Our Non Conference

[auror]

Pure SoS doesn't matter much. We're 4th in Torvik WAB (Wins Above Bubble) and 5th in BPI SOR (Strength of Record) at the moment which are body of work resume metrics. So the strength of the schedule put us right in the spot we wanted it to, on track for a 1 seed. SOR is on the committee's team sheets, too.

 

[Dove]

Im pretty sure someone said we could beat an nba team

I think it was Deepster.

 

[GameTime]

#3 Kenpom, #6 NET, top 5 AP ranking going into BE play. 1 missed three away from being undefeated and honestly probably #1.

Fantastic work OOC. I'm positive the BE coaches already have different defenses lined up to go against us, and as we learned last season that can snowball pretty quickly. Quick adjustments will be key to getting that elusive BE championship

You are spitting only facts. I believe, in a clinical way, we will be the BE regular season Champs. The BE tourney, anything can happen. But aside from Shakas team. I do not see how we lose. I know that was said last year, but our five starters are ridiculous. It’ll be different in the BE this year. Our guys want to have that trophy.

 

[tzznandrew]

strength of schedule is no longer factored into seeding. margin of victory is, though. hurley takes an analytics-based approach to scheduling, bringing in low major teams that we can absolutely wallop on.

there is basically no seeding-based argument for playing quality mid majors. if you want to say that it will prepare us better for the tourney, that's fine (although last year heartily disproved that argument) but otherwise this was pretty much an idealized non-conference schedule for us.

Do they not factor in your record vs. various Quadrants, and then use a hold it against your team if you have played a ton of Q4 games? I've seen that every year as a thing discussed. It isn't literally called SOS...but it's that by another name.

And that's the seeding-based argument for playing higher quality low majors. (Not necessarily mid-majors).

 

[tzznandrew]

I agree. The cupcake games will have helped develop our depth.

You can do that against teams that aren't among the worst 25-40 in Division 1. If you pick them right, you might even get better attendance.

 

[tzznandrew]

Just because a guy makes a number doesn't mean it has to be respected. Four games out of 11 against Top 15 competition away from home can't possibly be 252. His algorithm needs work.

KenPom's rankings are among the most respected out there. His algorithm doesn't need any work. And by advanced metrics they haven't played 4 games against Top 15 competition:

11 Kansas
19 Gonzaga
15 North Carolina
32 Texas

I'm happy we played all those games, and the team will benefit from them all. I think it has given a fair representation of what it was going for: the general strength of the teams we have played. We played 5 good to very good teams, and then a bunch of trash.

 

[Pmac923]

When you’ve won 27 out of 28 non conference games very convincingly it doesn’t matter who you schedule

 

[Fan1978]

It could matter in seeding, especially with a weaker-than-expected Big East. There's a lot of Q4 games in there, and Indiana might end up only being a Q2.

Seeding will not be impacted by the cupcakes. A few of those teams certainly could improve and move up significantly in conference play. We played more ooc quality games than almost anyone and that will loom large. I expect a 1 seed

 

[storrsroars]

Wemby could literally beat any UConn team by himself.

Your use of "literally" is actually worse than Deepster's of "penultimate".

 

[tzznandrew]

Seeding will not be impacted by the cupcakes. A few of those teams certainly could improve and move up significantly in conference play. We played more ooc quality games than almost anyone and that will loom large. I expect a 1 seed

If we play how we've been playing, we're going to be fine. Keep winning and we don't have to worry.

If we're in a group competing for a 1 seed against:

Arizona
Marquette
Purdue
Kansas

We might be in trouble and those bad teams might come back to bite us. All those teams have played exceptional teams and don't have nearly as many bottom feeders.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I think it was Deepster.

No, he thought MBB might be able to beat the WBB team, because they were injury-depleted.

 

[Waquoit]

KenPom's rankings are among the most respected out there.

He even admitted he can't get UConn right.

 

[tzznandrew]

He even admitted he can't get UConn right.

Lol. No one can. UConn is one of one.

 

[connVA]

If we play how we've been playing, we're going to be fine. Keep winning and we don't have to worry.

If we're in a group competing for a 1 seed against:

Arizona
Marquette
Purdue
Kansas

We might be in trouble and those bad teams might come back to bite us. All those teams have played exceptional teams and don't have nearly as many bottom feeders.

At least we control our destiny vs one of those teams. Beat Marquette at least 2 out of 3 (ideally in the BET final) and that should take care of that. But there’s also Houston.

 

[Waquoit]

But there’s also Houston.

Houston has a way of taking care of themselves. And they play in a real league this year.

 

[willie99]

Last year at this time the Boneyard was pretty unanimous in wondering where ANY Big East losses were coming from....

I know I never thought we'd lose 7 (or 8) conference games. Damn, St John's ran us out of our own building. I was cursing them from a pool on Marco Island

 

[CL82]

Yes, but I feel a lot better about this year’s Big East slate than I did last year. Marquette can clip us. So can Creighton if they shoot with any level of efficiency. One of Providence, Nova and St John’s might get us, but I don’t see losing 6 of 7 anywhere on the remaining schedule.

 

[CL82]

I think it was Deepster.

I believe the actual Deepster quote was something like: "mumble, mumble, mumble, where are my slippers, mumble, mumble, nappy time"

 

[AllHusky]

It could matter in seeding, especially with a weaker-than-expected Big East. There's a lot of Q4 games in there, and Indiana might end up only being a Q2.

ya gotta win 6 in a row no matter who they are or what your seed

 

[storrsroars]

Houston has a way of taking care of themselves. And they play in a real league this year.

Samson is 8-3 vs UConn with Houston (3-1 vs DH). Granted, none of those UConn teams were like this one, but I still remember that 81-45 beatdown in '19.

 

[Waquoit]

Samson is 8-3 vs UConn with Houston (3-1 vs DH). Granted, none of those UConn teams were like this one, but I still remember that 81-45 beatdown in '19.

OK, I have you down for Houston if they play UConn.

 

[superjohn]

Samson is 8-3 vs UConn with Houston (3-1 vs DH). Granted, none of those UConn teams were like this one, but I still remember that 81-45 beatdown in '19.

Tulsa also owned UConn and UConn lost back to back games to Wagner and Northeastern with a Yale loss thrown in for fun.

 

[storrsroars]

OK, I have you down for Houston if they play UConn.

I absolutely want to take them down, and hard. But I also won't underestimate their coach's ability.

 

[Waquoit]

I absolutely want to take them down, and hard. But I also won't underestimate their coach's ability.

I don't underestimate his ability to schedule for success.

 

[storrsroars]

Tulsa also owned UConn and UConn lost back to back games to Wagner and Northeastern with a Yale loss thrown in for fun.

In AAC play, Tulsa was 7-4. It was Cincy that basically owned us, going 11-4, with an 8-0 run in the middle. Highlight of Kobe's life.

But like I said, none of those UConn teams were like this one.