See "All Things Championship Week" . ...





"Locking in the field" has been updated through Friday, March 1 games.

8 teams today (Saturday) with opportunity to go lock, stock, and barrel.
 


What does MSU have to do to keep the streak alive in your opinion?
 


How are Michigan State, Northwestern, Nebraska, & Wisconsin close to being locks...and how is Iowa in contention...while the Gophers are completely out of it???

Computers???

If we win @Northwestern...and there's a pile-up of teams with the same conference record...THAT'S WHEN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT RESULTS SHOULD BE IMPORTANT.

Not computers. Hopefully common-sense is still considered by the selection committee.
 

How are Michigan State, Northwestern, Nebraska, & Wisconsin close to being locks...and how is Iowa in contention...while the Gophers are completely out of it???

Computers???

If we win @Northwestern...and there's a pile-up of teams with the same conference record...THAT'S WHEN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT RESULTS SHOULD BE IMPORTANT.

Not computers. Hopefully common-sense is still considered by the selection committee.
Because the Gophers played a crap non-conference.
 




How are Michigan State, Northwestern, Nebraska, & Wisconsin close to being locks...and how is Iowa in contention...while the Gophers are completely out of it???

Computers???

If we win @Northwestern...and there's a pile-up of teams with the same conference record...THAT'S WHEN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT RESULTS SHOULD BE IMPORTANT.

Not computers. Hopefully common-sense is still considered by the selection committee.

We played next to nothing in the non-con. Basically netted us nothing by quad 4 wins.
 

I was a huge critic of the non-conference schedule for both university basketball teams.

And yet if your checking account has more value in it the other way, maybe it worked. Maybe some other value made up for the damage done by the weak schedule.

Other people made the case that Big Ten games later are what most count. It's fine to squander the non-conference schedule if it helps you win the important games later. You lose some value but get it later.

I don't know... there's no way to prove it. How do you prove wasting early games helped you win bigger value games later?

The calculator says what it says. But everyone should realize life isn't always mechanical like a calculator. That's why we have math like Calculus, weird science like string theory and quantum physics, and human social sciences.

I really don't know.
 

I was a huge critic of the non-conference schedule for both university basketball teams.

And yet if your checking account has more value in it the other way, maybe it worked. Maybe some other value made up for the damage done by the weak schedule.

Other people made the case that Big Ten games later are what most count. It's fine to squander the non-conference schedule if it helps you win the important games later. You lose some value but get it later.

I don't know... there's no way to prove it. How do you prove wasting early games helped you win bigger value games later?

The calculator says what it says. But everyone should realize life isn't always mechanical like a calculator. That's why we have math like Calculus, weird science like string theory and quantum physics, and human social sciences.

I really don't know.
I kind of see your point. The Gophers came off growing pains the past couple seasons, and how do we know those early games this year (mostly successful) didn't help them now vs choosing a different path against tough comp. Then flip a couple games (including at Iowa!) and they are right there in the mix.
 



I have updated my Field of 68 board with game results through Saturday. We now have 24 locks for the field, with BYU, Gonzaga, Utah State, and South Carolina earning their spots yesterday.

Of note in the Big Ten, Iowa has played its way into legitimate at-large conversation, while surging Ohio State has snuck its head into the "Longshots" category.
 

How are Michigan State, Northwestern, Nebraska, & Wisconsin close to being locks...and how is Iowa in contention...while the Gophers are completely out of it???

Computers???

If we win @Northwestern...and there's a pile-up of teams with the same conference record...THAT'S WHEN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT RESULTS SHOULD BE IMPORTANT.

Not computers. Hopefully common-sense is still considered by the selection committee.
Among many other things where you continue to show your delusion, are you aware of the term "unbalanced conference schedules"?

OK, let's set aside the Gophers' currently ranked #361 (of 362) non-conference schedule, you do realize the Gophers have played 3 (Purdue, Illinois, Wisconsin) of the top 5 teams in the conference only once, don't you? And that the Gophers were 0-3 vs. those 3 teams? That kind of stuff matters. ... who you play once, who you play twice, and most importantly, what you do with those opportunities. Seriously, quit making a fool of yourself.
 
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Among many other things where you continue to show your delusion, are you aware of the term "unbalanced conference schedules"?

OK, let's set aside the Gophers' currently ranked #361 (of 362) non-conference schedule, you do realize the Gophers have played 3 (Purdue, Illinois, Wisconsin) of the top 5 teams in the conference only once, don't you? And that the Gophers were 0-3 vs. those 3 teams? That kind of stuff matters. ... who you play once, who you play twice, and most importantly, what you do with those opportunities. Seriously, quit making a fool of yourself.
So if we win at Northwestern...and we advance farther in the conference tournament than the teams we're tied with...those teams should all leapfrog us??

Those teams all have such impressive non-conference wins??
 

Because the Gophers played a crap non-conference.
He doesn’t understand this no matter how many people tell him
I understand this. I just disagree with it.

Tell me what impressive non-conference wins Iowa, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, & Wisconsin have that would warrent leapfrogging...if we win the next 3 games or so.
 


I'm more of a what have you done for me lately type of fellow. This team is playing really good basketball now, and plays a fun brand of basketball. The non conference was so long ago that I say throw it out of the equation :cool:
 

I understand this. I just disagree with it.

Tell me what impressive non-conference wins Iowa, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, & Wisconsin have that would warrent leapfrogging...if we win the next 3 games or so.
FC642886-101D-4342-9472-F998B0428951.png
The one image without a team logo on top is the badgers.

All those teams have much better quad 1 and quad 2 resume wins compared to the gophers, it’s not hard to see. Most have key wins as well.

If you look up the gophers best wins, it’s Nebraska at home, and MSU at home…that’s it (those are not keystone victories to tell your grandkids about).

Nebraska key wins: #1 Purdue, #6 badgers
MSU: #6 Baylor, #10 Illinois
Iowa: #20 Wisconsin (also more q1 and q2 wins)
Northwestern: #1 Purdue, #10 Illinois
Wisconsin: #3 Marquette, #24 Virginia 6 Q1 wins)

Rankings at time of wins
 

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One of Minnesota's "accomplishments" is NEARLY beating a string of good teams like Purdue, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Close, so close. Gophers are right there.

So no NCAA tournament but they can play in that mix.

Plus nearly beat Missouri, Iowa.... Did beat others pretty good like Ohio State.
 

View attachment 30375
The one image without a team logo on top is the badgers.

All those teams have much better quad 1 and quad 2 resume wins compared to the gophers, it’s not hard to see. Most have key wins as well.

If you look up the gophers best wins, it’s Nebraska at home, and MSU at home…that’s it (those are not keystone victories to tell your grandkids about).

Nebraska key wins: #1 Purdue, #6 badgers
MSU: #6 Baylor, #10 Illinois
Iowa: #20 Wisconsin (also more q1 and q2 wins)
Northwestern: #1 Purdue, #10 Illinois
Wisconsin: #3 Marquette, #24 Virginia 6 Q1 wins)

Rankings at time of wins
So Iowa, Nebraska, & Northwestern beat NOBODY in the non-conference.

Michigan State beat Baylor...but lost to James Madison, Duke, & Arizona.

Wisconsin beat Marquette & Virginia...but lost to Tennessee, Providence, & Arizona.

If the Gophers finish strong...I don't think the above results warrant leapfrogging.

NOTE: I'm not basing my opinion on computers.
 

Of note in the Big Ten, Iowa has played its way into legitimate at-large conversation, while surging Ohio State has snuck its head into the "Longshots" category.

Kind of interesting on Iowa...they definitely want Minnesota to keep winning. If MN moves into Top 75 (at #76) right now, then the Iowa win at the Barn against us would add a Quad 1 wins to the Hawkeye resume. Somewhat unique chance for them to bolster the resume without having to step foot on the court.
 
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Kind of interesting on Iowa and Ohio State...they definitely want Minnesota to keep winning. If MN moves into Top 75 (at #77) right now, then the Iowa win at Carver against us and the OSU win in Columbus against us would add a Quad 1 wins to their resumes. Somewhat unique chance for both to bolster the resume without having to step foot on the court.
Home wins over Gophers (if they drop to 75 or lower) would go from Quad 3 to Quad 2, right? Isn't Quad 1 home win NET of 1-30?

Excellent point either way. ... very beneficial for those teams if Gophers finish strong.
 

So Iowa, Nebraska, & Northwestern beat NOBODY in the non-conference.

Michigan State beat Baylor...but lost to James Madison, Duke, & Arizona.

Wisconsin beat Marquette & Virginia...but lost to Tennessee, Providence, & Arizona.

If the Gophers finish strong...I don't think the above results warrant leapfrogging.

NOTE: I'm not basing my opinion on computers.

Unfortunately, we're the team that has played NOBODY.

Iowa has beaten Seton Hall, and has 3 very respectable losses(Creighton, OU and Iow State)

Nebraska has won at Kansas State. And had a very respectable loss to Creighton.

NW has beaten Dayton. And yes they do have the terrible Chicago State loss.

Nebraska has FIVE wins better than our best win OOC. As does Michigan State. And that doesn't even touch on the fact that Iowa and Michigan State have 4 Q1 wins. NW has 5. And we've got 1.

We played the worst OOC in the country and still managed 2 losses against that schedule. It was a terrible non-conference performance from a "getting selected to the tournament" perspective. And we lost to the top 3 teams in the league(from NET perspective)
 

you do realize the Gophers have played 3 (Purdue, Illinois, Wisconsin) of the top 5 teams in the conference only once, don't you?

Fair enough but we should also mention that we've played Michigan and Rutgers only once. While I think that Maryland is a better team than either of those, they're also likely to be a Weakling Wednesday team and we've played them only once.
 

Unfortunately, we're the team that has played NOBODY.

Iowa has beaten Seton Hall, and has 3 very respectable losses(Creighton, OU and Iow State)

Nebraska has won at Kansas State. And had a very respectable loss to Creighton.

NW has beaten Dayton. And yes they do have the terrible Chicago State loss.

Nebraska has FIVE wins better than our best win OOC. As does Michigan State. And that doesn't even touch on the fact that Iowa and Michigan State have 4 Q1 wins. NW has 5. A

We played the worst OOC in the country and still managed 2 losses against that schedule. It was a terrible non-conference performance from a "getting selected to the tournament" perspective. And we lost to the top 3 teams in the league(from NET perspective)
It is sure shaping up that, based on the lack of merit in our schedule, we probably only have 2 routes in:

1. Win 5 in a row starting now and hopefully there is 3 quad 1 wins in that stretch. That route still is not a sure thing.
2. Win 4 in a row in the BTT
 


One of Minnesota's "accomplishments" is NEARLY beating a string of good teams like Purdue, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Close, so close. Gophers are right there.

So no NCAA tournament but they can play in that mix.

Plus nearly beat Missouri, Iowa.... Did beat others pretty good like Ohio State.
In the Moral Victory NCAA's, we're a lock.
 

Fair enough but we should also mention that we've played Michigan and Rutgers only once. While I think that Maryland is a better team than either of those, they're also likely to be a Weakling Wednesday team and we've played them only once.
Fair point.

My main point was, when you play a non-conference schedule like the Gophers did, you want (need) as many "signature win" opportunites as possible within your conference schedule.
 




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