*** THE OFFICIAL TEXAS TECH VS. ISU POSTGAME THREAD ***

[CycloneErik]

Looking at the schedules, if we don't beat KSU at home, 4th place will be a major uphill climb for us. I'm thinking 5 Big 12 teams get in assuming the 5th place team beats somebody with a pulse. K. State has the Mizzou win on their resume' so staying ahead of them would be great.

I know that people hate the term, but it' probably fair to call the K-State series at least a "must split." Have to beat them at least once.

So glad that we're spending our time arguing about this stuff instead of watching our guys battle over the cellar. Much more fun.

 

[swarthmoreCY]

1.)But we didnt lose 4 non con games.

2.)i think if we continue to win and have a good upset or 2 we are in

1.)Yes, but the framework of discussion we are on the bubble. If you are on the bubble, you needed more wins to not be on the bubble, regardless of whether you lost 4 or 3 non-conference games. Any loss has a huge opportunity cost...especially ones like UNI at home and Drake.

2.) I agree that if we continue to win 66% of our conference games (which would include an upset or two) we are in.

 

[Wesley]

At 20-11 (10-8), we would be on the bubble. There have been numerous major conference teams left out with 20 wins and .500 or better conference records (including 2011 CU).

RPI teams in the forties have been left out. Big 12 is ticketed for top 4 entries. The Big 12 has been stiffed since NCAA moved to Indianapolis.

Our last four games may be tough and that means we need to get ahead of the bubble.

 

[CycloneErik]

Right now, the standard for conference teams is to be ranked (this week) 2nd or 3rd in the country. That's not too bad.

 

[Wesley]

The last good year was 2005 when we were 9-7 in conference. We need to beat this.

The last really good year was 2001 when we were 13-3.

Corrected for ACCURACY.

 

[swarthmoreCY]

Then why did you use it in response to "have a winning record in the Big 12". Is 10-8 not a winning record? Say what you mean. We aren't mind readers.

My thought was bolding the "taking care of business" and not bolding the "winning record" part would have been enough to alert the reader I was responding to the former, which at the same time also accomplishes suggesting the latter is not sufficient in defining the former.
Lazy on my part.


Do you think we reach 10-8? If so, is it good enough (assuming that 10 does not include going 4-0 in future match-ups with KU, BU, and MU).

 

[cyclones500]

The last good year was 2005 when we were 9-7 in conference. We need to beat this.

The last really good year was 2003 when we were 13-3.

you meant '01

 

[jdoggivjc]

I think ISU is going to have to win 11 games or more if it wants to get into the dance. ISU's RPI is bad, they have no quality wins outside of conference and only one "good" loss against Michigan, and while the Drake loss looks "better" than when it happened at the time, the UNI loss looks worse weekly. Our weak-arse nonconference schedule may end up costing a tournament appearance if ISU doesn't finish well above .500 in conference.

In the future ISU needs to up the ante for it's nonconference schedule.

 

[Wesley]

you meant '01

Yep. 01 was how long ago we did well.

 

[cyclones500]

The Hoops Report | Bracketology

bracketology- 10 seed in Atlanta regional...possible 2nd round game with Kentucky...Royce vs Anthony Davis would be a really cool matchup to see

I would love this ISU team in a possible 10-2 second-round opportunity.

It would be fantastic to climb even higher, of course — and at this point I still think we're on the outside looking in. But this "feels" like a team that should get into the field, around the 10 or 11 range.

 

[swarthmoreCY]

1.)I think ISU is going to have to win 11 games or more if it wants to get into the dance. ISU's RPI is bad, they have no quality wins outside of conference and only one "good" loss against Michigan, and while the Drake loss looks "better" than when it happened at the time, the UNI loss looks worse weekly.

2.)Our weak-arse nonconference schedule may end up costing a tournament appearance if ISU doesn't finish well above .500 in conference.In the future ISU needs to up the ante for it's nonconference schedule.

1.) Agree.

2.) Disagree. You lose to Drake and UNI, plus just escape a couple more, and that weak non-conference is what is even giving you a chance at making it. Beefing up the schedule would have likely added more losses, which would require even more conference wins. Trading a win for a loss usually only helps when losing to ~RPI top-25 teams.
I do agree dropping the absolute bottom teams in favor of just bad teams (then again, we struggled to beat).

 

[Ry4Cy]

I think ISU is going to have to win 11 games or more if it wants to get into the dance. ISU's RPI is bad, they have no quality wins outside of conference and only one "good" loss against Michigan, and while the Drake loss looks "better" than when it happened at the time, the UNI loss looks worse weekly. Our weak-arse nonconference schedule may end up costing a tournament appearance if ISU doesn't finish well above .500 in conference.

In the future ISU needs to up the ante for it's nonconference schedule.

Well good thing they didn't do that this year. We probably would have lost 8 non-con games or something.

 

[cyclones500]

Here is what I think, at minimum, would get ISU safely into the tournament.

Disclaimer: This is as it stands today. Plenty could change with the status of remaining opponents (quality of wins or detriment of losses).

L @ Texas
W Kansas
W Kansas State
L @OU
W @OSU
W A&M
L @Baylor
W OU
W Tech
L @KSU
L @Mizzou
W Baylor

I prefer winning at Texas, too, but I’ll trade that if we can get KU and KSU at home. KU is the soonest chance to beat top-5 level team, and we need a head-turning win asap and KU is must-have since there was a missed chance in Lawrence.. We don’t get Missouri until final week, and Baylor may not return to the top 10 before that first matchup.

I threw in a loss @OU because we’ll have a road snag, and that seems less damaging than OSU.

A sweep of KSU wouldn’t hurt, and sweeping Baylor is still there for the taking and provides a boost.

More simplified, if ISU holds serve at home and steals at least one quality road win (UT/KSU, Baylor or Missouri) — Looks like a lock.

 

[Peter]

Call me crazy, but I don't see why we couldn't compete for a Big XII title. We are currently tied for third and we almost knocked off the two teams ahead of us. I think we can play with anyone in this league. Just keep winning and March will be a fantastic month.

 

[gocubs2118]

I think ISU is going to have to win 11 games or more if it wants to get into the dance. ISU's RPI is bad, they have no quality wins outside of conference and only one "good" loss against Michigan, and while the Drake loss looks "better" than when it happened at the time, the UNI loss looks worse weekly. Our weak-arse nonconference schedule may end up costing a tournament appearance if ISU doesn't finish well above .500 in conference.

In the future ISU needs to up the ante for it's nonconference schedule.

Our RPI isn't bad, it isn't good but it's right around where bubble teams usually are every year. They need to get 38 at large teams from somewhere. All teams around the bubble are going to be flawed in someway. People are harping on the Drake loss WAY too much. If the committee sees how well we're playing at the end of the season, if we are, they will take that into account much more than some early November loss.

Plus, our non conference schedule wasn't that horrible. If you want to look at bad non conference schedules, look at these teams. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20.../01/16/hoop.thoughts/index.html?sct=cb_bf3_a4

 

[cyatheart]

Our RPI is not terrible, it is in the 50's and we have many many opportunities to make it better. Teams get in a lot with RPI's higher than that. Teams also get left out with RPI's in the 40's but not often.

Just have to take care of business at home, beat OU, OSU on the road and we will be fine.

We have a great great chance to get in. The non-conference schedule is a non issue if we win 11 Big 12 games. Clearly it wasn't that bad or our RPI would be worse.

 

[Cydkar]

My thought was bolding the "taking care of business" and not bolding the "winning record" part would have been enough to alert the reader I was responding to the former, which at the same time also accomplishes suggesting the latter is not sufficient in defining the former.
Lazy on my part.


Do you think we reach 10-8? If so, is it good enough (assuming that 10 does not include going 4-0 in future match-ups with KU, BU, and MU).

I don't know and we would not have to go 4-0 in those games to get in if we did get to 10-8. If we are 10-8 we can get in but I'm not assuming we would by any means. The Big 12 tournament would be critical and how other conferences pan out will be a factor.

 

[Cydkar]

Here is what I think, at minimum, would get ISU safely into the tournament.

Disclaimer: This is as it stands today. Plenty could change with the status of remaining opponents (quality of wins or detriment of losses).

L @ Texas
W Kansas
W Kansas State
L @OU
W @OSU
W A&M
L @Baylor
W OU
W Tech
L @KSU
L @Mizzou
W Baylor

I prefer winning at Texas, too, but I’ll trade that if we can get KU and KSU at home. KU is the soonest chance to beat top-5 level team, and we need a head-turning win asap and KU is must-have since there was a missed chance in Lawrence.. We don’t get Missouri until final week, and Baylor may not return to the top 10 before that first matchup.

I threw in a loss @OU because we’ll have a road snag, and that seems less damaging than OSU.

A sweep of KSU wouldn’t hurt, and sweeping Baylor is still there for the taking and provides a boost.

More simplified, if ISU holds serve at home and steals at least one quality road win (UT/KSU, Baylor or Missouri) — Looks like a lock.

Your scenario would easily get us in.

 

[cyclones500]

Your scenario would easily get us in.

Cool.

Now, if we fans could just control how it happened. :yes:

 

[swarthmoreCY]

we would not have to go 4-0 in those games to get in if we did get to 10-8. .

Of course it is plausible we get in without going 4-0 against those teams with a 10-8 record...Go 4-0 against those teams and finish 10-8, and there was no question to be asked.