Andy Katz makes a case for Northwestern

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I said this earlier, but if they hadn't choked away the games against Illinois and the first one at Purdue, they would looking very good right now. It's kind of a shame, because I don't remember them ever being in the tourney (have they?) and they could use a break. But, since we are competing against them for a spot, I'm glad they lost those games (wish they would have choked away the game against us though...)
 

If they beat Ohio State, they have a pretty good resume. They have some real quality wins on their plate, specifically on the road, plus, the high RPI, and finish 9-9 in the Big Ten. It'd be actually kinda tough to leave them out. I mean, 6 top 50 wins? That's very impressive. Should be interesting to see where they fall.

I also notice he has us locked into the tournament. I likes.
 

The Big L said:
I said this earlier, but if they hadn't choked away the games against Illinois and the first one at Purdue, they would looking very good right now.
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If they hold on in those two games, they're a lock already. They'd be 10-7 in the Big 10, they'd have a whopping 8 wins against the Top 50, and that would include beating all three of the top teams in the Big 10, including a sweep of Purdue. They'd be playing for seeding right now.

The Big L said:
It's kind of a shame, because I don't remember them ever being in the tourney (have they?) and they could use a break.
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Northwestern has never played in the NCAAs. I don't know that they've even ever played in the NIT. Anyone with thoughts on that?
 



I would like to see them get in too. But not at our expense. NW has been a laughing stock and doormat for as long as I remember. Be a good BT team to cheer for in the dance.
 

TruthTeller said:
In another thread the request was made to compare "resumes" of MN and NW.

Might be quite a comparison.
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It's not.

Northwestern:
Big Ten Record: 8-9
Strength of Schedule: #56
RPI: #74
Pomeroy: #68
Sagarin: #60
Sagarin ELO-Chess: #50
Sagarin Predictor: #65

The games they blew against Ill and PU at home are killers for them. I know that no team wants to see them in Indy. They'll be desperate.
 

Per request, Gopher and Northwestern resumes

"In another thread the request was made to compare 'resumes' of MN and NW. Might be quite a comparison."

Here's a snapshot of the two resumes.

GOPHERS
RPI: 32
Overall Record: 20-8
Conference Record: 9-8
Conference Place: tied for 5th
vs. RPI Top 50: 5-6
vs. RPI Top 100: 8-8
Road/Neutral Record: 5-6
Overall SOS: 40
Nonconference SOS: 202
Last 12: 5-7
Bad Losses (teams with RPI of 101+): none

NORTHWESTERN
RPI: 70
Overall Record: 17-11
Conference Record: 8-9
Conference Place: tied for 8th
vs. RPI Top 50: 6-8
vs. RPI Top 100: 6-9
Road/Neutral Record: 4-7
Overall SOS: 54
Nonconference SOS: 226
Last 12: 7-5
Bad Losses (teams with RPI of 101+): 2, at Stanford (#109), at Iowa (#116)

Some similarities, but its' pretty obvious which of these two resumes is stronger at this point in time.
 

parkinglotgopher said:
If they hold on in those two games, they're a lock already. They'd be 10-7 in the Big 10, they'd have a whopping 8 wins against the Top 50, and that would include beating all three of the top teams in the Big 10, including a sweep of Purdue. They'd be playing for seeding right now.

Northwestern has never played in the NCAAs. I don't know that they've even ever played in the NIT. Anyone with thoughts on that?
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Yes - they used to have a banner NIT - 2nd Round hanging in Welsh-Ryan Arena.
 




Oops. My numbers must not have been updated after their win last night.

Regardless, there is no comparison at this point.
 


So TT, which of the 2 would you select if there was only 1 bid to be had?
 



the real problem facing north western is that they're not going to be an additional add. there are stronger teams buried in conference standings than them. And it's really hard to imagine what B10 team they go in over. You could make the case for OSU if NW beats them. And Mich if they lose saturday. But it's tough to imagine. Although I'd be prefer if they did make it.
 

SelectionSunday said:
So TT, which of the 2 would you select if there was only 1 bid to be had?
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Doesnt matter. Simply pointing out a major difference. That ok?

You didnt acknowledge the difference, or analyze it, instead choosing to put me on the spot. Telling.
 

That's certainly OK. We're savvy and smart enough to figure out what you were fishing for.
 

TruthTeller said:
Doesnt matter. Simply pointing out a major difference. That ok?

You didnt acknowledge the difference, or analyze it, instead choosing to put me on the spot. Telling.
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zTTa, you clearly don't get it. At all.

Hilarious. Laughable. Interesting. Next.
 



"Or give us your interpretation of what the three game difference means."

My interpretation of the 3-game top-50 difference? Sure, that's an easy one.

Basically I interpret it as Northwestern has played one more NCAA quality team (read: top 50) than we have. We're in the top 50 and we can't play ourselves twice. I wouldn't define that as a major difference.
 

TruthTeller said:
Doesnt matter. Simply pointing out a major difference. That ok?

You didnt acknowledge the difference, or analyze it, instead choosing to put me on the spot. Telling.
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What is telling is that you continually call out posters for having "outs" - as you call them (I've seen it at least three times in the last week). Then, when specifically asked to make a comment about the same topic yourself, you ALWAYS come back with "it doesn't matter" or "it isn't important." That gives one the impression that you are only on this board to be a silent assassin, which I think we knew was the case anyway. Tell us, why do you never want to give us an opinion, yet expect other posters to be so bold that they could never have an out? Are you not smart enough to formulate an opinion on your own or just getting your jollies being a troll?

And, on top of it, playing three additional Top 50 teams is NOT a "major" difference. It is a minor difference. A major difference would be if the Gophers had only played 2 or 3 Top 50s, but since their number is so high, too, it is not a major difference. The team's comparisons are not close right now. And, just to please you - as an "out" - that could all change at Indianapolis.
 

SelectionSunday said:
"Or give us your interpretation of what the three game difference means."

My interpretation of the 3-game top-50 difference? Sure, that's an easy one.

Basically I interpret it as Northwestern has played one more NCAA quality team (read: top 50) than we have. We're in the top 50 and we can't play ourselves twice. I wouldn't define that as a major difference.
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39.2% of Gopher opponents in the top 50.

50% of NW opponents in the top 50.

50-39.2=10.8

10.8% is not a major difference?

OK. Disagree.
 

tjgopher said:
What is telling is that you continually call out posters for having "outs" - as you call them (I've seen it at least three times in the last week). Then, when specifically asked to make a comment about the same topic yourself, you ALWAYS come back with "it doesn't matter" or "it isn't important." That gives one the impression that you are only on this board to be a silent assassin, which I think we knew was the case anyway. Tell us, why do you never want to give us an opinion, yet expect other posters to be so bold that they could never have an out? Are you not smart enough to formulate an opinion on your own or just getting your jollies being a troll?

And, on top of it, playing three additional Top 50 teams is NOT a "major" difference. It is a minor difference. A major difference would be if the Gophers had only played 2 or 3 Top 50s, but since their number is so high, too, it is not a major difference. The team's comparisons are not close right now. And, just to please you - as an "out" - that could all change at Indianapolis.
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wow.

Stan, TJ, and the rest of the gang really love to pile on.

Only in attack mode. Not to address the thread topic. Telling.
 


TruthTeller said:
39.2% of Gopher opponents in the top 50.

50% of NW opponents in the top 50.

50-39.2=10.8

10.8% is not a major difference?

OK. Disagree.
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You're an idiot. As Hodger stated, and you quoted, the Gophers schedule is worse because they aren't allowed to play themselves. They had to play a worse team twice, namely Northwestern.

What don't you understand?
 

TruthTeller said:
39.2% of Gopher opponents in the top 50.

50% of NW opponents in the top 50.

50-39.2=10.8

10.8% is not a major difference?

OK. Disagree.
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Yep, go ahead and disagree. It is amazing that you chose to use the Top 50 component as the ONE factor to single out. Not surprising, though.

Look, Top 50 victories is only one factor the committee will use. If it were the only factor, then 11% might be termed "major." But, in the grand scheme of things, it is not major in the resume comparison because the Gophers are better in all of the other major factors. It isn't that hard to figure out, but you choose to pick the one area that Northwestern has an edge to bait us into a debate and you again succeeded.

For the others out there - is there an ignore feature on this board? If so, how do you administer it?
 

GoGoGophers said:
You're an idiot. As Hodger stated, and you quoted, the Gophers schedule is worse because they aren't allowed to play themselves. They had to play a worse team twice, namely Northwestern.

What don't you understand?
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Genius GoGo - could the non-con sched have provided a more worthy test or two?
 

tjgopher said:
Yep, go ahead and disagree. It is amazing that you chose to use the Top 50 component as the ONE factor to single out. Not surprising, though.

Look, Top 50 victories is only one factor the committee will use. If it were the only factor, then 11% might be termed "major." But, in the grand scheme of things, it is not major in the resume comparison because the Gophers are better in all of the other major factors. It isn't that hard to figure out, but you choose to pick the one area that Northwestern has an edge to bait us into a debate and you again succeeded.

For the others out there - is there an ignore feature on this board? If so, how do you administer it?
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Yes their is and ignore feature. Here you go:

If you want to set your profile to ignore a certain poster all you need to do is click on their user name and view their profile. In their profile click on "user list" and a list of options will drop down. Choose add to ignore list and then confirm. Then you know longer need to read post by that user unless someone quotes one of their post.
 

TruthTeller said:
Genius GoGo - could the non-con sched have provided a more worthy test or two?
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The non-con schedule is another metric where the Gophers have a better resume than NU. Thanks for pointing that out, ZTA.

What's your point to all of this? There isn't a knowledgeable bball fan that would argue NU has a better resume than the Gophers. Are there teams that do? Absolutely. Not NU, by any BS you can muster.

Nxet.

Telling.
 

Friend Of Tubby said:
Yes - they used to have a banner NIT - 2nd Round hanging in Welsh-Ryan Arena.
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parkinglotgopher said:
Northwestern has never played in the NCAAs. I don't know that they've even ever played in the NIT. Anyone with thoughts on that?
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The Wildcats have played in the NIT a few times, but the most recent NIT appearance was 10 years ago (1999). They also played the NIT in '94 (where I saw them lose an agonizingly close game to Xavier, missing 7 of 8 free throws down the stretch), and in the early 1983 too.

It is correct that NU has never played in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. It is only one of five teams that have been playing D-I college ball since 1947 who have never made the Big Dance, and is the only major conference team in that group. (The others are Citadel, which is threatening to make the tourney this year, Army, St. Francis of Brooklyn, and William & Mary.) It's pretty mind-boggling, actually, especially when you consider some of the other hundreds of teams who have made it. A trivia sidebar that always seems to pop up in connection with that record of futility: While NU has never played in the tourney, Northwestern hosted the first-ever NCAA men's basketball championship game (1939) in Patten Gym, which is still used on campus for rec sports and various other activities.

-Joe

P.S. I'm kind of embarrassed to say that this is my first post on the new board format! It's only been--what--four months? :)
 

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