I watched the guy's on the ASN feed talking about how sometimes it's a disadvantage to get the bye. I really think it hurt us last year. Discuss.

I would say so.

While having to play 4 games in 4 days is pretty tough, playing 2 in 2 days isn't. Unless the first round team is coming off a double OT game, I think they have a decent advantage having already gotten any postseason jitters out of their system. Mindset is different in a one and done setting.

Only advantage for us having the bye is our bench isn't real deep. One less game to worry about fresh legs. Whether that offsets coming out cold, only time will tell. I want to believe Dan's got them fired up after coming out flat against USM, but I'm sure losing team's coaches today felt they had their kids motivated.

It's an advantage to only have to win 3 times instead of 4. I'll take the bye every time.

The advantage comes if a team playing 4 in 4 is playing a team on their 3rd game in the finals, imho

(03-10-2016 07:00 PM)Stick4489 Wrote:  It's an advantage to only have to win 3 times instead of 4. I'll take the bye every time.

Advantage at the end of your run. What about at the beginning? And as we all know fail at the beginning and there is no end.

I dunno, after today I'll say it's a disadvantage but I don't really believe thats true. Today it just so happened that the teams without the byes (ODU and WKU) are playing some of their best ball of the season right now. The extra game yesterday gave them an extra opportunity to work out whatever kinks they had against lesser competition and continue to boost their confidence coming into today's games. UAB and Tech didn't have that opportunity.

I don't think it's a disadvantage, but it's only as much an advantage as you make it and that's all on the coaching staff.

That's not an indictment, it just really takes knowing what works your guys. Is it better to practice a little more? Rest a little more? Get them fired up? Calm them down a little? The fine tuning coming off a bye isn't easy and that's without even taking the preparation for the other team into consideration.

(03-10-2016 07:04 PM)BlazintheATL Wrote:  I dunno, after today I'll say it's a disadvantage but I don't really believe thats true. Today it just so happened that the teams without the byes (ODU and WKU) are playing some of their best ball of the season right now. The extra game yesterday gave them an extra opportunity to work out whatever kinks they had against lesser competition and continue to boost their confidence coming into today's games. UAB and Tech didn't have that opportunity.

I saw that today with both games. Today was a text book example of the bye sometimes being a true disadvantage. Having tune-up games for both WKU and ODU really helped IMO.

I would think it's an advantage regardless of the outcomes so far today. The teams with the byes are playing on the same Thursday-Saturday-Thursday routine they have been in all year. I would rather follow a routine the players are used to.

I don't think the UAB and La Tech losses had anything to do with a bye. WKU played great and is a bad match up for UAB and La Tech just looked overwhelmed in the moment. If they would have played that way without a bye they would have just lost on Wednesday instead of today.

I'm sure if you look at all the conference tournaments over a period of years you will find that it definitely helps to have a bye.

I think its a bad thing. Looks like MTSU is going down too (early but charlotte looking tough). I am really worried about tonights game vs UTEP

byes are 2-2. I'd say it's whatever best fits your team's needs. Championship game will feature one bye team and one non-bye team. We'll see if 4 in a row takes it's toll.

I agree with others, the bye is a disadvantage in the first game but an advantage later on.

I think just having played on that court once and getting the jitters out is an advantage. The bye team can play tighter as the enormity of win or go home sinks in.

I also agree that WKU and ODU are playing their best ball at the end of the season. ODU didn't squeak by La Tech... it was a decisive win. They also had wins over UTEP and AT WKU in recent weeks. WKU has beaten UAB twice in the last few weeks... as well as La Tech and MTSU (at MTSU). Saying that these two won because of the bye is unfair to those teams.

I think the bye is a disadvantage with a long lay off, but everyone just played on Saturday so the games are in the regular flow.