03-06-2013, 10:15 PM
Since we couldn't have any FN Bubble Watch® fun this year, this post will serve as my annual contribution (although it's not anywhere near as fun and doesn't involve any sexy linkage. Hang on...who said we couldn't have sexy linkage?)
Since the tournament's in Tulsa, why not have the Thunder Girls from down the road pay us a visit?
OK, now that that's out of the way, let's check out the remaining games for Saturday with scenarios. First, the matchups (with odds by rpiforecast.com):
UAB @ Memphis (Memphis 91%)
UTEP @ SMU (UTEP 56%)
Marshall @ ECU (ECU 76%)
Tulsa @ Rice (Tulsa 72%)
Houston @ Tulane (Tulane 67%)
UCF @ Southern Miss (Southern Miss 82%)
So here are the scenarios for us:
If we beat Memphis, we are the 5 seed. If we lose, we are the 6 should Tulsa beat Rice and Tulane beat Houston.
Houston is the fly in the ointment for us. If they beat Tulane, they'll get to 7-9. They could jump over us and push us to the 7 seed if they win and we lose. (Well unless Tulsa lost too...which would give us the 6-seed in a 3-way tiebreaker).
Confused yet?
Bottom line: We win Saturday, we are the 5 seed playing ECU on Thursday. We lose Saturday, and we are the 6 seed if Tulane takes care of Houston. This would have us playing Rice on Wednesday and LOS MINEROS on Thursday. If Tulsa and Houston win and we lose, we are the 7 seed, playing SMU on Wednesday and Southern Miss on Thursday.
A win tonight would have clinched the 5 seed. But sometimes these things are blessings in disguise. The 6 gives us a more manageable road to the semis, but I'd much rather give Memphis a farewell and get a first-round bye.
Since the tournament's in Tulsa, why not have the Thunder Girls from down the road pay us a visit?
OK, now that that's out of the way, let's check out the remaining games for Saturday with scenarios. First, the matchups (with odds by rpiforecast.com):
UAB @ Memphis (Memphis 91%)
UTEP @ SMU (UTEP 56%)
Marshall @ ECU (ECU 76%)
Tulsa @ Rice (Tulsa 72%)
Houston @ Tulane (Tulane 67%)
UCF @ Southern Miss (Southern Miss 82%)
So here are the scenarios for us:
If we beat Memphis, we are the 5 seed. If we lose, we are the 6 should Tulsa beat Rice and Tulane beat Houston.
Houston is the fly in the ointment for us. If they beat Tulane, they'll get to 7-9. They could jump over us and push us to the 7 seed if they win and we lose. (Well unless Tulsa lost too...which would give us the 6-seed in a 3-way tiebreaker).
Confused yet?
Bottom line: We win Saturday, we are the 5 seed playing ECU on Thursday. We lose Saturday, and we are the 6 seed if Tulane takes care of Houston. This would have us playing Rice on Wednesday and LOS MINEROS on Thursday. If Tulsa and Houston win and we lose, we are the 7 seed, playing SMU on Wednesday and Southern Miss on Thursday.
A win tonight would have clinched the 5 seed. But sometimes these things are blessings in disguise. The 6 gives us a more manageable road to the semis, but I'd much rather give Memphis a farewell and get a first-round bye.