ESPN Bubble Watch has us locked in ...
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/bubblewatch
MSU still has work to do
One of my favorite gifs of all time.
No, that changed as of this morning.
I'm guessing it changed becuase someone reminded the writer of the "unwritten rule" about kissing Tom Izzo's "ring."
think he is saying that they were actually downgraded from "should be in" to "still has work to do" but on the link he attached it still says "should be in."
My bad ... I thought that he was referring to Michigan, not MSU.
means that even if they lose out, they should still be in barring some major bid stealing or crazy things happening. i.e. they probably don't need to win another game, they just need highly unlikely events not to happen with other teams. I take it to mean that the team has about a 90 percent chance of making it, whereas a lock is at least 99 percent. Work left to do it is anywhere from approx 20-90 percent and almost necessarily requires at least another win or more.
This column isn't a bracket (which are typically snapshots of what the bracket would look like at the time of publication) it's a projection to the end of the seasons of who will be in, who should be in and who has work left to do.
Orrrrrr... how about we win THREE games, get the AQ, hoist a trophy, and raise a banner? I'm not being greedy at all. If I was being greedy, then while we're winning on Sunday, Jessica Alba would be over at my house "watching the game" with me.
I thought we were clever, changing the name about every month of so, but you kids change the name more than you actually do it. I ain't judging.
For whatever reason, ESPN keeps harping on a couple of stats (that aren't even that bad) regarding 2-3 vs. top 25, 4-7 against top 50 and 11-11 against top 100. Yes, Michigan isn't a top-4 seed, so those stats are going to be decidedly meh. But if you asked anyone if they'd rather face Minnesota or Michigan in the tournament, most knowledgeable fans would happily take on the Gophers.
Michigan is playing really well right now, and my hope is that with ESPN having to cut some major "talent" coming up, a couple of these knuckleheads who keep being wrong about how teams are playing see the light.
I get what you're saying about ESPN in general but in my opinion Eamonn Brennan is one of their better writers. His take on Michigan is a little lacking but he's a far cry from dolts like Stephen A Smith and Jemele Hill.
he's pointing out that those are solid but unspectacular (which is true) and combined with no bad losses, those stats are plenty good enough for Michigan to be in lock territory and not the bubble.
What does ESPN know anymore? DIdn't they just fire everyone but the janitors (again) yesterday?
Lebron James, Tim Tebow, Alabama
mrkid, you forgot the Red Sox and Yankees to complete your list
Are you the newest unpaid ESPN intern in charge of front page content?
I thought I heard they'll be making announcements in June, just to heighten the sense of comaraderie and esprit de corps. Just kidding, it'll probably be more like this:
There will be nothing left at ESPN but cockroaches and Jamele Hill.
I know, redundant.
resume as solid but uninspiring. But he did word it as "They are the walking..." so it does sound more like a reference to the team. I completely agree with you guys that that is not the way I would describe this team.
I'm rooting for a lot of conference tourney surprises and an early exit by Sparty. I don't understand why they are even considered at this point - Lost to Northeastern (15-16) and should have lost to FGCU if not for Spartan Bob keeping time; lost to OSU, Indiana, PSU and Illinois; lost all their OOC quality games - UK, Duke, Arizona, Baylor and have a few quality big ten wins (Minny x2, NW and Wisconsin). They're 4-4 down the stretch. Their resume sucks, quite frankly. 18-14 or 19-14 and they should be out. 20-14 will probably net an invite considering it means they went to the BTT final.
That win over Wichita State is also helping them quite a bit right now.
gets them in because #Izzolove and #MenofMarch and and any other cute little nickname they may give to the program because of their National Championship 17 years ago. They may spending some quality time in Dayton though.
Uncle Leo, directly above you gave the answer. GO BLUE!!!!
Check the time stamp... You must be on that awesome phone app LOL. Yeah, sure, a lack of better options is really compelling. I guess the sons of bitches get lucky that the field is so weak?
The bubble is incredibly weak. They could lose by 50 on Thursday and it really doesn't matter. They won't keep a Tom Izzo team out.
The ONLY way they could potentially miss out is if there are 4-5 teams that come out of absolutely nowhere to steal a bid. You would need a tsunami to keep them out.
They won't get in with 18-14 and a season ending loss to Penn State or Nebraska. Not with all the talk of adding more mid-majors to the tourney and them bailing in the first round last year. It will take a lot to keep an Izzo team out of the tournament but that would do it. One win gets them in, but a Thursday loss and they need to get out their NIT dancing shoes.
0 good mid majors. Last year, you could have made a case for those teams such as Monmouth. Now, there's basically none. And if you are comparing teams like Wake, Georgia Tech, Vandy, they aren't getting in over MSU.
It would take runs from absolutely out of nowhere for MSU to be spoiled. And I would agree with the premise if ANY bubble watch had them on the cut line. They are well-clear of it from basically every publication.
has an argument over MSU. They also have a bad record as well but played an even better schedule and their wins over Florida are better than anything MSU did. I would argue that Middle Tennesee (of course!) should be in over MSU....and you're right, that's about it for mid-majors. UT Arlington, and to a lesser extent Illinois State and Monmouth have arguments as well but the latter two lack good wins and have some ugly losses.
The bubble is unusually bad this year, and there's been a lack of bid stealing in the mid-major conferences that had an at-large contender (Colonial, MVC).
If either of these teams go on a run in the BTT (and by on a run I mean get to the finals) then I think this would hurt MSU's chances. This would again showcase the weakness of the conference this year and may move them down in the committee's eyes. No major upsets moving forward and unfortunately I think they're in.
...probably like a 3-9% chance they don't get in.
I think especially it would have to be Illinois. MSU was 1-0 against Iowa but 0-1 against Illinois.
It could be either one. With the Big Ten considered weak this year and down, I can not imagine that 8 teams would get in, so a run by Iowa or Illini would force the committee to put them in and then drop the current 7th team in the conference (MSU).
Crush Illinois! We are a much better team than they are. Would love a deep run in the B1G of course but let's handle Illinois first.
GO BLUE!!
I repeat—WE ARE GOING ALL THE WAY!
Beat the Illini.
would existentially satisfied if made a Final Four run this year. It would make be very happy.
that Nebraska win was just icing on the brownie, so make like a tree and get out of here ESPN.
Amen, Biff!
We have enough quality wins. But some wins in the B1G tourney would still be nice.
"MSU still has work to do."
They have been accepted into the tournament before with an 8-8 Big Ten record and winless results against top 30 teams. In fact, they were as high as a 6 seed with that resume in 2006.
In 2011, they were 19-14 (9-9 in the B1G) and got accepted.
They don't have any work to do. With Izzo as your coach, an 18-14 record only means they'll probably drop to an 8 seed in the tournament.
They won't get left out unless 3-5 teams win their conference that had absolutely no business doing so. (Clemson, Depaul, UCONN, etc...) So, they aren't getting left out.
Their name has a great deal of pull here.
January, February, IZZO, April...he's a whiny bastard but I do respect what he's done at staee.
teams.
Come on Leo. That one was RIGHT THERE.