February 22, 2010
Tie-breaker situation in men's hoops
3:14 PM Mon, Feb 22, 2010 | Permalink
Brett Vito E-mail News tips

The standings in the Sun Belt Conference are pretty much a mess at this point in the season, so I put in a call to the league office to see for sure how the tiebreaker scenario sets up.

The way things look right now, it is possible for UNT, Troy and Middle Tennessee to finish in a three-way tie for the overall league title at 13-5 if all three win out.

UNT would win the West Division, while Troy and Middle would tie for the East Division title.

There would be a couple of ways to break the tie, but this is how the Sun Belt would approach that scenario -- all three teams would be involved in a three-way tiebreaker based on head-to-head meetings.

Troy would be 2-1 and would come out on top, UNT would be second at 1-1 and MTSU would be third at 1-2.

To me it would make a lot more sense to determine the division winners first because the division winners are supposed to get the top two seeds.

If everyone wins out, UNT would be the No. 2 seed behind Troy, even though UNT won the only head-to-head meeting, which doesn't make a lot of sense.

What makes even less sense is that the teams didn't play an equal number of games against each other. UNT played just two games against the other two teams, while Troy and MTSU both played three because they are in the same division.

UNT would essentially be penalized for playing fewer games against the other two teams. UNT won at Troy and lost at MTSU. UNT didn't play a single home game against either team.

The way this sets up essentially also completely discounts the divisions when it comes to seeding in this particular scenario.

Basically, it is possible for UNT to win the West outright, Troy to technically win the East after sweeping MTSU and the Mean Green to not win the conference title through the tiebreaker, despite winning the head-to-head matchup with the Trojans.

There is no good way to break a tie in a situation like that. Anyway you do it someone gets the short end of the stick. It looks like a distinct possibility that UNT could end up that team.

I suspect that next year with only 12 teams, the seeding will look just like the SEC Tournament (ie. resolve only the divisional standings and each spot is pre-assigned based on division finish) and the business of determining who gets the auto NIT berth will be determined by comparing the two division champs who will only meet one time.

(02-22-2010 05:00 PM)MeanGreen61 Wrote:  February 22, 2010
Tie-breaker situation in men's hoops
3:14 PM Mon, Feb 22, 2010 | Permalink
Brett Vito E-mail News tips

The standings in the Sun Belt Conference are pretty much a mess at this point in the season, so I put in a call to the league office to see for sure how the tiebreaker scenario sets up.

The way things look right now, it is possible for UNT, Troy and Middle Tennessee to finish in a three-way tie for the overall league title at 13-5 if all three win out.

UNT would win the West Division, while Troy and Middle would tie for the East Division title.

There would be a couple of ways to break the tie, but this is how the Sun Belt would approach that scenario -- all three teams would be involved in a three-way tiebreaker based on head-to-head meetings.

Troy would be 2-1 and would come out on top, UNT would be second at 1-1 and MTSU would be third at 1-2.

To me it would make a lot more sense to determine the division winners first because the division winners are supposed to get the top two seeds.

If everyone wins out, UNT would be the No. 2 seed behind Troy, even though UNT won the only head-to-head meeting, which doesn't make a lot of sense.

What makes even less sense is that the teams didn't play an equal number of games against each other. UNT played just two games against the other two teams, while Troy and MTSU both played three because they are in the same division.

UNT would essentially be penalized for playing fewer games against the other two teams. UNT won at Troy and lost at MTSU. UNT didn't play a single home game against either team.

The way this sets up essentially also completely discounts the divisions when it comes to seeding in this particular scenario.

Basically, it is possible for UNT to win the West outright, Troy to technically win the East after sweeping MTSU and the Mean Green to not win the conference title through the tiebreaker, despite winning the head-to-head matchup with the Trojans.

There is no good way to break a tie in a situation like that. Anyway you do it someone gets the short end of the stick. It looks like a distinct possibility that UNT could end up that team.

Does it necessarily follow that Troy gets the NIT slot?

(02-22-2010 06:20 PM)untgeorge Wrote:  Does it necessarily follow that Troy gets the NIT slot?

I would think so

I have news for everyone........... who says the last week's game results will be so predictable?

Methinks the 3 teams will not be tied, when it's all said and done.

Last place team in the East, FIU, has won games on the road at both MT and NT. Anything can and will happen this year in the SBC.

(02-22-2010 08:35 PM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  I have news for everyone........... who says the last week's game results will be so predictable?

Methinks the 3 teams will not be tied, when it's all said and done.

Last place team in the East, FIU, has won games on the road at both MT and NT. Anything can and will happen this year in the SBC.

Troys inconsistency on the road makes it a huge question mark. I'm just glad we have a shot at winning the conference at this point in the season.

(02-22-2010 01:41 PM)thetastygreek Wrote:  

(02-22-2010 08:05 AM)Hemi Man Wrote:  I'm not sure what the problem is here. The tiebreaker rules are as clear and easy to understand as the secondary bowl tie ins were last year.

If I could bump you a rep point, I would. But I already did for another brilliant joke you made during football season.

Still- Awesome.

Ill do it for you

It's odd to think that Troy is leading the conference with two games to go and that they could win out and not win the conference. Strange days in SBC basketball.

(02-23-2010 09:39 AM)Hemi Man Wrote:  It's odd to think that Troy is leading the conference with two games to go and that they could win out and not win the conference. Strange days in SBC basketball.

With no disrespect intended... It's even MORE bizarre to think that North Texas could win out, win our division, own the tiebreaker over the East champ, and NOT win the conference.

So, if WKU wins out, and MTSU loses one, would WKU get the 3 seed since we split with Troy and Troy swept MTSU? If that is true it makes no sense whatsoever since MTSU swept us...but I will gladly take it!!!

(02-23-2010 11:50 AM)thetastygreek Wrote:  

(02-23-2010 09:39 AM)Hemi Man Wrote:  It's odd to think that Troy is leading the conference with two games to go and that they could win out and not win the conference. Strange days in SBC basketball.

With no disrespect intended... It's even MORE bizarre to think that North Texas could win out, win our division, own the tiebreaker over the East champ, and NOT win the conference.

(02-23-2010 11:50 AM)thetastygreek Wrote:  

(02-23-2010 09:39 AM)Hemi Man Wrote:  It's odd to think that Troy is leading the conference with two games to go and that they could win out and not win the conference. Strange days in SBC basketball.

With no disrespect intended... It's even MORE bizarre to think that North Texas could win out, win our division, own the tiebreaker over the East champ, and NOT win the conference.

Yeah, that would pretty much suck

(02-23-2010 12:37 PM)CMJ Wrote:  

(02-23-2010 11:50 AM)thetastygreek Wrote:  

(02-23-2010 09:39 AM)Hemi Man Wrote:  It's odd to think that Troy is leading the conference with two games to go and that they could win out and not win the conference. Strange days in SBC basketball.

With no disrespect intended... It's even MORE bizarre to think that North Texas could win out, win our division, own the tiebreaker over the East champ, and NOT win the conference.

Yeah, that would pretty much suck

I think I just figured out the real reason Dr B left....

Whats so crazy about these tiebreakers is that all 3 teams named there have at least 1 difficult game left on their schedule and we are already talking about what happens when they win out

Admittedly UNT has the easiest road of anyone. but Middle winning at FAU and Troy winning at ASU are definately not certainties considering FAU and ASU's home records this year

(02-25-2010 12:22 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Whats so crazy about these tiebreakers is that all 3 teams named there have at least 1 difficult game left on their schedule and we are already talking about what happens when they win out

Admittedly UNT has the easiest road of anyone. but Middle winning at FAU and Troy winning at ASU are definately not certainties considering FAU and ASU's home records this year

TROY hasn't been the best on the road this year, but the dribble-drive has been looking pretty good lately...