FWIW - SLU 7th seed in Nitology 3/2/2010

[davidlee]

http://www.nitology.com/

[Chicago Billiken]

http://www.nitology.com/

How about a SLU/Washington game in the first round of the NIT. Would be a fun match-up v. Romar.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of Kevin Shortal

[slu72]

How about a SLU/Washington game in the first round of the NIT. Would be a fun match-up v. Romar.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of Kevin Shortal

Read the fine print, moving in NIT St.Louis.... moving out of NIT... Mo State. Nice little payback if this happens.

[Runnin'Billiken]

With two games left against top 50 opponents and a chance two have 1-3 games against the top 50 in AC, our SOS is definitely going up. Make the victories to go along with it and our RPI can do quite a bit of climbing in the final two weeks. If we do not win the A10, then I would really love to move our seed high enough to get a home game. That would really be a great experience for our young guys building confidence moving into next season.

[Bay Area Billiken]

Read the fine print, moving in NIT St.Louis.... moving out of NIT... Mo State. Nice little payback if this happens.

Missouri State finished 8-10 in the MVC, the 9th rated conference, only in 7th Place, and has to play in the dreaded Opening Round of the MVC Tournament, which involves the 7th through 10th place teams.

SLU is 10-4 in the A-10, the 6th rated conference, with a decent shot at 4th Place and an Opening Round bye in the A-10 Tournament. Winning tonight against Temple would certainly aid SLU's cause.

Irrespective of the Mo. State win at SLU, a game in which the SLU team did not have Kwamain Mitchell and Cody Ellis, SLU very clearly deserves an NIT bid ahead of Mo. State, based upon the more recent "entire body of work" standard.

Let Mo. State pay to play in the CBI. The CIT would be a good spot for a 7th Place team too.

I'm also ok with both SLU and Mo. State making the NIT- as long as SLU is in there (and, of course, assuming the Billikens are not in the NCAA).

My point is that Mo. State should not make the NIT ahead of SLU.

[SShoe]

Irrespective of the Mo. State win at SLU, a game in which the SLU team did not have Kwamain Mitchell and Cody Ellis, SLU very clearly deserves an NIT bid ahead of Mo. State, based upon the more recent "entire body of work" standard.

But MO State fans would tell you that JJ scored 15 points against them, so it all evened out.

[BACKHANDtheRICAN]

But MO State fans would tell you that JJ scored 15 points against them, so it all evened out.

Ugh the Mo State loss makes me sick. Especially considering they were one of the last few undefeated teams left when they came to Chafeitz (not saying they are that good but they did grab headlines about their record).

[cheeseman]

Missouri State finished 8-10 in the MVC, the 9th rated conference, only in 7th Place, and has to play in the dreaded Opening Round of the MVC Tournament, which involves the 7th through 10th place teams.

SLU is 10-4 in the A-10, the 6th rated conference, with a decent shot at 4th Place and an Opening Round bye in the A-10 Tournament. Winning tonight against Temple would certainly aid SLU's cause.

Irrespective of the Mo. State win at SLU, a game in which the SLU team did not have Kwamain Mitchell and Cody Ellis, SLU very clearly deserves an NIT bid ahead of Mo. State, based upon the more recent "entire body of work" standard.

Let Mo. State pay to play in the CBI. The CIT would be a good spot for a 7th Place team too.

I'm also ok with both SLU and Mo. State making the NIT- as long as SLU is in there (and, of course, assuming the Billikens are not in the NCAA).

My point is that Mo. State should not make the NIT ahead of SLU.

Nobody who finishes with a losing record in their conf which is rated as low as the MVC should even be considered for the NIT - that is just silly.

[Bay Area Billiken]

Nobody who finishes with a losing record in their conf which is rated as low as the MVC should even be considered for the NIT - that is just silly.

Mo. State's RPI is 83; SLU's RPI is 86.

That RPI continues to be a problem for SLU.

Irrespective of all these pronouncements, the past evidence in terms of bids, compared to the RPI, shows that the RPI is still closely followed in selecting the NCAA and NIT fields.

The other big problem with the NIT is the automatic bids going to lower conference regular season champs, even a co-champ with the #1 seed in its conference tournament that doesn't win that conference tournament. For instance, Lipscomb, with an RPI of 196 and a 4 way regular season co-champ in the Atlantic Sun, somehow with the #1 seed in its conference tournament, has already "earned" an automatic NIT bid if it fails to win its conference tournament.

We have to root for teams like Lipscomb, Lehigh, Jackson State, etc.- patently absurd. SLU would wipe the floor with those teams.

[milwaukeebill]

We have to root for teams like Lipscomb, Lehigh, Jackson State, etc.- patently absurd. SLU would wipe the floor with those teams.

While yes it would be terrible for SLU not to make the NIT in favor of these teams. Ultimately the blame would be on SLU.Everyone knows what you have to do before the season starts. Yes the NCAA screwed us over with the Ellis situation and out injury situation has been less then ideal(Though we have been lucky in that no "stars" have been injured for a long period of time).

Also, much hate is directed towards the NCAA in terms of the TCU's and Boise State's of the world not getting their shot at a championship. Giving these teams shots to win the secondary tournament of the NCAA is all anyone can ask for from the NCAA.

All this being said i fully expect SLU to move up in the RPI and "NIT-Ology" with a 1-1 record in the final 2 and i expect a semifinal apperance. I think we should get the 4th seed or 5th and i think we beat Charlotte on a neutral court if their 5th/4th. Id rather not play RI or Dayton for a third time.

[Cowboy]

-i like the projecting of where we might end up, fun at this time of year

-it seems back in the day the tourney committee used the record in the last 10 games, with all the crap floating about these days about what they use to select teams who knows if that is still a part of the process, but we could also look good on that front (and we would have looked a whole lot better had we taken down X)

-BUT we still hold our own destiny in our own hands, win the a10 tourney and get a bid 4 hours later or whenever that happens

-i think the cool part is we are 4 schedule weeks ahead of schedule from where i thought we would start playing really good ball (and i hope this carries over into next season)

[cheeseman]

Mo. State's RPI is 83; SLU's RPI is 86.

That RPI continues to be a problem for SLU.

Irrespective of all these pronouncements, the past evidence in terms of bids, compared to the RPI, shows that the RPI is still closely followed in selecting the NCAA and NIT fields.

The other big problem with the NIT is the automatic bids going to lower conference regular season champs, even a co-champ with the #1 seed in its conference tournament that doesn't win that conference tournament. For instance, Lipscomb, with an RPI of 196 and a 4 way regular season co-champ in the Atlantic Sun, somehow with the #1 seed in its conference tournament, has already "earned" an automatic NIT bid if it fails to win its conference tournament.

We have to root for teams like Lipscomb, Lehigh, Jackson State, etc.- patently absurd. SLU would wipe the floor with those teams.

I am not disputing the RPI ranking just that I see that as a weakness of it if a team with a losing record from a middle of the road conf can be ranked high enough to make the NIT.

[Bizziken]

How about a SLU @ Illinois first round NIT game...

When Illinois loses to Ohio State and possibly Wisconsin, they will be out of the NCAA but a 1 or 2 seed in the NIT....

and don't they try to keep NIT first-round games regional?

[Bay Area Billiken]

I am not disputing the RPI ranking just that I see that as a weakness of it if a team with a losing record from a middle of the road conf can be ranked high enough to make the NIT.

I agree with you. How could Indiana State have a better RPI than SLU? How could Duquesne be so close to SLU in the RPI when SLU beat Duquesne twice and is 4 games ahead in the A-10 standings?

Granted Mo. State won at SLU. But we all know there were extenuating circumstances there which are not reflected in the RPI computer program, namely that Kwamain Mitchell, SLU's leading scorer, was out with an injury, and further Cody Ellis was not even in the country at that point.

I am frustrated by that SLU RPI. That is the one thing that is weighing down SLU. I don't think that RPI is a true reflection of the SLU team as it currently stands. If SLU was a big BCS school, the RPI would not be taken into account as much as I'm afraid it will be for SLU.

Now if SLU had the good RPI, of course I would be arguing it in SLU's favor.

[Bay Area Billiken]

How about a SLU @ Illinois first round NIT game...

When Illinois loses to Ohio State and possibly Wisconsin, they will be out of the NCAA but a 1 or 2 seed in the NIT....

and don't they try to keep NIT first-round games regional?

Better yet, how about Illinois at SLU, with the game at Chaifetz Arena?

[milwaukeebill]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball...w;pageContainer

This breaks down SLU's RPI in conference which is WITH Cody Ellis.

[SShoe]

I agree with you. How could Indiana State have a better RPI than SLU? How could Duquesne be so close to SLU in the RPI when SLU beat Duquesne twice and is 4 games ahead in the A-10 standings?

Granted Mo. State won at SLU. But we all know there were extenuating circumstances there which are not reflected in the RPI computer program, namely that Kwamain Mitchell, SLU's leading scorer, was out with an injury, and further Cody Ellis was not even in the country at that point.

I am frustrated by that SLU RPI. That is the one thing that is weighing down SLU. I don't think that RPI is a true reflection of the SLU team as it currently stands. If SLU was a big BCS school, the RPI would not be taken into account as much as I'm afraid it will be for SLU.

Now if SLU had the good RPI, of course I would be arguing it in SLU's favor.

Just for grins, has any one of our math gurus calculated what our RPI would be if you excluded the non-conference schedule? It'd be interesting to see. There is no doubt in my mind that Ellis' absence and the overall improvement of the team makes us a better team currently than our RPI indicates. EDIT_Thanks Milwaukeebill.

But unfortunately we can't ignore the non-conference schedule when deciding our tourney fate.

[Bay Area Billiken]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball...w;pageContainer

This breaks down SLU's RPI in conference which is WITH Cody Ellis.

Wow and thank you.

So SLU's RPI since Cody Ellis began playing is 39. That is NCAA Tournament worthy, not even on the NCAA bubble.

Hopefully, someone in the SLU Athletic Dept. is aware of this and is informing the NCAA Committee, assuming that can be done. If someone on this board knows someone in the SLU Athletic Dept., please pass along this information.

There is no question that a stat like this, RPI going from 87 to 39, after a player begins playing would be used to champion the NCAA candidacy of a BCS school. The NCAA will no doubt have a contra argument, but that statistic really speaks for itself.

[bleedtheblue]

Just for grins, has any one of our math gurus calculated what our RPI would be if you excluded the non-conference schedule? It'd be interesting to see. There is no doubt in my mind that Ellis' absence and the overall improvement of the team makes us a better team currently than our RPI indicates. EDIT_Thanks Milwaukeebill.

But unfortunately we can't ignore the non-conference schedule when deciding our tourney fate.

the link posted in the thread above says our conference RPI rank is 39... if thats what you were asking.

[GOSLU68]

the link posted in the thread above says our conference RPI rank is 39... if thats what you were asking.

I want us in the NCAA but if it has to be I'd like the biggest name game we could get at home.

[Bizziken]

Better yet, how about Illinois at SLU, with the game at Chaifetz Arena?

Illinois would, hypothetically, have the higher NIT seed, so we would have to play in Champaign since the NIT gives home games to the higher seed

[milwaukeebill]

Illinois would, hypothetically, have the higher NIT seed, so we would have to play in Champaign since the NIT gives home games to the higher seed

I believe he was attempting to make a prediction that Illinois would lose and SLU would win a few and the seeds would be reversed..thus resulting in his proposed scenario....if im wrong..apologies. But i too am predicting a few losses (Today @ OSU and vs. Sconnie) for the illini and a few wins for SLU.

[Bizziken]

LOL- I certainly hope you're right!

But with Illinois a projected 9 seed in the NCAA's, even with a couple of losses or wins either way, it would still be pretty difficult

Regardless, the Illini would be in trouble!!!

[Bearvision]

Missouri State finished 8-10 in the MVC, the 9th rated conference, only in 7th Place, and has to play in the dreaded Opening Round of the MVC Tournament, which involves the 7th through 10th place teams.

SLU is 10-4 in the A-10, the 6th rated conference, with a decent shot at 4th Place and an Opening Round bye in the A-10 Tournament. Winning tonight against Temple would certainly aid SLU's cause.

Irrespective of the Mo. State win at SLU, a game in which the SLU team did not have Kwamain Mitchell and Cody Ellis, SLU very clearly deserves an NIT bid ahead of Mo. State, based upon the more recent "entire body of work" standard.

Let Mo. State pay to play in the CBI. The CIT would be a good spot for a 7th Place team too.

I'm also ok with both SLU and Mo. State making the NIT- as long as SLU is in there (and, of course, assuming the Billikens are not in the NCAA).

My point is that Mo. State should not make the NIT ahead of SLU.

I'll give you this. SLU should be in the NIT before MO State.

Missouri State went 2-6 in conference games decided by 5 or less points, proving they are on the cusp, but not quite there yet. If they had just flipped that record to 6-2, they would have finished second, and would be on the bubble. Of course, if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle.

[Bearvision]

But MO State fans would tell you that JJ scored 15 points against them, so it all evened out.

I get what you're saying, but that game was controlled by Missouri State from start to finish. SLU has had a better season, and I've conceded that, but Missouri State went into SLU, and won by double digits. They were without two players who would have played big minutes as well (Michael Porter and Cardell McFarland).

There is no need to minimize MSU for that...