Bracketology

[Lynchsr]

Would someone mind explaining how Rutgers is a solid 10 seed right now according to Bracketology.

Rutgers resume 18-13 overall 10-10 conference 5 quad 1-2 wins (including #1 Purdue at home) 3 quad 3-4 losses.

Common opponent with Vandy: Temple Rutgers lost Vanderbilt beat.

I will hang up and listen now.

[utahozzie]

Can someone explain why Michigan net Is 30 spots higher than vandy? Seriously

[bernstml19]

Can someone explain why Michigan net Is 30 spots higher than vandy? Seriously

Statistically bad losses and margin of defeat (probably mostly from one game)…

Ironically if stack doesn’t tank us at bama I don’t think he gets the run he got out of the team.

[MrMemorial]

Can someone explain why Michigan net Is 30 spots higher than vandy? Seriously

They did play Virginia and Kentucky and Arizona State outside the Big10...but lost all three.

They were taken into OT at home by a rebuilding mid-major Ohio team. Not good.

With their last two games being losses, they are probably now headed to the NIT.

[mathguy]

I can’t think of a worse matchup than uk…and yes I’m aware what happened Wednesday…

if vandy were to face them and beat them they are a lock

Better UK than Alabama...

Though honestly getting another crack at UT or Missouri would have been preferable...

[mathguy]

Would someone mind explaining how Rutgers is a solid 10 seed right now according to Bracketology.

Rutgers resume 18-13 overall 10-10 conference 5 quad 1-2 wins (including #1 Purdue at home) 3 quad 3-4 losses.

Common opponent with Vandy: Temple Rutgers lost Vanderbilt beat.

I will hang up and listen now.

I think it is fair to say that at this point part of what we are fighting is perception.

On November 1st, before the season started, we were a team that hadn't even been on the bubble since 2017, and who was generally picked by the media to not be close to it yet again.

On December 1st, we were 3-4 with a loss to a Sun Belt team, and those preseason opinions were being confirmed.

On January 1st we finished the non-conference slate 7-6 with an additional loss to Grambling.

On February 1st we were 10-12 (3-6), with a cute little upset of Arkansas and a nice scare that we delivered to Missouri and were 24 hours removed from an epic beatdown by Alabama. We were so far off the bubble that if we asked a bubble team for directions to the bubble they would have acted like Frat Boys from a 1980's comedy and directed us to the Blue Oyster Lounge (ok ... I mixed in a Police Academy reference, but that's not the point right now).

Then suddenly on March 1st we went to bed 17-13 (10-7) with wins over UT, UK, Florida, and Auburn (to which we have since added Miss. St.).

We were left for dead. We were done. The fork was stuck in us, and we were a team that the committee and bubble prognosticators didn't even have to think about. We were what our record showed - an average to below average team that managed a couple of modest upsets, because that's what mediocre teams do.

And now ... we clearly aren't that team anymore.

But if there is one thing that the last 15 years of national politics has taught me (don't worry mods, I'll keep this completely non-partisan) it's that people really REALLY don't like to change their minds and admit they were wrong.

And we have to convince people they were wrong about us.

[commadore]

I can’t think of a worse matchup than uk…and yes I’m aware what happened Wednesday…

if vandy were to face them and beat them they are a lock

Better UK than Alabama...

Though honestly getting another crack at UT or Missouri would have been preferable...

Disagree. Bama is playing rather poorly right now and has been really lucky in the games they have won. Would love another shot at them. BTW, opposing teams have started chanting "lock him up" every time Miller touches the ball.

[MrMemorial]

Monday a.m. updates:

ESPN says next four out (tie with Michigan, UNC, Oregon)

Jerry Palm (CBS) still has us on the long list of "bubble" with about 17 other teams

[A32Win]

https://www.teamrankings.com/ncaa-tourn ... cketology/

66% chance that Vandy is in as an 11-seed per teamrankings.com.

[Foreverhopeful]

I think not having Robbins hurts us a lot in the minds of the committee. That's why we have to do a lot this week.

[docdore]

Would someone mind explaining how Rutgers is a solid 10 seed right now according to Bracketology.

Rutgers resume 18-13 overall 10-10 conference 5 quad 1-2 wins (including #1 Purdue at home) 3 quad 3-4 losses.

Common opponent with Vandy: Temple Rutgers lost Vanderbilt beat.

I will hang up and listen now.

I think it is fair to say that at this point part of what we are fighting is perception.

On November 1st, before the season started, we were a team that hadn't even been on the bubble since 2017, and who was generally picked by the media to not be close to it yet again.

On December 1st, we were 3-4 with a loss to a Sun Belt team, and those preseason opinions were being confirmed.

On January 1st we finished the non-conference slate 7-6 with an additional loss to Grambling.

On February 1st we were 10-12 (3-6), with a cute little upset of Arkansas and a nice scare that we delivered to Missouri and were 24 hours removed from an epic beatdown by Alabama. We were so far off the bubble that if we asked a bubble team for directions to the bubble they would have acted like Frat Boys from a 1980's comedy and directed us to the Blue Oyster Lounge (ok ... I mixed in a Police Academy reference, but that's not the point right now).

Then suddenly on March 1st we went to bed 17-13 (10-7) with wins over UT, UK, Florida, and Auburn (to which we have since added Miss. St.).

We were left for dead. We were done. The fork was stuck in us, and we were a team that the committee and bubble prognosticators didn't even have to think about. We were what our record showed - an average to below average team that managed a couple of modest upsets, because that's what mediocre teams do.

And now ... we clearly aren't that team anymore.

But if there is one thing that the last 15 years of national politics has taught me (don't worry mods, I'll keep this completely non-partisan) it's that people really REALLY don't like to change their minds and admit they were wrong.

And we have to convince people they were wrong about us.

this post lays our circumstance out very clearly. defeating lsu or the dawgs thursday won't change any minds but will present us with the opportunity of a "play-in game" with uk. the friday game (if we get there) may essentially be our first win-or-go-home post-season one. if we get to saturday (and especially if msu doesn't), there could be no justification for excluding us from the dance (imho).

[Jason94]

Can someone explain why Michigan net Is 30 spots higher than vandy? Seriously

NET looks at net efficiency. Our team hasn't been very efficient, but has scored just enough points in games to get critical wins. That is it. Again, why do you care at this point? The net is a reflection of how we have played overall (it doesn't care when games were played) but is not the key determinant of whether we get into the tournament or not. If anything, our NET is bad more for the teams that we played than ourselves, as every road win we've had is a Quad 3 loss for our opponent. So our UK and UF wins look like "bad" losses to the committee for UK and UF.

Most of the time you don't see a team with a NET as low as our considered, mainly because teams that played as poorly as we did early don't tend to turn things around as dramatically as we have. To say this ending to the season is improbable is an understatement.

[Obvious]

Can someone explain why Michigan net Is 30 spots higher than vandy? Seriously

NET looks at net efficiency. Our team hasn't been very efficient, but has scored just enough points in games to get critical wins. That is it. Again, why do you care at this point? The net is a reflection of how we have played overall (it doesn't care when games were played) but is not the key determinant of whether we get into the tournament or not. If anything, our NET is bad more for the teams that we played than ourselves, as every road win we've had is a Quad 3 loss for our opponent. So our UK and UF wins look like "bad" losses to the committee for UK and UF.

Most of the time you don't see a team with a NET as low as our considered, mainly because teams that played as poorly as we did early don't tend to turn things around as dramatically as we have. To say this ending to the season is improbable is an understatement.

Everyone, our NET sucks. It’s not going to change. We can win a game or two this weekend and we’re in. And our NET will still suck.

[nyyankeeDore]

I think not having Robbins hurts us a lot in the minds of the committee. That's why we have to do a lot this week.

I agree. The treatment by the selection committee of teams that have had late season significant injuries indicates that they consider (in addition to a team's performance throughout the season) how well the team can be expected to perform in the NCAA tournament.

For example, if a team that had been ranked #1 overall every week during the season experienced season-ending injuries for their two best players in the final minutes of its last pre-NCAA tournament game, that team would not be given a #1 seed by the selection committee. The committee distributes tournament seeds, not awards for prior achievement.

[Versus75]

But if we beat Mississippi State, LSU or Georgia, and Kentucky without Liam that would show that the’Dores are still tournament-worthy.

Could be a factor is if there is an SEC representative on the committee speaking up for us.

[mathguy]

I think not having Robbins hurts us a lot in the minds of the committee. That's why we have to do a lot this week.

I agree. The treatment by the selection committee of teams that have had late season significant injuries indicates that they consider (in addition to a team's performance throughout the season) how well the team can be expected to perform in the NCAA tournament.

For example, if a team that had been ranked #1 overall every week during the season experienced season-ending injuries for their two best players in the final minutes of its last pre-NCAA tournament game, that team would not be given a #1 seed by the selection committee. The committee distributes tournament seeds, not awards for prior achievement.

You are correct, of course. I just need to point out how wrong this logic is. If the entire Milwaukee Bucks starting 5 got into a car accident two weeks before the playoffs started and each had two broken legs, would the NBA suddenly take away their home court advantage in the first round? Or suddenly move them from the top seed in the conference to the #7 seed? Of course not.

So why does the selection committee?

[utahozzie]

I’m not defending our net. I’m asking why Michigan is 30 points higher. If you did a blind test you’d probably pick vandy to be 30 points higher or at least comparable. Strange how wide a gap between the 2 teams

[bornadore57]

If we don't win late Thursday night, all of this is irrelevant. Those who can, get out and cheer, please.

[nyyankeeDore]

I think not having Robbins hurts us a lot in the minds of the committee. That's why we have to do a lot this week.

I agree. The treatment by the selection committee of teams that have had late season significant injuries indicates that they consider (in addition to a team's performance throughout the season) how well the team can be expected to perform in the NCAA tournament.

For example, if a team that had been ranked #1 overall every week during the season experienced season-ending injuries for their two best players in the final minutes of its last pre-NCAA tournament game, that team would not be given a #1 seed by the selection committee. The committee distributes tournament seeds, not awards for prior achievement.

You are correct, of course. I just need to point out how wrong this logic is. If the entire Milwaukee Bucks starting 5 got into a car accident two weeks before the playoffs started and each had two broken legs, would the NBA suddenly take away their home court advantage in the first round? Or suddenly move them from the top seed in the conference to the #7 seed? Of course not.

So why does the selection committee?

The NCAA has chosen (rightly or wrongly) to use subjective criteria. The NBA, like other professional sports organizations, uses objective standings.

VU is not necessarily doomed by the fact that Liam Robbins is not available. We beat Kentucky and Mississippi State without him. A win over LSU/Georgia (especially if followed by another win over Kentucky) would show that Vanderbilt is NCAA Tournament worthy with it’s current lineup.

[bernstml19]

This is why after the non-conference the # of admittance to the tournament should be distributed by conference according to win-shares and entrants should be ranked according to conference record. This way VU could borrow from those who didn't lose to SoMiss and Grambling. FWIW you look at Gramling's non-conference, gosh losing to them is embarrassing. What were we doing?!