SelectionSunday
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What's happened and what's ahead in the world of college basketball. RPI rankings are courtesy of CollegeRPI.com.
The Unbeatables
We're down to 10, with BYU, LSU Syracuse & Xavier falling from the ranks. Here's where the unbeatens sit in the RPI, and who they play next.
1. Pitt (Dec. 31: at Rutgers)
2. Oklahoma (Tonight: at Rice)
6. Clemson (Dec. 30: at South Carolina)
7. UConn (Friday: Fairfield)
11. Ohio State (Tonight: NC-Asheville)
13. North Carolina (Sunday: Rutgers)
22. Stanford (Tuesday: at Santa Clara)
30. GOPHERS (Tuesday: Southeastern Louisiana)
34. Wake Forest (Tonight: at Radford)
79. Illinois State (Sunday: at Missouri State)
Tracking My Preseason Final Four
1. Duke (10-1, #5)
2. North Carolina (10-0, #13)
3. Arizona State (9-1, #28)
4. Louisville (7-2, #49)
BCS Conferences Head to Head
1. ACC (21-14)
2. Big 12 (16-14)
3. Big 10 (17-15)
4. Big East (18-17)
5. Pac 10 (10-16)
6. SEC (9-15)
Tracking the Gophers' Nonconference Opponents
49. Louisville (7-2)
84. Cornell (4-5)
127. Eastern Washington (6-5)
148. Bowling Green (2-5)
149. Virginia (4-4)
197. North Dakota State (4-4)
235. Colorado State (3-7)
292. Georgia State (1-8)
301. Southeastern Louisiana (2-4)
308. South Dakota State (3-8)
338. High Point (1-7)
What To Watch This Week
Cornell at Saint Joseph's (Monday)
Marquette at NC State (Monday)
Butler at Xavier (Tuesday)
Illinois at Missouri (Tuesday)
Kansas at Arizona (Tuesday)
Texas at Wisconsin (Tuesday)
UAB at Louisville (Saturday)
Washington State at LSU (Saturday)
West Virginia at Ohio State (Saturday)
Florida State vs. Western Kentucky (Sunday)
Illinois State at Missouri State (Sunday)
Think The Barn Would Be Rockin'?
It's not a huge stretch to imagine The Barn being "the place to be" in the college basketball world on Saturday, January 3. There's a fighting chance both the Gophers and Ohio State Buckeyes will be among the nation's few remaining unbeaten squads when they square off. The Buckeyes have only West Virginia (Saturday) and Iowa (Dec. 31) at home to worry about before then, while the Gophers only test will be the now-have-Goran-Suton Michigan State Spartans.
Contract Extension?
I've heard a lot of talk about the possibility of Tim Brewster getting a contract extension. Have not heard the same regarding Tubby Smith. I'm fine with Brew getting an extension, but he should be second in line behind Tubby. Simply take a look at where the programs are now in comparison to what they inherited two seasons ago. Really, there is no comparison.
Quote Of The Week
This from veteran play-by-play man Tim Brando -- one of the best in the business -- on coaches' unwillingness to schedule home-and-home series, and how it impacts fans.
"Coaches need to get together and start scheduling more home-and-homes for the fans. We had all these great matchups yesterday (Saturday). ... Duke-Xavier, Michigan State-Texas, Louisville-Minnesota, and you see it on TV and the stands largely remain empty. The college game and the home fans deserve the special atmospheres, especially at this time of year."
Touche, Tim.
Team of the Week
I never want to be called a homer, but I'll agree with Andy Katz and give national Team of the Week honors to the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Was not totally surprised the Gophers competed favorably with Louisville and ended up winning. I was, however, surprised how thoroughly the Gophers controlled the game and handled Louisville's pressure. Absent a 2-3 minute stretch when Louisville cut the deficit to 4, the Gophers were the better team from start to finish. Their poise is what impressed me the most. In a true neutral setting (there was nobody there), the Gophers rather convincingly beat a NCAA-quality team. It's truly amazing how far along Tubby Smith has this program in less than two seasons.
Runner-up honors go to the Pitt Panthers, who picked up a quality road win at Florida State, and also beat Siena, which very likely will end up in the NCAA Tournament.
The SS Mailbag
Dear Selection Sunday,
Let's play the "what-if" game. If Minnesota ends up on the bubble come Selection Sunday, what do you think Saturday's win over Louisville means for them?
-- J Lunardi, Bristol, Connecticut --
Dear J,
In a nutshell, the Gophers' win over the 'Ville gives them a little more breathing room with regards to their Big 10 performance. Absent a win over Louisville, I felt the Gophers needed to go 11-7 in the Big 10 (not factoring in the Big Ten Tournament) to feel secure on Selection Sunday. Now, with a win the magnitude of Louisville, 10-8 likely will be enough to get the Gophers in. And if the bubble happens to be extremely weak, maybe even 9-9.
However, the Gophers should not count on 9-9 being enough, no way, no how. Their nonconference strength of schedule is likely going to be shoddy (relative to other bubble teams) at the end of the season. It's currently #200 and sure to get worse with their final two nonconference marshmallows.
If we see the Gophers go out and sweep MSU and OSU to start the Big 10 season, folks like me -- at least for the time being -- can quit talking about the bubble and start thinking about bigger & better things for the Gophers.
The Unbeatables
We're down to 10, with BYU, LSU Syracuse & Xavier falling from the ranks. Here's where the unbeatens sit in the RPI, and who they play next.
1. Pitt (Dec. 31: at Rutgers)
2. Oklahoma (Tonight: at Rice)
6. Clemson (Dec. 30: at South Carolina)
7. UConn (Friday: Fairfield)
11. Ohio State (Tonight: NC-Asheville)
13. North Carolina (Sunday: Rutgers)
22. Stanford (Tuesday: at Santa Clara)
30. GOPHERS (Tuesday: Southeastern Louisiana)
34. Wake Forest (Tonight: at Radford)
79. Illinois State (Sunday: at Missouri State)
Tracking My Preseason Final Four
1. Duke (10-1, #5)
2. North Carolina (10-0, #13)
3. Arizona State (9-1, #28)
4. Louisville (7-2, #49)
BCS Conferences Head to Head
1. ACC (21-14)
2. Big 12 (16-14)
3. Big 10 (17-15)
4. Big East (18-17)
5. Pac 10 (10-16)
6. SEC (9-15)
Tracking the Gophers' Nonconference Opponents
49. Louisville (7-2)
84. Cornell (4-5)
127. Eastern Washington (6-5)
148. Bowling Green (2-5)
149. Virginia (4-4)
197. North Dakota State (4-4)
235. Colorado State (3-7)
292. Georgia State (1-8)
301. Southeastern Louisiana (2-4)
308. South Dakota State (3-8)
338. High Point (1-7)
What To Watch This Week
Cornell at Saint Joseph's (Monday)
Marquette at NC State (Monday)
Butler at Xavier (Tuesday)
Illinois at Missouri (Tuesday)
Kansas at Arizona (Tuesday)
Texas at Wisconsin (Tuesday)
UAB at Louisville (Saturday)
Washington State at LSU (Saturday)
West Virginia at Ohio State (Saturday)
Florida State vs. Western Kentucky (Sunday)
Illinois State at Missouri State (Sunday)
Think The Barn Would Be Rockin'?
It's not a huge stretch to imagine The Barn being "the place to be" in the college basketball world on Saturday, January 3. There's a fighting chance both the Gophers and Ohio State Buckeyes will be among the nation's few remaining unbeaten squads when they square off. The Buckeyes have only West Virginia (Saturday) and Iowa (Dec. 31) at home to worry about before then, while the Gophers only test will be the now-have-Goran-Suton Michigan State Spartans.
Contract Extension?
I've heard a lot of talk about the possibility of Tim Brewster getting a contract extension. Have not heard the same regarding Tubby Smith. I'm fine with Brew getting an extension, but he should be second in line behind Tubby. Simply take a look at where the programs are now in comparison to what they inherited two seasons ago. Really, there is no comparison.
Quote Of The Week
This from veteran play-by-play man Tim Brando -- one of the best in the business -- on coaches' unwillingness to schedule home-and-home series, and how it impacts fans.
"Coaches need to get together and start scheduling more home-and-homes for the fans. We had all these great matchups yesterday (Saturday). ... Duke-Xavier, Michigan State-Texas, Louisville-Minnesota, and you see it on TV and the stands largely remain empty. The college game and the home fans deserve the special atmospheres, especially at this time of year."
Touche, Tim.
Team of the Week
I never want to be called a homer, but I'll agree with Andy Katz and give national Team of the Week honors to the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Was not totally surprised the Gophers competed favorably with Louisville and ended up winning. I was, however, surprised how thoroughly the Gophers controlled the game and handled Louisville's pressure. Absent a 2-3 minute stretch when Louisville cut the deficit to 4, the Gophers were the better team from start to finish. Their poise is what impressed me the most. In a true neutral setting (there was nobody there), the Gophers rather convincingly beat a NCAA-quality team. It's truly amazing how far along Tubby Smith has this program in less than two seasons.
Runner-up honors go to the Pitt Panthers, who picked up a quality road win at Florida State, and also beat Siena, which very likely will end up in the NCAA Tournament.
The SS Mailbag
Dear Selection Sunday,
Let's play the "what-if" game. If Minnesota ends up on the bubble come Selection Sunday, what do you think Saturday's win over Louisville means for them?
-- J Lunardi, Bristol, Connecticut --
Dear J,
In a nutshell, the Gophers' win over the 'Ville gives them a little more breathing room with regards to their Big 10 performance. Absent a win over Louisville, I felt the Gophers needed to go 11-7 in the Big 10 (not factoring in the Big Ten Tournament) to feel secure on Selection Sunday. Now, with a win the magnitude of Louisville, 10-8 likely will be enough to get the Gophers in. And if the bubble happens to be extremely weak, maybe even 9-9.
However, the Gophers should not count on 9-9 being enough, no way, no how. Their nonconference strength of schedule is likely going to be shoddy (relative to other bubble teams) at the end of the season. It's currently #200 and sure to get worse with their final two nonconference marshmallows.
If we see the Gophers go out and sweep MSU and OSU to start the Big 10 season, folks like me -- at least for the time being -- can quit talking about the bubble and start thinking about bigger & better things for the Gophers.
