bierce

1. Right now, I'm a solid maybe, but I'm a solid no if VCU, Memphis, or UC San Diego lose in conference tournament finals. 2. Absolutely But let's get real here. The tournament is too big. Go back to 64 teams and do away with the play-in games.

Texas was on about 6 more brackets that updated yesterday morning than UNC, and Xavier was running about 10 behind UNC, so the matrix had us in a very slight lead for the last spot. Even if the matrix is correct in havng Texas nose out UNC and Xavier, we are at risk of losing that last spot to an upset tournament champ in the A10, Big West, or AAC. Even Colorado State beating Boise State could cause problems.

Or VCU losing in the A10, or Uc San Diego losing in the Big West, or several other things. I can't think of another team that missed the tournament with 7 Q1 wins, but we very well may become the first if there are no precedents.

And Boise State beats UNM. Texas is probably now on the outside looking in.

Oh boy. Boise State up a point and with ball with 2:13 left.

UC San Diego is nuking UC Santa Barbara in the second half. It should be a tournament at large by now, but let us hope it gets the Big West autobid. Boise State down 2 to UNM with 12:15 left.

Mark still could have eligibility if he gets a medical exemption for 2021-22, so we could have anywhere between 7 to 13 roster spots depending on who bolts in the offseason, including our only guy on an NIL. They've been known to back out when a coaching change occurs. So . . . a new coach will be starting from scratch. Even if any of our guys return, there isn't a proven scorer in the bunch, unless you want to count Mark. And I have ALWAYS been a huge fan of Weaver. Do you realize he is our only 40% 3pt shooter this year among players who have attempted more than 2 threes? Ok, small sample size, but that dude is impressive as hell in so many respects. He still needs to work on first step on defense so he isn't playing from behind so often, but the ball never sticks with him on offense when he is in the game, he boards like a maniac, and give him minutes and watch good things happen.

I agree. Weird thing was that we won 3 out of 4 games we were supposed to lose before playing Tennessee today and lost 3 of 4 games we were favored to win. Vandy game was a push.

Refs worked hard all second half to give UNC chances to get that win, but that lane violation . . . Wow.

UNC down 21 at the half to Duke minus Cooper Flagg.

55 updated brackets, and we are on 40 of them, making us the very last team in according to the matrix. UNC is on 41. Indiana is on 46. Xavier is our closest chaser and on 31. Boise State is on 11.

Looks like Iowa is pulling the plug on McCaffery. I wonder if this is due to fear McCollum will be hired somewhere else if Iowa doesn't act now.

VCU won by 17. Memphis fell behind early, but it leads by 10 at the half.

Has Mark officially declared he will not seek a medical exemption for 2021-22? The 5 in 5 rule with no exceptions hasn't passed yet, has it?

I don't think we're in the tournament just yet. 18 brackets updated this morning. Texas and Xavier are each on 11 and would be first out/last in. Indiana and UNC are each on more. Boise State could pick up a lot of votes if it beats UNM today.

I agree with that being the likely outcome at this point. I just don't make it a certainty. And I won't be surprised if it is left off some brackets that update today and tomorrow.

If Texas wins today, then it is definitely in and maybe even skipping the play in game. Right now, Texas is on the cusp, so we are very much at risk of missing out, particularly if there are a couple of dance crashers. Other games that matter today (bubble team boldfaced): St. Bonaventure/VCU This game is a bit of an oddity. VCU might get passed over if it loses this early due to having just 1 q1 win (and haviing that only because it and Dayton each won at the other's place), and the A-10 would then be limited to just the tournament champ. But I think the safest thing is for VCU to win the conference tournament so there is no risk of the A-10 getting two teams in. Wichita State/Memphis Same rationale as above. Rest of AAC won't get in. Memphis probably will due to 6-1 q1, 5-1 q2. UNC/Duke Duke will be without Cooper Flagg. If UNC falls to 1-12 in q1, then it would be extremely hard to justify a bid. St. Joe's/Dayton Dayton has received a vote or two of late. Still just 67 NET, but had good OOC wins over UConn, Marquette, and Northwestern. UC Santa Barbara/UC San Diego See comments about VCU. Boise State/New Mexico I really don't understand why Boise State and New Mexico are adjacent in NET rankings. Neither do the bracketsessed. UNM is nearly unanimously placed on the 9 line. Boise State is still first four out, but when the brackets update today to reflect Indiana, Xavier, SDSU, and OU losses, it might be on as many brackets as not. Cal Poly/UC Irvine UC Irvine also has received few votes, but I don't give it much chance if it doesn't win the autobid. Utah State/Colorado State Colorado State has a single vote going into this morning. I doubt beating Nevada gave it much of a bump. Long odds to get in due to poor OOC showing. Utah State seemed like a cert about two weeks ago, but losing to Boise State and Colorado State by a combined 44 points has dropped it to a 10 seed. It could play its way out with another big loss.

Because why? Because NET 43? Because 7-11 in q1 to our 7-10? Because it has a q3 loss? OU has a very good argument for being included, but calling it a lock at this point is inaccurate. If UNC beats a Cooper Flagg-less Duke tomorrow, and if Boise State can win another game, then OU might be on the outside again.

Maybe now we are after Kentucky went the length of the floor to hit the game winner with 0.5 seconds left. What a great day for Texas.

Wow, Kentucky. Two turnovers in the last 20 seconds to let OU take a 1 point lead with 5.1 seconds left.

BTW, if we are left out, then it will be because we scheduled 6 absolute dogs in our non-conference schedule. That was an egregious mistake, and we should never do that again.

If OU loses tonight, then I think we do. If OU wins, then I'm not sure. We have a better claim than Indiana, tOSU, Xavier, the fourth MWC team, and maybe even Baylor at this point. 7 q1 wins are hard to argue with. Texas and OU are the only teams with 7 q1 wins at risk of missing the tournament. Just to be safe, I'm rooting for Kentucky all the way tonight.

It isn't necessarily in the field yet. It was still out according to the matrix this morning. And it is 7-0 in q2 and +5 in q1-g3, and it had very close losses to Michigan State and Kansas, so it has an argument. Just like Texas has an argument despite losing 4 or 5 q2 games depending on whether UConn finishes outside the top 30. The bubble is just that f'ing weak this year. Who do you want to put over UNC? OU? Xavier? Boise State? Indiana? All have just as many warts if not more.

Clemson got away with it. SMU with a failed possession, and Clemson hit ft to clinch it. SMU finishes the year with 23 wins and not a single q1 win. SMU was a complete fraud all seasons. Zero wins against against the field.

I will never understand why a team that has to shoot with at least 15 second left on the game clock will run the entire shot clock down without trying to run some offense to get an easy basket instead of chucking a rock at the end of the shot clock. Brad Brownell, boo on you.