Let's talk B12 bubbles ...

[isucy86]

I mean this in all sincerity unless we win the Big 12 I don't care where we finish as long as we make the tourney. The NCAA tournament is the bar for success in college basketball.

The Tournament is the reward for a solid season, so why not focus on having a solid season which means winning Big 12 games.

Some of my best memories as a Cyclone have been the Big12 Tournament. So why not focus on setting ourself up for the best path to playing 2-3 games in KC.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I think the good guys are a lock with another W and still have a decent shot even if we lose out. But it’s nice that we have two winnable games in a row here; just need to get at least one of them.

Would feel good to win @ KSU on Saturday and then Senior Night would be a bit less pressure filled.

I get the feeling that the guys will feel like some payback is in order for Saturday. That loss stung, and it seems to have brought back their intensity.

 

[randomfan44]

The Tournament is the reward for a solid season, so why not focus on having a solid season which means winning Big 12 games.

Some of my best memories as a Cyclone have been the Big12 Tournament. So why not focus on setting ourself up for the best path to playing 2-3 games in KC.

It's not like a team will do something different to focus on the Big 12 tourney than the ncaa tourney. You set yourself up for Big 12 and ncaa tourney success by trying to be the best team you can be given the roster that you have at the time and then try to win as much as possible to improve your seeding as much as possible.

 

[BryceC]

The Tournament is the reward for a solid season, so why not focus on having a solid season which means winning Big 12 games.

Some of my best memories as a Cyclone have been the Big12 Tournament. So why not focus on setting ourself up for the best path to playing 2-3 games in KC.

I honestly don't care. NCAA tournament is a reward for winning, it doesn't matter if it's in the Big 12 or otherwise.

I agree about the Big 12 tourney. I've gone to almost all of them since Fred has been back, even when I didn't have tickets, we'd just go down. It's the best event as a college sports fan IMO. It'd be nice to have an awesome seed down there but in our 4 titles we've been #2, a #4, #4, and #5. It's certainly not some kind of requirement to go down there with some awesome seed to come away with the chip.

 

[randomfan44]

I mean this in all sincerity unless we win the Big 12 I don't care where we finish as long as we make the tourney. The NCAA tournament is the bar for success in college basketball.

The better the team finishes, the better ncaa tourney seed they earn. The better ncaa seed they earn, the better chances that they get a favorable matchup in the ncaa tourney. It's not a guarantee but it improves the odds.

Every placement increase in the standings matters.

 

[BryceC]

The better the team finishes, the better ncaa tourney seed they earn. The better ncaa seed they earn, the better chances that they get a favorable matchup in the ncaa tourney. It's not a guarantee but it improves the odds.

Every placement increase in the standings matters.

Well of course. That's obvious. But the point, especially at a school like ISU is getting in and seeing how it goes.

 

[randomfan44]

I honestly don't care. NCAA tournament is a reward for winning, it doesn't matter if it's in the Big 12 or otherwise.

I agree about the Big 12 tourney. I've gone to almost all of them since Fred has been back, even when I didn't have tickets, we'd just go down. It's the best event as a college sports fan IMO. It'd be nice to have an awesome seed down there but in our 4 titles we've been #2, a #4, #4, and #5. It's certainly not some kind of requirement to go down there with some awesome seed to come away with the chip.

The difference between a 6 seed and an 8 seed is HUGE in the ncaa tourney.

An 8 seed has a 99.3% chance of playing a #1 seed in their second game if they win their first game and #8 seeds are just 18-71 (20.2%) all time vs. #1 seeds.

A 6 seed on the other hand, if they win their first game, has a better chance of seeing their #3 seed get upset (84.7% chance that the #3 beats the #14) and they perform much better against those #3 seeds who do advance with #6 seeds winning against #3 seeds at a robust 42.4% clip.

mcubed.net : Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament : : Records By Seed

mcubed.net

And my guess is that the success rate of #6 seeds over #3 seeds is even better than that 42% rate in the last few years, with early years of the 64 team field when the field just wanst as competitive as it is now, weighing down the averages.

 

[randomfan44]

Well of course. That's obvious. But the point, especially at a school like ISU is getting in and seeing how it goes.

Teams would be wise to do everything possible to earn better than a #8 seed to get out of that #1 vs. #8 game in the Round of 32. There is a huge benefit of doing a little more than just "getting in"; figuring out what a team needs to do to get a Top 7 seed is crucial.

 

[isucy86]

I honestly don't care. NCAA tournament is a reward for winning, it doesn't matter if it's in the Big 12 or otherwise.

I agree about the Big 12 tourney. I've gone to almost all of them since Fred has been back, even when I didn't have tickets, we'd just go down. It's the best event as a college sports fan IMO. It'd be nice to have an awesome seed down there but in our 4 titles we've been #2, a #4, #4, and #5. It's certainly not some kind of requirement to go down there with some awesome seed to come away with the chip.

Not saying we need an awesome seed, because the math shows the best we can hope for is a 5 seed. But I would rather have a 5 seed and play Texas.

Is playing KU, TT or Baylor a horrible thing on Thursday? No because to advance, we need to beat them at some point. But, I'd rather give the 6-8 seed the first crack at the upset

Coming back to the NCAA Tournament, winning Big 12 games will improve our NCAA seed. Sure matchups are probably just as important as a higher seed in the first weekend, but I think our odds of winning improves with a higher seed.

You be You & I'll be Me

 

[jsb]

I mean this in all sincerity unless we win the Big 12 I don't care where we finish as long as we make the tourney. The NCAA tournament is the bar for success in college basketball.

ANY ncaa bid would be a huge accomplishment. However, I made fun of Iowa when they were in the play in game and said it really wasn’t the tournament. I’m hoping that we can avoid that because, while I’ll happily be a hypocrite, it would be annoying.

 

[randomfan44]

ANY ncaa bid would be a huge accomplishment. However, I made fun of Iowa when they were in the play in game and said it really wasn’t the tournament. I’m hoping that we can avoid that because, while I’ll happily be a hypocrite, it would be annoying.

I think it would take a catastrophe for ISU to be in the play-in game. They seem to be safely in the field.

I think TCU finishes the regular season 1-3, KSU finishes 1-2 and ISU finishes 2-1, putting ISU in 5th place in the Big 12. That puts then into the 4/5 game in the Big 12 tourney vs. Texas and I don't see ISU winning that game. So then it's just a matter of whether that 2-2 finish gives ISU a better resume than the other teams fighting for a #7 seed to pull ISU up into that seed line. If ISU beats KSU, Okie State and either Baylor in the regular season or Texas in KC then I think they earn that #7 seed. If they only beat KSU and Okie State then it will be a lot of cheering for as many of St. Mary's, Iowa, Michigan State, Xavier, Colorado State, Boise State and Murray State to lose a stinker as possible to get up to that #7 seed.

 

[NWICY]

ANY ncaa bid would be a huge accomplishment. However, I made fun of Iowa when they were in the play in game and said it really wasn’t the tournament. I’m hoping that we can avoid that because, while I’ll happily be a hypocrite, it would be annoying.

Agree missing the play in game. I know it counts but it really doesn't to me. Though I would this yr.

 

[Neptune78]

The difference between a 6 seed and an 8 seed is HUGE in the ncaa tourney.

An 8 seed has a 99.3% chance of playing a #1 seed in their second game if they win their first game and #8 seeds are just 18-71 (20.2%) all time vs. #1 seeds.......

Must be Kansas pulling the #1 vs #8 win % down.

 

[BryceC]

Teams would be wise to do everything possible to earn better than a #8 seed to get out of that #1 vs. #8 game in the Round of 32. There is a huge benefit of doing a little more than just "getting in"; figuring out what a team needs to do to get a Top 7 seed is crucial.

You know what, I think ISU would be better off if they just win every game. Probably should call in to the coach's show with that idea.

Of course it's better to have a better seed. That's not debatable. I don't understand what you're arguing here.

 

[Jkclone15]

I think it would take a catastrophe for ISU to be in the play-in game. They seem to be safely in the field.

I think TCU finishes the regular season 1-3, KSU finishes 1-2 and ISU finishes 2-1, putting ISU in 5th place in the Big 12. That puts then into the 4/5 game in the Big 12 tourney vs. Texas and I don't see ISU winning that game. So then it's just a matter of whether that 2-2 finish gives ISU a better resume than the other teams fighting for a #7 seed to pull ISU up into that seed line. If ISU beats KSU, Okie State and either Baylor in the regular season or Texas in KC then I think they earn that #7 seed. If they only beat KSU and Okie State then it will be a lot of cheering for as many of St. Mary's, Iowa, Michigan State, Xavier, Colorado State, Boise State and Murray State to lose a stinker as possible to get up to that #7 seed.

I have no problem seeing ISU beat texas in the B12 tourney. We beat them at home already and that would be a de facto home game.

 

[randomfan44]

You know what, I think ISU would be better off if they just win every game. Probably should call in to the coach's show with that idea.

Of course it's better to have a better seed. That's not debatable. I don't understand what you're arguing here.

Not arguing; just pointing out that your comment "I mean this in all sincerity unless we win the Big 12 I don't care where we finish as long as we make the tourney. The NCAA tournament is the bar for success in college basketball. " may lose sight of the fact that where ISU finishes in the Big 12 matters significantly both to their own seeding and success as well as impacting the other teams trying to get in the tourney. I just like having some "what does this win do for them and what does it do to the other teams in the same range as them seeding wise" info behind every game I watch this time of year. I find it fun.

 

[randomfan44]

Must be Kansas pulling the #1 vs #8 win % down.

Nah, their win percentage as a 1 vs an 8 is 87.5% (7-1) so they are helping the average. Their 4-2 (66.6%) record as a #1 vs a #9 seed on the other hand.... ugh, I had almost forgotten about that UTEP loss back in 92 squeezed between two Final Four appearances under Roy Williams in 91 and 93.

 

[BryceC]

Not arguing; just pointing out that your comment "I mean this in all sincerity unless we win the Big 12 I don't care where we finish as long as we make the tourney. The NCAA tournament is the bar for success in college basketball. " may lose sight of the fact that where ISU finishes in the Big 12 matters significantly both to their own seeding and success as well as impacting the other teams trying to get in the tourney. I just like having some "what does this win do for them and what does it do to the other teams in the same range as them seeding wise" info behind every game I watch this time of year. I find it fun.

True, but there are plenty of teams like Oregon (11-6 in the Pac-12; NET 58), Notre Dame (13-4 in the ACC; NET 56) or Miami (12-5 in the ACC; NET 61) that would much rather be in our situation. Those three teams on Bracket Matrix are out of the tourney, a 10 seed, and an 11 seed.

 

[TheJackWePack5]

Tough loss, Bob.

ISU tried to give up another one to the Cats, but ISU was just a little too much.

 

[heitclone]

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