A Lot of Milk

March 13th, 2017 at 4:08 PM ^

Honestly depressing that this poll did a better job putting the best teams in order than the fucking selection committee did. And further proof that Michigan should be a 6 and Creighton, Minnesota, and Maryland are all laughably over seeded

jmblue

March 13th, 2017 at 4:59 PM ^

MSU lost three of its last four games, got destroyed by Purdue twice and by us once - all in the last month or so. Not sure why you're so eager to buy their party line. Other than a late-season win over a fading Wisconsin team, I'm not sure what they've done lately to warrant so much praise.

JonnyHintz

March 13th, 2017 at 5:07 PM ^

The teams seeded behind them wouldn't have fared any better. What have any of the smaller conference teams seeded behind MSU done that's even remotely impressive? All of those teams would have lost to us and Purdue also. What's your point?

You're not making a case for any of the small conference schools behind them.

snarling wolverine

March 13th, 2017 at 5:58 PM ^

Sparty finished the regular season #43 on KenPom and #51 by RPI.  There is no metric in existence that ranks them among the top 36 teams.  

Why do you want to defend them so badly?  Is it that you don't want to believe that ADs on the committee can have undue influence, so you're trying to rationalize their seed?  I can see them being in the field of 68, but a 9 seed is crazy.

 

 

 

 

 

charblue.

March 14th, 2017 at 10:33 AM ^

last year in the first round. Let's understand something, the Spartans are where they are in this field because of reputation and their AD is the tournament director. I mean if you believe that losses to Top 10 teams and one seeds are the yellow brick road to the tournament, then why doesn't eveyone do it? Because wins count more than losses regardless of when you play, or it used to. Who knows what it means anymore? And if you don't spell out the criteria then what does it matter how many games you win as a small conference or at-large school?

Izzo plus his past tournament record and early season schedule are what annointed their team for tournament entry. But it shouldn't have led to a 9 seed line. Michigan had it won only once even under the circumstances of their arrival in BTT play, would have been penalized for not getting farther, I am convinced of that. The seeds were already set after the Spartans lost. And guess what, had they won the tournament, they would definitely have gotten that 5 seed that Minnesota was given. No doubt in my mind.

 

Bambi

March 13th, 2017 at 4:44 PM ^

That might count for something if they won a single one of those games.

Seriously, the only team they beat was Wichita State, who's good but not to the committee apparently since they got a 10 seed. If teams are going to be rewarded for scheduling tough but not winning a single tough game, Michigan should just schedule the entire preseason 25 in the non-con. They don't have to win them, just play them apparently.

JonnyHintz

March 13th, 2017 at 4:50 PM ^

Losing to Kentucky means more than beating up on Northern Kentucky. If wins and losses were all that mattered, MSU just shouldn't schedule Duke and Kentucky. Or Kansas or UNC or Arizona as they have in recent years.

Who you play matters too. MSU would have 24+ wins too if they played those schedules.

Jonesy

March 13th, 2017 at 7:50 PM ^

Losing to Kentucky means you're not a top 4 team, beating Northern Kentucky means you're a top 147 team, so one eliminates 4 spaces, the other eliminates 204, in that sense beating Northern Kentucky means a whole helluva lot more than Losing to Kentucky.  Anyone can schedule Kentucky and lose to them.  MSU would have a syracuse RPI if they replaced all those good teams with cupcakes and would be out of the tournament.

charblue.

March 14th, 2017 at 10:42 AM ^

They finished where they finished because that's the level team they are. You are how you play and finish. They should have lost at home to Florida Gulf State.  A couple calls and clock management in that game, and it's an embarrassing home loss. Izzo wins at least two or three games each year just by his incessant whining at officials. You can tell when he or Coach K thinks their team is inferior because they fight harder for any edge to win a game and challenge calls especially against lesser competition, which then does impact tournament consideration later. That 9th seed was a total gift for Mark Hollis, not that it will mean much in the long run.

 

JonnyHintz

March 13th, 2017 at 4:47 PM ^

Basing an analysis of a team on early season struggles is a dangerous game. Especially with how young that team is. By that logic, Michigan should be a lower seed because we limped to a 14-9 start. MSU is a better team now than in their non conference. Their record may be 19-14, but they're better than the record shows.

MH20

March 13th, 2017 at 5:18 PM ^

Michigan started 14-9 and then went 10-2 to finish the season, winning their last five.  They garnered six victories over Tournament teams (Purdue x2, Wisconsin x2, Minnesota, MSU).

MSU started 14-9 and went 5-5 to finish the season, losing three of their last four.  They defeated exactly one NCAA Tournament team in that stretch (Wisconsin at home).