Just thought it was fun to look at how bad Liberty really is. They without a doubt will be in the play in game and the crazy thing is if they get a SWAC or MEAC team depending on who it is they could win the game. Some fun facts about Liberty They are coached by Dale Layer who took Colorado State to the NCAA Tourny in 2003 when the Rams as a 6 seed won the MWC Tournament becoming the lowest seed to win the conference. They beat #3 Wyoming, #2 BYU and #4 UNLV that year. They will undoubtedly be the lowest RPI rated team ever to make the tournament at roughly 285. Prior to the Big South Tournament they had not won consecutive games in 64 days They started the year 0-10 vs D1 schools and their first 3 wins came against non D1 schools. They didn't beat their 1st D1 team until New Years Eve when they beat Western Carolina 67-66. Among their loses are a 42 point loss to Richmond and a loss to RPI 336 Howard. The highest RPI rated team was Charleston Southern in the Big South Championship RPI 190. They were 11-20 heading into the Big South Tournament with 3 of those 11 wins vs Non D1 teams. They have now won 5 straight games and 6 of 7. They beat the top 3 seeds in the Big South Tournament.
I would have to say that Villanova's game against St. Johns is now a "must win" game to make the tournament. They do not want that loss against their resume going into selection sunday.
Liberty is pretty bad, but basically every year there's a team even worse than Liberty getting in. The SWAC routinely has a winner that's among the worst teams in the country (they have five wins in the NCAA tournament, and one of those was in the play-in game. They haven't won an actual tournament game since 1993!). As you said, Liberty could be favored if they're in a play-in game. It's fitting that the worst team in the country by far is in the SWAC. Grambling is 0-27. They play a very weak schedule and awful teams routinely blow them out. Jackson State beat them by 39 Cleveland State by 43 Auburn by 50 Southern Miss by 48 Southern by 39 Texas Southern by 45
They are routinely awful... the SWAC is awful. At least the MEAC occasionaly has teams that don't get embarrassed. I remember Delaware State gave Duke a game years ago, Norfolk State won last year, Coppin State has won and I think even made a Sweet 16 back in the 90's. Hampton won as a 15 seed. Not inlcuding play in games the SWAC hasn't won a game since 1993. Before that 1984 in which they won a preliminary round game. To be honest I think the SWAC would be the hardest conference in the country to handicap as the teams are usually so awful that you don't know what you're gonna get. I could be wrong but I think one year in their conference tournament they had 2 teams with a losing record playing for the championship... that's just the Wacky SWAC
yeah that's what I was saying, no tournament wins since 1993 and they send a bad team to the NCAA tournament every year
There have been 12 years of 16 vs 16 play in game and the SWAC has been involved in 7 of those 13 years. The only win they have was in 2010 when Arkansas Pine-Bluff beat Winthrop. Last year Mississippi Valley State blew a 16 point lead in the final 5 minutes and lost by a point to Western Kentucky. The MEAC has been involved 4 times and the Big South 3 although I think they'll make their 4th this year. I think if Norfolk State wins the MEAC they will avoid the play in game. The Metro Atlantic twice although had Manhattan beaten Iona they likely would have played Liberty. My local team Monmouth played Hampton one year and won the game giving the school their lone NCAA Tournament win and the 1st for the NEC since 1983. I do believe that the winner of tonight's NEC game (my bet is LIU at home) will be in the play in game.
Pretty good bracket for most hated college players. I only remember the 2000s and I think they summed that up good and including Reddick and Paulis in the Duke bracket which was also a great idea. James Madison won the Colonial Athletic Association tournament locking them a spot in the NCAA tournament. The Big East tournament starts tonight with the bottom 4 facing off on ESPNU
In 2008, Mississippi Valley State I think was clearly the worst team of the 68 and they avoided a play in game because the NCAA didn't want to put a black college in a play in game or something. kenpom had them 323rd out of 341 teams, and everyone I read agreed they should've been in a play in game. UCLA beat them 70-29. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_NCAA_Men's_Division_I_Basketball_Tournament#First_round_4 I am certain they would've lost a play in game because the other 16s were all clearly better.
They probably didn't want to have a MEAC and SWAC school play against each other in the play in game. You know some loudmouth like Sharpton would play the race card. I think 2008 was the year Monmouth beat Hampton which I'm sure was fine for the Hawks and the NEC. It counts as a win and the conference makes money for them winning.
previous record for fewest points in a Big East Tournament game was a Georgetown/Villanova game in 2003. 87 points. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_Big_East_Men's_Basketball_Tournament USF/Seton Hall 37-35 with 25 seconds left South Florida running the clock out every possession as usual.
My mistake. I was posting when I thought 44-42 final, and then SH pushed it over. It only happened because USF had to foul to stop the clock with under 2 seconds left. SH made both free throws to get it to 88. Funny thing is, the announcers guaranteed the game would set the record. Seton Hall did tie the record for fewest points by a winning team.
That's a very good question. While I think it is a safe assumption that the conference will not have multiple potential 1-seeds every year, I have high confidence in the qualty of basketball in what will be a tournament to feature potentially 5 tourney-bound teams every year.
Hey Junc, It's very rare that you and I can share a bonding moment, but I just found this gem on Youtube. I thought you might enjoy it as well. Check out the music selection: [youtube]ourVMw2RYsI[/youtube]
Someone asked me a question about the NCAA tournament that I can not find the answer to: Which school has the record for all-time victories over 1-seeds in the NCAA Tournament?
in a single Tournament I believe it is Arizona who knocked off 3 #1s in 1997(KU, UNC and UK), all time I don't know.
