Fact is that after the first game, every team they play will be good. Can't worry about who it is. Have to be able to play good teams, beat them.....or go home. If you're worried about dodging teams or finding an easy path....then deep down you don't have much belief in this group. A true Final Four/National Championship contender mows down the team in front of them.
Bracketology (Week of March 1st)
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Miznoz all day, every day.
This team has grown from those losses, which were relatively early. No doubt they'll have to show up come tournament time, but I think that goes without saying.
Let's keep things simple. Indy.
Deleted member 186590
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I agree with you, if we're playing well, we can beat anyone. But I have a different take on the seeding. I think it's critical we get a 1 seed - given we avoid Baylor and Gonzaga's bracket (if we are a 2 seed we will be in one of their brackets if UM and OSU are the other 1's). Our odds of reaching the final four are about 2x if we don't have to go through one of those two teams - we are capable of beating them, but they will be a much tougher opponent than any of the 2 seeds. Getting to a Final Four would be huge for the program. National exposure, reputation, recruiting, reward for the players - all of that makes a huge difference if you make the final four or not - nobody remembers who lost in the elite 8
MSU and Ayo gets his 3rd triple double
See this is a logical post and your perspective is similar to how the committee will be viewing these teams. It's not about 'oh well we beat Michigan by X and Ohio State lost by X' - it's about our resumes over the course of the season
sacraig
- The desert
While I like where your head's at as a fellow Southern Illinoisan, it would be challenging to meet up with Miznoz in the Big Ten Tournament.
No one said anything about dodging teams or finding an easy path, slow down with the straw man.
We have lost 3x to teams of exactly that caliber (8-9 seed-ish), so we haven't "mowed them down" to date. We know the guys get up for big games, but they'll need to make sure they don't have one of their lackluster performances, that they have shown they can have, in the 2nd round. After that, they'll likely be playing top 15 teams and we haven't seen this squad have any issue showing up for those games.
Calillini
Now appearing in Tampa
Ok, if we are a 1 seed like the CBS guys say, fine. If THE OSU crawls back ahead of us, we get stuck in either the Baylor or Gonzaga bracket. I will take Gonzaga. I bet my stepson my Modesto beach front property that Gonzaga doesn’t make the Final Four.
I revisited their conference standings and man what a bunch of cupcakes. When is the last time they played a ranked team? I think several teams have improved past them during the season. How many losses would they have if they played in the BIG?
^ This. There's no such thing as a 'true final four team'. Either you make it or you don't. This team certainly has ability to make it there, but with all of the volatility in college basketball it is absolutely partially dependent on the luck of the draw
Deleted member 186590
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keep in mind at the end of the day it's a committee that is voting on who the #1 seeds should be - the stats about Q1 record, overall record, best win, wins on the road and momentum recently all come into play, but not all Q1 wins are the same, beating the #75 team on the road is not equal to destroying the #2 team on the road by 23 points without your best player in March - they are not remotely the same in any committee member view - so it ultimately comes down to who they think the best teams are and that game last night was an undeniable statement that we are one of the best 4 teams in the country
It would take a lot for that view to change before selection Sunday
It would take a lot for that view to change before selection Sunday
You have a beach front property an hour away from the beach?
I was born in Modesto. It is only a few Giorgi Eurosteps to the beach.
Lived in the Valley for a few years myself, there may be a few small beaches near there on a lake, but I'd struggle to call that a 'beach front' property.
I'll agree with you that I'd rather play Gonzaga than Baylor also, BUT Gonzaga has beat some good teams. They have a high number of quad 1 wins.
Someone else mentioned, though, that we have been through the gauntlet in the B1G, and they've been strolling through their conference. I'll take our chances, if we get the chance!
Turn up your sarcasm meter
Turn up your sarcasm meter
Exactly. As long as we don’t collapse or have OSU, Alabama, or WVU win-out then Illinois should be a #1
Calillini
Now appearing in Tampa
Thank you.
Calillini
Now appearing in Tampa
Thank you, I didn’t feel the need to /s that part of my postTurn up your sarcasm meter
Would've made much more sense to use a city that actually has a beach!
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