Conference championship game - Big 10 - Maryland vs Michigan State

[Blueballer]

#5 at best. I don't think they can be considered more impressive than Baylor. And the committee currently has them at #7, not #8.

Why? Baylor's OOC was real soft.

 

[Plebe]

It's hard if not impossible to compare apples to apples. I'm not a Maryland fan, but they have been competitive every game, except possibly at Columbus. They also played us tougher than anyone except Stanford in the past 3 seasons. If you use UConn as a measuring stick, Maryland is closer to 2 than to 7.

Maryland may not have that many strong wins, but they have only 3 losses, all by fairly small margins.

If we're just going by eye test, Maryland is up there. If we're going by quality wins and strength of schedule, Maryland's resume just isn't there. The committee doesn't like to be forced to fill in the blanks. Texas may have lost by large margins to Baylor, but they also have 11 top-50 wins, including 3 true road games. Maryland has only 4 top-50 wins, none of which are true road games.

 

[Plebe]

Why? Baylor's OOC was real soft.

Nonconference strengh of schedule:
Baylor #27
Maryland #98

 

[MilfordHusky]

Nonconference strengh of schedule:
Baylor #27
Maryland #98

Big difference. Maybe the committee doesn't like to fill in the blanks, but the other teams had some BAD games. Maryland had none.

I also give MD the benefit of having made the Final Four the past 2 years. They lost Alyssa Thomas and still made it. Then they lost Brown and Mincy and may make it again.

OTOH, Oregon State impressed in the first half tonight.

We'll see what the committee does and who makes it to Indy.

 

[Plebe]

Big difference. Maybe the committee doesn't like to fill in the blanks, but the other teams had some BAD games. Maryland had none.

I also give MD the benefit of having made the Final Four the past 2 years. They lost Alyssa Thomas and still made it. Then they lost Brown and Mincy and may make it again.

OTOH, Oregon State impressed in the first half tonight.

We'll see what the committee does and who makes it to Indy.

Performance in previous years is not supposed to be relevant. The committee places the premium on quality wins and strength of schedule, and that's where Maryland slipped this year. If tournament seeding were based primarily on teams not having bad games, then Colorado State would probably deserve a 2 seed.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Performance in previous years is not supposed to be relevant. The committee places the premium on quality wins and strength of schedule, and that's where Maryland slipped this year. If tournament seeding were based primarily on teams not having bad games, then Colorado State would probably deserve a 2 seed.

I don't think the committee looks at their past success, but I think Maryland has a strong chance against SC or Baylor in a Regional Final. I think they would handle Texas or Louisville. JMO.

 

[Plebe]

I don't think the committee looks at their past success, but I think Maryland has a strong chance against SC or Baylor in a Regional Final. I think they would handle Texas or Louisville. JMO.

I actually think Maryland has a good chance against Notre Dame as well, and I too would consider them the favorite against both Texas and Louisville. A matchup against Oregon State would be a fascinating clash of styles, and a total war of star centers between Jones and Hamblin. Again, though, there's a difference between how good we "think" a team is vs. what seeding their resume has earned them. If I'm being honest, the matchup I most want to see is Maryland-Notre Dame, whether it's the Elite 8 or national semis.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

Interesting thread. Not too much to say except Maryland's SOS is going to hurt them. I know this is the one thing the committee view very highly. (Think Princeton last season. Probably the best 8th seed ever). I'm not sure if the committee would place Maryland in Bridgeport because they have played UConn already but I can see the committee punishing them for their poor OOC schedule. We'll see.

 

[JordyG]

Interesting thread. Not too much to say except Maryland's SOS is going to hurt them. I know this is the one thing the committee view very highly. (Think Princeton last season. Probably the best 8th seed ever). I'm not sure if the committee would place Maryland in Bridgeport because they have played UConn already but I can see the committee punishing them for their poor OOC schedule. We'll see.

I agree with everything you've said. Except about Princeton. When they struggled to beat an above average 9th seed Green Bay it seemed to me they were seeded just right. As coach Parcells said you may be what your record says you are, but you can be more or a lot less than what you think you are.