Prior to the games today, the espn bracketology we are the first team out and the last 4 in are
1. Minnesota - #13 in the Big 10 with 0 top 25 wins and 2-7 in their last 9, 4-9 in their last 13. Somehow they are #35 in the NET going 0-6 Q1, 2-4 Q2, 2-0 Q3, and 16-0 Quad 4. They played a laughable OOC and have beaten nobody, yet the "advanced metrics" have them in the tournament. They have been carried by the "well the big 10 is good and losing to big 10 teams means you are good" logic. It's insane that you can be 2-10 in Q1/Q2 and still be #35 in the NET.
2. Iowa State - #7 in the Big 12 with 1 top 25 win (today) but have been on a 6-1 streak to close the season. They scheduled South Carolina (lost 76-36), Iowa (Lost 75-69), and Uconn (lost 101-68). They are #37 in the NET going 0-9 Q1, 3-0 Q2, 6-1 Q3, 11-0 Q4.
3. Harvard - #3 in Ivy league and 21-4 overall. Beat ranked Indiana out of conference along with BC and Northwestern. They are #36 in NET going 2-0 Q1, 1-3 Q2, 3-1 Q3, 15-0 Q4. Not many big opponents, but capitalized when they had chances and took care of business against their weak opponents. As much as I hate to say it, teams like them getting into the NCAAT is what makes march magical.
4. Princeton - #2 in Ivy League and 20-6 overall. No ranked opponents all year but did win at rutgers. Only conference losses are to columbia who placed first. #49 in the NET with 1-2 Q1, 3-2 Q2, 4-2 Q3, 12-0 Q4. Less impressive resume than Harvard.
Meanwhile VT is #8 in the ACC and 18-11 overall. OOC included a loss to iowa (71-52), win over rutgers, win @ georgia, loss to michigan. Mostly beat the teams they should in the ACC and lost to the top teams (other than GT who has been on a late slide). Currently at #47 in the NET with 1-7 Q1, 3-2 Q2, 3-1 Q3, and 10-1 Q4. Right now it feels like we have 1 extra bad loss in the ACC that is hurting us. I think we have to beat GT to have a shot or need one of the other teams on the bubble to have a collapse. We get heat for bad Q1/Q2 record, but 4-9 is way better than Minnesota.
Comments
B10 is great, ACC is weak. If you don't believe, just check E$ecPN. No case, Minnesota is in, VT is out. That Q4 loss is a killer.
The fact Minnesota played 16 Q4 games should be an automatic disqualifier but we all know.
more Q4 than the iveys!
We have one Q1 win, fam...
Losing to both Syracuse and BC was really bad optics. Win one of those and the narrative is completely different.
Yep- very Seth Greenberg like.
At this point, there is an agenda against the ACC in all sports. Whatever will hurt the conference is what will happen.
They're trying to set up an all sports break of the Big Ten and SEC away from everyone, and the ACC is currently the biggest connector left that must be severed to make it work.
Yep- the committee will be 100% inconsistent as always. They will pick a category (SOS, NET, Non Con) reason for leaving VT out, yet that category will be even worse for a bubble team that gets in. Happened several times to Greenberg. They left us out for RPI once, and let Tulsa in who was 50 spots worse in the RPI. They will find a reason to leave us out this year.
The good news is Syracuse improved enough from yesterday's games that they're now a Q3 loss instead of Q4.
The time to lose to dogshit teams at home is in December... not late February or march. Or be like the top 6 teams in the ACC, and don't lose to dogshit teams at home at all. We should try that again.
They updated NET through yesterday and we stayed at #47 but our Q4 loss moved to Q3 so our updated metrics are 1-7 Q1, 4-2 Q2, 3-2 Q3, 10-0 Q4.
They are still going to have us as first four out unless we win at least 2 games in the ACC tourney. But I am glad that our Q4 loss was removed.
We can't defend NC State- so that scenario is out.
We have to beat GT and have a reasonable showing against nc state along with some help from other teams
Just beat GT. If we don't, then this thread can just fade away.
They'll throw us in Kentucky's side of the bracket hopeful for a Round of 32 or Sweet 16 matchup for entertainment porpoises.
I have no doubt. =^/
All the more motivation for those who stayed.
Duffy vs Brooks
Wenzel vs Amoore
Micheaux vs Strack
Baker/Ekh vs Hassett
Fuck all of that. Barf... seeing Kentucky's gym full for the first time in years because of all of our players and old coach and the refs fixing the game and Kentucky wins by 25. No fucking thanks. Not interested in that horsehit. Put us in literally any other bracket.
That's not what I want, but what I see happening.
Minnesota lost by 14 to washington in the first round of b10 tournament
They don't use post season tourney's- until they do.
Just out of curiosity, how did we not play GT during the regular season. I though all of the teams were supposed to play each other?
EDIT: I thought we had beaten them, but silly me thinking ESPN had something right.
ESPN's AI hasn't learned this yet.
We beat GT 105-96 in double OT in the regular season to end their 15 game winning streak.
welp
ESPN's Bracketology now has us as the last team in, and Minnesota as the first team out. Also, a potential matchup with Kentucky in the round of 32. Soup called it.
Of course we would pull Kentucky. Such a Virginia Tech thing to happen
Have to get in first
With Harvard winning the Ivy League torunament that all but ensures a 2+ bid Ivy league with Harvard AQ and Columbia at large. That puts Princeton as the last in to our first out on the espn bubble watch.
My initial take before the conference tournamnets was that Harvard actually has a better resume and Princeton aint played nobody pawl. Lets hope the committee agrees with me and overlook the 2-4 record to close the season.
Major difference playing Ivy League teams compared to ACC teams on the women's side. Might not be as true on men's this year but ACC women's is a bit of death row. 10 of the top 40 I believe.
There are 8 in Top 25 or RV.
agreed.... and nobody is looking at how BC and Cuse were playing their best ball against us
Yet another reason to despise Harvard.
Still top headline on WBB news on ESPN
Let's Pro-Con this NCAA vs NIT debate.
NCAA:
Pro: It'd be a tournament berth in a rebuilding year with a brand new head coach
Con: Probably a short stay
NIT:
Pro: Can probably make a deep enough run to get Suffren her Medical hardship
Con: Less prestigious.
Great discussion idea!
I feel like purely based on vibes I'd love the NIT if you could guarantee me a deep run (lol, I know). To make the tourney and be a first game/weekend exit would be a bit of a downer.
Pro- NCAA is the only tournament anyone - including boosters and recruits care about. By Far. NIT- Pro- nothing. none.
Princeton on the teaser page looking at the next 32 slots but not VT
And princeton is in. Need a miracle that isnt gonna come
It would be great to make the big dance. But probably better for the program to host a couple of NIT games and make a run.
F all the its ok. No way an Ivy team should get in even with a 3 game + in wins over an ACC squad when it comes to an at large bid.
They wanted a headline of "Three Ivy teams make the tournament" to give them talking points
Yep- UNC men and Princeton women have no claim- none- zero - to an at large bid in these tournaments. None if you are at all interested in the best 34 teams. None. What VT needs to do next year is was 6-12 Oklahoma did this year in the SEC- fucking suck- and get in the dance anyway. Fucking absurd to lose TWELVE fucking conference games and take one of 34 spots accross 300 teams. Absolute farce that league got 90 fucking % of its teams in- over 1/3 of all at large spots. 6-12 in conference and you are in? Fucking joke. They probably would have gotten in at 4-14 in conference. total joke.
When is the NIT field announced?
We play NCAT
We are the #1 overall seed
And the tournament has been renamed the WBIT
When I see the tournament name WBIT, I just have this mental image and audio going through my head with Elmer Fudd pronouncing the "Wa-Bit" tournament.