Penn State beats Minnesota, Michigan is a 4-seed

Submitted by the_white_tiger on

We knew we'd be playing Illinois on Friday, but Penn State's win over Minnesota in a "barn-burner" (get it?) puts Michigan in a four-way tie for fourth in the Big Ten at 9-9, but UM holds the tiebreaker over MSU, Illinois and PSU, so we are the four-seed. Michigan State falls all the way to seventh and will be playing a dangerous Iowa team on Thursday.

jmblue

March 6th, 2011 at 3:27 PM ^

I think we were planning on wearing maize regardless.  It can serve as a road uniform (as in the MSU road game).

Minnesota's collapse is incredible.  They've lost something like 9 of 10, and almost every single one of these was a winnable game that got away from them at the end.

GoBlueinEugene

March 6th, 2011 at 3:21 PM ^

From projected last to 4th in the BT, and oh so close to punching a ticket to the dance. Our Friday afternoon BTT game is a perfect excuse to head to happy hour early to start the weekend. Prognosticators are like meteorologists - you can make a ton of bad predictions and still keep your job. Like, was it supposed to snow 4 inches last night? 

the_white_tiger

March 6th, 2011 at 3:25 PM ^

To be totally fair, no one but the biggest homer could see us finishing in the top half of the conference. It's amazing that Morris and Morgan are playing as well as they are, considering that Morris was scoring four a game and Morgan was hurt and redshirted. Hardaway has been more than a pleasant surprise as well.

Blazefire

March 6th, 2011 at 3:29 PM ^

It's a bit disconcerting, though, to know that we will be playing a team we lost to during the regular season allegedly as the higher ranked team.

Flip that game from Assembly Hall to Crisler, though, and I think it's a 5+ Point Michigan win.

the_white_tiger

March 6th, 2011 at 3:53 PM ^

It should be noted that we played as badly on offense as we have in quite a while and overall had a pretty awful game, but only lost by two points on the road. If we play at the level that we're at right now, a win is definitely a reasonable outcome. Illinois isn't very good.

markjko.rn

March 6th, 2011 at 3:30 PM ^

I still have not been able to see the game because of work/living in NY and not being able to DVR it. Does anyone know of a link that I could see the game in its entirety? Thanks! Go Blue!

AAB

March 6th, 2011 at 3:33 PM ^

PSU's RPI is above ours now, and I'd rather not have them anywhere near the bubble when they have a few big wins.  I know we beat them twice, but head-to-head just isn't a factor the Committee looks at (nor is conference standings for that matter).

AAB

March 6th, 2011 at 3:54 PM ^

Arizona went 8-10 in the Pac 10.  Arizona State went 9-9 and beat Arizona twice.  

Arizona got in and Arizona State didn't.  

I'm not saying either team should get in before us (they shouldn't) or necessarily will (I don't think they will).  I just don't want there to be any possibility of it, because the Committee has done it before. 

turd ferguson

March 6th, 2011 at 4:52 PM ^

I heard Bilas say yesterday that the committee doesn't consider RPI.  (If so, good for them - RPI rankings are beyond stupid.)  It's impossible for me to believe that conference standings don't count unless you're talking about some technicality like conference standings not counting but performance in games in conference counting immensely.



There's no way that Penn State will get in ahead of us unless they tear apart the Big Ten tourney and we flame out.  They hardly played anyone out of conference and were unimpressive against the decent teams they did play (L 63-39 to Maryland, L 79-69 to Virginia Tech, L 84-71 to Ole Miss, etc.).

AAB

March 6th, 2011 at 4:56 PM ^

the Committee doesn't care that Michigan finished 4th in the Big 10 while Michigan State finished 7th.  It won't hesitate to take a team with a lower conference finish over a team with a higher one if it thinks the lower team has a better overall resume.  

ijohnb

March 6th, 2011 at 4:02 PM ^

is dangerous if they catch fire in the BTT.  However, Michigan has to see tremendous runs by Michigan State and Penn State before they are in danger of getting left out of the Tourney.  I know it feels alien to pretty much all Michigan basketball fans, but I think you can breath a sigh of relief.  I really don't even think we are on the bubble any more, truth be told.  Tim Hardaway is an attractive name.  Darius Morris has some game and it's clear.  There is ratings to think about.  M is in.

mGrowOld

March 6th, 2011 at 4:57 PM ^

Dear Tubby:

Hang in there.  Sometimes your team gets off to a quick start and then injuries pile up and you're forced to play kids you had never planned on giving PT to.  But you can rest easy knowing your fans and the athletic department are behind you and understand that there are some things the HC just cant control.

Wait till next year!

Your pal,

Rich

jmblue

March 6th, 2011 at 7:31 PM ^

Nothing beats hijacking a basketball thread to throw Rich Rodriguez yet another MGoBoard pity party!

(And no, the situations aren't parallel.  Tubby took Minn to the NCAA tournament the past two years, earning him some wiggle room this year.)

bronxblue

March 6th, 2011 at 4:42 PM ^

With VCU knocking out George Mason out of the CAA tourney today and turning that conference into a 2-bid league, UM really needs to win this game to make sure that they don't get squeezed out by some upsets.