An interesting possibility - our 1st round game TN?

[Vowelguy]

I had forgotten about UCLA. But the Selection Committee only requires the top 4 teams from the same conference, assuming they are all seeded 4th or better, to be in separate regions. So TN could still end up in the SC or TX regionals.

Avoiding conference matchups in the first 2 rounds has long been a committee priority

 

[oldude]

Avoiding conference matchups in the first 2 rounds has long been a committee priority

Agreed. But it currently looks like 6 SEC teams will host. So that leaves 10 possible locations for TN and any other SEC team to go.

 

[Vowelguy]

Agreed. But it currently looks like 6 SEC teams will host. So that leaves 10 possible locations for TN and any other SEC team to go.

Well, since there will be fewer than 16 SEC teams selected, then it shouldn't be a problem.

They are not going to make a #1 seed face a conference rival in the 2nd round. Not happening.

 

[Cuango]

What you are saying is unfortunately correct, but I agree with 1974yankees sentiment, TN should NOT be in the NCAA Tournament and there is something very wrong with the selection process if they are comfortably in, especially as an 8 or 9 seed. They have lost 7 straight games, and 10 of their last 12 and in most they weren't even very competitive. They are 16-13 and below .500 in their conference and have played terribly for the past 6 weeks. That's not an end of season swoon it is an epic collapse for a team that claimed to have Elite 8 or even Final Four aspirations. They were soundly beaten in the first game of their conference tournament by a lower rated team and were never really even in the game when all they had to do was win that one game and it may have given them some plausible argument that they deserved to make the Big Dance. Tennessee's "body of work" absolutely stinks, as does their entire season, all they have are a few decent QUAD 1 wins and none in the last 5 weeks.

I have to disagree. Admittedly, they’ve had a bad time of it over these past few weeks. However, it seems clear to me that there is some kind of player/coaching issue going on and the team (for whatever reason) has stopped playing for the coach. That does not negate what they had already accomplished this season and if the committee as a rule looks at the entire body of work, then they should be in.

Hopefully, (for everyone’s sake) the coach will find a way to reconnect/rejuvenate her team and they can perform up to their capabilities. If not, well I guess it will likely be “one and done” which opens up all kinds of possibilities for that program- none of them good. She (Kim Caldwell) has the #2 player coming next season and this is not a good look for recruiting!

 

[H Dog]

I have to disagree. Admittedly, they’ve had a bad time of it over these past few weeks. However, it seems clear to me that there is some kind of player/coaching issue going on and the team (for whatever reason) has stopped playing for the coach. That does not negate what they had already accomplished this season and if the committee as a rule looks at the entire body of work, then they should be in.

Hopefully, (for everyone’s sake) the coach will find a way to reconnect/rejuvenate her team and they can perform up to their capabilities. If not, well I guess it will likely be “one and done” which opens up all kinds of possibilities for that program- none of them good. She (Kim Caldwell) has the #2 player coming next season and this is not a good look for recruiting!

I respectfully disagree, it’s been 6 weeks of terrible basketball heading into the postseason not the past few weeks, at the time when it’s supposed to matter most. What did they accomplish all season long, they won their out of conference games and beat most of the lower tier SEC teams and Kentucky which is somewhat overrated. What great or even real good win do they have and how long ago was it? They were .500 in conference regular season and then lost in first round of SEC tourney so to me they are below .500 in conference and 16-13 while losing your last 7 and 10 of 12 makes it clear that they are not tournament worthy. That is a terrible body of work by any fair analysis. Btw, if the players have stopped playing for their coach how can the team possibly be deserving of an NCAA tournament berth? If our beloved Huskies ( or any other team) had a season like this I’d be the first to say that we don’t deserve an at large tournament entry despite our history and whatever recruit we may have coming in.

 

[H Dog]

I also must note that I meant to say TN won their cream puff out of conference games, they opened with NC State and lost a close game but when they played ranked out of conference teams like UConn, Louisville and UCLA they were pounded and also lost very badly to some great and good SEC teams in the last month,namely SC, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Oklahoma. Again, a very poor body of work.

 

[HuskyNan]

If you can find another team that sits 22 in the net with multiple quad one wins - that is not getting in the tournament - then you could make a case.

The biggest issue for Tennessee is the end of season swoon. And in some previous year type of metrics, it might have bounced them out. But as I read in an article today - not for the first time - the NCAA looks at the entire season, the body of work. While disappointing by Tennessee standards, the body of work is going to get them in, and as others have said, it isn't close.

And #1 strength of schedule

 

[RockyMTblue2]

No, those 16 seeds are always Automatic qualifiers. From very, very low ranked conferences.

And they'll make it easy anyway. probably 10 teams from SEC. (They finished 6th)

Thank God the Tenn scenario would be way too freaky!

 

[fomalhaut]

I would be in favor of a system where teams under .500 in conference (including tournament) were ineligible for the NCAA (except for tournament winners), and where strength of schedule was replaced by strength of teams defeated. But under the system we have now, Tennessee is nowhere close to missing the tournament.

 

[Vowelguy]

I would be in favor of a system where teams under .500 in conference (including tournament) were ineligible for the NCAA

0.00000000000000000000% chance of that happening

 

[Blakeon18]

I find the mention of Creme predicting a possible UConn/Iowa State game as interesting.
North Carolina State ISU in the 8/9 game. I think NC State would win that one....believe their
overall talent betters ISU. ISU has been beset by guard injuries....I think one is back...one not yet.
I would love to see how Geno handles Audi Crooks...one player guards her....switch players to
avoid possible foul trouble. I have seen her quite a bit and her talent clearly has helped ISU to many wins over her career...with some troubles for ISU coming on her defense. Overall her points per game....and shooting
percentages per game... are excellent...around 26 per game with percentages near 70%

 

[Gus Mahler]

0.00000000000000000000% chance of that happening

I think you're too conservative. ;*)

 

[Vowelguy]

Brace yourself then.

It is not even close — they are clearly in.

There would need to be 32 at-large teams with better resumes. Good luck trying to find 25.

And I forgot about the 68 team tournament and there being only 31 confs.

So there are THIRTY SEVEN at larges.

Given that the P4 + bge conference champs are in the top 20, that means you only need to be one of the 42 best teams to get a bid.

I would love to hear the list of 42 teams better than TN.

 

[mudcat]

Do you really think they deserve to be in the tourney? Please be honest. I have seen several of their games this year too.

If they don't, you'll have to cut the tournament back to 32 teams.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

0.00000000000000000000% chance of that happening

Doubtless. But Jay Bilas proposed just that on the PTI "Five Good Minutes" segment the other day, if I heard him correctly.

 

[Vowelguy]

Doubtless. But Jay Bilas proposed just that on the PTI "Five Good Minutes" segment the other day, if I heard him correctly.

The p4 would never allow it. And if you piss them off, they break away and form their own tournament.

 

[Vowelguy]

Creme has TN as an 8 seed, which means they aren’t even in the LAST 10 in.

 

[Alydar]

The worst at-large teams are the four 11-seeds who have to play in from 68. Connecticut is almost certain to play one of the four 16-seeds who have to play in. (I think it's unfair to make automatic qualifiers play in: the last eight at-large teams should play the four play-in games. The NCAA can't seem to make up its mind: originally it was all 16's, now it's half and half.)

Tennessee is nowhere near the bubble, despite a mediocre record in conference and an early exit from the SEC tournament.

That's good evidence that the depth of elite talent in wcbb is still very shallow.

 

[oldude]

As info, after the top 16 reveal today by the Selection Committee, in his latest bracketology, Charlie Creme now has TN coming to Storrs against VA Tech in the 1st round. Assuming the LV’s get by the Hokies, there would almost certainly be a rematch of TN-UConn.

 

[Phil]

As info, after the top 16 reveal today by the Selection Committee, in his latest bracketology, Charlie Creme now has TN coming to Storrs against VA Tech in the 1st round. Assuming the LV’s get by the Hokies, there would almost certainly be a rematch of TN-UConn.

That's Charlie going for the clicks.

 

[oldude]

That's Charlie going for the clicks.

Of course he is. That’s what he gets paid for. But aside from that, Charlie is actually pretty good at this. While he’s not going to get every matchup correct, he does a much better job than anyone else does at this.