Front page ESPN, 2nd time, back to back days

[mendyman]

Front page of ESPN (and first video). Eamonn Brennan is usually in BYU's corner but not this time (he didn't even use the updated RPI in the video/article, only 4 spot difference but it helps the perception a little). BYU is the best team on the bubble but they only have themselves to blame for being there. Hopefully we put this annual argument to bed Saturday night but we can't have the usual slow start.

[Gunk]

Can't really refute what he's saying. We haven't beaten anybody of note and we got swept by Pepperdine. We had our chances. It's too bad because there are some great players on this team. The talent is there. We just weren't able to put it all together.

Win tomorrow (it could happen!) and Brennan's video will be different.

That said, if the Cougs are to beat the Zags, I'd prefer it be for the WCC tournament. Then all the "bubble" talk is pointless.

[BYULV]

I agree that BYU needed to beat some teams they didn't this year, but you can't hang your argument to keep them out of the tournament on the fact they were beat by Pepperdine or any team. There are going to be plenty of teams in the NCAA tournament with far worse losses than to Pepperdine, including some of the higher seeded teams. If BYU is one of the top 68 teams, then put them in the tournament, if not then leave them out; I'm fine with that. But don't say they don't deserve to be there because they lost to some perceived weak team.

[snoscythe]

What he neglects is the fact that even if BYU goes to Gonzaga and loses tomorrow, just that SOS bump in playing the Zags on the road and losing is project to bump BYU's RPI all the way up to #43.

http://www.rpiforecast.com/index2.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That changes the bubble conversation if BYU can win every game outside of two Gonzaga losses from here to Selection Sunday. Even with two losses to the Zags, BYU could easily be a top-35 RPI team despite being #56 this morning.

[Gunk]

What he neglects is the fact that even if BYU goes to Gonzaga and loses tomorrow, just that SOS bump in playing the Zags on the road and losing is project to bump BYU's RPI all the way up to #43.

http://www.rpiforecast.com/index2.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That changes the bubble conversation if BYU can win every game outside of two Gonzaga losses from here to Selection Sunday. Even with two losses to the Zags, BYU could easily be a top-35 RPI team despite being #56 this morning.

Good catch, Sno!

[Mars]

There are going to be plenty of teams in the NCAA tournament with far worse losses than to Pepperdine, including some of the higher seeded teams. If BYU is one of the top 68 teams, then put them in the tournament, if not then leave them out.

68 teams make the Tournament. 35 teams are auto-bids. That means that the top 33 teams should be worthy of at-large bids. BYU's RPI this morning is 57.

[scott715]

Maybe we need to schedule a road game to Kentucky each year to build our rpi numbers.

[BYULV]

There are going to be plenty of teams in the NCAA tournament with far worse losses than to Pepperdine, including some of the higher seeded teams. If BYU is one of the top 68 teams, then put them in the tournament, if not then leave them out.

68 teams make the Tournament. 35 teams are auto-bids. That means that the top 33 teams should be worthy of at-large bids. BYU's RPI this morning is 57.

Yes, but a good portion of the autobids are already in the top 68 RPI, so the number remaining for at large is significantly higher than the top 35 teams. I'm not saying BYU deserves to go at RPI 57, but on selection day they should be in over anyone "Ranked" lower than them - the debate remains how to objectively rank teams.

[BroncoBot]

There are going to be plenty of teams in the NCAA tournament with far worse losses than to Pepperdine, including some of the higher seeded teams. If BYU is one of the top 68 teams, then put them in the tournament, if not then leave them out.

68 teams make the Tournament. 35 teams are auto-bids. That means that the top 33 teams should be worthy of at-large bids. BYU's RPI this morning is 57.

Yes, but a good portion of the autobids are already in the top 68 RPI, so the number remaining for at large is significantly higher than the top 35 teams. I'm not saying BYU deserves to go at RPI 57, but on selection day they should be in over anyone "Ranked" lower than them - the debate remains how to objectively rank teams.

BYULV, that is exactly what BYU will be watching for, NO UPSETS in conference tournament games. BYU's odds of getting into the tournament decrease with each upset of a conference tournament.

I think that analysis is spot on. BYU HAD to win one of those early season games that they let slip away. Losing to Pepperdine 2x didn't help either. Going to be a lot of fingernail biting between now and selection sunday.

By the way, here's a few RPI rankings and teams teams left out of the dance:
The highest RPI rated team left out: #21 Missouri St, #30 Hofstra (2006), #30 Air Force (2007).

[mendyman]

I think Eamonn was just setting us up for better pub!