55 replies to this topic

[BSLMikeLowe]

The loss at UVA is the real killer though.

That loss hurts both ways, as UVA is listed as one of the teams ahead of them on the "First 4 Out."

[bnickle]

Two more ACC wins in they are in and it could have been any two wins. The UVA game, either FSU game, the GT game, the BC game. 10-8 in the ACC with our wins over Duke would have done it.

[Oriole85]

I don't expect MD to get selected tomorrow, and based on their overall resume - they should not.

I think ability wise they belong in the tournament, and it should kill them that they did not achieve more. It is going to be hard to get past the late losses to BC, and GT. The loss at UVA is the real killer though.

If they wind-up getting selected, I'll be elated. If they head to the NIT, I hope they play possessed and add some additional wins to their overall record.

I have similar thoughts. I've seen many tout the wins versus Duke and that's fine, if you also point out the BC/GT losses which largely negate this. And I totally agree that the UVA game was a killer. All three of those games were labeled must-wins and they didn't win any of them. Beating Duke yesterday made a disappointing season bearable but at the end of the day -- too little, too late.

[Oriole85]

(http://espn.go.com/b...-saturday-night)

Here's my update as of 6:45 p.m. ET:

1-SEEDS
Gonzaga/WEST
Louisville/EAST
Indiana/MIDWEST
Duke/SOUTH

2-SEEDS
Kansas/SOUTH
Georgetown/MIDWEST
Miami/EAST
Ohio State/WEST

LAST FOUR BYES
Oklahoma
California
Wichita State
Saint Mary's

LAST FOUR IN
Boise State
Middle Tennessee
Ole Miss
La Salle

FIRST FOUR OUT
Tennessee
Virginia
Maryland
Southern Miss

NEXT TWO OUT
Kentucky
Massachusetts

I'd say Maryland isn't passing UVA. I doubt they'll pass Ole Miss if they lose, obviously we still want them to lose because Florida is getting in regardless. Luckily, Southern Miss lost.

I'm surprised they didn't fall more to be honest and obviously Lunardi is human, but I thought they were done for sure with a loss today and I'm not usually one to overreact.

[Oriole85]

(http://sports.espn.g...ncb/bubblewatch)

If only. That's the operative phrase for Maryland fans Saturday following the Terrapins' hard-fought ACC semifinals loss to North Carolina. If only Maryland, a clearly talented team but one with its share of flaws, had played like it did in Greensboro, the entire season would have been different. If only Maryland could play like that more than three times a year. If only the Terps had lined up something more than the 300th-ranked nonconference schedule. If only the Terps had won a few more non-Duke games against the RPI top 150, against whom they went just 5-11. Were a couple more of those things not hypotheticals, these guys wouldn't be off the bubble the night before the selection committee finalizes its work. Instead, they most certainly are and are thus off the Bubble Watch page once and for all.

I was surprised how high Lunardi had them, I'm likewise surprised that Brennan has them completely out of it.

The best thing I heard today was from Greg Anthony, when someone on the CBS set was talking about "ifs," he responded back "there's no ifs in sports." Very refreshing and the truth.

[Mike in STL]

Question. Does anyone know who is responsible for scheduling OOC games? I understand our OOC schedule is not good, but Kentucky was on there. As the defending champ in game 1 you can't schedule a tougher opponent. Also, some other teams who match up with one or two stronger opponents than MD did is due to an early season tournament of some type which are invite only. Maui, coaches v. cancer, and a slew of others these days.

The committee chair, Mike Bobinski, said "Not hard to smoke out who did not try at all to schedule." referring to Maryland. It's not their fault they didn't get an invite to an early tourney with a chance to play another power 6 conference team or two. Also, the ACC/Big Ten Challenge is based on finishing order the year before. So you can't fault this years team for getting stuck with Northwestern because last years team sucked. I understand SOS goes into the selection process, as it should. But to count MD out because you think they didn't "try" to schedule is the wrong argument, isn't it?

Duke didn't try to schedule Ohio St., Louisville, and Kentucky. It was by default they played OSU, and got invited to play the others in the Bahamas, and some "night of past champions" game set up by the NCAA.

Maybe SOS should be a little more specific. Some crazy metric that takes into account OOC teams that you didn't have any choice in scheduling.

Now I'm trying to come up with excuses why Maryland should be considered, when they probably shouldn't be.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Question. Does anyone know who is responsible for scheduling OOC games? I understand our OOC schedule is not good, but Kentucky was on there. As the defending champ in game 1 you can't schedule a tougher opponent. Also, some other teams who match up with one or two stronger opponents than MD did is due to an early season tournament of some type which are invite only. Maui, coaches v. cancer, and a slew of others these days.

The committee chair, Mike Bobinski, said "Not hard to smoke out who did not try at all to schedule." referring to Maryland. It's not their fault they didn't get an invite to an early tourney with a chance to play another power 6 conference team or two. Also, the ACC/Big Ten Challenge is based on finishing order the year before. So you can't fault this years team for getting stuck with Northwestern because last years team sucked. I understand SOS goes into the selection process, as it should. But to count MD out because you think they didn't "try" to schedule is the wrong argument, isn't it"

Duke didn't try to schedule Ohio St., Louisville, and Kentucky. It was by default they played OSU, and got invited to play the others in the Bahamas, and some "night of past champions" game set up by the NCAA.

Maybe SOS should be a little more specific. Some crazy metric that takes into account OOC teams that you didn't have any choice in scheduling.

Now I'm trying to come up with excuses why Maryland should be considered, when they probably shouldn't be.

Turg already owned up to not realizing the team would be this talented this quick, hence not scheduling a tougher OOC schedule. That's on him. His biggest blunder of the year, next to some of his in-game blunders, IMO. But given how poorly this team played down the stretch against some mediocre to bad teams, I'm not sure a tougher OOC would have mattered in hindsight.

In related news, it was announced last week that the Terps and Kentucky have both re-upped with Barclays to a multi-year deal to play in the Barclays Center Classic. I'm not entirely sure if it will take on a tournament format, but I do know that while both will be there for years to come, they are not facing each other in the opener next year like they did this year.

[Oriole85]

Question. Does anyone know who is responsible for scheduling OOC games? I understand our OOC schedule is not good, but Kentucky was on there. As the defending champ in game 1 you can't schedule a tougher opponent. Also, some other teams who match up with one or two stronger opponents than MD did is due to an early season tournament of some type which are invite only. Maui, coaches v. cancer, and a slew of others these days.

The committee chair, Mike Bobinski, said "Not hard to smoke out who did not try at all to schedule." referring to Maryland. It's not their fault they didn't get an invite to an early tourney with a chance to play another power 6 conference team or two. Also, the ACC/Big Ten Challenge is based on finishing order the year before. So you can't fault this years team for getting stuck with Northwestern because last years team sucked. I understand SOS goes into the selection process, as it should. But to count MD out because you think they didn't "try" to schedule is the wrong argument, isn't it?

Duke didn't try to schedule Ohio St., Louisville, and Kentucky. It was by default they played OSU, and got invited to play the others in the Bahamas, and some "night of past champions" game set up by the NCAA.

Maybe SOS should be a little more specific. Some crazy metric that takes into account OOC teams that you didn't have any choice in scheduling.

Now I'm trying to come up with excuses why Maryland should be considered, when they probably shouldn't be.

My understanding it's usually the head coach. I'm sure the AD and others affiliated with the university have input. For example, teams have scheduled "home" games for loyal Seniors -- say there's a Wisconsin native who has been a big part of the team, I could see the Terps putting a game in Milwaukee.

I think college football is moreso the ADs since many of the matchups are years in advance as opposed college basketball which is done a year-out or so, but cbb coaches tend to be cordial with each other than their football counterparts.

[Mike in STL]

Turg already owned up to not realizing the team would be this talented this quick, hence not scheduling a tougher OOC schedule. That's on him. His biggest blunder of the year, next to some of his in-game blunders, IMO. But given how poorly this team played down the stretch against some mediocre to bad teams, I'm not sure a tougher OOC would have mattered in hindsight.

That sucks. I think VA Tech won 24 games a few years back and missed out on the tourney by poor SOS.

[Oriole85]

Turg already owned up to not realizing the team would be this talented this quick, hence not scheduling a tougher OOC schedule. That's on him. His biggest blunder of the year, next to some of his in-game blunders, IMO. But given how poorly this team played down the stretch against some mediocre to bad teams, I'm not sure a tougher OOC would have mattered in hindsight.

In related news, it was announced last week that the Terps and Kentucky have both re-upped with Barclays to a multi-year deal to play in the Barclays Center Classic. I'm not entirely sure if it will take on a tournament format, but I do know that while both will be there for years to come, they are not facing each other in the opener next year like they did this year.

Really unsure, also doesn't matter so much at the time. Take for example, if USC had an easier ooc schedule, good chance they're a bubble team and maybe in. Point is there's a "happy medium" between the MD/USC approaches.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Really unsure, also doesn't matter so much at the time. Take for example, if USC had an easier ooc schedule, good chance they're a bubble team and maybe in. Point is there's a "happy medium" between the MD/USC approaches.

Yeah, there is... you're right. Another argument is even if we lost a couple more OOC games due to better opponents... perhaps that better prepares us for the ACC? Tough to say, but the schedule was inexplicably soft, and we all knew it coming into this year. Even if the Terps lacked talent, there's just zero excuse for that many awful opponents.

[Oriole85]

Yeah, there is... you're right. Another argument is even if we lost a couple more OOC games due to better opponents... perhaps that better prepares us for the ACC? Tough to say, but the schedule was inexplicably soft, and we all knew it coming into this year. Even if the Terps lacked talent, there's just zero excuse for that many awful opponents.

I agree with this, that would've been the best reason to beef up the ooc schedule.

[Pedro Cerrano]

FWIW Ole Miss beating Florida was the official death knell.

[Oriole85]

CBS Sports: 2013 NCAA Basketball Tournament Prediction (Jerry Palm)

http://www.cbssports..._fb_na_txt_0001

Last four in: Villanova, St. Mary's, La Salle, Tennessee
First four out: Massachusetts, Alabama, Kentucky, Maryland

ESPN: Bracketology

http://espn.go.com/m...ll/bracketology

Last Four In
Saint Mary's
Boise State
Middle Tennessee
La Salle

First One Out
Tennessee

BracketologyExprt.com Daniel Evans Bracketology: Selection Sunday FINA

http://www.bracketol...sunday-final-2/

LAST FOUR IN: Boise State, Saint Mary’s, Iowa State, Tennessee (last team in)
FIRST FOUR OUT: Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Alabama, Virginia
NEXT FOUR OUT: Southern Miss, Massachusetts, Baylor, Iowa

[bnickle]

So pumped. DO we get a #1 seed........in.....the.......NIT???

[Oriole85]

So pumped. DO we get a #1 seed........in.....the.......NIT???

The road to #69