Thursday At-Large Update (still at 14 available bids)

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SelectionSunday

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First, a huge shout-out to the Gopher students. You did a fantastic job of keeping the entire crowd into the game from start to finish. When the Gophers needed the crowd to be on top of its game, the student section delivered. A tip of the cap to the Barnyard. Let's do it one more time on Saturday.

Speaking of 1 more. ... as important of a win as it was last night, the job isn't finished. The Gophers still need to win Saturday to secure a NCAA bid. Lose on Saturday and it all but erases (not entirely because it was the Badgers) what was accomplished last night. Let's beat the Wolverines and take all doubt out of the equation.

The only major changes after Wednesday's results were the Gophers and Texas A&M improving from "on the bubble" status to "on the verge" status. Both are now among five teams who in my opinion will secure a NCAA bid with one more regular-season win or, in Dayton's case, one of its final two.

Significant developments? Northwestern moves onto the bubble with its win at Mackey Arena. It would now be downright criminal not to include the Wildcats in the at-large conversation. The Wildcats now have 6 top-50 wins, including a significant one in December (Florida State) and two on the road (Michigan State, Purdue). To put things in perspective, a good chunk of the bubble teams have no more than 2 or 3 top-50 wins. And the Wildcats can add another one Sunday when they travel to Columbus. Win in Columbus and I think the Wildcats' resume will look stronger than Penn State's, especially if the Nitts lose one of their final two games. If Providence is considered a bubble team (which they are), then Northwestern should be as well. Put their resumes side by side and there's no doubt who's done more to deserve a bid. Let's see if the wonks at ESPN (the Big East Network) pick up on that.

One other development. ... hey Kentucky, how's it goin'?

We're still at 27 teams battling for the final 14 at-large bids. Here's how it's lookin' through Wednesday's games.

Conference Leaders/Conference Tournament Top Seed (31)
3. North Carolina (25-3)
5. UConn (27-2)
6. Michigan State (24-5)
7. Memphis (27-3)
8. Kansas (24-6)
12. Xavier (23-5)
14. Washington (22-7)
18. BYU (22-6)
20. Butler (24-4)
28. Siena (23-7)
29. Utah State (25-4)
33. LSU (25-5)
37. Gonzaga (23-5)
52. Western Kentucky (20-8)
64. VCU (21-9)
67. Davidson (24-6)
71. Northern Iowa (19-10)
80. American (22-7)
92. Weber State (19-8)
93. Binghamton (19-8)
94. Stephen F. Austin (16-7)
98. North Dakota State (21-6)
115. Robert Morris (21-10)
117. Cornell (17-9)
131. Tennessee-Martin (20-8)
150. Radford (16-11)
151. Morgan State (18-11)
156. Jacksonville (17-12)
160. Cal State Northridge (13-12)
175. Bowling Green (15-11)
209. Alabama State (16-8)

Locks (20)
1. Pitt (26-3)
2. Duke (25-5)
4. Oklahoma (26-4)
9. Louisville (24-5)
10. Utah (20-8)
11. Mizzou (24-5)
13. Wake Forest (23-5)
15. Villanova (24-6)
16. Clemson (23-6)
17. Florida State (22-8)
19. Illinois (23-7)
21. Tennessee (18-10)
22. West Virginia (21-9)
23. UCLA (22-7)
24. Marquette (23-7)
26. Syracuse (21-8)
30. Arizona State (21-7)
34. Purdue (22-8)
36. Texas (20-9)
38. Cal (21-8)

On the Verge (5) -- a lock with 1 more regular-season win
25. Oklahoma State (20-10): at Oklahoma (Saturday)
27. Dayton (24-5): at Xavier (tonight)
32. GOPHERS (20-8): Michigan (Saturday)
35. Texas A&M (21-8): Mizzou (Saturday)
40. Ohio State (19-9): Northwestern (Sunday)

On the Bubble (17)
31. Wisconsin (17-11): Indiana (Sunday)
39. Creighton (25-6): vs. Wichita State/Missouri State (Friday)
41. South Carolina (20-7): Tennessee (tonight)
45. Arizona (18-11): Cal (tonight)
46. San Diego State (18-8): UNLV (Saturday)
47. Michigan (17-12): at Gophers (Saturday)
48. Rhode Island (22-8): UMass (Saturday)
49. St. Mary's (22-5): vs. Portland/Pepperdine/San Francisco (Sunday)
50. UNLV (21-8): at San Diego State (Saturday)
53. Florida (21-9): Kentucky (Saturday)
55. Boston College (20-10): Georgia Tech (Saturday)
58. Maryland (18-11): at Virginia (Saturday)
61. Cincinnati (17-12): Seton Hall (Saturday)
63. New Mexico (20-10): at Wyoming (Saturday)
66. Penn State (20-9): Illinois (tonight)
69. Providence (18-11): at Villanova (tonight)
70. Northwestern (17-11): at Ohio State (Sunday)

On Life Support (5) -- hanging on a thread
42. Temple (17-11): Saint Joseph's (tonight)
54. Miami-Florida (16-11): NC State (Saturday)
62. Virginia Tech (17-12): at Florida State (Sunday)
72. Auburn (19-10): LSU (Saturday)
78. Kentucky (19-11): at Florida (Saturday)
 

Do you think Lunardi will drop Kentucky to an 11 seed for his next update :rolleyes:?

If the gophers win on Saturday, would that be enough to knock Michigan out of the top 50? That'd give Wisconsin a 2-9 record against the top 50, bad enough to keep them out with a couple conference tourney upsets?
 


"Do you think Lunardi will drop Kentucky to an 11 seed for his next update?"

Maybe he'll move them up to an 8 or a 9.
 

SelectionSunday said:
First, a huge shout-out to the Gopher students. You did a fantastic job of keeping the entire crowd into the game from start to finish. When the Gophers needed the crowd to be on top of its game, the student section delivered. A tip of the cap to the Barnyard. Let's do it one more time on Saturday.

Speaking of 1 more. ... as important of a win as it was last night, the job isn't finished. The Gophers still need to win Saturday to secure a NCAA bid. Lose on Saturday and it all but erases (not entirely because it was the Badgers) what was accomplished last night. Let's beat the Wolverines and take all doubt out of the equation.

The only major changes after Wednesday's results were the Gophers and Texas A&M improving from "on the bubble" status to "on the verge" status. Both are now among five teams who in my opinion will secure a NCAA bid with one more regular-season win or, in Dayton's case, one of its final two.

Significant developments? Northwestern moves onto the bubble with its win at Mackey Arena. It would now be downright criminal not to include the Wildcats in the at-large conversation. The Wildcats now have 6 top-50 wins, including a significant one in December (Florida State) and two on the road (Michigan State, Purdue). To put things in perspective, a good chunk of the bubble teams have no more than 2 or 3 top-50 wins. And the Wildcats can add another one Sunday when they travel to Columbus. Win in Columbus and I think the Wildcats' resume will look stronger than Penn State's, especially if the Nitts lose one of their final two games. If Providence is considered a bubble team (which they are), then Northwestern should be as well. Put their resumes side by side and there's no doubt who's done more to deserve a bid. Let's see if the wonks at ESPN (the Big East Network) pick up on that.

One other development. ... hey Kentucky, how's it goin'?

We're still at 27 teams battling for the final 14 at-large bids. Here's how it's lookin' through Wednesday's games.

Conference Leaders/Conference Tournament Top Seed (31)
3. North Carolina (25-3)
5. UConn (27-2)
6. Michigan State (24-5)
7. Memphis (27-3)
8. Kansas (24-6)
12. Xavier (23-5)
14. Washington (22-7)
18. BYU (22-6)
20. Butler (24-4)
28. Siena (23-7)
29. Utah State (25-4)
33. LSU (25-5)
37. Gonzaga (23-5)
52. Western Kentucky (20-8)
64. VCU (21-9)
67. Davidson (24-6)
71. Northern Iowa (19-10)
80. American (22-7)
92. Weber State (19-8)
93. Binghamton (19-8)
94. Stephen F. Austin (16-7)
98. North Dakota State (21-6)
115. Robert Morris (21-10)
117. Cornell (17-9)
131. Tennessee-Martin (20-8)
150. Radford (16-11)
151. Morgan State (18-11)
156. Jacksonville (17-12)
160. Cal State Northridge (13-12)
175. Bowling Green (15-11)
209. Alabama State (16-8)

Locks (20)
1. Pitt (26-3)
2. Duke (25-5)
4. Oklahoma (26-4)
9. Louisville (24-5)
10. Utah (20-8)
11. Mizzou (24-5)
13. Wake Forest (23-5)
15. Villanova (24-6)
16. Clemson (23-6)
17. Florida State (22-8)
19. Illinois (23-7)
21. Tennessee (18-10)
22. West Virginia (21-9)
23. UCLA (22-7)
24. Marquette (23-7)
26. Syracuse (21-8)
30. Arizona State (21-7)
34. Purdue (22-8)
36. Texas (20-9)
38. Cal (21-8)

On the Verge (5) -- a lock with 1 more regular-season win
25. Oklahoma State (20-10): at Oklahoma (Saturday)
27. Dayton (24-5): at Xavier (tonight)
32. GOPHERS (20-8): Michigan (Saturday)
35. Texas A&M (21-8): Mizzou (Saturday)
40. Ohio State (19-9): Northwestern (Sunday)

On the Bubble (17)
31. Wisconsin (17-11): Indiana (Sunday)
39. Creighton (25-6): vs. Wichita State/Missouri State (Friday)
41. South Carolina (20-7): Tennessee (tonight)
45. Arizona (18-11): Cal (tonight)
46. San Diego State (18-8): UNLV (Saturday)
47. Michigan (17-12): at Gophers (Saturday)
48. Rhode Island (22-8): UMass (Saturday)
49. St. Mary's (22-5): vs. Portland/Pepperdine/San Francisco (Sunday)
50. UNLV (21-8): at San Diego State (Saturday)
53. Florida (21-9): Kentucky (Saturday)
55. Boston College (20-10): Georgia Tech (Saturday)
58. Maryland (18-11): at Virginia (Saturday)
61. Cincinnati (17-12): Seton Hall (Saturday)
63. New Mexico (20-10): at Wyoming (Saturday)
66. Penn State (20-9): Illinois (tonight)
69. Providence (18-11): at Villanova (tonight)
70. Northwestern (17-11): at Ohio State (Sunday)

On Life Support (5) -- hanging on a thread
42. Temple (17-11): Saint Joseph's (tonight)
54. Miami-Florida (16-11): NC State (Saturday)
62. Virginia Tech (17-12): at Florida State (Sunday)
72. Auburn (19-10): LSU (Saturday)
78. Kentucky (19-11): at Florida (Saturday)
Click to expand...

Perhaps you could compare NW and MN directly? RPI, SOS, Wins vs 50/100?
 


Is the 32 an updated RPI for the Gophers this morning ?

And also -

Did you catch the NCAA president last night at halftime ( I think ) talking about the selection process ?

Your thoughts ?

Thanks.
 

#32 RPI is as of this morning

We were #39 heading into the Wisconsin game.
 

At least one ESPN wonk has noticed Northwestern

Per Bleed's Andy Katz post, there's at least one ESPN wonk taking note of NW.
 

I really think

that the Mildcats are in if they beat tOSU this weekend.

Likely that they will still keep an eye on the Missouri Valley and the Mid-Continent tourneys....
 



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