I think it shows a great deal of respect to the MAC that Buffalo has lost two road games in the league and continues to be ranked at 19-3.

While I know some MAC fans would like to see UB continue to lose and out of the rankings, I believe that it says more about the quality of Bowling Green that voters didn't automatically dismiss Buffalo as a Top 25 team.

I think this also shows the importance of non-conference scheduling and if you can get some quality wins in non-conference, the opportunity to get ranked and stay ranked is there in this league.

I think it definitely shows Bowling Green is a pretty solid team and it was a close game on the road for the Bulls.

I also think the majority of MAC hoops fans want UB to stay ranked and keep the conference RPI as high as possible. Then ultimately LOSE in the MAC Championship game, thereby guaranteeing a two-bid league for the first time in years. That's what I would want to see anyway, if I were a fan of anyone other than Buffalo.

(02-04-2019 02:39 PM)zrb2 Wrote:  I think it definitely shows Bowling Green is a pretty solid team and it was a close game on the road for the Bulls.

I also think the majority of MAC hoops fans want UB to stay ranked and keep the conference RPI as high as possible. Then ultimately LOSE in the MAC Championship game, thereby guaranteeing a two-bid league for the first time in years. That's what I would want to see anyway, if I were a fan of anyone other than Buffalo.

The ultimate sign of respect ... Bulls win out. And a second team still gets NCAA bid.

Net rankings have already been exposed for tilting heavy toward margin of victory, not just victory, so some 'wins' by 5-points or less look like losses while double-digit wins can look like blowouts.

I think as long as the MAC has multiple teams in the Top 100 Net, the chances are there for a second team, regardless.

(02-04-2019 02:02 PM)BullBoy Wrote:  While I know some MAC fans would like to see UB continue to lose and out of the rankings,

I would like to meet these fans and give them a good slap. A rising tide lifts all boats. Ohio couldn't capitalize on their good run in 2012 but Buffalo is doing it. This is a great thing for the conference. I'm praying you guys can keep Oats. Sadly we Ohio fans are watching it from afar.

Buffalo also only fell 4 spots after their loss to NIU. I feel it's just the voters acknowledging that MAC as a whole is extremely good and unless you're Duke or Gonzaga playing an 18 game MAC schedule is going to result in some losses.

Akron is only 1 loss behind Buffalo and 2 losses behind BG with 2 games left against each. I like to see the MAC do well, but I'm an Akron fan 1st. At the moment I'm cheering for whatever scenario gives Akron the best chance of winning the MAC regular season and #1 seed. I'd hope BG, Toledo, and Kent fan bases are all cheering for the same. I can understand a WMU & Ball St fan cheering for Buffalo to finish strong because frankly both teams are pretty much eliminated from regular season contention.

(02-04-2019 03:29 PM)kreed5120 Wrote:  Buffalo also only fell 4 spots after their loss to NIU. I feel it's just the voters acknowledging that MAC as a whole is extremely good and unless you're Duke or Gonzaga playing an 18 game MAC schedule is going to result in some losses.

Akron is only 1 loss behind Buffalo and 2 losses behind BG with 2 games left against each. I like to see the MAC do well, but I'm an Akron fan 1st. At the moment I'm cheering for whatever scenario gives Akron the best chance of winning the MAC regular season and #1 seed. I'd hope BG, Toledo, and Kent fan bases are all cheering for the same. I can understand a WMU & Ball St fan cheering for Buffalo to finish strong because frankly both teams are pretty much eliminated from regular season contention.

BGSUcks beat UB, so now I want Toledo to do the same... But before that? I would be fine with UB beating UT and then Toledo getting revenge in the tourney, if it meant keeping UB in the top 25 and having a guaranteed at large.

Like I said, BG did it so now I want to. And UB stayed in the top 25 so knocking them off in Savage would be very cool. We will show BG what an actual atmosphere feels like. Assuming UB doesn't lose this week and Toledo takes down BGSUcks in the Stroh, Savage will be damn near sold out of our not high school arena.

Any MAC team other than UB hoping for at large consideration needs a win over Buffalo on its resume.

(02-05-2019 03:12 AM)pono Wrote:  Any MAC team other than UB hoping for at large consideration needs a win over Buffalo on its resume.

It's still pretty unlikely. Toledo for example basically needs to win out, defeat UB twice, have them win out... Then have UC Irvine and Marshall win their leagues. A combo of Oakland, Wright State, FGCU and ULL winning their leagues would go a long way as well. I don't see it happening. Toledo, BG, and Kent's ceiling is next 4 out probably.

(02-05-2019 08:47 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(02-05-2019 03:12 AM)pono Wrote:  Any MAC team other than UB hoping for at large consideration needs a win over Buffalo on its resume.

It's still pretty unlikely. Toledo for example basically needs to win out, defeat UB twice, have them win out... Then have UC Irvine and Marshall win their leagues. A combo of Oakland, Wright State, FGCU and ULL winning their leagues would go a long way as well. I don't see it happening. Toledo, BG, and Kent's ceiling is next 4 out probably.

I don't think BG's ceiling is near "the next four out." With some of the losses they accrued early in the season, BG has zero chance at any consideration of an at-large berth. I don't know about Kent.

(02-05-2019 04:09 PM)bg816 Wrote:  

(02-05-2019 08:47 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(02-05-2019 03:12 AM)pono Wrote:  Any MAC team other than UB hoping for at large consideration needs a win over Buffalo on its resume.

It's still pretty unlikely. Toledo for example basically needs to win out, defeat UB twice, have them win out... Then have UC Irvine and Marshall win their leagues. A combo of Oakland, Wright State, FGCU and ULL winning their leagues would go a long way as well. I don't see it happening. Toledo, BG, and Kent's ceiling is next 4 out probably.

I don't think BG's ceiling is near "the next four out." With some of the losses they accrued early in the season, BG has zero chance at any consideration of an at-large berth. I don't know about Kent.

BG could have 2 wins over Kent, 2 over UB with a win over Toledo. If they ran it until the tourney finals they would be 25-7 to end the year? That would be next 8 id say. The committee likes teams who win 15 or so in a row.

Anyway you cut it, no matter what they do, besides UB, everyone else is "not in." That's all that really matters. Although it would be fun to see someone hang a banner: "2019 NCAA Next Four Out."

(02-05-2019 04:50 PM)axeme Wrote:  Anyway you cut it, no matter what they do, besides UB, everyone else is "not in." That's all that really matters. Although it would be fun to see someone hang a banner: "2019 NCAA Next Four Out."

It's going to happen that way, because it always does. UB will probably win the league at 12-6 let's be honest. But there are avenues Midway through league play for a couple teams to win out and make noise. Toledo wouldn't be in at 27-5? Come on. Their net would be 30.

(02-05-2019 03:12 AM)pono Wrote:  Any MAC team other than UB hoping for at large consideration needs a win over Buffalo on its resume.

It's going to take NET 45 maybe 50 to pick plus a Buffalo win. MAC is almost as likely to get 3 as it is two but a lot will depend on conference tourney pairings.

Who would have thought we would see the day we had a ranked MAC who didn't fall out after losses to BG and NIU??

(02-05-2019 05:26 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(02-05-2019 04:50 PM)axeme Wrote:  Anyway you cut it, no matter what they do, besides UB, everyone else is "not in." That's all that really matters. Although it would be fun to see someone hang a banner: "2019 NCAA Next Four Out."

It's going to happen that way, because it always does. UB will probably win the league at 12-6 let's be honest. But there are avenues Midway through league play for a couple teams to win out and make noise. Toledo wouldn't be in at 27-5? Come on. Their net would be 30.

I doubt Toledo would be in

(02-06-2019 01:48 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(02-05-2019 05:26 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(02-05-2019 04:50 PM)axeme Wrote:  Anyway you cut it, no matter what they do, besides UB, everyone else is "not in." That's all that really matters. Although it would be fun to see someone hang a banner: "2019 NCAA Next Four Out."

It's going to happen that way, because it always does. UB will probably win the league at 12-6 let's be honest. But there are avenues Midway through league play for a couple teams to win out and make noise. Toledo wouldn't be in at 27-5? Come on. Their net would be 30.

I doubt Toledo would be in

I've seen saint Mary's and Monmouth get left out with sub 35 RPIs so it wouldn't be a guarantee. We also don't know how the NET will be treated... But a team who defeated multiple league champions, which plays in the 8th best league with a NET of 30 or so would be a bubble team at least.

Toledo's next two games are at BG and vs Buffalo. I'd say that's their two toughest games remaining. No point in trying to speculate until that point as any stretch scenario would require then winning both games.

(02-06-2019 01:48 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(02-05-2019 05:26 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(02-05-2019 04:50 PM)axeme Wrote:  Anyway you cut it, no matter what they do, besides UB, everyone else is "not in." That's all that really matters. Although it would be fun to see someone hang a banner: "2019 NCAA Next Four Out."

It's going to happen that way, because it always does. UB will probably win the league at 12-6 let's be honest. But there are avenues Midway through league play for a couple teams to win out and make noise. Toledo wouldn't be in at 27-5? Come on. Their net would be 30.

I doubt Toledo would be in

In 2013-2014, Toledo was 27-6 after losing in the MAC Championship Game and their RPI was in the 20's. They didn't get in to the NCAA Tournament and they weren't even in the First Four Out. They were one of the two highest RPI teams to be left out. Granted, it will be interesting to see how different the evaluation using the NET rankings is compared to the RPI in years past.

(02-06-2019 08:29 PM)RocketBBallFan Wrote:  

(02-06-2019 01:48 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(02-05-2019 05:26 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(02-05-2019 04:50 PM)axeme Wrote:  Anyway you cut it, no matter what they do, besides UB, everyone else is "not in." That's all that really matters. Although it would be fun to see someone hang a banner: "2019 NCAA Next Four Out."

It's going to happen that way, because it always does. UB will probably win the league at 12-6 let's be honest. But there are avenues Midway through league play for a couple teams to win out and make noise. Toledo wouldn't be in at 27-5? Come on. Their net would be 30.

I doubt Toledo would be in

In 2013-2014, Toledo was 27-6 after losing in the MAC Championship Game and their RPI was in the 20's. They didn't get in to the NCAA Tournament and they weren't even in the First Four Out. They were one of the two highest RPI teams to be left out. Granted, it will be interesting to see how different the evaluation using the NET rankings is compared to the RPI in years past.

I think your memory is playing tricks. Toledo's RPI in 2013-14 was 43.

http://warrennolan.com/basketball/2014/schedule/Toledo

(02-06-2019 09:09 PM)axeme Wrote:  

(02-06-2019 08:29 PM)RocketBBallFan Wrote:  

(02-06-2019 01:48 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(02-05-2019 05:26 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(02-05-2019 04:50 PM)axeme Wrote:  Anyway you cut it, no matter what they do, besides UB, everyone else is "not in." That's all that really matters. Although it would be fun to see someone hang a banner: "2019 NCAA Next Four Out."

It's going to happen that way, because it always does. UB will probably win the league at 12-6 let's be honest. But there are avenues Midway through league play for a couple teams to win out and make noise. Toledo wouldn't be in at 27-5? Come on. Their net would be 30.

I doubt Toledo would be in

In 2013-2014, Toledo was 27-6 after losing in the MAC Championship Game and their RPI was in the 20's. They didn't get in to the NCAA Tournament and they weren't even in the First Four Out. They were one of the two highest RPI teams to be left out. Granted, it will be interesting to see how different the evaluation using the NET rankings is compared to the RPI in years past.

I think your memory is playing tricks. Toledo's RPI in 2013-14 was 43.

http://warrennolan.com/basketball/2014/schedule/Toledo

That is showing their final RPI after their loss to Southern Miss in the NIT. I was talking about their RPI after the MAC Championship Game and prior to the NCAA Tournament/NIT, which I am pretty sure was in the 20's.