Bubble Watch 2020

[Bills By 40]

 

From Rothstein

[Old guy]

We really have no other alternative but  to play St. Bona or whoever defeats it. Sure they may improve their game and be prepared to face us. But why should anyone think we will not play even better the next time, and be better prepared for the game? I think it may be a matter of which team manages to improve the most. As far as Dayton goes, I would like to see SLU beating Dayton, but if they get beaten by another team before we get to  them, that will be OK with me as well.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

[slu72]

I'm going to go with Ford's take on the best defense he's seen in quite a while was how played against the Bonnies. If we can keep that D intensity level up we are in a position to seal the whole deal. We've been playing some pretty strong D these last 5 games, and tourney games can often be determined by playing great D.  

[billiken_roy]

21 minutes ago, slu72 said:

I'm going to go with Ford's take on the best defense he's seen in quite a while was how played against the Bonnies. If we can keep that D intensity level up we are in a position to seal the whole deal. We've been playing some pretty strong D these last 5 games, and tourney games can often be determined by playing great D.  

the old saying "you are only as strong as your weakest link" comes to mind.   a month ago hargrove and perkins were still mediocre at best.   they have both come on very much defensively.   it is very entertaining to have watched hargrove go from complete ole defense trying to block shots from behind after dribblers went by him, to keeping himself pretty much in front of his man and attacking picks the right way.    applause for him.  with his athleticism, if he completely buys in and puts out the effort he can be a fantastic defender eventually

[A10Ref]

27 minutes ago, billiken_roy said:

the old saying "you are only as strong as your weakest link" comes to mind.   a month ago hargrove and perkins were still mediocre at best.   they have both come on very much defensively.   it is very entertaining to have watched hargrove go from complete ole defense trying to block shots from behind after dribblers went by him, to keeping himself pretty much in front of his man and attacking picks the right way.    applause for him.  with his athleticism, if he completely buys in and puts out the effort he can be a fantastic defender eventually

Kudos to hargrove for his defensive improvement, and Perkins has slowly grown into a formidable rebounder. I love watching him ****** those balls down low and lead the break. He's so smooth.

[Clocktoweraccords2004]

Jacobs out is the best thing to happen to us. More pt for Hargrove who is at about 70% potential right now up from maybe 40% early on. Perkins might get a 30-40 point game like Isabel last year and Weaver, if he plays like it’s his last college games, can be an X factor 

[billikenbill]

You stop Crutcher, you stop Dayton. We haven’t stopped him at any point. If I’m game planning Dayton, I focus the defense on him and let Bell and Has’ take turns onToppin. There’s no one else on that team good enough to beat us if our bigs do their job on Toppin and we clamp down on Crutcher.

Hope JGood or TJ is up to the task while avoiding unnecessary fouls.

[BillIkenFan_Dan]

7 minutes ago, billikenbill said:

You stop Crutcher, you stop Dayton. We haven’t stopped him at any point. If I’m game planning Dayton, I focus the defense on him and let Bell and Has’ take turns onToppin. There’s no one else on that team good enough to beat us if our bigs do their job on Toppin and we clamp down on Crutcher.

Hope JGood or TJ is up to the task while avoiding unnecessary fouls.

The X factor for me is if the refs will actually call fouls on toppin.

[billikenbill]

10 minutes ago, BillIkenFan_Dan said:

The X factor for me is if the refs will actually call fouls on toppin.

There’s a better chance of a zombie apocalypse than refs calling fouls on Toppin. 

[RUBillsFan]

8 hours ago, BillsBeliever!!! said:

Today we need ETSU to win the SoCon tournament. If they lose they get an at large, which takes a spot off the bubble

This.  The other game tonight that has some minimal bubble implications is St Mary's / BYU in the WCC tournament.  I think St. Mary's should will probably be IN even if they lose (121/122 on http://www.bracketmatrix.com/ have them in with the general consensus being an 8 seed), but the rooting interest here is for BYU to blow them out big time because BYU is definitely IN (122/122 & a 5 seed).

[3star_recruit]

I don't begrudge the WCC their 3 bids.  Gonzaga, BYU and St. Mary's have been excellent all year.  They earned them fair and square.  I do look forward to the middling Big Ten and Big East teams dropping like flies over the next few days, however.

[JettFlight5]

7 minutes ago, 3star_recruit said:

I don't begrudge the WCC their 3 bids.  Gonzaga, BYU and St. Mary's have been excellent all year.  They earned them fair and square.  I do look forward to the middling Big Ten and Big East teams dropping like flies over the next few days, however.

The Purdue/Indiana/Xavier/Marquette/Texas/TTU group who in reality should be looking at CBI bids or road games in the NIT. If the A10 gets 1 bid, look no further than that list of mediocre to garbage teams for the culprits. 

[RUBillsFan]

11 minutes ago, 3star_recruit said:

I don't begrudge the WCC their 3 bids.  Gonzaga, BYU and St. Mary's have been excellent all year.  They earned them fair and square.  I do look forward to the middling Big Ten and Big East teams dropping like flies over the next few days, however.

Oh yeah.  I'd much rather St. Marys make the field than a Power 5 team with a .500 or below conference record.  However, I'm looking at it solely as what is best for SLU's chances of making the NCAA field.  Based on that, we want St. Marys to get absolutely destroyed by BYU tonight such that it sows some extra doubt about their being a tournament team.

[wgstl]

23 minutes ago, JettFlight5 said:

The Purdue/Indiana/Xavier/Marquette/Texas/TTU group who in reality should be looking at CBI bids or road games in the NIT. If the A10 gets 1 bid, look no further than that list of mediocre to garbage teams for the culprits. 

Really annoying Texas started playing well the last 7 games. 

[slu72]

1 hour ago, wgstl said:

Really annoying Texas started playing well the last 7 games. 

Check out UCLA if u really want to get sick. No way should they be in. 

[billiken_roy]

4 hours ago, Clocktoweraccords2004 said:

Jacobs out is the best thing to happen to us. More pt for Hargrove who is at about 70% potential right now up from maybe 40% early on. Perkins might get a 30-40 point game like Isabel last year and Weaver, if he plays like it’s his last college games, can be an X factor 

you love to show your cluelessness.  

1.  hargrove would win the team decathalon.   jacobs would finish second.   

2. jacobs is a far better outside shooter than hargrove.   not even close.   jacobs release is indeed slow, but when he shoots i believe it will go in.  when hargrove shoots a 3 i typically cringe.

3. jacobs plays far better defense than hargrove.   yes hargrove is getting better and sure can end up being the better defender, but jacobs is already the better defender.

4.  i dont want hargrove dribbling the ball at all.   jacobs is one of our two backup point guards.  

5. last, why would you want a very good athlete that can shoot and defend not be able to play?   that makes no sense.   wouldnt you want the billiekens roster to be the best it can be from top to bottom?   jacobs not playing was not a good thing for the team and he hurt the team by getting suspended.   yes hargrove is playing more.   i dont think his playing has anything to do with jacobs being out.   it means his defense has improved enough that ford feels he can trust him on the floor more.   we need both to be successful.   especially considering the amount of fouls called on our team.

[Old guy]

5 minutes ago, billiken_roy said:

you love to show your cluelessness.  

1.  hargrove would win the team decathalon.   jacobs would finish second.   

2. jacobs is a far better outside shooter than hargrove.   not even close.   jacobs release is indeed slow, but when he shoots i believe it will go in.  when hargrove shoots a 3 i typically cringe.

3. jacobs plays far better defense than hargrove.   yes hargrove is getting better and sure can end up being the better defender, but jacobs is already the better defender.

4.  i dont want hargrove dribbling the ball at all.   jacobs is one of our two backup point guards.  

5. last, why would you want a very good athlete that can shoot and defend not be able to play?   that makes no sense.   wouldnt you want the billiekens roster to be the best it can be from top to bottom?   jacobs not playing was not a good thing for the team and he hurt the team by getting suspended.   yes hargrove is playing more.   i dont think his playing has anything to do with jacobs being out.   it means his defense has improved enough that ford feels he can trust him on the floor more.   we need both to be successful.   especially considering the amount of fouls called on our team.

Well that settles it Roy, you really want to see Jacobs playing in the A10 tournament.

[juniorbill76]

I want to see Jacobs playing in the NCAA tournament too.

[Duff Man]

Jacobs' ballhandling and FT shooting is useful at the end of games when the other team is fouling to put us on the line.

[TheOne]

Billikens will have some accolades coming out to be proud of tomorrow.

The team is peaking at the right time. Looking forward to seeing how this carries into Brooklyn. A potential Dayton rematch in the semi-finals is a large opportunity for us. Win, and I think we’re on the right side of the bubble. If we can knock off the Flyers, watch out from there. Looking at a Finals game against a team we’ve already beaten. A victory could waltz us in with back to back A10 trophies and a Top 5 win. That sounds closer to the 8/9 line than the 12/13.

All this said, none of the above options remain an easy task. The range of outcomes remains vast.

[Billiken Rich]

I like the 8/9 Especially if Dayton is the 1 seed!

[NH]

I agree with the sentiment of most on this board that were peaking at the right time and should be feeling good. But I think we’ve also followed this team long enough to know we can’t overlook St. Bonaventure. No A-10 tournament game is going to be easy, especially not on a Friday. 

[Old guy]

I hope we are not yet peaking and that our forward momentum continues carrying us to better and more integrated play during the A10 tournament and beyond.

[RiseAndGrind]

32 minutes ago, NH said:

I agree with the sentiment of most on this board that were peaking at the right time and should be feeling good. But I think we’ve also followed this team long enough to know we can’t overlook St. Bonaventure. No A-10 tournament game is going to be easy, especially not on a Friday. 

I’m very worried for Friday 

[willie]

1 hour ago, billiken_roy said:

you love to show your cluelessness.  

1.  hargrove would win the team decathalon.   jacobs would finish second.   

2. jacobs is a far better outside shooter than hargrove.   not even close.   jacobs release is indeed slow, but when he shoots i believe it will go in.  when hargrove shoots a 3 i typically cringe.

3. jacobs plays far better defense than hargrove.   yes hargrove is getting better and sure can end up being the better defender, but jacobs is already the better defender.

4.  i dont want hargrove dribbling the ball at all.   jacobs is one of our two backup point guards.  

5. last, why would you want a very good athlete that can shoot and defend not be able to play?   that makes no sense.   wouldnt you want the billiekens roster to be the best it can be from top to bottom?   jacobs not playing was not a good thing for the team and he hurt the team by getting suspended.   yes hargrove is playing more.   i dont think his playing has anything to do with jacobs being out.   it means his defense has improved enough that ford feels he can trust him on the floor more.   we need both to be successful.   especially considering the amount of fouls called on our team.

I am not sure I agree with all of this. Not to knock Jacobs but you really don’t know if Hargrove can be a good 3 pt shooter. I like his form . I also don’t know if he can put the ball on the floor or not. AndI think his defense has been really good the last 4 or 5 games. Here again I like Jacobs but I think Hargrove might offer more. This doesn’t mean I don want Jacobs to play but I do believe it opens minutes for Hargrove and Weaver.