(03-11-2013 11:40 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  To add even more insult to injury, UCF slid to 101 and is ineligible to compete in the conference tournament so no more games for them to help us out.

Did a little quick math and even if FIU beats Western they'll slide into the top 110 but not the top 100. So, again I guess the committee will value wins over #98 by many magnitudes of order more than wins over #103.

We have no chance to get in. Still a great season. We should be rewarded for that but the regular season doesn't count for anything apparently in college basketball. When does spring practice start??

Just thinking out loud here, but is it possible for a conference such as the SBC or OVC to just declare (beforehand, of course) that the regular season champ will be the NCAA tournament representative yet still play the tournament? Maybe have the tourney champ (if its someone other than the regular season champ) be the NIT team.

(03-11-2013 11:53 AM)Blue Raider Dave Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 11:40 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  To add even more insult to injury, UCF slid to 101 and is ineligible to compete in the conference tournament so no more games for them to help us out.

Did a little quick math and even if FIU beats Western they'll slide into the top 110 but not the top 100. So, again I guess the committee will value wins over #98 by many magnitudes of order more than wins over #103.

We have no chance to get in. Still a great season. We should be rewarded for that but the regular season doesn't count for anything apparently in college basketball. When does spring practice start??

Just thinking out loud here, but is it possible for a conference such as the SBC or OVC to just declare (beforehand, of course) that the regular season champ will be the NCAA tournament representative yet still play the tournament? Maybe have the tourney champ (if its someone other than the regular season champ) be the NIT team.

I'm sure you support this...

... Until it was your team that won the conference tourney and didn't go to the NCAA Tourney.

(03-11-2013 11:55 AM)mathenis89 Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 11:53 AM)Blue Raider Dave Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 11:40 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  To add even more insult to injury, UCF slid to 101 and is ineligible to compete in the conference tournament so no more games for them to help us out.

Did a little quick math and even if FIU beats Western they'll slide into the top 110 but not the top 100. So, again I guess the committee will value wins over #98 by many magnitudes of order more than wins over #103.

We have no chance to get in. Still a great season. We should be rewarded for that but the regular season doesn't count for anything apparently in college basketball. When does spring practice start??

Just thinking out loud here, but is it possible for a conference such as the SBC or OVC to just declare (beforehand, of course) that the regular season champ will be the NCAA tournament representative yet still play the tournament? Maybe have the tourney champ (if its someone other than the regular season champ) be the NIT team.

I'm sure you support this...

... Until it was your team that won the conference tourney and didn't go to the NCAA Tourney.

Well, I'm betting that the only team in Liberty University's conference happy about them winning the tournament is Liberty.

(03-11-2013 11:58 AM)Blue Raider Dave Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 11:55 AM)mathenis89 Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 11:53 AM)Blue Raider Dave Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 11:40 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  To add even more insult to injury, UCF slid to 101 and is ineligible to compete in the conference tournament so no more games for them to help us out.

Did a little quick math and even if FIU beats Western they'll slide into the top 110 but not the top 100. So, again I guess the committee will value wins over #98 by many magnitudes of order more than wins over #103.

We have no chance to get in. Still a great season. We should be rewarded for that but the regular season doesn't count for anything apparently in college basketball. When does spring practice start??

Just thinking out loud here, but is it possible for a conference such as the SBC or OVC to just declare (beforehand, of course) that the regular season champ will be the NCAA tournament representative yet still play the tournament? Maybe have the tourney champ (if its someone other than the regular season champ) be the NIT team.

I'm sure you support this...

... Until it was your team that won the conference tourney and didn't go to the NCAA Tourney.

Well, I'm betting that the only team in Liberty University's conference happy about them winning the tournament is Liberty.

No, I agree with you, actually. However, it's very easy to throw out an idea like that when your team was the one that was screwed. However, if the situation were reversed for you and you won the tournament, but not the Regular Season title, you'd be upset that the tournament winner did not go to the NCAA Tournament.

(03-11-2013 12:00 PM)mathenis89 Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 11:58 AM)Blue Raider Dave Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 11:55 AM)mathenis89 Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 11:53 AM)Blue Raider Dave Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 11:40 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  To add even more insult to injury, UCF slid to 101 and is ineligible to compete in the conference tournament so no more games for them to help us out.

Did a little quick math and even if FIU beats Western they'll slide into the top 110 but not the top 100. So, again I guess the committee will value wins over #98 by many magnitudes of order more than wins over #103.

We have no chance to get in. Still a great season. We should be rewarded for that but the regular season doesn't count for anything apparently in college basketball. When does spring practice start??

Just thinking out loud here, but is it possible for a conference such as the SBC or OVC to just declare (beforehand, of course) that the regular season champ will be the NCAA tournament representative yet still play the tournament? Maybe have the tourney champ (if its someone other than the regular season champ) be the NIT team.

I'm sure you support this...

... Until it was your team that won the conference tourney and didn't go to the NCAA Tourney.

Well, I'm betting that the only team in Liberty University's conference happy about them winning the tournament is Liberty.

No, I agree with you, actually. However, it's very easy to throw out an idea like that when your team was the one that was screwed. However, if the situation were reversed for you and you won the tournament, but not the Regular Season title, you'd be upset that the tournament winner did not go to the NCAA Tournament.

You are exactly correct.

We weren't screwed. This happens almost every year in the Sun Belt.

(03-11-2013 12:02 PM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  We weren't screwed. This happens almost every year in the Sun Belt.

......and other conferences as well.

(03-11-2013 12:02 PM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  We weren't screwed. This happens almost every year in the Sun Belt.

Yeah, please don't get the idea that I think we were screwed. If we got screwed it was a self-inflicted screwing That just sounds wrong.....

(03-11-2013 12:09 PM)Blue Raider Dave Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 12:02 PM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  We weren't screwed. This happens almost every year in the Sun Belt.

Yeah, please don't get the idea that I think we were screwed. If we got screwed it was a self-inflicted screwing That just sounds wrong.....

We did get screwed on the hop, skip, and jump FIU took near the end in a one possesion game that got called a time out. Big missed called but we shouldn't of allowed ourselves to put it in the hand of Sun Belt officials, we all know their great reputation.

Latest bracketology by ESPN's Lunardi has MT missing the tourney... Take it for what it's worth... It also has FIU as a 16 seed playing Gonzaga

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

While I beleive the regular season champ should be rewarded ( and they are with NIT) the team that is playing the best ball at the end of the year should represent the conference In my opinion. You could win the conference and lose 3 starters due to injuries and suck after or like wku this year have injuries all season and come back to full health and possibly win the tourney. Reguardless if its WKU or fIU the team playing the best at the season end will represent the Sun Belt and both teams gave MT fits which leads me to beleive there was not much difference in quality between these three (WKU fiu and MT ) the major difference was MT had plenty of returning players with min to no injuries which was opposite of FIU and WKU's situation this season

(03-11-2013 12:37 PM)Fish Wrote:  Latest bracketology by ESPN's Lunardi has MT missing the tourney... Take it for what it's worth... It also has FIU as a 16 seed playing Gonzaga

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

No offense but LOONardi never looks at any team outside of the power schools. He just penciled in whom ever beat who was already in his program at the time, he does it every year.......but if your a FIU fan, I'm sure it has to feel good to be in this position.

(03-11-2013 12:37 PM)Fish Wrote:  Latest bracketology by ESPN's Lunardi has MT missing the tourney... Take it for what it's worth... It also has FIU as a 16 seed playing Gonzaga

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

That'd be an interesting matchup for FIU

Teams like USM, MTSU, and La Tech are not going to get in without winning the conference tourney. Enjoy the NIT and get ready for C-USA 3.0

(03-11-2013 11:38 AM)TeKERaider Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 11:12 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

A. We make money off the tournament. But how much? Which is more what we make of the tourney or extra units every couple of years? Plus we could still have a tourney. Attendance is bad anyway I bet there would not be that big of drop off even without the bid on the line..
B. It adds a guaranteed TV appearance we don't otherwise get. Would probably still be covered even with out the autobid. That Monday night time slot is not that valuable
C. Everyone else is doing it so obviously we need to as well.Not everybody. Plus my mom and kindergarten teacher said this is never a valid reason. Something about a bridge...

BTW, I am not saying this to whine. We knew the deal before hand. Beat Akron or Belmont and we are in. I just think this is an honest evaluation that 1 bid conferences need to look at and make the best business decision.
[/quote]

Preaching to the choir here.

I've filled many page the past 10 years saying if you are hell bent to have a conference tournament, do a six team tournament.

Bottom line is the schools want a tournament for whatever reasons motivate them, and I do think "everyone does it" is motivation (forget the Ivy they don't offer scholarships so aren't a role model).

Coaches like getting to the end of the season and having a shot to keep the kids motivated by trying to get them ready for a three or four game run in the tournament. AD's like the chance to redeem next year's ticket sales push by talking about how a young team grew up in the conference tournament with a nice run.

For about 20 leagues out there their hope for two bids is for the champ to build a resume and get knocked off in the league final.

If there were no tournament. MTSU would be in the NCAA Tournament, there would be no chance at the NIT for the Sun Belt and a couple teams looking at CIT or CBI.

With a tournament, the Sun Belt awaits Selection Sunday wondering if MTSU joins the field with the tournament champ or goes to the NIT and the other cast of characters await CIT or CBI.

Now as I've said, I think 6 is a better compromise. It means if your champ is knocked out they are knocked out by a better RPI team. It means your top 2 teams get a bye and play a team that is likely rated 3-6 in the RPI from the league so better bolsters the champs RPI.

I am rooting for MT to get the at-large bid. They had an incredible season and should be rewarded. Great team who deserve to keep the season going. Don't get me wrong, love to beat them, but when not playing WKU, I wish all Sunbelt Schools the best.