College Sports Madness Top 144

[CaliRdBrd]

Whoever said that this is ranking gives us very little respect is SPOT ON. ISU should be spending most of the year in the top half of the "others receiving votes" section of the media poll. To put the birds in the mid 60s is a bit of a joke and certainly bulletin board material.

Besides fans who are up on the team why would anyone put an unproven program in the 25-35 area? Copeland? Unproven. All new players? Unproven. It's not like the unproven players are 4 star players. No. 2 stars. Tinsley? Is he first half or second half Tinsley? They arent will to bank their reputation as a journalist on second half when he hasn't shown to be consistently that. Beyond the big 3 nobody is proven. Bruniga didn't exactly light the world on fire. Idowu is a freshman. Jefferson is unproven. Doesn't exactly make the people who rank the teams excited and shouldn't. Time to stop being bias. I too believe they are going to win 26+ games but I'm not naive enough to understand why others don't agree. It's a legit reason.

100% this.

This team, IMO, could even be in the 70’s-90’s. They have a lot to prove...and I’m not buying in until I see them on the court.

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

We get very little respect with this ranking. Meanwhile (and I hate to bring it up again) but this ranking views Wichita State will have a better team than us. Right or wrong this let's you see the perception gap between our programs.

I think the ranking is spot on. What have our players proved? They went 18-15 with virtually the same team. The people doing the rankings aren't going to assume they improve by 8 games nor are they going to assume Copeland is the real deal without anything backing it up.

With that being said I don't think WSU is better than ISU but maybe they give the benefit of the doubt to Marshall and what he has been able to accomplish.

If you feel the ISU ranking is spot on then you believe ISU does not stand a chance for an at large bid.

The ranking does not surprise me for many reasons but I disagree with the 66 spot. I believe ISU will be good enough to be in the discussion for an at large bid. I would rank ISU in the 48 to 42 range but do believe the actual results could move the ranking up some or, move likely, it could go down considerably. The intangibles on this team are a concern...ie off the court troubles, player's remaining eligible due to grades, immature player attitudes, as well as player leadership.

I believe they are in the conversation because I'm a homer and think the unproven players will be good. I do, however, understand why outsiders aren't banking on them all being good and every thing going 100% right to win 28/29 games... therefore ranking them in the 60's

 

[V Boy]

If ISU goes 11-2 in non-conf I will be quite pleasantly shocked. Not out of the question, but just about everything would have to go right, including the following:

-No one gets hurt
-No one is ineligible
-Someone emerges to play point guard who isn't Keyshawn or Malik
-Someone can block out Tacko Fall
-We basically go undefeated at home and defending your home court means something (i.e.--if you want to go back to the NCAA Tournament, then don't let anyone walk into your house and leave with a W)

 

[CaliRdBrd]

Life’s a lot easier when you don’t set unrealistic expectations.
That’s all I’m sayin’ about the hype I’m seeing in some of these posts

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

The problem is to be in consideration for an at large at this level pretty much everything has to go right and requires a minimum 28 wins and that might not even do it. I believe they can do it but understand why others don't.

 

[Redbird Alum 2004]

The problem is to be in consideration for an at large at this level pretty much everything has to go right and requires a minimum 28 wins and that might not even do it. I believe they can do it but understand why others don't.

Is that 28 in reg season or including Arch Madness?

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

The problem is to be in consideration for an at large at this level pretty much everything has to go right and requires a minimum 28 wins and that might not even do it. I believe they can do it but understand why others don't.

Is that 28 in reg season or including Arch Madness?

If they make it to sunday in arch madness they will play 34 games this season. I think 28-6 gets them in with no bad losses like chicago state or even evansville. I say that because they were 27-6 (one less win and one less game) in 16-17 and were the second team out and had TWO bad losses that season. I wouldn't want to stretch it to 27-7. The number to look at all season is 6. 6 losses. If they can reach the arch madness final without 6 losses they're getting an at large bid. With one more win, a better schedule, and two less bad losses they should be able to jump a few teams even with a stronger field to compete with

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

The problem is to be in consideration for an at large at this level pretty much everything has to go right and requires a minimum 28 wins and that might not even do it. I believe they can do it but understand why others don't.

Is that 28 in reg season or including Arch Madness?

If they make it to sunday in arch madness they will play 34 games this season. I think 28-6 gets them in with no bad losses like chicago state or even evansville. I say that because they were 27-6 (one less win and one less game) in 16-17 and were the second team out and had TWO bad losses that season. I wouldn't want to stretch it to 27-7. The number to look at all season is 6. 6 losses. If they can reach the arch madness final without 6 losses they're getting an at large hid.

 

[Redbird Alum 2004]

The problem is to be in consideration for an at large at this level pretty much everything has to go right and requires a minimum 28 wins and that might not even do it. I believe they can do it but understand why others don't.

Is that 28 in reg season or including Arch Madness?

If they make it to sunday in arch madness they will play 34 games this season. I think 28-6 gets them in with no bad losses like chicago state or even evansville. I say that because they were 27-6 (one less win and one less game) in 16-17 and were the second team out and had TWO bad losses that season. I wouldn't want to stretch it to 27-7. The number to look at all season is 6. 6 losses. If they can reach the arch madness final without 6 losses they're getting an at large bid. With one more win, a better schedule, and two less bad losses they should be able to jump a few teams even with a stronger field to compete with

That sounds right.

 

[RedbirdSoxFan]

Is that 28 in reg season or including Arch Madness?

If they make it to sunday in arch madness they will play 34 games this season. I think 28-6 gets them in with no bad losses like chicago state or even evansville. I say that because they were 27-6 (one less win and one less game) in 16-17 and were the second team out and had TWO bad losses that season. I wouldn't want to stretch it to 27-7. The number to look at all season is 6. 6 losses. If they can reach the arch madness final without 6 losses they're getting an at large bid. With one more win, a better schedule, and two less bad losses they should be able to jump a few teams even with a stronger field to compete with

That sounds right.

If their six losses are to Clemson, San Diego State, BYU, Central Florida, and Loyola twice, they will not have one quality win. Not getting in, sorry!

 

[Adunk33]

I think the Birds should just win it on Sunday in STL. I'm guessing they have 7-9 losses headed into Sunday at the Arch. Never leave it up to the committee. I know this is just a fun off-season discussion but I bet Joey Bracket's first edition of Bracketology has one MVC Team in the NCAA- Loyola as like a 10 seed. Then based off who is in first in the conference from week to week they will take the spot. I think if Loyola or ILST wins Arch Madness they will get a 10 seed. Anyone else will get a 12-14. Unfortunately, the MVC will likely be a one team league, though from top to bottom the non-con schedules throughout the league have drastically improved from past years.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

I think the Birds should just win it on Sunday in STL. I'm guessing they have 7-9 losses headed into Sunday at the Arch. Never leave it up to the committee. I know this is just a fun off-season discussion but I bet Joey Bracket's first edition of Bracketology has one MVC Team in the NCAA- Loyola as like a 10 seed. Then based off who is in first in the conference from week to week they will take the spot. I think if Loyola or ILST wins Arch Madness they will get a 10 seed. Anyone else will get a 12-14. Unfortunately, the MVC will likely be a one team league, though from top to bottom the non-con schedules throughout the league have drastically improved from past years.

yep. unfortunately, i agree.

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

#64 - Murray State

 

[RedbirdSoxFan]

If they make it to sunday in arch madness they will play 34 games this season. I think 28-6 gets them in with no bad losses like chicago state or even evansville. I say that because they were 27-6 (one less win and one less game) in 16-17 and were the second team out and had TWO bad losses that season. I wouldn't want to stretch it to 27-7. The number to look at all season is 6. 6 losses. If they can reach the arch madness final without 6 losses they're getting an at large bid. With one more win, a better schedule, and two less bad losses they should be able to jump a few teams even with a stronger field to compete with

That sounds right.

If their six losses are to Clemson, San Diego State, BYU, Central Florida, and Loyola twice, they will not have one quality win. Not getting in, sorry!

What do you think Jsnhbe1Birds?

 

[Redbird Alum 2004]

but Murray State will have to rely quite heavily on their newcomers

I find it odd that our ranking was behind them after they lost so much. They even acknowledge in the write up that the newcomers will play a big role.

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

but Murray State will have to rely quite heavily on their newcomers

I find it odd that our ranking was behind them after they lost so much. They even acknowledge in the write up that the newcomers will play a big role.

They must believe in their newcomers. I do believe they got a highly rated recruit...maybe that was WKU.

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

That sounds right.

If their six losses are to Clemson, San Diego State, BYU, Central Florida, and Loyola twice, they will not have one quality win. Not getting in, sorry!

What do you think Jsnhbe1Birds?

I agree they have to win a couple of 6 games listed above. Replace those with a loss to Bradley or SIU and they're still in good position because those are both Q2 losses. It won't hurt them until they start losing to the Indiana State's.

 

[Flagship08]

If their six losses are to Clemson, San Diego State, BYU, Central Florida, and Loyola twice, they will not have one quality win. Not getting in, sorry!

What do you think Jsnhbe1Birds?

I agree they have to win a couple of 6 games listed above. Replace those with a loss to Bradley or SIU and they're still in good position because those are both Q2 losses. It won't hurt them until they start losing to the Indiana State's.

It seems irrational to me that we would be better off losing to lessor teams but I tend to agree the committee dismisses losses to average opponents and only cares about the number of tier one wins.

 

[redbirdron1]

Just win Baby!!

We'll lay a couple of eggs like we always do, Muller will be frustrated with effort and D. Those always cost us in someone's eyes. Adunk is right - gotta
win in St. Lou. At the end of the day, we win St. Lou, get something like a 12 seed - (no better please) and then you'll play the fat cat 5 seed from power conference who
really isn't that good. Then play another fat cat 4 seed, win and we're Sweet 16. The only route to take for the Birds that's realistic.

 

[Bird Gang]

Just win Baby!!

We'll lay a couple of eggs like we always do, Muller will be frustrated with effort and D. Those always cost us in someone's eyes. Adunk is right - gotta
win in St. Lou. At the end of the day, we win St. Lou, get something like a 12 seed - (no better please) and then you'll play the fat cat 5 seed from power conference who
really isn't that good. Then play another fat cat 4 seed, win and we're Sweet 16. The only route to take for the Birds that's realistic.

This is the truest thing I have ever heard.