Bracketology 101 - Win and we're in

Blizzard

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All eyes are going to be on the Big Ten on Friday as Illinois and Minnesota will try to pull off upsets and play their way into the field. The Golden Gophers kept their at-large hopes alive by beating Penn State in their Big Ten opener on Thursday. Next up is a quarterfinal match-up with Michigan State. With a win, Minnesota is in. With a loss, they'll be bound for the NIT. That same mantra might also apply to Illinois, which plays Wisconsin in another quarterfinal. The Illini may just need that win to get in, but their 13 losses and poor RPI might make it necessary for them to at least play a close game against Ohio State in the semis to get in. In the two other games today, Purdue faces Northwestern and the top-seeded Buckeyes take on Michigan.
 

Like I've said all along...they beat MSU tonight, I don't think the committee can keep them out, especially with all the other bubble teams falling by the wayside.
 

Like I've said all along...they beat MSU tonight, I don't think the committee can keep them out, especially with all the other bubble teams falling by the wayside.

That's all that Gophers have to focus on - beat Mich St. Let the rest happen as it may.

I think Gophers need 2 more W (minimum), 3 W to be 100% sure.
 

That's all that Gophers have to focus on - beat Mich St. Let the rest happen as it may.

I think Gophers need 2 more W (minimum), 3 W to be 100% sure.

I think 3 more wins is only 99.99%.
 



So you're waffling from 22 to "maybe 21"?

FOT, you've said since way back that the Gophers needed 22, which may very well end up being right. But you can't change your tune on the fly. Why the "maybe 2" stuff all of a sudden? Two wins would be only be 21, meaning the Gophers must win the BTT to make your prediction correct.

The reality of the situation is they may get in with 20, 21 likely does the trick for certain.
 

Getting in

A Gopher win and a Illini loss... plain and simple
 


FOT, you've said since way back that the Gophers needed 22, which may very well end up being right. But you can't change your tune on the fly. Why the "maybe 2" stuff all of a sudden? Two wins would be only be 21, meaning the Gophers must win the BTT to make your prediction correct.

The reality of the situation is they may get in with 20, 21 likely does the trick for certain.

SS, you beat me to it. Making predictions on what is needed does as much good as lifting your beer can, touch it to your lips, and finding it empty. (Or worse yet, someone threw a ciggy butt into it.) Oh the empty feeling. Anticipation is only good for the sure thing. And my next beer (just opening it) is a sure thing. That, is anticipation. GO GOPHERS!!!!
 



A Gopher win and a Illini loss... plain and simple

I still don't buy this 'grabbing the 5th Big 10 spot' argument (if that is what you are saying). I think people seriously misjudge the attitude of the committee towards conferences. The reason an Illini loss will help us is because they are so similar to us in resume, not as much the Big 10 factor. If the committee thinks we are the 35th best at-large, we're going to the NIT. They aren't going to bump us up because they think the Big 10 should have 5 teams.
 

I still don't buy this 'grabbing the 5th Big 10 spot' argument (if that is what you are saying). I think people seriously misjudge the attitude of the committee towards conferences. The reason an Illini loss will help us is because they are so similar to us in resume, not as much the Big 10 factor. If the committee thinks we are the 35th best at-large, we're going to the NIT. They aren't going to bump us up because they think the Big 10 should have 5 teams.


Big L: How the hell do you know that? Are you on the Committee? Fact or opinion? Who the hell knows?
 

I would like to have a beer with someone sometime who has served on that Committee.
 

So is it un-Gopherlike for Minnesota to hope Wisconsin beats Illinois? I am thinking no since Wisconsin is already in the big dance. Let's hope the consistent Gopher team shows up tonight...blows out Sparty so Isaiah Dahlman can get some minutes for MSU. I think Minnesota needs to win tonight...and beat Purdue to ensure a ticket to the dance. Minnesota doesn't exactly 'ring' basketball with the selection committee so I think we can't rely on a "close" loss to help our case.
 



I still don't buy this 'grabbing the 5th Big 10 spot' argument (if that is what you are saying). I think people seriously misjudge the attitude of the committee towards conferences. The reason an Illini loss will help us is because they are so similar to us in resume, not as much the Big 10 factor. If the committee thinks we are the 35th best at-large, we're going to the NIT. They aren't going to bump us up because they think the Big 10 should have 5 teams.

I don't buy it either. In theory, shouldn't an Illinois win today help us since we beat them? Or would it hurt us more by making our Wisconsin victory less impressive? Who knows.
 

I don't buy it either. In theory, shouldn't an Illinois win today help us since we beat them? Or would it hurt us more by making our Wisconsin victory less impressive? Who knows.

Illinois is a bubble team, Wisconsin is not. The outcome of the game will not change the status for Wisconsin as far as if they're in or not. An Illinois loss could put them on the wrong side of the bubble, which makes one more spot available. We want Illinois to lose.
 




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