Y'all, I'm stunned. I'll reserve talking how bad the SEC is for later, but we finished tied for second in the conference. Just wow.
Now we go into the conference with an RPI of 70 and an SOS of 68. It isn't hard to fathom winning on Friday night, which will be our first game with the double bye. After that, we'll have Kentucky, LSU, or Alabama. If we have Kentucky and beat Kentucky?
It could get real. We'll be in the mid-50's RPI, with 20 wins. Would we get into the NCAAs? All of the predicted last four out are in the mid-50s with 18 wins right now. If our SOS improves to the mid-50s, with our last 10 being 8-2, we will be a compelling and sexy pick to steal and at-large bid.
It could get real. We'll be in the mid-50's RPI, with 20 wins. Would we get into the NCAAs? All of the predicted last four out are in the mid-50s with 18 wins right now. If our SOS improves to the mid-50s, with our last 10 being 8-2, we will be a compelling and sexy pick to steal and at-large bid.
As it is, we'll make the NIT. I don't see anyway we don't at this point. Which is stunning considering our early season losses.
Give Mark Fox credit. He should be in consideration for Coach of the Year in the SEC.
TD
4 comments:
We have one (Arkansas). I'm saying if we beat Kentucky (high teens RPI), we could be a sexy pick for the committee to consider. I agree that we are a close call, at best.
I'm torn. I tend to think that if we make it to Sunday, then we're in the discussion in Indy for an at-large/last-four. But then, I look at what this team has done, and how they've handled some 'good' teams in an admittedly awful conference, and I wonder that the committee might not give them a REAL strong look regardless.
Chris Dobberteen has mentioned UGA in the "also considered" section for his last several bracket projections. I think there's a better than 50/50 chance we're into the First Four just for making it to the SEC final, should that happen.
Our two most damaging losses (to Davidson and Temple) were way back at the start of the season. Without those I think we'd theoretically be in already, and lately Fox has done a great job of getting the team to distance themselves from those performances. With most of the team coming back next year expectations will be for an NCAA tourney berth, so the pressure will on him will grow regardless.
Without any two of the Tech, Davidson, Temple, or Auburn losses, we'd be carrying a low 50s RPI. We'd be a bubble team, at worst right now.
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