kshoe Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Timmerman's blog discussed seeding scenarios and admittedly there are too many variations to even consider but the key point is this: - a loss on Saturday and we could be the 10, 11 or 12 seed with 10 or 11 being the most likely. - a win on Saturday and we can be anywhere from a 5 through a 9 seed. I think most of us would agree we want to stay away from Xavier for as long as possible. Pretty much every other team we would face would be a coin flip type game. With a 10 or 11 seed we wouldn't face X unitl the finals but a 8 or 9 means we get them in the 2nd round and 5 means we get them in the semis. Nobody ever wants to lose but in this case it wouldn't be the worst thing. http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/billiken-...e-in-the-a-500/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Timmerman's blog discussed seeding scenarios and admittedly there are too many variations to even consider but the key point is this: - a loss on Saturday and we could be the 10, 11 or 12 seed with 10 or 11 being the most likely. - a win on Saturday and we can be anywhere from a 5 through a 9 seed. I think most of us would agree we want to stay away from Xavier for as long as possible. Pretty much every other team we would face would be a coin flip type game. With a 10 or 11 seed we wouldn't face X unitl the finals but a 8 or 9 means we get them in the 2nd round and 5 means we get them in the semis. Nobody ever wants to lose but in this case it wouldn't be the worst thing. http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/billiken-...e-in-the-a-500/ No. I think our chances against Xavier are better the earlier we play them in the tournament. The further along we play them in the tournament the more their depth advantage is multiplied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwyjibo Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 No. I think our chances against Xavier are better the earlier we play them in the tournament. The further along we play them in the tournament the more their depth advantage is multiplied. (Sorry about the post screw up) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwyjibo Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 No. I think our chances against Xavier are better the earlier we play them in the tournament. The further along we play them in the tournament the more their depth advantage is multiplied. Good point. I think the days rest issue comes into play as well, though and the 3rd round is always the hardest for a team having to play four games against a team with a bye (that is, playing your 3rd day in a row when you are really feeling it against a team that is only playing their 2nd day in a row). Also, for purely selfish reasons; the 8-9 game is at 12 noon! It will be killer to get to Atlantic City by that time next Wednesday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kshoe Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 No. I think our chances against Xavier are better the earlier we play them in the tournament. The further along we play them in the tournament the more their depth advantage is multiplied. That is a fair point but I'd argue the further away X is in your bracket the less chance that you'll have to play them at all. I would hope that if we played them in the Finals, dead legs wouldn't be an issue as our boys would see the prize at the end of the tunnel... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 That is a fair point but I'd argue the further away X is in your bracket the less chance that you'll have to play them at all. I would hope that if we played them in the Finals, dead legs wouldn't be an issue as our boys would see the prize at the end of the tunnel...Good points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I'm just glad we don't have to worry about running into Bonawelding again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NashvilleBilliken Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 That is a fair point but I'd argue the further away X is in your bracket the less chance that you'll have to play them at all. I would hope that if we played them in the Finals, dead legs wouldn't be an issue as our boys would see the prize at the end of the tunnel...I'm afraid the same thing that happened last year will happen this year....we will be way too tired for it to matter. If we were too tired to play St. Bonnie on Senior Day, I have a hard time believing we'll have the energy to beat X in the finals. That being said, if we can at least make it to the finals (probably requiring we don't run into X along the way), we have a better chance of making the NIT. So, my vote would be to avoid X as long as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I'm afraid the same thing that happened last year will happen this year....we will be way too tired for it to matter. If we were too tired to play St. Bonnie on Senior Day, I have a hard time believing we'll have the energy to beat X in the finals. That being said, if we can at least make it to the finals (probably requiring we don't run into X along the way), we have a better chance of making the NIT. So, my vote would be to avoid X as long as possible. I also want to be on the opposite side of the brackets as X. For all their depth, they are starting to show signs of wear- last week's GW game showed that. Lavender's ankle is the huge question mark there, and who knows, they might want to rest him and not play at full speed in AC. They still want to at least win a couple games there to make it to the finals and give them a shot at a #2 seed in the Tournament, so the finals is where I'd want to see them- no sooner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gister Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 No. I think our chances against Xavier are better the earlier we play them in the tournament. The further along we play them in the tournament the more their depth advantage is multiplied. I don't have any statistics to back this up, but it has always seemed to me that the first game a team plays in a tournament, especially at the end of the year, is the hardest for them. Good teams may overlook the first game because it is against a lesser team, or they may have trouble playing with the intensity they need, or any number of other reasons. I agree that playing Xavier in the first game may be better than playing them in the last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I don't have any statistics to back this up, but it has always seemed to me that the first game a team plays in a tournament, especially at the end of the year, is the hardest for them. Good teams may overlook the first game because it is against a lesser team, or they may have trouble playing with the intensity they need, or any number of other reasons. I agree that playing Xavier in the first game may be better than playing them in the last. Everyone is assuming that Xavier will be in the finals if we are on opposite sides of the bracket. IMO, the biggest advantage of being on the other side of the bracket is that there is a chance they will get knocked out before you would even have to play them. If you play them in their first game that chance disappears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggy Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 If we face Xavier, we can always pull out the old 'brake an ankle' play that worked so well in Memphis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I don't have any statistics to back this up, but it has always seemed to me that the first game a team plays in a tournament, especially at the end of the year, is the hardest for them. Good teams may overlook the first game because it is against a lesser team, or they may have trouble playing with the intensity they need, or any number of other reasons. I agree that playing Xavier in the first game may be better than playing them in the last.Yeah, and it wouldn't be the first time we've upset a team from Cinci in the first round. Bring on X. Two results: we upset them and sweep through the A-10. Or we lose and go home. Season over and start looking forward to next year. I think even if we made it to the final game an NIT bid is dicey, unless it is automatic for the runner up to get one. I'm not sure how the NIT picks anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Everyone is assuming that Xavier will be in the finals if we are on opposite sides of the bracket. IMO, the biggest advantage of being on the other side of the bracket is that there is a chance they will get knocked out before you would even have to play them. If you play them in their first game that chance disappears.Why don't we just play them on day two of the tournament and knock them out. I really like our chances against XU playing with a less than 100% Lavender. Nothing would make me feel better about this season than knocking Burrell out of the A-10 tourney and costing that POS's team a number two seed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbofive Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 If we face Xavier, we can always pull out the old 'brake an ankle' play that worked so well in Memphis. I'm going to have to check w/ Jan... nope, we still can't talk about Memphis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 No. I think our chances against Xavier are better the earlier we play them in the tournament. The further along we play them in the tournament the more their depth advantage is multiplied. 100% agreement with brian. we need to play xu asap. not wait. waiting will only mean lisch and liddell have been beat up for another game or two. unless the idea is that someone else will knock them off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taj79 Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Pesonally, I don't think X makes the final. Lavendar is hurt. One little tweak of that ankle and Miller will reel him in, trying to save something for the Dance. Linda Bruno meanwhile is in a panic because an at-large bid for any of these others is highly unlikely right now (bubble-bubble-toil-and trouble-UMass). So Linda and Sean cut a deal; Drew rests and the A10 gets at least one more team. Hey, I'm not saying anything but this league has beat the snot out of itself and lost all that early luster. From three ranked A10 teams to the A-.500. Oh well ------ I really believe that if X rolls to the AC win, it will be dicey at best for a second A10 team. Today's bubble list in USA Today was amazing as far as name schools go. In the AC, I am rooting for whomever screws this party up the biggest. Go Fordham! Go La Salle! Go Charlotte! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NH Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Pesonally, I don't think X makes the final. Lavendar is hurt. One little tweak of that ankle and Miller will reel him in, trying to save something for the Dance. Linda Bruno meanwhile is in a panic because an at-large bid for any of these others is highly unlikely right now (bubble-bubble-toil-and trouble-UMass). So Linda and Sean cut a deal; Drew rests and the A10 gets at least one more team. Hey, I'm not saying anything but this league has beat the snot out of itself and lost all that early luster. From three ranked A10 teams to the A-.500. Oh well ------ I really believe that if X rolls to the AC win, it will be dicey at best for a second A10 team. Today's bubble list in USA Today was amazing as far as name schools go. In the AC, I am rooting for whomever screws this party up the biggest. Go Fordham! Go La Salle! Go Charlotte! I will be worried whoever we play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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