ESPN Bracketology 12/08

[hogwood]

Lunardi has us in the "Last Four In" as a play-in for the 12 seed. He also has 5(!) SEC teams getting in (KY, AR, FL, SC, TAMU).

I think it's pretty realistic for us to get a 10/11 seed. Hope we don't get stuck with the 8/9. Of course a 6/7 would be better.

If this was the bracket we'd play Pitt (Stallings) in the play-in. Winnable.

Then we'd play Purdue. Tough for us as they have some bigs. But possible.

2nd Rd. would be West Virginia. They play our style, so it would be an exciting game.

If we'd beat WVU we'd hypothetically play #1 Villanova in the SW16.

Overall I kind of like that spot in the tourney. If we were a 10/11 or 8/9 or 6/7 we'd have to face a much tougher team sooner. Only downfall is we'd play an extra game in the play-in.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

[Adam Stokes]

Lunardi has us in the "Last Four In" as a play-in for the 12 seed. He also has 5(!) SEC teams getting in (KY, AR, FL, SC, TAMU).

I think it's pretty realistic for us to get a 10/11 seed. Hope we don't get stuck with the 8/9. Of course a 6/7 would be better.

If this was the bracket we'd play Pitt (Stallings) in the play-in. Winnable.

Then we'd play Purdue. Tough for us as they have some bigs. But possible.

2nd Rd. would be West Virginia. They play our style, so it would be an exciting game.

If we'd beat WVU we'd hypothetically play #1 Villanova in the SW16.

Overall I kind of like that spot in the tourney. If we were a 10/11 or 8/9 or 6/7 we'd have to face a much tougher team sooner. Only downfall is we'd play an extra game in the play-in.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

Seriously doubt the ACC gets 10 out of 14 teams in. No way Syracuse is a 9 seed right now with as many Top 100 wins as they have >100 losses. The bulk of them would have to be right around 11-7 in conference play. Having a horrible Boston College team will help keep others over the .500 mark.

[holeinthewall]

Seriously doubt the ACC gets 10 out of 14 teams in. No way Syracuse is a 9 seed right now with as many Top 100 wins as they have >100 losses. The bulk of them would have to be right around 11-7 in conference play. Having a horrible Boston College team will help keep others over the .500 mark.

It would be 10 out of 15. ND is full member for basketball. BTW ACC goes to a 20 game conference schedule in 19 when the ACC goes live.

[010HogFan]

Lunardi has us in the "Last Four In" as a play-in for the 12 seed. He also has 5(!) SEC teams getting in (KY, AR, FL, SC, TAMU).

I think it's pretty realistic for us to get a 10/11 seed. Hope we don't get stuck with the 8/9. Of course a 6/7 would be better.

If this was the bracket we'd play Pitt (Stallings) in the play-in. Winnable.

Then we'd play Purdue. Tough for us as they have some bigs. But possible.

2nd Rd. would be West Virginia. They play our style, so it would be an exciting game.

If we'd beat WVU we'd hypothetically play #1 Villanova in the SW16.

Overall I kind of like that spot in the tourney. If we were a 10/11 or 8/9 or 6/7 we'd have to face a much tougher team sooner. Only downfall is we'd play an extra game in the play-in.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

I'd honestly take that spot right now. Nova is good, but I'd rather play them than Duke, Kansas, or UNC. I wouldn't want to have to play the play-in game though.

[The_Iceman]

It would be 10 out of 15. ND is full member for basketball. BTW ACC goes to a 20 game conference schedule in 19 when the ACC goes live.

I wouldn't mind the SEC going to a 20 game conference schedule. Get more games against conference teams.

[cardsNhogs]

Need to win vs Texas. I just don't know how it will look if best Non-Conference win is Houston.

[hogwood]

Need to win vs Texas. I just don't know how it will look if best Non-Conference win is Houston.

If we win out noncon, beating Texas, and then beat FLA in SEC opener, we should get ranked IMO.

[Nosboar Accubond]

If we win out noncon, beating Texas, and then beat FLA in SEC opener, we should get ranked IMO.

We should be ranked now... 7-1 with a top 20 RPI

[Hollywood_HOGan45]

Our best non league is at ok state. I I'll be there and can't wait.

[Rirruto]

Need to win vs Texas. I just don't know how it will look if best Non-Conference win is Houston.

We need the Texas game, but not for that reason. According to RPI Forecast, Houston (35) and UT Arlington (57) are both projected to be solid non-conference wins. Texas (118) is on the other end of the spectrum. A loss outside of the top 100 is considered by many to be a "bad loss." Texas underpreforming this year has hurt us. Their projected RPI finish is lower than Fort Wayne.

OK State on the road is a winnable chance at another marquee non-con win, though. At the beginning of the year, we had chances for big road wins at Minn, Texas, OK St, Kentucky, and Florida. South Carolina has replaced Texas and A&M looks like it would be a solid win. We've got to have at least one of those and, if we can get more than that, we're about as close to a lock as can be expected without some really bad losses mixed in.

[Biggus Piggus]

It's too early for RPI to compute right. It has Minnesota ranked No. 7, Middle Tennessee fifth. The top four in ESPN's RPI simulation are Baylor, Creighton, Villanova and Florida. Great teams like Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, UCLA aren't even in the top 10. But South Carolina is.

RealGM ranks Arkansas 54th in "efficiency differential." Ken Pomeroy rates the Razorbacks 46th.

These systems were created to predict where the end-of-season RPIs might fall. They are limited by the available info as well. Because MA has not fixated on blowing out every opponent, Arkansas's victory margins in some games were less than they could have been.

Many statistical ranking systems are based on efficiency -- points and points allowed per possession. Arkansas could manipulate these things by playing the top rotation longer against opponents such as Mount St. Mary's, SF Austin and so on. Does it really matter?

[hogwood]

We should be ranked now... 7-1 with a top 20 RPI

There are a lot of teams with top 20 RPIs that aren't ranked right now. Way too early.

[GuvHog]

There are a lot of teams with top 20 RPIs that aren't ranked right now. Way too early.

This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The Hogs haven't beaten anyone of note yet but if they beat Okla State and Texas, they'll begin to get some attention.

[NaturalStateReb]

I wouldn't mind the SEC going to a 20 game conference schedule. Get more games against conference teams.

I wouldn't mind seeing the SEC actually go back to a divisional schedule  Those schedules made a lot more sense, and it's not like the new format's really helped us get teams in the tournament.

[popcornhog]

We should be ranked now... 7-1 with a top 20 RPI

RPI isn't meaningful until later in the year.

We do not deserve to be ranked with UH as our signature win. Beat Texas and we'll deserve to be in the discussion.

[Bacon_Bitz]

RPI isn't meaningful until later in the year.

We do not deserve to be ranked with UH as our signature win. Beat Texas and we'll deserve to be in the discussion.

Uhhhh 5-4 Texas

[gmarv]

Uhhhh 5-4 Texas

still need to beat them,that should get us to fla. with only one loss.

[hogwood]

Uhhhh 5-4 Texas

Yes beating Texas in Houston will be a good win.

[lefty08]

Uhhhh 5-4 Texas

Playing the name game again.......

[HoopS]

Playing the name game again.......

yep. Although Tex has talent and they have played some good teams so it'll be a challenge. And I will be there.

[hobhog]

Nothing matters until conference starts. If we don't go at least 10-6 in conference play just doesn't matter.