This is another big weekend for B12 BB, with lots of the top teams in key matchups.

The standings should be interesting after today.

KSU @ #4 Houston (is KSU a contender or a pretender, road games are hard)
#7 KU at #23 ISU (both 4-2 in conference, the separation could begin today for one team)
#20 TT @ #11 OU (can surprising Tech retain first place? tough road game)
UT @ #21 BYU (BYU needs this home game to stay in the chase for a bubble birth, and so does Texas)
TCU @ #15 Baylor (BU in much need of a win)
UCF @ Cincy (Can the Bearcats right the ship and get back into the hunt? Home court)

and the battle for the bottom:
WVU @ OSU

Any predictions or expectations for today's slate of games?

The Athletic currently has 10 B12 teams in the tournament, with Cincy in the first four out, and UCF as next four out. Would be incredible for the league if that happened.

NET as of Jan 28:

1. Houston
5. BYU
10. Iowa State
14. Kansas
17. Baylor
26. Texas Tech
29. TCU
32. Cincy
35. Oklahoma
42. Texas
70. UCF
74. Kansas State
137. Oklahoma State
150. West Virginia

Newcomers:

4. Arizona
30. Colorado
37. Utah
118. Arizona State

As of the 28th posting, 10 teams in would be nice. (Don't see Texas left out at 42). If this was next year, there would likely be 11 teams in with AZ, Colorado and Utah.

(01-28-2024 04:02 PM)Endless Purple Wrote:  As of the 28th posting, 10 teams in would be nice. (Don't see Texas left out at 42). If this was next year, there would likely be 11 teams in with AZ, Colorado and Utah.

Most of the projections have K State in and Cincy either last 4 in or first 4 out. I think Texas is safe for now.

UCF has work to do but there’s a path for us too.

(01-28-2024 06:24 PM)BraveKnight Wrote:  UCF has work to do but there’s a path for us too.

2024 NCAA Bracketology: UCF March Madness Odds | January 29

Schedule insights
- According to our predictions, UCF gets the 82nd-ranked schedule in terms of difficulty the rest of the way.
- The Knights' upcoming schedule features two games against teams with worse records and nine games versus teams with records north of .500.
- Of UCF's 11 remaining games this year, it has seven upcoming games against teams ranked in the AP's Top 25.

https://www.wjhg.com/sports/betting/2024...cketology/

(01-29-2024 11:43 AM)CaliforniaCowboy Wrote:  

(01-28-2024 06:24 PM)BraveKnight Wrote:  UCF has work to do but there’s a path for us too.

2024 NCAA Bracketology: UCF March Madness Odds | January 29

Schedule insights
- According to our predictions, UCF gets the 82nd-ranked schedule in terms of difficulty the rest of the way.
- The Knights' upcoming schedule features two games against teams with worse records and nine games versus teams with records north of .500.
- Of UCF's 11 remaining games this year, it has seven upcoming games against teams ranked in the AP's Top 25.

https://www.wjhg.com/sports/betting/2024...cketology/

That site has no idea what it’s talking about. 82nd ranked strength of schedule? We had the 2nd hardest schedule as of last week according to ESPN. The top 14 was all B12 teams.

UCF was “next four out” the day before the Cincy game (which we were expected to lose). We are still in contention with a few more wins.

(01-29-2024 01:30 PM)BraveKnight Wrote:  

(01-29-2024 11:43 AM)CaliforniaCowboy Wrote:  

(01-28-2024 06:24 PM)BraveKnight Wrote:  UCF has work to do but there’s a path for us too.

2024 NCAA Bracketology: UCF March Madness Odds | January 29

Schedule insights
- According to our predictions, UCF gets the 82nd-ranked schedule in terms of difficulty the rest of the way.
- The Knights' upcoming schedule features two games against teams with worse records and nine games versus teams with records north of .500.
- Of UCF's 11 remaining games this year, it has seven upcoming games against teams ranked in the AP's Top 25.

https://www.wjhg.com/sports/betting/2024...cketology/

That site has no idea what it’s talking about. 82nd ranked strength of schedule? We had the 2nd hardest schedule as of last week according to ESPN. The top 14 was all B12 teams.

UCF was “next four out” the day before the Cincy game (which we were expected to lose). We are still in contention with a few more wins.

I'm guessing that either you do not know what "the rest of the way" means regarding schedule difficulty, or you didn't bother to actually read what it said and went into instant outrage mode.

UCF was done for good when they lost to Cincy.

I'm still leaning towards the Big12 only getting 9 teams into the Tournament. The early bracketology sites have KSU out, and UT & TCU in the "play in" games.

Most of the brackets do not put a lot of faith in the B12 teams, at this point.

but like I said, lots of BB yet to be played.

If UC does not make it perhaps we can win the NIT. We have NCAA Champ Banners but the best NIT we have is a 3rd place back when the NIT was the premier post season tourney.

(01-29-2024 06:39 PM)doss2 Wrote:  If UC does not make it perhaps we can win the NIT. We have NCAA Champ Banners but the best NIT we have is a 3rd place back when the NIT was the premier post season tourney.

nothing against the NIT, it a good tournament for those who have young teams that need more experience.

Other than that, it's irrelevant.

sometimes teams that do well in the NIT also do well the following season, but also, sometimes teams that did not even make the NIT do well the following season.

(01-29-2024 04:11 PM)CaliforniaCowboy Wrote:  

(01-29-2024 01:30 PM)BraveKnight Wrote:  

(01-29-2024 11:43 AM)CaliforniaCowboy Wrote:  

(01-28-2024 06:24 PM)BraveKnight Wrote:  UCF has work to do but there’s a path for us too.

2024 NCAA Bracketology: UCF March Madness Odds | January 29

Schedule insights
- According to our predictions, UCF gets the 82nd-ranked schedule in terms of difficulty the rest of the way.
- The Knights' upcoming schedule features two games against teams with worse records and nine games versus teams with records north of .500.
- Of UCF's 11 remaining games this year, it has seven upcoming games against teams ranked in the AP's Top 25.

https://www.wjhg.com/sports/betting/2024...cketology/

That site has no idea what it’s talking about. 82nd ranked strength of schedule? We had the 2nd hardest schedule as of last week according to ESPN. The top 14 was all B12 teams.

UCF was “next four out” the day before the Cincy game (which we were expected to lose). We are still in contention with a few more wins.

I'm guessing that either you do not know what "the rest of the way" means regarding schedule difficulty, or you didn't bother to actually read what it said and went into instant outrage mode.

UCF was done for good when they lost to Cincy.

I'm still leaning towards the Big12 only getting 9 teams into the Tournament. The early bracketology sites have KSU out, and UT & TCU in the "play in" games.

Most of the brackets do not put a lot of faith in the B12 teams, at this point.

but like I said, lots of BB yet to be played.

ESPN currently has UCF’s remaining strength of schedule as 8th. You clearly didn’t read what I said. We aren’t “done for”, all we need is an upset or two to be right in the thick of it. Will we do that? Probably not, but we aren’t finished yet. And the brackets have more faith in B12 teams than any other conference.

(01-27-2024 11:51 AM)CaliforniaCowboy Wrote:  UT @ #21 BYU (BYU needs this home game to stay in the chase for a bubble birth, and so does Texas)

Any predictions or expectations for today's slate of games?

I'm curious what makes you say that BYU is in the chase for a bubble birth? Most experts have them ranging from a 3 to a 7 seed. They seem to be solidly in. Now, anything can change if they lose a lot down the stretch or they have a major injury. But as it stands now, no one considers them a bubble team but says they are firmly in. So just curious what you're basing that on. Not being a jerk here; sincerely just curious so I can know where that comment is coming from.

(01-30-2024 12:38 PM)JamesNathan Wrote:  

(01-27-2024 11:51 AM)CaliforniaCowboy Wrote:  UT @ #21 BYU (BYU needs this home game to stay in the chase for a bubble birth, and so does Texas)

Any predictions or expectations for today's slate of games?

I'm curious what makes you say that BYU is in the chase for a bubble birth? Most experts have them ranging from a 3 to a 7 seed. They seem to be solidly in. Now, anything can change if they lose a lot down the stretch or they have a major injury. But as it stands now, no one considers them a bubble team but says they are firmly in. So just curious what you're basing that on. Not being a jerk here; sincerely just curious so I can know where that comment is coming from.

no offense intended. 1) I made that comment BEFORE you beat Texas. If you had lost to Texas, it's unlikely you would even be asking. 2) The B12 had 8 ranked teams which BYU is right there at the bottom. You have 6 of 12 remaining games against ranked teams. IMHO, you have little room for error with a team that lives and dies by the trey. The UT win was huge, as you said, and has the Cougs in a solid spot for now, but your conference record is 3-4, the same as several teams that likely will not make the tournament.

Perhaps I should have said playing to stay off the bubble, but it was a post written in haste, without a ton of thought on perfect wording. I wrote many sentences in that post, you took exception with only one sentence. I'd say I did a pretty good job with the post overall.

Don't take my one question and skew it as "taking exception." It's just a question.

They were 3-7 seeds in projections even before the Texas game. I just took my time in asking back :)

I think rephrasing it to "playing to stay off the bubble" works better. We don't have to agree. But with remaining schedule being less difficult than what BYU has already played, barring a total Lions-type collapse or a major injury I don't think you'll see BYU on anyone's "last 4 in" or "bubble" lists.

(01-30-2024 01:25 PM)JamesNathan Wrote:  Don't take my one question and skew it as "taking exception." It's just a question.

They were 3-7 seeds in projections even before the Texas game. I just took my time in asking back :)

I think rephrasing it to "playing to stay off the bubble" works better. We don't have to agree. But with remaining schedule being less difficult than what BYU has already played, barring a total Lions-type collapse or a major injury I don't think you'll see BYU on anyone's "last 4 in" or "bubble" lists.

BYU is going to end up finishing in the top half of the conference, and I'd say top 3rd is more likely. They'll be a borderline protected seed in the NCAA tournament. They've got some very winnable games coming up to move them up the standings after withstanding a pretty difficult start to the conference.