What's the story behind Baylor's 40 games?

[Wonkster]

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The number of games a women's team can play in a given season is limited by NCAA rules. Previously, the limit was 39, unless you take into consideration the improbable scenario where the team in question does so poorly in the regular season that they don't earn a bye in the early stage of their conference tournament and then catch on fire for the rest of the season.

So how did Baylor manage the 40-0 possibility this year? Could, say, any team in the Big12 have had the same shot (in theory)?

Has there been a rule change?
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[sarals24]

Weren't they in a preseason WNIT tourney? That might have had something to do with it...maybe those games aren't coutned against your total or something...

 

[Samanthabrown3]

I was wondering that myself. I thought the rules changed. Guess not.

 

[meyers7]

IDK, but it could have been a preseason tourney. I think, sometimes those count as 1 game (for scheduling) even though you may play more than 1 if you continue winning. They played in the preseason WNIT.

 

[Wonkster]

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Too sloppy an explanation. We can speculate all day. I want facts, not speculation.

By the way, the NCAA rules cap the number of pre-season tournament games you can play.

 

[sarals24]

How many games are there in the Big XII tourney? Do they get first round byes like in the BET? I know there are more teams in the BE so maybe they don't structure it the same way...maybe they have to play 4 games to win? I feel like I should know this but I don't.

 

[sarals24]

Too sloppy an explanation. I want facts, not speculation.

By the way, the NCAA rules cap the number of pre-season tournament games you can play.

Yes they cap it, but if you enter a tourney and get to the championship does that count against your total # of games? For example, last year's UConn men's team had to play five games to win the BET, if they go over their allotment of games b/c they had won a preseason tourney what happens?

 

[Samanthabrown3]

Well, why don't we go and look at Baylor's schedule? That should tell us something.

 

[Wonkster]

Yes they cap it, but if you enter a tourney and get to the championship does that count against your total # of games? For example, last year's UConn men's team had to play five games to win the BET, if they go over their allotment of games b/c they had won a preseason tourney what happens?

The NCAA doesn't have an absolute fixed cap, set at some number, (like 40), they have sub-caps : pre-season tourney games, conference games, conference tourney games max.

All we've done here is jaw about possibilities. I want to know why the magic number of 40 has been suddenly reached this year, but never before.

Does anyone have an answer better than suggestion or speculation?

 

[Samanthabrown3]

Here's the link to Baylor's schedule: http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/w-baskbl/sched/bay-w-baskbl-sched.html

I can't figure it out. They have two preseason games and three Big 12 conference tournament games.

 

[Phil]

They played in the pre-season WNIT. Multi-game tournaments are counted as a single game (possibly only the win or go home ones, but this one qualifies)

 

[Bestiarius]

All we've done here is jaw about possibilities. I want to know why the magic number of 40 has been suddenly reached this year, but never before.
quote]
The Jack Benny effect?

 

[ThisJustIn]

Or, Wonk, you could research it yourself instead at jawing at others who offer possible options. Google IS your friend, ya know.

 

[Phil]

As for why it has never been reached before, many of the multi-game tournaments are two or three games, so a team may get an extra one or two games. That's why we went 39–0 one year, we had a three game tournament. The preseason WNIT inlcuded 16 teams so a maximum of four games, which is unusual. So you have to win the Preseason WNIT, and every game in your conference tournament and win the NC. It still hasn't happened, but this is the first time someone has taken the first two steps.

Checkout WNIT if you want to see past winners

 

[Frank]

Well I speculate the answer lies below.....but that is just my suggestion (just kidding)......Hopes this helps.

40

games​

are the most that have been played in an academic year (fall and spring semesters plus post-regular season games) to date.

43 games are mathematically possible (but practically impossible) in one academic year, if a team is in the right conference and makes the the title

game​

of every tournament it plays in that year.


Regular Season Games Allowed:

31 games in one season, consisting of
27 regular schedule games
+ up to 4 games if in an in-season tournament like the Preseason NIT or Great Alaska Shootout (my quick research showed most are just 3 game tournaments),
or

29 games if not participating in any in-season tournaments.

[Source: NCAA 2010-11 Division 1 Manual, Section 17.3.5 Number of Contests]


Postseason:

Add in the # of games needed to make the title games for both the conference and the NCAA tournaments to get the total games possible.

7 games are possible in the NCAA tournament, but the historical reality is no team has played more than 6.

Conference Tournaments
5 games are possible in the Big East tournament
4 games are possible in the other major conferences (I assume this is the same number for the non-majors, but I am not sure).

Based on the above, the maximum number of games possible would be
31 games before post-season
+5 games possible in a conference tournament
+7 games in the NCAA tournament
=
43 games possible

More realistically, the most likely maximum number of possible games played in any academic year (and the most ever played as of this writing) is
31 games before the post-season
+3 games in a conference tournament
+6 games in the NCAA tournament
=
40 games max in an academic year

This year

Baylor
31 Regular Season (Regualr Games + 4 Preseason NIT)
3 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship
6 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship
40 Games

UCONN
31 Regular Season
3 Big East Championship
6 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship
40 Games

 

[Wonkster]

Or, Wonk, you could research it yourself instead at jawing at others who offer possible options. Google IS your friend, ya know.

I thought of all those "possible options" but didn't know if there was some kind of new variable, like a rule or limit change.

Thanks for your predictable scolding. I knew I could count on you for that.
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[Frank]

I thought of all those "possible options" but didn't know if there was some kind of new variable, like a rule or limit change.

Thanks for your predictable scolding. I knew I could count on you for that.
.

Did you see my reply to you on the previous page?

 

[Wonkster]

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Great job, Frank! Now that's an answer!
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[Canicken]

This years big 12 schedule changed from 16 to 18 regular season games. Last year with 12 teams there were 2 divisions, north and south. There were 10 games in your division and 6 against the other.

This year with 10 teams the schedule was changed to a full round robin every team played every other team twice in The regular season. For a total of 18 games not counting the conference tournament.

 

[Phil]

Frank that sounds like it applies to men. They can play seven NCAA games if a play-in. I don't see how seven is possible for women.

 

[Phil]

Plus, (I think) it isn't mathematically possible to win 43 games. To play 43, you have to be a low seed in your tourney.

 

[Kibitzer]

I hate to be the party pooper, but what if Stanford ends Baylor's season at 39 games?

Back to you Cardfan.

 

[Wonkster]

This years big 12 schedule changed from 16 to 18 regular season games. Last year with 12 teams there were 2 divisions, north and south. There were 10 games in your division and 6 against the other.

This year with 10 teams the schedule was changed to a full round robin every team played every other team twice in The regular season. For a total of 18 games not counting the conference tournament.

That helps a lot - just the kind of information I knew I didn't have. Thanks for enlightening us benighted Big East fans!
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[Wonkster]

I hate to be the party pooper, but what if Stanford ends Baylor's season at 39 games? ...

See OP:

"So how did Baylor manage the 40-0 possibility this year?"
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[Bestiarius]

Wonkster said: ↑

All we've done here is jaw about possibilities. I want to know why the magic number of 40 has been suddenly reached this year, but never before.
quote]
The Jack Benny effect?​

Bestiarius, Today at 9:18 AMReport
#12
It looks like, in error, I included my response into Wonkster's quote. This is a result of remaining age 39 for too many years! Sorry.