http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bubblewatch

Southern Miss [26-5 (13-3), RPI: 34, SOS: 162] Southern Miss and Louisiana Tech are Conference USA's only hopes of at-large tournament bids, and those hopes are exceedingly slim. The merits of the Golden Eagles' profile may be limited to their top-40 RPI, but give credit where it's due: They've had to avoid bad losses left and right just to stay in the conversation, and they did so in advance of the C-USA tournament. Their final regular-season game was Thursday; they'll wait seven full days before they meet the winner of UTEP and East Carolina/Texas-San Antonio.

Louisiana Tech [25-6 (13-3), RPI: 65, SOS: 247] Southern Miss has the shiny RPI; Louisiana Tech, the C-USA tourney's top seed, has a 102-98 win at Oklahoma. That's a huge marker -- plenty of bubble teams with much deeper resumes don't have a road win nearly as good -- and it makes the Bulldogs worth keeping in mind as we cast about for any and all mid-major at-large candidates. As with Southern Miss, it might take a run to the final for Louisiana Tech to get more than a passing at-large glance.

Had no idea La Tech's SOS was 247. Although they have a nice win at OK, that SOS will be tough to overcome.

USM's SOS isn't completely terrible, but they have no signature wins OOC.

I doubt either have much of a shot, whether they make it to the conference championship or not.

I wish Charlotte and UAB could gift wins over Michigan, KState, and UNC to USM and La Tech so we could get multiple bids.

Southern Miss will be in if they are in the finals. I don't pay attention to talking heads. If we lose before the finals, we'll be a number 1 or 2 seed in the NIT if we get by UTEP and then lose, and will be a three or four seed if we do lose to UTEP.

(03-10-2014 06:28 PM)Niner National Wrote:  Had no idea La Tech's SOS was 247. Although they have a nice win at OK, that SOS will be tough to overcome.

USM's SOS isn't completely terrible, but they have no signature wins OOC.

I doubt either have much of a shot, whether they make it to the conference championship or not.

I wish Charlotte and UAB could gift wins over Michigan, KState, and UNC to USM and La Tech so we could get multiple bids.

UAB also has a win over Nebraska.

(03-10-2014 06:43 PM)USMSTUD Wrote:  

(03-10-2014 06:28 PM)Niner National Wrote:  Had no idea La Tech's SOS was 247. Although they have a nice win at OK, that SOS will be tough to overcome.

USM's SOS isn't completely terrible, but they have no signature wins OOC.

I doubt either have much of a shot, whether they make it to the conference championship or not.

I wish Charlotte and UAB could gift wins over Michigan, KState, and UNC to USM and La Tech so we could get multiple bids.

UAB also has a win over Nebraska.

Stop rubbing it in USMSTUD...lol. UAB had some pretty good wins, had New Mexico dead to rights, and then threw up WTF losses like the chick from the Exorcist.

(03-10-2014 06:37 PM)nastybunch Wrote:  Southern Miss will be in if they are in the finals. I don't pay attention to talking heads. If we lose before the finals, we'll be a number 1 or 2 seed in the NIT if we get by UTEP and then lose, and will be a three or four seed if we do lose to UTEP.

You don't have to listen to talking heads. You just have to look at past precedent.

OOC matters and your OOC schedule was a joke. You are in exactly the same position you were last year and you didn't get a bid then, so I don't know why you are so confident this year will be different.

I really hope USM gets a bid if they don't win the tournament because I want CUSA to get more than 1 team in, I just don't see it happening when the most promising chance we have for an at large has their best OOC win against North Dakota State. USM challenged themselves one time in all of OOC play and weren't even competitive.

It is gonna be fun talking about this Sunday if we get to the finals...lol. The only way we won't in that situation us if more low seeds than normal win their tournaments in upsets

And if La Tech and USM are the two teams in the final, you can best believe Saturday night on this board will be wild.

They won't be, they would play in the Semi's

(03-10-2014 06:56 PM)nastybunch Wrote:  They won't be, they would play in the Semi's

I thought Tech was the #1 seed and USM was #4. Oh well. A La Tech/USM matchup in the semis would be the elimination game for an autobid.

(03-10-2014 06:55 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  And if La Tech and USM are the two teams in the final, you can best believe Saturday night on this board will be wild.

I think it will be no matter what.

The conference tournament should be a lot of fun to watch. There are about 7 different teams that have the talent to win it.

Two (Charlotte & UAB) are bi-polar and can't decide if they want to be good teams or not. Odds of either of these teams winning is exceptionally low, but the talent is there even if the consistency and coaching (at least in Charlotte's case) isn't.

The other five are very solid teams that are fully capable of beating anyone in the league.

1 & 4 play in the semifinals

(03-10-2014 07:00 PM)nastybunch Wrote:  1 & 4 play in the semifinals

Got it. Well that sucks!

Explain to me without sounding like an ESPN douchebag why our road win at NDSU isn't considered a big win? #38 RPI, best shooting team in the country, yet it doesn't count because their name isn't Iowa or Memphis?

(03-10-2014 07:12 PM)Noodles Wrote:  Explain to me without sounding like an ESPN douchebag why our road win at NDSU isn't considered a big win? #38 RPI, best shooting team in the country, yet it doesn't count because their name isn't Iowa or Memphis?

It's a good win but not necessarily a big win. Simply put, NDSU is not marquee name in college basketball. And if NDSU doesn't win the autobid to the Dance, that win over them would mean nothing for USM in the bigger scheme of things.

(03-10-2014 07:16 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(03-10-2014 07:12 PM)Noodles Wrote:  Explain to me without sounding like an ESPN douchebag why our road win at NDSU isn't considered a big win? #38 RPI, best shooting team in the country, yet it doesn't count because their name isn't Iowa or Memphis?

It's a good win but not necessarily a big win. Simply put, NDSU is not marquee name in college basketball. And if NDSU doesn't win the autobid to the Dance, that win over them would mean nothing for USM in the bigger scheme of things.

Yeah. They're leading Denver, RPI 140, 48-15 right now.

ESPN has ruined college sports.

(03-10-2014 07:18 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(03-10-2014 07:16 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(03-10-2014 07:12 PM)Noodles Wrote:  Explain to me without sounding like an ESPN douchebag why our road win at NDSU isn't considered a big win? #38 RPI, best shooting team in the country, yet it doesn't count because their name isn't Iowa or Memphis?

It's a good win but not necessarily a big win. Simply put, NDSU is not marquee name in college basketball. And if NDSU doesn't win the autobid to the Dance, that win over them would mean nothing for USM in the bigger scheme of things.

Yeah. They're leading Denver, RPI 140, 48-15 right now.

ESPN has ruined college sports.

This started a long time before ESPN.

Back in 77, when Charlotte went to the Final Four, we almost didn't get into the tournament. It took Adolph Rupp (who we played in the NIT final the year before after being left out of the tournament) telling the selection committee that they needed to take us before we were given any serious consideration.

We arguably had the best starting 5 in the nation that year, but almost didn't get in because we were an unknown despite being a damn good team the year before.

When there are limited spots, people generally err on the side of caution and take the bigger name program because they are generally more battle tested by virtue of playing in a conference with more talent.

(03-10-2014 07:23 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(03-10-2014 07:18 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(03-10-2014 07:16 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(03-10-2014 07:12 PM)Noodles Wrote:  Explain to me without sounding like an ESPN douchebag why our road win at NDSU isn't considered a big win? #38 RPI, best shooting team in the country, yet it doesn't count because their name isn't Iowa or Memphis?

It's a good win but not necessarily a big win. Simply put, NDSU is not marquee name in college basketball. And if NDSU doesn't win the autobid to the Dance, that win over them would mean nothing for USM in the bigger scheme of things.

Yeah. They're leading Denver, RPI 140, 48-15 right now.

ESPN has ruined college sports.

This started a long time before ESPN.

Back in 77, when Charlotte went to the Final Four, we almost didn't get into the tournament. It took Adolph Rupp (who we played in the NIT final the year before after being left out of the tournament) telling the selection committee that they needed to take us before we were given any serious consideration.

We arguably had the best starting 5 in the nation that year, but almost didn't get in because we were an unknown despite being a damn good team the year before.

When there are limited spots, people generally err on the side of caution and take the bigger name program because they are generally more battle tested by virtue of playing in a conference with more talent.

And the more talent remark is highly debatable, since they get way more home-cooking from the home game officials since they don't go on the road and play Robert Morris. Send UNC to UAB and look at the scoreboard.

(03-10-2014 07:28 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(03-10-2014 07:23 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(03-10-2014 07:18 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(03-10-2014 07:16 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(03-10-2014 07:12 PM)Noodles Wrote:  Explain to me without sounding like an ESPN douchebag why our road win at NDSU isn't considered a big win? #38 RPI, best shooting team in the country, yet it doesn't count because their name isn't Iowa or Memphis?

It's a good win but not necessarily a big win. Simply put, NDSU is not marquee name in college basketball. And if NDSU doesn't win the autobid to the Dance, that win over them would mean nothing for USM in the bigger scheme of things.

Yeah. They're leading Denver, RPI 140, 48-15 right now.

ESPN has ruined college sports.

This started a long time before ESPN.

Back in 77, when Charlotte went to the Final Four, we almost didn't get into the tournament. It took Adolph Rupp (who we played in the NIT final the year before after being left out of the tournament) telling the selection committee that they needed to take us before we were given any serious consideration.

We arguably had the best starting 5 in the nation that year, but almost didn't get in because we were an unknown despite being a damn good team the year before.

When there are limited spots, people generally err on the side of caution and take the bigger name program because they are generally more battle tested by virtue of playing in a conference with more talent.

And the more talent remark is highly debatable, since they get way more home-cooking from the home game officials since they don't go on the road and play Robert Morris. Send UNC to UAB and look at the scoreboard.

I mean in conference play. If you're Tennessee, you've played UK, Florida, and several other bubble teams.

If you're USM, you've played nobody in conference play that is anything better than a bubble team.

Not saying it is right, but it is hard to deny that someone in a power conference has faced better competition more consistently for the last 2/3 of the season.

(03-10-2014 07:56 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(03-10-2014 07:28 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(03-10-2014 07:23 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(03-10-2014 07:18 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(03-10-2014 07:16 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  It's a good win but not necessarily a big win. Simply put, NDSU is not marquee name in college basketball. And if NDSU doesn't win the autobid to the Dance, that win over them would mean nothing for USM in the bigger scheme of things.

Yeah. They're leading Denver, RPI 140, 48-15 right now.

ESPN has ruined college sports.

This started a long time before ESPN.

Back in 77, when Charlotte went to the Final Four, we almost didn't get into the tournament. It took Adolph Rupp (who we played in the NIT final the year before after being left out of the tournament) telling the selection committee that they needed to take us before we were given any serious consideration.

We arguably had the best starting 5 in the nation that year, but almost didn't get in because we were an unknown despite being a damn good team the year before.

When there are limited spots, people generally err on the side of caution and take the bigger name program because they are generally more battle tested by virtue of playing in a conference with more talent.

And the more talent remark is highly debatable, since they get way more home-cooking from the home game officials since they don't go on the road and play Robert Morris. Send UNC to UAB and look at the scoreboard.

I mean in conference play. If you're Tennessee, you've played UK, Florida, and several other bubble teams.

If you're USM, you've played nobody in conference play that is anything better than a bubble team.

Not saying it is right, but it is hard to deny that someone in a power conference has faced better competition more consistently for the last 2/3 of the season.

Better competition, according to ESPN.
Sorry, I'm not buying into the hype. We are better than Oklahoma State, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, Providence, Nebraska, Georgia.
Maybe we'll get the chance to prove it.