Play-in game

[huskyharry]

we must beat Cincy!

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Have we ever played a more important first round conference tournament game?

 

[3rdbass]

Well we will see what kind of balls we have. Hopefully KO has the team ready!

 

[Jerry1714]

Have we ever played a more important first round conference tournament game?

last year

 

[tzznandrew]

Have we ever played a more important first round conference tournament game?

Every year where we're on the bubble. 2001, 2010, 2012 were all huge first round games.

 

[huskiesnyc]

Any chance we get in the NCAA if we lose to Cincy? I still think we're close but we'll need a lot of luck. Our BPI and Kenpom numbers are NCAA worthy so who knows, it's probably win or bust.

 

[Tommyboy]

Have we ever played a more important first round conference tournament game?

2011 versus Depaul. We were on a serious bad streak in the BE tourney and that game got our mojo back and propelled us to 11 straight.

But that's all in hindsight. Going into the game this one is pretty damn important.

 

[3rdbass]

Any chance we get in the NCAA if we lose to Cincy? I still think we're close but we'll need a lot of luck. Our BPI and Kenpom numbers are NCAA worthy so who knows, it's probably win or bust.

Let's win and remove the doubt. We don't deserver to be in if we can't beat Cincy.

 

[BugsyCT]

Can't remember being on the bubble THIS much, even in those other bubble years. One win over Cincy might make or break us.

 

[shizzle787]

The scenario is pretty simple:
Lose to Cincy=we're out
Beat Cincy, lose in semifinal=we're out
Get to final and lose=first four
Win=we're in

I like the fourth option.

 

[SaeHusky]

If Cincy beat us 3 times this season we deserve the NIT. I think Cincy is in regardless with their win today. Here's hoping Cincy feels that way as well

 

[johnhuskies95]

The scenario is pretty simple:
Lose to Cincy=we're out
Beat Cincy, lose in semifinal=we're out
Get to final and lose=first four
Win=we're in

I like the fourth option.

That really doesn't seem accurate at all, but whatever.

 

[shizzle787]

That really doesn't seem accurate at all, but whatever.

It's pretty accurate. Remember what conference we play in and how the committee treats it.

 

[dwalks93]

Playing Cincy is the game UConn should want. One game to prove they deserve to be in the NCAA tournament. Cincy has had our number twice this year. A first round tournament game on a neutral site seems fitting.

If UConn wins on Friday I think we are in (if were are on the bubble before the UCF game and then we beat UCF and Cincy before losing I think we hold our last 4 in spot). If we lose to Cincy we do not deserve to be in the tournament. Tournament teams win big games in big tournaments..UConn needs to win this one.

This is the game UConn should want...Cincy has owned us this year. Time to make things right. No excuses.

 

[tzznandrew]

It's pretty accurate. Remember what conference we play in and how the committee treats it.

Yay! Narratives divorced from the actual facts!

Any chance we get in the NCAA if we lose to Cincy? I still think we're close but we'll need a lot of luck. Our BPI and Kenpom numbers are NCAA worthy so who knows, it's probably win or bust.

I think it will be close, @huskiesnyc , but likely out.

Last year, KenPom teams ranked 1-44 made it. 45 was a sub-.500 Florida. Then 4 of the next 9 made it. Temple wasn't even among those, at 56.

2014, Kenpom 1-31 made it. SMU was 32. And a series of teams traded getting in and getting left off.

And the year before that was more complicated, with some teams in the mid-20s getting left out. But I think last year was the first where the committee began openly using other metrics (people can correct me if I'm wrong).

 

[gwhuskyfan]

Any chance we get in the NCAA if we lose to Cincy? I still think we're close but we'll need a lot of luck. Our BPI and Kenpom numbers are NCAA worthy so who knows, it's probably win or bust.

Going to be tough if we lose, but I'll give us a 50/50 chance.

 

[shizzle787]

Yay! Narratives divorced from the actual facts!


I think it will be close, @huskiesnyc , but likely out.

Last year, KenPom teams ranked 1-44 made it. 45 was a sub-.500 Florida. Then 4 of the next 9 made it. Temple wasn't even among those, at 56.

2014, Kenpom 1-31 made it. SMU was 32. And a series of teams traded getting in and getting left off.

View attachment 12295

And the year before that was more complicated, with some teams in the mid-20s getting left out. But I think last year was the first where the committee began openly using other metrics (people can correct me if I'm wrong).

Ken Pom is only one of a variety of metrics. For one, SMU was ranked in the top 25 the year they missed out. Only one other team I can remember (Utah St. about 10 years) was ranked going into a conference tournament and missed out. Let's face it in 2014, UConn and Louisville were both WAY under seeded.

 

[gwhuskyfan]

Here's another interesting stat from teamrankings.com (https://www.teamrankings.com/ncb/conference-tournaments/american-bracket/).

Whoever wins the Cincy/UConn game has highest odds of winning AAC tourney. Let's go win this all.

 

[johnhuskies95]

It's pretty accurate. Remember what conference we play in and how the committee treats it.

In 2014 SMU player nobody in the non-conference outside of Virginia, that's why they didn't get in. Last year Temple won two games against teams that made the tournament. No, that's not a typo.

We don't have either of those problems if we beat Cincinnati on Friday.

 

[upstater]

Any chance we get in the NCAA if we lose to Cincy? I still think we're close but we'll need a lot of luck. Our BPI and Kenpom numbers are NCAA worthy so who knows, it's probably win or bust.

If we're one of the last 2 in, you can bet that some teams are going to steal bids in their tourneys, so being one of the last 2 in at this point is really like being outside.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Here's another interesting stat from teamrankings.com (https://www.teamrankings.com/ncb/conference-tournaments/american-bracket/).

Whoever wins the Cincy/UConn game has highest odds of winning AAC tourney. Let's go win this all.

Indeed. I think this matchup involves the two best teams in the league. I would feel very confident against every other team. Lets see if the refs call fouls this time

 

[CTBasketball]

Wichita State lost so they will have joined the bubble probably.

 

[tzznandrew]

Wichita State lost so they will have joined the bubble probably.

They will be an interesting comparison. They have almost no good wins (Utah is their one), but were 3-4 without Van Fleet, 21-4 with him...but the Illinois State game came with him.

Great advanced metrics, mediocre traditional ones.

 

[CTBasketball]

They will be an interesting comparison. They have almost no good wins (Utah is their one), but were 3-4 without Van Fleet, 21-4 with him...but the Illinois State game came with him.

Great advanced metrics, mediocre traditional ones.

The committee would love to see them in the tournament again too...

 

[jibsey]

Just thinking about the matchup. We cant wait 1/4 of the game to make a shot. Cincy playing well. We will see what we are made of.