Any word from our superhero Aresco?

[Woodson]

Wichita State is a one seed because they won every game. The real question is SMU vs. NC State. SMU has a flawed resume, no question. But I have yet to see an argument that NC State has a better one.

Because Coach K said so!

 

[Inyatkin]

Because Coach K said so!

You joke, but there was literally no talk of them as a tournament team until K opened his mouth. A win over Syracuse is nice, but it wasn't exactly a rare occurrence these past few weeks.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I can't believe the league pays Aresco $1MM a year for this. Can anyone point to a single achievement by him? Just one would be fine.

 

[WestHartHusk]

I can't believe the league pays Aresco $1MM a year for this. Can anyone point to a single achievement by him? Just one would be fine.

How quickly you forget about Tulsa

 

[gtcam]

Aresco is in the Bahama's. I understand that is where leaders go when questions need to be answered.

or on the campaign trail

 

[GlastonTim]

Someone in the AAC needs to address the seeding and 3 in same region!

 

[Waquoit]

Someone in the AAC needs to address the seeding and 3 in same region!

The silence is deafening.

 

[pj]

Their OOC SOS is a joke. They lost games, in conference, to horrid teams. Their RPI was 53. My point is there is a reasonable explanation for their exclusion. Is the SOS argument also one that could support WSU being a 3 or 4? Yes. However, when a team goes 32-0, has a solid RPI and played in the final four last year I think the countervailing argument is stronger.

It's not an explanation. In RPI SMU was #53, NC State #55. And that's NC State's best measure. In kenpom.com, SMU was 32 and highest rated team not in the dance, NC State was 66. In Sagarin, SMU was 33, NC State was 70. In the polls SMU was obviously higher. No rational rating system would ever put NC State higher than SMU. You have to have a crazy system like RPI that rates SOS at 50%, opponents SOS at 25%, and disregards margin of victory to even get NC State close.

 

[huskyjawz]

Someone in the AAC needs to address the seeding and 3 in same region!

I agree, they could easily have left the seeds the same, but put the four AAC teams in four different brackets.

 

[selles]

The silence is deafening.

Not true! Aresco came out breathing fire:

"We are extremely proud to send four of our teams to the NCAA Championship," said Commissioner Mike Aresco. "All four teams and their coaches are truly deserving of the opportunity to compete for the national championship based on their strong results and rankings. Our teams have enjoyed tremendous success in our inaugural season, and we are confident that they will continue to play well in the postseason. At the same time, we are disappointed for SMU after their fine season, but their future, and our conference's future, is very bright."

http://theamerican.org/news/2014/3/16/MBB_0316143601.aspx

Knees are no doubt knocking in Indy.

 

[MattMang23]

Aresco is busy singing Louisville's praises as a cornerstone of the conference as he invites UTEP into the league.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

How quickly you forget about Tulsa

But, Tulsa did make the Dance. I hope they can knock-off both Ohio St. and UCLA as it would be good PR for the American. I suspect I will be able to count on one hand how many times Louisville and the American are mentioned in the same sentence in a positive light on their march to the Final 4.

 

[MattMang23]

But, Tulsa did make the Dance. I hope they can knock-off both Ohio St. and UCLA as it would be good PR for the American. I suspect I will be able to count on one hand how many times Louisville and the American are mentioned in the same sentence in a positive light on their march to the Final 4.

Don't be too proud of Louisville, or feel too slighted for them. They aren't really an American team.

 

[Alum86]

I agree, they could easily have left the seeds the same, but put the four AAC teams in four different brackets.

That is fair and makes too much sense. This and the seeding (low)
Surprises me, along with UNC not starting in Raleigh with their butt buddies, Duke. How'd those Southern boys let that happen? couldn't squeez 'em in with the Hoos?

 

[Tenspro2002]

Don't be too proud of Louisville, or feel too slighted for them. They aren't really an American team.

That's exactly his point. Any praise Louisville gets will be either attributed to them on their own, or discussed in the context of how they make the ACC more competitive next year.

You won't hear anything about how they won a league featuring more ranked teams than any other conference, a league that then got completely shafted by the Committee.

 

[upstater]

?
So the answer is do not play anybody in the rpi top 25??

This is the answer for UConn too.

AAC is perceived as a mid-major.

So, what you do is, rack up a gawdy record. Now, the problem of course is that you get Memphis'd with a 4 or 5 seed, and it probably hurts recruiting, BUT, you don't run the risk of being left out with a 8 or 9 loss season after taking losses @Florida, @Memphis, (H) Kansas, Bahamas tourney against UCLA (yeah, making this up), and one each to Memphis, Cincy and SMU, one in the conference tourney, and of course the annual WTF game. 9 losses, hello NIT.

 

[MattMang23]

That's exactly his point. Any praise Louisville gets will be either attributed to them on their own, or discussed in the context of how they make the ACC more competitive next year.

You won't hear anything about how they won a league featuring more ranked teams than any other conference, a league that then got completely shafted by the Committee.

Ah, I read it too quick I guess, and admittedly, I didn't read the whole argument leading up to his post.

Thought he meant Louisville and the American won't be praised at all as a unit, rather than Louisville will be praised because of winning a tough league, excepting them from the American Conference unit. Thanks for correcting me.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

That is fair and makes too much sense. This and the seeding (low)
Surprises me, along with UNC not starting in Raleigh with their butt buddies, Duke. How'd those Southern boys let that happen? couldn't squeez 'em in with the Hoos?

Best guess, the local press in Raleigh is still after UNC's blood over their academic issues. Having UNC in the Dance in Raleigh just asks for more coverage on an issue that UNC and the NCAA clearly wants to go away. Thus, off to San Antonio.

The Raleigh Observer has an entire webpage dedicated to UNC right now.

http://www.newsobserver.com/unc-scandal/