

I see they are at a 4 seed as well, but that seems low based on some of their early season wins.  Do you think they still have a path to a 1 seed if they flip the script again?

I just did a complete scrub last night and this morning and moved UConn back to the 2 line. No one has two better wins away from home than UConn does. The losses hurt, but wins typically mean more than losses. They do need to turn it around, because eventually those losses will add up and drag them down, but for now I think anything other than a 2 or 3 seed is recency bias.

[The Sultan]

Yet another non-basketball related post from Scoop's least valuable poster (who also refers to posters as "Dweebs.")  I mean at least get more current with your dis, you douche.

How was that a "non-basketball related post?"

[panda]

Fart noise

How was that a "non-basketball related post?"

[muwarrior69]

Thought it was interesting that last season, even with the "February Fade" we had a similar record the second time facing each conference opponent.

First game with each team we went 5-4, return game record was 4-5.
(Excluded St. Johns since we only played them once.)

I think how we handle Seton Hall today on the road should give us an inkling of what to expect. This will be a tougher game to win when we beat them at home. The February March to Houston begins to day.

[Ellenson Guerrero]

I'm really hoping we put together a strong final six weeks and find a way to get on that 3 line. Going 14/6/2 sounds so much better than 13/5/1.

[cheebs09]

I'm really hoping we put together a strong final six weeks and find a way to get on that 3 line. Going 14/6/2 sounds so much better than 13/5/1.

At this point, I don't care if we are playing the 96 Bulls in the Sweet Sixteen. If we get there, I'll be flying high enough to see Bill Walton.