Gordo and ? about Lady Billikens

[slu72]

Gordo's column gives us an outside shot at the NCAA. Wow, what a difference one game can make. I think to have any shot we'd have to win out and get at least 2 wins in the A-10 tourney. Tall order to win the next 11-12 games. But 21-8 or 20-9 might do it this year. Right now it looks like the Big Easy is going to get the most teams in, the rest of the major conferences appear down from previous years. By the way, that Mississippi loss may not hurt us too bad. They're having a pretty good season at 12-4 (3-1 in SEC).

Read an interesting article in Charleston paper today about how women's teams practice against male students. The men have to qualify under NCAA rules, must be students and have the grades. Guess they are one of many programs that do this. Does Shimmy have our women practice against men? The CofC coach said it's really a benefit as the guys are stronger and faster. The students said the ladies can deliver some pretty fierce picks and elbows. After the practice they do, however, go to their respective locker rooms. I never knew this before....just goes to show you learn something new every day.

[kshoe]

and I didn't see where Gordon said we have an outside shot at the NCAAs. Maybe I just missed it.

I also think you overstate how many games we'd need to win to get in. With 11 games left a 9-2 record plus 1 or 2 in the conference tourney would probably get it done. That would make us 19-11 or 20-11. Our RPI is sitting in the mid 60s after moving up 30 spots after the Xavier game. Going 9-2 in the final 11 would be a significant increase to our winning % and the strength of schedule isn't bad except for Duquesne.

The real problem is how can this team be 9-2 if it continues this inconsistency. 9-2 implies we win all the games we should (St. Joes, Fordham, Dayton twice, @ Duquense and RI at home) and go 3-2 in these five games (@R.I., Xavier, Temple, @ Charlotte, @ Lasalle). Unless we play EVERY game the rest of the way the way we played Xavier, I just don't see how it can happen.

[SShoe]

If (big if) we win 20 or 21 games and don't make the tournament I would be shocked and pissed off at the committee. With our non-conference schedule and finishing probably in the top 2 or 3 in the conference, 20 wins should get you in.

[eskimo]

My senior year of college, 2002, a couple guys in my fraternity and a few other friends constituted the scout team for the SLU women's team. They attended just about all of the women's practices.

[thetorch]

When I was at SEMO I and a few other dudes would scrimmage with the women a couple times a week. There were a few stipulations to playing, no one over 6'5 and no one who could dunk. I don't kow if all programs do this, SI did an article on the group of guys who practiced against the Tennessee team several years ago which is where I got the idea of signing up to play.

[slu72]

I think the thrust of his article was it's a crazy year...it could happen. Maybe me reading between the lines. It was my thought we'd have to win 10-11 games to do it. Easier said than done agreed.

[Billiken Rich]

I Think we have to win the conference tourney. Having said that it seems much more possible after taking GW to overtime and beating X in their houses.

[courtside]

“To separate yourself, you had better win some road games, you had better beat some of the top teams in your league, and you had better win some games against the RPI top 50. January is the starting gate. February has the dog days that make or break you.â€

-Jay Bilas.

I cocncur.

If you don't beat ANY of your tough non-conference opponents....it only helps strength of schedule position.

I also never saw where it mentioned SLU has a remote chance of anything. SLU's hope is conference tourney run to WIN the conference tourney. If not to HOPEFULLY get an NIT invite. SLU's goal is to improve and get good matchups for conference tounrey to hopefully pull off multiple upsets in that tourney and win it. Then NIT. Their at large chances are none. Compare them to teams in other leagues etc...

Let's at least get a reality check here folks.

SLU has shown little to no signs of being more consistent...and even if somehow MIRACULOUSLY they ran the table in ALL or ALMOST all of their remaining games...not good enough. Their level of competition will not be good enough. How many other games are on road vs RPI top 50???? I can see SLU improving...but I do not see them avoiding multiple losses to come in conference.

Just as people shouldn't overreact to a loss, shouldn't overreact to a win.

There are a LOT of mysteries of the universe...such as Louisville being ranked this year...they aren't as good as other non-ranked teams from their own league let alone elsewhere.

[tdog]

I don't think I am overreacting to feel that we will do well in the rest of the conference schedule and also in the conference tournament. Check out the standings; we beat U Mass and Xavier to hand them their only losses, and arguably SHOULD have beaten GW. Had we done that, we would be tied for first place in the conference with GW, Rhode Island and U Mass, with Xavier a half game back. Yes, we have been inconsistent, playing poorly against lesser opponents, but with the team being so young and with the improvement we are seeing, I think we will continue to get better. And if we do, we will be a force in the A-10.

[kshoe]

our RPI based on our non-conference schedule is 104. According to Pomeroy we are now 63rd based off of a 3-2 conference record vs. teams with RPIs of 252, 105, 44, 193, and 38. If we go 9-2 against teams of 62, 151, 101, 38, 195, 314, 56, 101, 96, 195, 134 which by definition includes at least 3 road wins we WILL move up enough to be in the low 40s.

Is it reality to expect us to go 9-2, as I said in my post above, probably not. But the reality is NOT that the ONLY way we get an at-large is to run the table or win the A-10 tourney.