College Bball Thread

[IUHoosierJoe]

Through yesterday's games, my computer-generated rankings, 50/50 weighting of result-based and score-based:

1. Tennessee

2. Houston

3. Alabama

4. Purdue

5. UCLA

6. Kansas

7. Arizona

8. Texas

9. St Mary's CA

10. Gonzaga

11. Kansas St

12. Baylor

13. FL Atlantic

14. Connecticut

15. San Diego St

16. Marquette

17. Virginia

18. Iowa St

19. Xavier

20. TCU

21. New Mexico

22. Boise St

23. Duke

24. Utah St

25. Indiana

As I mentioned a couple weeks ago, these have been a decent predictor of tournament selections and seeds with a couple exceptions: I tend to rank teams from smaller conferences higher than their seeding.  For example, I have Florida Atlantic in the 4-seed range, and my sense, just based on past experience, is their ceiling is probably an 8-seed even if they win out, and even if they're ranked in the top 15 of the AP poll.  But we'll see.  The other exception, as I mentioned before, is a team here and there that gets in the tournament because of an abnormal number of Quad 1 wins versus their entire body of work.  For example, I had Rutgers ranked nowhere near the cut off line last year.  With that being said, I have Indiana a solid 7 seed now, playing 10-seed NC State in the first round.   

[RaceToTheTop]

Anyone who is wanting to post their top 25 and be part of the BTownBanners weekly aggregate top 25, please do so by 8 eastern tonight.  I currently have mine, LCS's and Joe's.

[Stuhoo]

26 minutes ago, RaceToTheTop said:

Anyone who is wanting to post their top 25 and be part of the BTownBanners weekly aggregate top 25, please do so by 8 eastern tonight.  I currently have mine, LCS's and Joe's.

Just curious.

Do I have to to rank Purdue to be taken seriously and entered into the index?

[AKHoosier]

So only 2 B1G schools currently in the Top 25, us and Purdue.

Definitely a down year in the conference with UM, UW, OSU, and MSU not being at their usual level.

Purdue obviously being the major beneficiary of that. Any other year with their talent they'd be like 15-5 or so.

[RaceToTheTop]

49 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

Just curious.

Do I have to to rank Purdue to be taken seriously and entered into the index?

Unfortunately....it pains me.....but yes.  The ranking shouldn't be by town smell.

[str8baller]

1 hour ago, AKHoosier said:

Purdue obviously being the major beneficiary of that. Any other year with their talent they'd be like 15-5 or so.

Not sure about that. They’ve been beating people soundly. In and out of conference. They’re good, and I can tell some people are having a tough time with it.   
 

They’re closest game was at Nebraska in OT but even when the B1G is “up” Nebraska isn’t, so you can’t really say they benefited there. A two point win at OSU and a one point win at MSU (who they trounced later) could conceivably be losses in a stronger B1G. They’d be 19-3 in that scenario and still two full games up on NW in conf.  
 

I feel like the NWs and PSUs benefit more by getting automatic wins vs Minny and wins versus weakened IU/Illinois/Wisconsin where they normally be losses. 

[TheWatShot]

27 minutes ago, str8baller said:

Not sure about that. They’ve been beating people soundly. In and out of conference. They’re good, and I can tell some people are having a tough time with it.   
 

They’re closest game was at Nebraska in OT but even when the B1G is “up” Nebraska isn’t, so you can’t really say they benefited there. A two point win at OSU and a one point win at MSU (who they trounced later) could conceivably be losses in a stronger B1G. They’d be 19-3 in that scenario and still two full games up on NW in conf.  
 

I feel like the NWs and PSUs benefit more by getting automatic wins vs Minny and wins versus weakened IU/Illinois/Wisconsin where they normally be losses. 

Five of their conference wins are by a total of 14 points. If the conference was stronger, I don't think it's unrealistic that a few of those games could have gone the other way. 

 

In a normal year, there are probably 4 or 5 Big Ten teams ranked. Right now there are 2, and last week it was one. The last time that happened was almost two decades ago. It's definitely benefitting them (and probably us, or at least it should). 

[reconmkd]

LOL, ESPN (the most impartial name in Sports) has decided to take game day down to the UNC/Duke match up on the same day IU/PU. Chose a rivalry game between 2 unranked teams over the #1/21 rivalry! Makes sense, I guess.

[Rico]

1 hour ago, AKHoosier said:

 

Definitely a down year in the conference with UM, UW, OSU, and MSU not being at their usual level.

Purdue obviously being the major beneficiary of that. Any other year with their talent they'd be like 15-5 or so.

Meh.  It very well might be a down year in the B1G but the Boilers are still a dang good basketball team.

[AKHoosier]

48 minutes ago, str8baller said:

Not sure about that. They’ve been beating people soundly. In and out of conference. They’re good, and I can tell some people are having a tough time with it.   
 

They’re closest game was at Nebraska in OT but even when the B1G is “up” Nebraska isn’t, so you can’t really say they benefited there. A two point win at OSU and a one point win at MSU (who they trounced later) could conceivably be losses in a stronger B1G. They’d be 19-3 in that scenario and still two full games up on NW in conf.  
 

I feel like the NWs and PSUs benefit more by getting automatic wins vs Minny and wins versus weakened IU/Illinois/Wisconsin where they normally be losses. 

MSU was without Malik Hall, OSU was without Key and McNeil missed a decent amount of time, Maryland came within 3 at the end.

They'll be the least impressive B1G champion in recent memory IMO.

[AKHoosier]

2 minutes ago, Rico said:

Meh.  It very well might be a down year in the B1G but the Boilers are still a dang good basketball team.

No one said they aren't dang good.

If you're 20-1 you gotta be good, but also lucky.  And they have plenty of both. 

[HoosierFan1994]

17 minutes ago, reconmkd said:

LOL, ESPN (the most impartial name in Sports) has decided to take game day down to the UNC/Duke match up on the same day IU/PU. Chose a rivalry game between 2 unranked teams over the #1/21 rivalry! Makes sense, I guess.

Thought the same thing...SMH. You know that's all we will hear at halftime of the IU game. 

[Rico]

22 minutes ago, reconmkd said:

LOL, ESPN (the most impartial name in Sports) has decided to take game day down to the UNC/Duke match up on the same day IU/PU. Chose a rivalry game between 2 unranked teams over the #1/21 rivalry! Makes sense, I guess.

I would expect nothing less from the Evil Empire.

[HoosierAloha]

We cope hard...

A rivalry that has been fantastic for forever or a regional one that hasn't been great for years? One that was played thrice, including in the FF, last season or one that has seen the teams struggle to get into the tourney?

He wouldn't be anything if he wasn't massive. They're the worst Big 1.o championship team ever.

[HoosierX]

12 minutes ago, HoosierAloha said:

We cope hard...

A rivalry that has been fantastic for forever or a regional one that hasn't been great for years? One that was played thrice, including in the FF, last season or one that has seen the teams struggle to get into the tourney?

He wouldn't be anything if he wasn't massive. They're the worst Big 1.o championship team ever.

I don't think anyone is arguing IU / Purdue is a better overall rivarly, especially over the past decade. However, a few points:

1) IU throttled North Carolina, and Purdue throttled Duke - IU / Purdue is the better game in terms of quality of basketball.

2) This will arguably be the most anticipated IU / Purdue game in a decade and one of the least anticipated UNC / Duke games in a decade.

Pretty good argument to be made that gameday should be at IU.

 

[IUHoosierJoe]

9 minutes ago, HoosierAloha said:

We cope hard...

A rivalry that has been fantastic for forever or a regional one that hasn't been great for years? One that was played thrice, including in the FF, last season or one that has seen the teams struggle to get into the tourney?

He wouldn't be anything if he wasn't massive. They're the worst Big 1.o championship team ever.

I wasn’t aware last year’s teams were playing.  In any event, ESPN lost the Big 10 contract so they will be show the ACC every day and twice on Sunday, regardless of how good the teams are.

[HoosierAloha]

6 minutes ago, HoosierX said:

I don't think anyone is arguing IU / Purdue is a better overall rivarly, especially over the past decade. However, a A few points:

1) IU throttled North Carolina, and Purdue throttled Duke - IU / Purdue is the better game in terms of quality of basketball.

2) This will arguably be the most anticipated IU / Purdue game in a decade and one of the least anticipated UNC / Duke games in a decade.

Pretty good argument to be made that gameday should be at IU.

 

What IU did to UNC at home or what purdoodoo did to Dook on a neutral court matters very little in where gameday is hosted or should be hosted. If that were the case there are several games that will probably be better suited for "quality of basketball" starting in the Big 12 with #8 Kansas (the one that throttled IU) and #13 Iowa State or #10 Texas at #7 Kansas State. The "quality of basketball" will probably be better.

If you wanted a quality game with a rivalry aspect to it you could look at Gonzaga vs. St. Mary's.

These aren't determined by quality of basketball but by hype and eyeballs. I'd venture to guess that Dook/UNC has had much better TV ratings than IU/purdoodoo. IF, massive IF, both IU and purdoodoo can be towards the top of basketball and produce great results (not just regional) over the next 5 years we might have a leg to stand on. Take just one of UNC/Dook and they have better results than IU/purdoodoo combined over the past [choose your time frame].

Dook/UNC is a national rivalry
IU/purdoodoo is a regional rivalry

[HoosierX]

3 minutes ago, HoosierAloha said:

What IU did to UNC at home or what purdoodoo did to Dook on a neutral court matters very little in where gameday is hosted or should be hosted. If that were the case there are several games that will probably be better suited for "quality of basketball" starting in the Big 12 with #8 Kansas (the one that throttled IU) and #13 Iowa State or #10 Texas at #7 Kansas State. The "quality of basketball" will probably be better.

If you wanted a quality game with a rivalry aspect to it you could look at Gonzaga vs. St. Mary's.

These aren't determined by quality of basketball but by hype and eyeballs. I'd venture to guess that Dook/UNC has had much better TV ratings than IU/purdoodoo. IF, massive IF, both IU and purdoodoo can be towards the top of basketball and produce great results (not just regional) over the next 5 years we might have a leg to stand on. Take just one of UNC/Dook and they have better results than IU/purdoodoo combined over the past [choose your time frame].

Dook/UNC is a national rivalry
IU/purdoodoo is a regional rivalry

While your argument may have a leg to stand on regarding quality of games, I was previously conceding quality of rivalry. You now have mentioned three games where the rivalries are not at the level of IU / Purdue. 

And Duke / UNC will not get near the ratings it has gotten in previous years. Maybe it will be a higher rated game than IU / Purdue, but I sure as hell wouldn't bet on it.

[str8baller]

47 minutes ago, AKHoosier said:

MSU was without Malik Hall, OSU was without Key and McNeil missed a decent amount of time, Maryland came within 3 at the end.

They'll be the least impressive B1G champion in recent memory IMO.

Hall played Sunday and they got waxed.  Compared to most teams they’ve been fortunate with injuries, but that’s kind of life for all top teams. Very few survive key injuries. 
 

The least impressive B1G champion in recent memory is almost definitely us (unfortunately) in 2016. That is true by ranking, kenpom ranking, and tourney seeding.   Maybe Purdue will stumble down the stretch and take that distinction from us.  
 

I still think a small, hot shooting team takes them out early in the tourney, but through 20 games they’re definitely one of the five best teams in the country. 

[HoosierAloha]

31 minutes ago, HoosierX said:

I don't think anyone is arguing IU / Purdue is a better overall rivarly, especially over the past decade. However, a few points:

1) IU throttled North Carolina, and Purdue throttled Duke - IU / Purdue is the better game in terms of quality of basketball.

2) This will arguably be the most anticipated IU / Purdue game in a decade and one of the least anticipated UNC / Duke games in a decade.

Pretty good argument to be made that gameday should be at IU.

 

 

7 minutes ago, HoosierX said:

While your argument may have a leg to stand on regarding quality of games, I was previously conceding quality of rivalry. You now have mentioned three games where the rivalries are not at the level of IU / Purdue. 

And Duke / UNC will not get near the ratings it has gotten in previous years. Maybe it will be a higher rated game than IU / Purdue, but I sure as hell wouldn't bet on it.

You mentioned quality of basketball. I provided three matchups that will most likely have better quality of basketball and less tackling. The Big 12 games will include the top 4 teams in a stacked conference this season.

Time will tell on those ratings. I guess we did have the highest rated game with purdoodoo for a secondary or BTN a few years back. I'm sure that caught the eye of ESPN. We're a has been national rivalry. Dook/UNC is THE rivalry in college basketball. It's silly to try to compare those and the accomplishments that have come with those teams. purdoodoo has had a fantastic run by their standards and it's included a whopping one trip to the EE, we're struggling to consistently make the tourney. Dook and UNC are competing and winning nattys.