I will never be confused with a Nebraska basketball fan. This is known.
However, even I have to acknowledge the job that Doc Sadler has done over the past week with the Husker basketball team. Back to back wins over ranked teams (K St and Texas A+M) has put NU on the watch list for the Big 12 tournament as a team that Texas and Kansas won't want to play. At 5-7 in the Big 12, if Nebraska can get to .500 the NIT is probably a lock. The win over Texas A+M is the real eye opener. K St lost yesterday even though they got 44 from Beasley so Nebraska's win over them was diminished a little. However, going to down to College Station and winning was REALLY impressive. Cookie Miller's injury looked like a death nail for the team in a tight game but the Huskers managed to pull it out with great defense down the stretch. First time in 9 years that NU has won back to back games vs. ranked teams. Now let's see how they handle success against Oklahoma at home this week.
Right before Nebraska got their big win, Creighton shocked me by winning at Oral Roberts in the Brackbuster. Booker Woodfox has become the MVP of the team and his 3 point shot with just seconds left put the Jays up for good. The team played with energy and fire and wanted the game more than ORU. Sure, the Golden Eagles couldn't hit the broad side of a barn from 3 but that's basketball. The Jays RPI went from 71 to 53! (Kenpom.com) They now have a HUGE game on Wednesday in Normal to worry about.
Enough with the stupid polls about who would win right now between Nebraska and CU. That game was already played and we can debate the programs next November. Let's just enjoy the fact that both programs are playing well right now and could be in the picture for the postseason....even if that postseason isn't the NCAA's.
Sidenote - The Valley might be staying in the Bracketbuster if they keep on going 8-2 in the thing. Big wins for CU and Drake pushed the Valley's average RPI above the A-10 (kenpom.com) - 88 to 91
21 comments:
Well Matt, I must say I have to give you a little credit here. To admit that Nebraska is playing pretty well right now and Doc Sadler may actually be a quality coach is nothing short of jaw-dropping!
If Nebraska wins their remaining 4 games and goes down to Kansas City and hammers out a win, we will be in the Big Dance. If Nebraska goes 3-1 in their next 4 games (loss being to Texas) and goes down to Kansas City and gets 2 wins we also will be Dancing.
Chances of either of those scenerios actually happening are very slim. However...with the way Nebraska is playing you just can't entirely rule it out.
More than likely we will be in the NIT. I won't be complaining. Although I really wish the refs wouldn't have taken the Baylor and the Mizzou games from us. I just hope one day that Nebraska can break the bad karma.
There is still a long way to go before you put Nebraska in the NIT.
They are bubble team for the NIT right now. As I said, at 5-7 they have a chance to get in but they have some bad losses and a SOS that is not good.
NCAA's is out...unless they win the Big 12 Tourney.
The NCAA's are out for Creighton unless they win the MVC tourney. NU could go 3-1, then win 2 at the Big 12 tourney and would most likely be in. That would be 21-10 and showing a very strong finish down the stretch, not to mention being in the top half of the Big 12.
neither creighton nor nebraska are playing in the NCAA tournament unless they win their conference tournaments. it is very simple.
Someone tell me how NU is going to go from the BUBBLE of the NIT to in the NCAAs....it's just not going to happen.
It's called playing in the Big 12 and winning 7 of your last 9 games.
Matt,
It's not going to happen. I'm just saying that the Big 12 is a 5 bid league this year. I think we know the 4 who are going for sure. But Oklahoma and Baylor are fighting for that 5th spot. If Nebraska won out they would be 4th or 5th in the conference and would stand a good shot providing they win a game in KC.
I'm not sure this team is capable of putting 4 more wins in a row down against teams like Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Texas. I'm just saying if that did, in fact, happen, I will make for a joyful Selection Sunday. Our RPI would skyrocket if we won out.
With that said, we aren't a lock for the NIT just yet either. We have to win a few more games to get an invite. I think an NIT invite is probably what will happen and I will be happy with it.
according to rpiforecast.com
20-9 68.1 2.50% (4-0)
19-10 82.6 21.07% (3-1)
18-11 98.4 42.85% (2-2)
17-12 118.1 28.86% (1-3)
16-13 139.3 4.71% (0-4)
NU is not going to the NCAA unless they
a) beat Texas
or
B) advance to the finals of the BIG 12 tourney
Even a 3-1 regular season finish levels their RPI in the 80s.
Even though, I consider AM over-ranked. Road wins against above average teams are good. A 3-1finish and a couple of wins in KC, will be a great building block for next year.
matt, not at all saying it's going to happen, but IF Nebraska does go 3-1 to finish the season, and the way the rest of the team's schedules look, there's a strong possibility NU would be tied for 5th in the conference with maybe Oklahoma and/or Texas A&M, in which case NU would hold the tiebreaker. NU would then play Colorado, and if they win would probably play an evenly-matched Baylor team. If NU somehow did all this and lost in the semis, they would be 21-11, going 7-3 in their last 10, and a 5th place finish in the Big 12 with a semis appearance in the tournament and if the other 3 teams are the 1,2,3 seeds...how can you deny Nebraska?
Unlikely it will happen that way, but just sayin, winning the conference tourney wouldn't be the only way NU could get in, unless of course they lose 2 of their final 4 games.
i am not a nebraska fan but i live in omaha, love basketball, really like doc sadler and i generally root for whichever team is playing against creighton. that being said, nebraska has no shot at making the tournament unless they win it all in the big XII tournament. 9 of their 16 wins are against absolute pud teams. beating colorado to end the season would only get nebraska a split with the last place buffs. there are too many teams which would be in line ahead of nebraska who won't even get bids and have to settle for the NIT. too little too late from the huskers. however, it will be nice when they start beating creighton and making NCAA tournament appearances along with the bluejays. perhaps the next match up will be as soon as the NIT for the two nebraska schools.
NU 3 straight against teams in the top half of the Big 12. This might turn into a nightmare for you Matt if they win 2 of the next three and are on the bubble of the NCAA. Creighton blew their chance of an at large bid tonight. Doc will own Dana shortly, just a matter of time!
Every time you shoot your stupid mouth off Creighton tanks. Keep it up sports douche.
Your RPI is 93. Come on people...you are not on the bubble. When asked if there is ANY senario for NU to get an at large bid - Jerry Palm of CollegeRpi.com said "No, None."
realistic basketball fans don't believe nebraska has a shot. people are just happy that doc is having such success and doing so well this early with undersized and mediocre athletes. you can't blame people for noticing that doc and nebraska are building something to work with over the next few years while dana and the bluejays are struggling to maintain their perch as the premier coach and team of the mo valley. people can become ill when hearing all of the love thrown out for dana and creighton on BigDorks590 radio. they have to laugh when dana is squeezed not only by tim jankovich, keno davis and chris lowery for best mo valley coach but also now by doc sadler and nebraska for best coach and team in the state currently. these two teams are on a collision course for the NIT and if nebraska wins people will rise up in a huge backlash against the arrogant and disillusioned creighton fans who are seemingly jumping off the bandwagon by the dozens currently. GO JANKOVICH! so great to watch illinois state pound creighton both times this year with a first year coach who knows how to play big time basketball.
Matt,
RPI isn't the end all be all of college basketball. I know mid-majors love the RPI because it makes their penis seem bigger than it actually is, but I'm not so sure that Nebraska couldn't play themselves in.
Wins over Oklahoma State, Texas, and Colorado and winning a game or two in the Big 12 Tourney would really skyrocket our rpi.
Look, I don't think none of us are saying it will happen, we are just hoping it does. Either way, I think we are all very proud of this Husker team even if they come up short.
RPI schmar PI, don't you get it, it's not that important these days.
You telling me if Nebraska finishes 4th in the Big 12 (unlikely) and makes it to the finals of the Big 12 tournament (unlikely) that they wouldn't get an at-large bid? Please.
it would be nice for nebraska to get a look but you have to take into account the number of pud teams which make up their 17 wins. about 7 of their wins are against very lowly opponents. to difficult to overcome the schedule and some of their losses. there are several other teams with similar records but much better schedules who will also not get invited and have to play in the NIT. nothing wrong with the NIT for nebraska this season.
no, don, there is nothing wrong with NIT. But you're kidding yourself if you think some pud non-conference wins would cancel out a 4th or 5th place finish in the Big 12 (regarded as one of the best this year) and a semis appearance in the conference tourney. We'd get serious consideration if we are the 5th team in the Big 12 and make the Final 4 in the tourney. Big 12 should get at least 5 bids this year.
I'd just like to say look at the last 4 in on Bracketology and compare Nebraskas record vs top 50 rpi top 100 rpi and quality wins vs their wins, and tell me that we don't deserve it as much as New Mexico, Davidson, Ohio St, or UAB.
Just to help everyone out hopefully its ok when i paste it here being that it was written in another document.
Nebraska (17-9, 6-7) (94, 113)
- Won vs Oregon (55), vs Kansas St. (43)@ Texas A&M (42)vs Oklahoma31),
lost @ Colorado (166), @ Iowa St. (137)
- Play in Big 12 which is #2 RPI Conference, 3-4 vs top 50, 7-7 vs top 100
Last Four In:
1. New Mexico (22-7, 9-5) (54, 144) - No big wins,
Lost @ New Mexico St. (132), @ TCU (188)
- Play in Mountain West which is #9 RPI Conference, 0-4 vs top 50, 5-5 vs top 100
2. Davidson (21-6, 19-0) (44, 151) - No big wins,
Lost @ W. Michigan (110), @ Charlotte (104)
- Play in Southern Conference which is #20 RPI Conference, 0-3 vs top 50, 0-4 vs top 100
3. Ohio St. (17-11, 8-7) (49, 31)
- Won vs Syracuse (50), vs Florida (51),
Lost @ Iowa (174), @ Michigan (171) - Play in the Big 10 which is #6 RPI Conference, 1-9 vs top 50, 4-9 vs top 100
4. UAB (20-8, 10-3) (55, 112)
- Won @ Kentucky (57),
Lost @ Georgia Southern (106), @ Wichita St. (194), @ Marshall (125), @ S. Miss (151) - Play in CUSA which is #10 RPI Conference, 0-1 vs top 50, 5-3 vs top 100
New Mexico - The win they have against the highest RPI team is #62 Texas Tech, whom we also beat. They lost @ 132 and @ 188, we lost @ 137 and @ 166. They have 0 wins agains the top 50, we have 3. Advantage NU
Davidson - Their highest win is against #106 Georgia Southern. They have 0 wins against the top 100 vs four losses and we are 7-7. They play in the Southern conference, we play in the Big 12. Advantage NU
Ohio St. - Their best win is over #50 Syracuse at home. Ours is over #31 at home. Their best road win is over #80 Cleveland St., but ours is over #42 Texas A&M. They have lost to #174 and #171, which is worse than our losses to #166 and #137. They are 1-9 vs top 50, we are 3-4. They are 4-9 vs top 100 and we are 7-7. Advantage NU
UAB - Their best win is @ #57 Kentucky vs our best road win which is at #42 Texas A&M. They have 4 bad losses, the worst being to #194 Wichita St. They have no wins vs the top 50, we have 3. They are however, 5-3 vs the top 100, while we are 7-7. Advantage NU
So looking at that if we beat OSU on the road it would be a decent win especially after they took down Kansas at home. Lose to Texas would be ok, beat colorado and win 2 in the Big XII tourney, tack on another quality win, and a semi-final finish I don't know, our resume looks a lot better than Lunardi's last 4 in.
How quickly you go from dreams of being in the top 6 to have to play in the first day of the Big 12 tourney. What is it going to take for you clowns to realize that the number of people at a basketball game is determined by the number of people that go through the turnstiles.....PERIOD. And anoher thing, if CU's numbers are inflated, then anyone else is doing it too so it all balances itself out in the end. You guys just don't get it. CU has won 8 of the last 9 in the regular season and you guys still act like you have a leg to stand on. Maybe if your savior Doc would put the same importance on every game, your players would play a little harder. The minute that guy said that the CU game was the 17th most important game three days prior, he should have goten fired. Is that suppossed to motivate his players? Well you got waxed in a game that was only the 17th most important, how do you like them apples!! Just another 20 win season for CU and another bottom four finish for NU. Oh and lastly, I LOVE CU BASKETBALL and I LOVE NU FOOTBALL. See you all at the spring game.
You're an idiot. Running Nebraska smack like a moron yet come fall your going to be the "biggest Nebraska fan ever".
Guess what, when you play in a real conference and have to compete against real teams like Kansas, Texas, and Texas A&M, playing a team from the MVC just isn't bigtime. I realize that may be the biggest game to you Omaha Dental fans, but it most certainly isn't to us.
You can act like Doc is nothing all you want, but he is 1-1 so far against Dana "WooPigSooie" Altman despite taking over a program with the talent level of Evansville. Doc's going to consistently beat Creighton...maybe that's the reason for your insecruity.
In a few weeks, Nebraska and Creighton will probably play again. So, you can still be an anti-Nebraska fan for a few more weeks before you dig out those old red clothes and be a "big fan" of the Huskers again.
Moron.
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