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  1. #81
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Santa Cruz CA
    NW took care of Rutgers last night.

    Currently they sit around #40 in RPI, which is on the edge but should get then in as the last at large team in should be between the 40-44th ranked team by the committee. ~24 bids will go to AQs with RPI >60.

    Remaining schedule is in their favor. They have 8 home games left against 5 on the road and they have already played 2 of the top 3 Big10 teams on their schedule. #3 is MD and they get them at home on 2/15.

  2. #82
    Quote Originally Posted by BigWayne View Post
    NW took care of Rutgers last night.

    Currently they sit around #40 in RPI, which is on the edge but should get then in as the last at large team in should be between the 40-44th ranked team by the committee. ~24 bids will go to AQs with RPI >60.

    Remaining schedule is in their favor. They have 8 home games left against 5 on the road and they have already played 2 of the top 3 Big10 teams on their schedule. #3 is MD and they get them at home on 2/15.
    I watched last night and Northwestern's quest to make the NCAA field was a major topic by the announcers, who both thought they were on track to make it.

    Beating Rutgers at Rutgers is not the kind of win that really helps, but a loss would have really hurt -- Rutgers is one of the worst P5 teams in the country (maybe worse than Boston College).

    The next four games are big for the Wildcats -- three are at home against teams they can beat (Iowa, Nebraska and slumping Indiana). The one road game in this stretch is Ohio State, which is definitely vulnerable.

    Also watching Marquette to see if Wojo can get to the NCAA. I watched them lose a heartbreaker at Seton Hall on Jan. 1 -- they were up three with 30 seconds left, then gave up a six-point possession (a layup and a plus one ... missed FT, but offensive rebound and a follow and a plus one ... missed FT again and another follow shot). They did bounce back Wednesday night to beat Seton Hall in the rematch in OT.

    The odd thing is that Pomeroy rates Marquette (35) higher than Northwestern (37). But while I think Northwestern is in the field as of today, I think 11-5 (2-2 Big East) Marquette is out. Wojo's guys will have to turn it up to make the Dance.

  3. #83
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Brookfield, IL
    Quote Originally Posted by BigWayne View Post
    NW took care of Rutgers last night.

    Currently they sit around #40 in RPI, which is on the edge but should get then in as the last at large team in should be between the 40-44th ranked team by the committee. ~24 bids will go to AQs with RPI >60.

    Remaining schedule is in their favor. They have 8 home games left against 5 on the road and they have already played 2 of the top 3 Big10 teams on their schedule. #3 is MD and they get them at home on 2/15.

    NU is 3-1 on the road in Big Ten play & 0-1 at home.
    The Cats really need to get some home wins in this stretch.

  4. #84
    Quote Originally Posted by Olympic Fan View Post
    Also watching Marquette to see if Wojo can get to the NCAA. I watched them lose a heartbreaker at Seton Hall on Jan. 1 -- they were up three with 30 seconds left, then gave up a six-point possession (a layup and a plus one ... missed FT, but offensive rebound and a follow and a plus one ... missed FT again and another follow shot). They did bounce back Wednesday night to beat Seton Hall in the rematch in OT.

    The odd thing is that Pomeroy rates Marquette (35) higher than Northwestern (37). But while I think Northwestern is in the field as of today, I think 11-5 (2-2 Big East) Marquette is out. Wojo's guys will have to turn it up to make the Dance.

    Yeah, Wojo's team has talent (Especially Markus Howard small guard) but not much Muscle for the Big East

  5. #85
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Santa Cruz CA
    Quote Originally Posted by Olympic Fan View Post
    I watched last night and Northwestern's quest to make the NCAA field was a major topic by the announcers, who both thought they were on track to make it.

    Beating Rutgers at Rutgers is not the kind of win that really helps, but a loss would have really hurt -- Rutgers is one of the worst P5 teams in the country (maybe worse than Boston College).

    The next four games are big for the Wildcats -- three are at home against teams they can beat (Iowa, Nebraska and slumping Indiana). The one road game in this stretch is Ohio State, which is definitely vulnerable.

    Also watching Marquette to see if Wojo can get to the NCAA. I watched them lose a heartbreaker at Seton Hall on Jan. 1 -- they were up three with 30 seconds left, then gave up a six-point possession (a layup and a plus one ... missed FT, but offensive rebound and a follow and a plus one ... missed FT again and another follow shot). They did bounce back Wednesday night to beat Seton Hall in the rematch in OT.

    The odd thing is that Pomeroy rates Marquette (35) higher than Northwestern (37). But while I think Northwestern is in the field as of today, I think 11-5 (2-2 Big East) Marquette is out. Wojo's guys will have to turn it up to make the Dance.
    Wojo has a touch road ahead also. They have 2 games left against Depaul that they should(must) win. They have five games against teams sharing the middle of the conference rankings with them, but they have seven games against Butler/Xavier/Creighton/Villanova where they will not be expected to win. If they don't step it up, they will finish around 17-13(8-10) and they will probably be out. They need to elevate and take care of business on the teams equal or below them and pick up at least one win against the top 4 teams.

  6. #86
    Quote Originally Posted by BigWayne View Post
    Wojo has a touch road ahead also. They have 2 games left against Depaul that they should(must) win. They have five games against teams sharing the middle of the conference rankings with them, but they have seven games against Butler/Xavier/Creighton/Villanova where they will not be expected to win. If they don't step it up, they will finish around 17-13(8-10) and they will probably be out. They need to elevate and take care of business on the teams equal or below them and pick up at least one win against the top 4 teams.
    You are very astute, absolutely Right on.

  7. #87
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    New York, NY
    NW demolished Iowa wire-to-wire going on runs of 8-0, 14-1, and 20-1, finally winning by 35.

    Iowa isn't looking tourney-bound. But they're decent at #86 KenPom (ranking after the loss).

    Needless to say, NW was clicking on all cylinders.

    - Chillin

  8. #88
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Hot'Lanta... home of the Falcons!
    Now 4-2 in the conference and 15-4 overall. I can't believe the media isn't paying more attention to this. To repeat, NORTHWESTERN HAS NEVER BEEN TO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT!!



    -Jason "currently #38 in the RPI and #33 in KenPom" Evans
    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

  9. #89
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    In the Bracket Matrix dated 1/16/17, Northwestern is an 8 seed. They are in if they keep this up.

  10. #90
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    Now 4-2 in the conference and 15-4 overall. I can't believe the media isn't paying more attention to this. To repeat, NORTHWESTERN HAS NEVER BEEN TO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT!!
    I would expect NU alum Michael Wilbon to reference this at some point on PTI.

  11. #91
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Hot'Lanta... home of the Falcons!
    Quote Originally Posted by Troublemaker View Post
    I would expect NU alum Michael Wilbon to reference this at some point on PTI.
    In fairness, the 4 B!g wins for NW are Rutgers (136 KenPom), Iowa (86), Nebraska (83), and Penn St (80)... not exactly murderer's row. Their losses are to MSU (44) and Minnesota (38). What would probably get the media's attention would be a high profile win, like against Wisconsin (9), Purdue (15), Indiana (26), or Maryland (48, but 16-2 overall and ranked #25 this week). Anyway, a win against one of those teams that feel like perennial blue bloods would really get some attention. Ohio St (57) might also raise some eyebrows.

    -Jason "the B!G is fairly weak this year -- it will take being a couple games above .500 to get the selection committee's attention" Evans
    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

  12. #92
    BTW, Marquette suffered a devastating loss Monday night.

    They were in position for a gigantic win -- up 18 on No. 15 Butler at Butler. But they collapsed down the stretch and lost by eight.

    While Northwestern is currently on the good side of the bubble ... Marquette, while not out of it, is on the wrong side of the bubble at the moment.

  13. #93
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Quote Originally Posted by Olympic Fan View Post
    BTW, Marquette suffered a devastating loss Monday night.

    They were in position for a gigantic win -- up 18 on No. 15 Butler at Butler. But they collapsed down the stretch and lost by eight.

    While Northwestern is currently on the good side of the bubble ... Marquette, while not out of it, is on the wrong side of the bubble at the moment.
    Wojo is in a tough spot. Unlike Collins or Amaker, Wojo doesn't have the luxury of patience at a program like Marquette. Prior to Wojo, Marquette made the tournament 10 of 13 times. This is a program that has enjoyed basketball success in the last 20 years.
    Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill

    President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club

  14. #94
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    New York, NY
    Quote Originally Posted by flyingdutchdevil View Post
    Wojo is in a tough spot. Unlike Collins or Amaker, Wojo doesn't have the luxury of patience at a program like Marquette. Prior to Wojo, Marquette made the tournament 10 of 13 times. This is a program that has enjoyed basketball success in the last 20 years.
    I agree with your point but would like to highlight an important distinction.

    The Big East, IMHO, is not the conference it once was. Quite literally. Having lost defectors in the last great Conference Realignment, schisming in half with the (now) AAC with mainly the Catholic schools remaining, and including no (no?) Div-1 football programs, the Big East is not likely to command the sort of basketball allure that it once did, even as recently as a few years ago. With this in mind, programs like Marquette are destined to lose market share as the supply of basketball players substitute away in favor of more compelling schools/conferences/competition/visibility/etc. To compare Marquette's program 10 years ago to Marquette's program today is probably not fair. There's a reason Buzz jumped to Va Tech - a comparative ACC also-ran.

    To be clear, this doesn't mean that their fans will subscribe to this logic (they almost certainly won't). Nor does it contradict that Wojo is, in all likelihood, in a tough spot (he is).

    - Chillin

  15. #95
    Quote Originally Posted by ChillinDuke View Post
    I agree with your point but would like to highlight an important distinction.

    The Big East, IMHO, is not the conference it once was. Quite literally. Having lost defectors in the last great Conference Realignment, schisming in half with the (now) AAC with mainly the Catholic schools remaining, and including no (no?) Div-1 football programs, the Big East is not likely to command the sort of basketball allure that it once did, even as recently as a few years ago. With this in mind, programs like Marquette are destined to lose market share as the supply of basketball players substitute away in favor of more compelling schools/conferences/competition/visibility/etc. To compare Marquette's program 10 years ago to Marquette's program today is probably not fair. There's a reason Buzz jumped to Va Tech - a comparative ACC also-ran.

    To be clear, this doesn't mean that their fans will subscribe to this logic (they almost certainly won't). Nor does it contradict that Wojo is, in all likelihood, in a tough spot (he is).

    - Chillin
    Obviously, the Big East is not what it was before the ACC stole Syracuse, Louisville (actually, Louisville went from the Big East to the AAC to the ACC), Notre Dame and Pitt (and, before that, Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech)

    But the current Big East is still a legitimate power conference (in basketball, not football). It may be the nation's second best conference this season with defending national champions (Villanova), plus ranked teams Creighton, Butler and Xavier. There are also traditionally strong programs at St. John's and Georgetown, which do happen to be down this year ... and, of course, Marquette, which boasts a strong history - and very high expectations.

  16. #96
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    New York, NY
    Quote Originally Posted by Olympic Fan View Post
    Obviously, the Big East is not what it was before the ACC stole Syracuse, Louisville (actually, Louisville went from the Big East to the AAC to the ACC), Notre Dame and Pitt (and, before that, Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech)

    But the current Big East is still a legitimate power conference (in basketball, not football). It may be the nation's second best conference this season with defending national champions (Villanova), plus ranked teams Creighton, Butler and Xavier. There are also traditionally strong programs at St. John's and Georgetown, which do happen to be down this year ... and, of course, Marquette, which boasts a strong history - and very high expectations.
    It may be. But I think that's somewhat missing the forest for the trees. I'd be surprised to see them trot out this strong a conference perennially going forward. They're obviously not going to keel over and willingly cede ground in the college basketball arms race. I think it's going to be tough for them to maintain relative quality as the years progress and the "newness" of the "saved" Big East slowly wears off. You may very well be seeing it already as G'Town and St. John's are a combined 19-20 overall, 4-9 in conference. Down year for them, indeed.

    ETA - You're witnessing the first year of crazy competitive ACC ball (which we've been expecting for some years now). The B1G is down, I don't expect that to continue. The B12 has historically been on the strong side, and I see no reason to expect that to stop. And the SEC has had an influx of coaches with strong resumes recently - I'd expect them to slowly build that conference up from the Kentucky-only lows they've had in previous years. And the Conference of Champions has been unimpressive for quite some time as well, although Bill Walton may disagree. There have to be some winners and some losers. I'd expect the Big East to lose over time. But I could certainly be wrong.

    This could be a nice deep year for the Big East, sans G'Town and St. John's. Or it could just be the way the cards are falling. Only time will tell.

    - Chillin
    Last edited by ChillinDuke; 01-17-2017 at 06:02 PM. Reason: ETA

  17. #97
    This is interesting:


    http://www.freep.com/story/sports/co...ball/96665538/

    As her late father was a Duke graduate, her son is now in good hands, too.
    Nothing incites bodily violence quicker than a Duke fan turning in your direction and saying 'scoreboard.'

  18. #98
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    New York, NY
    #31 Northwestern (15-4) has #57 Ohio St (12-7) on Sunday, in Columbus.

    Road games are never easy, but I'd say this is the game that can definitively put them over the hump compared to prior years. Win this and they are comfortably in and probably Top-30 KenPom. Lose this and they're maybe still in but more bubble-ish. Plenty of basketball to be played so this game doesn't make or break anything, but it frames the backdrop of NW's tourney hopes quite well IMO.

    I expect the Wildcats to be 3-point underdogs when the lines post this weekend.

    - Chillin

  19. #99
    Quote Originally Posted by flyingdutchdevil View Post
    Wojo is in a tough spot. Unlike Collins or Amaker, Wojo doesn't have the luxury of patience at a program like Marquette. Prior to Wojo, Marquette made the tournament 10 of 13 times. This is a program that has enjoyed basketball success in the last 20 years.
    OTOH, Marquette's historical success helps recruiting.

    I'd rather be in Wojo's spot, than the spot Quin chose. There's serious pressure when your predecessor's name is on the court. Imagine succeeding Coach K.

  20. #100
    Quote Originally Posted by Jeffrey View Post
    OTOH, Marquette's historical success helps recruiting.

    I'd rather be in Wojo's spot, than the spot Quin chose. There's serious pressure when your predecessor's name is on the court. Imagine succeeding Coach K.
    I don't think Quin would trade his job at Utah for the Marquette position

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