***Official 2013 Bracketology Thread***

[CarlHungus]

The committee frowns upon lack of quality road wins. UMKC, TCU, and TTU is not going to get it done. Losses at Texas and WVU will look bad this year. Getting at least one of OU, KSU, Baylor, or OSU will look great, OTOH.

I think we will get at least 2, if not 3 of those.

[TurbulentEddie]

I think we will get at least 2, if not 3 of those.

Getting three of them would put ISU in the race for 1st place Big 12, so I hope you're right. I don't doubt the team has it in them, either.

[inCyteful]

Lunardi gave us a nice little bump there, we are in much better shape than we were last year at this time. I think we were barely on the radar at this time last year, the KU game was the game that put us on the map.

This.

This team has been on an upward trajectory all season. Even considering the close shave with WVU, they are doing the things teams with good seeds in the tourney do. Winning physical games, winning grind it out road game. Niang is key component and only a freshman and improving quickly.

Worst case is they are 12-6 and 8th seed. Good showing in Big XII tourney and 6th or even 5th seed is possible.

[alarson]

I think the definite mood to take right now is 'cautiously optimistic'. We definitely are ahead of last year at this time, due to not having any bad losses like we did last year, but we still need to add some good wins just like we did at this time last year as well. We'll definitely have chances for those coming up after the tech 'avoid a bad loss' game. In a couple weeks we'll likely have a much better idea on our postseason chances. We've shown the ability to win those 'prove it' games coming up (most notably in the KU game), we now just have to go and do it.

[bsaltyman]

In this thread I'm seeing a lot of predictions for ISU to be a 10 or 11 seed. To me I would rather have the 11 seed than a 10 because it would be an easier road to a possible sweet 16. You never know how deep a team can go in the dance... like when VCU was an 11 seed and made the final four a couple years ago. Of course this is all hypothetical, but would you guys rather have a 10 or 11 seed?

[alarson]

In this thread I'm seeing a lot of predictions for ISU to be a 10 or 11 seed. To me I would rather have the 11 seed than a 10 because it would be an easier road to a possible sweet 16. You never know how deep a team can go in the dance... like when VCU was an 11 seed and made the final four a couple years ago. Of course this is all hypothetical, but would you guys rather have a 10 or 11 seed?

I would take a 10 if it meant avoiding the additional game in dayton that an 11 seed could get stuck with. 3 vs 4 seed in the r32 isnt all that different, and you have a 7 seed instead of a 6 seed in the first round (r64)

[cyclonepower]

This.

This team has been on an upward trajectory all season. Even considering the close shave with WVU, they are doing the things teams with good seeds in the tourney do. Winning physical games, winning grind it out road game. Niang is key component and only a freshman and improving quickly.

Worst case is they are 12-6 and 8th seed. Good showing in Big XII tourney and 6th or even 5th seed is possible.

Worst case 12-6, where do I sign up???

[lakesbison]

NDSU summit league 16-3 only lost to #1 Indiana and #9 Minnesota.... should get the summit league bid and be #13 seed.

[bawbie]

NDSU summit league 16-3 only lost to #1 Indiana and #9 Minnesota.... should get the summit league bid and be #13 seed.

Oops

North Dakota St. at Western Ill. | Saturday January 19, 2013 | NCAAB - Yahoo! Sports

[CJ4IOWASTATE]

Stop. Lets win the game we should Wednesday night. That would be a great road win as all road wins are.

Then we come home to a crazy Hilton and all hell breaks loose against KST.

One at a time boys, one at a time........

[lakesbison]

Oops

North Dakota St. at Western Ill. | Saturday January 19, 2013 | NCAAB - Yahoo! Sports

16-4 oops I didn't include that loss because NDSU had 5 Ft attempts to 36 for wiu. that's straight up rigged.

[VeloClone]

16-4 oops I didn't include that loss because NDSU had 5 Ft attempts to 36 for wiu. that's straight up rigged.

You may ignore losses but the selection committee doesn't.

[CyFan61]

Here's a conservative look at how things turn out.

Win just one of these four:
vs. Kansas
@ K-State
@ Oklahoma
@ Oklahoma State

Lose any four of these seven:
@ Texas
@ West Virginia
@ Baylor
vs. K-State
vs. Oklahoma
vs. Oklahoma State
vs. Baylor

Sweep TCU and Texas Tech.

That is a pretty damn terrible showing... but it's still 20-11 (10-8).

I don't see ISU possibly doing any worse than being close to the bubble at the end of the season. Even with this near-worst case scenario, two wins in KC would give us a shot.

[cloneteach]

If we sweep this week we will be at least in a tie for second place in the conference. KSU beats KU and there could be a tie for 1st in the works.

[CycloneErik]

If we sweep this week we will be at least in a tie for second place in the conference. KSU beats KU and there could be a tie for 1st in the works.

Exactly.
If KSU beats KU, then a win of KSU just gets bigger.