Sunday, December 24, 2006

W-11 BP65

Sorry for the late posting everyone, but there's no rush today. There aren't any games on tap for a few days. More updates on yesterday's late games (including Florida's remarkable game against OSU) coming soon:

1. NORTH CAROLINA (ACC)
1. UCLA (PAC 10)
1. FLORIDA (SEC)
1. OHIO ST. (BIG 10)

2. LSU
2. KANSAS (BIG 12)
2. Arizona
2. Wisconsin

3. Alabama
3. PITTSBURGH (BIG EAST)
3. Duke
3. UConn

4. Texas A&M
4. Marquette
4. Oklahoma State
4. MEMPHIS (CONFERENCE USA)

5. Washington
5. Kentucky
5. Texas
5. Tennessee

6. Maryland
6. Michigan State
6. California
6. WICHITA ST (MVC)

7. Boston College
7. Missouri State
7. Gonzaga
7. AIR FORCE (MWC)

8. Illinois
8. Oregon
8. NEVADA (WAC)
8. West Virginia

9. Purdue
9. Georgetown
9. Virginia
9. Notre Dame

10. Syracuse
10. Clemson
10. Missouri
10. Villanova

11. XAVIER (ATLANTIC 10)
11. Texas Tech
11. BUTLER (HORIZON)
11. San Diego State

12. Georgia Tech
12. Northern Iowa
12. OLD DOMINION (COLONIAL)
12. Louisville

13. WINTHROP (BIG SOUTH)
13. WESTERN KENTUCKY (SUN BELT)
13. MARIST (MAAC)
13. AKRON (MAC)

14. VERMONT (AMERICA EAST)
14. PENN (IVY)
14. BUCKNELL (PATRIOT)
14. NORTHERN ARIZONA (BIG SKY)

15. ORAL ROBERTS (MID-CON)
15. DAVIDSON (SOUTHERN)
15. BELMONT (ATLANTIC SUN)
15. DELAWARE ST (MEAC)

16. UC-SANTA BARBARA (BIG WEST)
16. EASTERN KENTUCKY (OHIO VALLEY)
16. SACRED HEART (NORTHEAST)
16. SAM HOUSTON ST (SOUTHLAND)
16. JACKSON ST (SWAC)
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2 comments:

Jeff said...

You make a good point that if the season ended now they'd be out of the Tournament. But that's true for several of the times in my bracket. Now I can give you a one sentence reason, and then I'll give you a more in-depth one. The one-sentence reason: They've been through a pretty tough schedule. They had the hiccup early on against Dayton, but they aren't the only quality team to lose to a bad team in November. If they had Michigan's schedule they'd probably be 11-2 also.

Louisville does have a ton of talent, with several electric scorers and a ton of size - they outrebound almost everyone. They also have one of the best college coaches of the past 25 years. Also, the Big East is down (atleast when you compare it to last year), and even as far as the Big East goes they have a very inviting schedule. They have two games against South Florida and home games against Seton Hall, Providence and St. John's. That should be 5 wins right there. If they even go 5-6 in their other games that makes them 10-6. Only one year in the history of the 64/65 team bracket has a 10-6 Big East team not made the tournament (if I remember correctly, two teams missed the same year. Seton Hall was one, I forget the other).


Even if Louisville only manages a 9-7 in conference play, they have several opportunities for winnable "quality wins". They get Marquette and UConn at home, in addition to Georgetown and Syracuse. They have a good home-court advantage, so you have to imagine they'll win 1-to-3 of those four. Let's say they get 2 of those, plus the 5 easy ones already mentioned, plus a win at DePaul and then either at Cincy or Villanova. Then all they have to do is one of the following road games: Notre Dame, UConn, Marquette, Pitt. That would make them 10-6 in the Big East, 20-10 overall, with atleast three quality wins. That would also put their RPI well inside the top 50. I'd say that's going to get in unless they really blow up at the end of the year and bow out in the first round of the Big East Tourney. Do you think I'm being too optimistic about what they can win?

December 26, 2006 8:30 PM
Jeff said...

I agree, they could easily go 8-8 in conference. And the way they've played, they are probably more likely to go 8-8 than 10-6. Like I said, I'm just betting on potential here - in the talent and the coach. Besides, like you said, it's slim pickings. Who really deserves to be in that I didn't have?

What is bound to happen is that a few teams from BCS conferences with weak out-of-conference resumes will go 10-6 in conference, with a marquee home win or two, and they'll move in. A team like Louisville or North Carolina State. We'll find out - I can't wait for real conference play to begin.

December 28, 2006 5:54 PM

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