Ohio and Akron looking like they could get a real good seed come March. A MAC team that can go 15-1 regular season typically gets a 12 seed. If they are given a 13 seed that will be against a weak 4. Ohio drew last year, but both Akron and Ohio are better than last years Ohio team. Ohio is stronger and a deeper bench. The starters aren't getting burned out.

(01-29-2013 02:01 AM)OhioBobcatJohn Wrote:  Ohio and Akron looking like they could get a real good seed come March. A MAC team that can go 15-1 regular season typically gets a 12 seed. If they are given a 13 seed that will be against a weak 4. Ohio drew last year, but both Akron and Ohio are better than last years Ohio team. Ohio is stronger and a deeper bench. The starters aren't getting burned out.

Actually a MAC team going 15-1 has typically gotten a 10 seed, since that has only happened once, Kent State in 2002.

If Akron or Ohio goes 15-1 and wins the tourney, bet they will be in the same position ... that Kent team started 4-4, btw.

2002 Kent St. was 17-1.

(01-28-2013 09:50 PM)DICK Wrote:  

(01-28-2013 09:01 PM)OhioBobcatJohn Wrote:  Enough time for 2 more Ohio wins and be pair with Wichita State

IF, and that is a big IF, OU beats EMU and then goes to Akron and wins on Saturday, you would deserve it. Same could be said of the Zips if they win at BG and then beat Ohio.

why is either one of these scenarios a BIG if? at best, they both seem to me like a medium if, and in Akron's case, perhaps even a small if.

(01-29-2013 09:56 AM)bobcat_backer Wrote:  

(01-28-2013 09:50 PM)DICK Wrote:  

(01-28-2013 09:01 PM)OhioBobcatJohn Wrote:  Enough time for 2 more Ohio wins and be pair with Wichita State

IF, and that is a big IF, OU beats EMU and then goes to Akron and wins on Saturday, you would deserve it. Same could be said of the Zips if they win at BG and then beat Ohio.

why is either one of these scenarios a BIG if? at best, they both seem to me like a medium if, and in Akron's case, perhaps even a small if.

Akron is a home team. Ohio is a road team.

(01-29-2013 01:38 PM)FearMyRoo Wrote:  

(01-29-2013 09:56 AM)bobcat_backer Wrote:  

(01-28-2013 09:50 PM)DICK Wrote:  

(01-28-2013 09:01 PM)OhioBobcatJohn Wrote:  Enough time for 2 more Ohio wins and be pair with Wichita State

IF, and that is a big IF, OU beats EMU and then goes to Akron and wins on Saturday, you would deserve it. Same could be said of the Zips if they win at BG and then beat Ohio.

why is either one of these scenarios a BIG if? at best, they both seem to me like a medium if, and in Akron's case, perhaps even a small if.

Akron is a home team. Ohio is a road team.

No, i get that. i meant why is it a big if for either Akron or Ohio to go undefeated this week. i don't think it is for either team, and i think Akron has an even bigger chance of doing it than Ohio does. that's all i meant.

But there is no team that Akron can draw that will make a difference. If Ohio could get Wich. St., it would be a major coup. If they could beat them, of course.

Kent was a 9 seed in 2008 at 15-3

Keith Dambrot interviewed with Andy Katz about an hour ago, and he said that Akron is willing to switch to being a road team if it means a better match up.

If it's possible, they should do it. There are no road teams who will help Akron at all. Volunteer to go to Wich. St. Really, there are no rules here and it's the last year. Make something about the BracketBuster interesting this year besides one game.

Akron badly needs a road win vs. a quality team (i.e. top 30) and as it stands now, they have almost no chance of getting into at-large range.

I was able to avoid actual work this morning, and the best I can figure, not counting a BB win, Akron has a top RPI of about the mid-40's and that is winning out until the MAC tourney final. This is why they need to move heaven and earth to get a trip to Wich. St. Getting a road win at #26 (currently) would be enough to push Akron into the top 40, which enters the at-large discussion.

The problem they face is that they have no quality road wins (top 50) and only a home win vs MTSU that builds the resume. Getting pounded at Creighton doesn't help, and the loss at Detroit was another wasted opportunity. Also, the remaining schedule has only TWO games left vs. teams in the top 200! (KSU #194 at home--no help--and @Ohio #91--not much help.) The MAC is just so far out of the national discussion this year when a good number of non-Big 6 teams are having notable seasons. The MAC is currently #17 in RPI behind the Sun Belt, the Ohio Valley, and even the other MAAC. Oh, what times are these.

Akron is #54 in the RPI today. That is a bubble team RPI.

If Akron can run the table in the regular season (including a good bracket buster opponent) but lose in the MAC final to Ohio which also runs the table outside of 2 losses to Akron, Akron would have a pretty strong resume for an at-large.

Its a bunch of what if's and if Akron is that good they'll probably just win the MAC tournament anyways. Ohio will probably go 12-4 in the MAC and lose in the conference tournament final.

If you've got to figure chances for winning the MAC tournament are 50% Akron and 30% Ohio......there is like a 1/3 chance that if Ohio wins Akron's resume will be strong enough for that at-large. Maybe a 10% chance at 2 bids for the MAC maximum.

No, #54 is not in the at-large discussion unless the discussion is "that team: no!" Not even close. Almost no mid-majors above 40 have ever received an at-large and I believe none over 50 have ever received an at-large. (Air Force in 2006 had a 50-RPI.) A number of major conference teams have gotten in with RPI's over 50 The MAC and many other mid-major conferences have had several teams in the 30's not get at-large bids. Missouri St. was #21 in 2006 and no bid (note that this was the year AF got in @ 50). They were #36 the next year and no bid. KSU had a #36 RPI in 2000 and no bid. Miami once had a #33 RPI and no bid.

Akron needs a game vs. a tourney team on the road and needs to win it, something that is not currently on their schedule.

The year that WMU and EMU both went to the NCAA's back in the late 90's WMU had an RPI in the 50's.

One factor that hurts the MAC is they no longer look at the last 10 games a school has played so a major conference school can go 4-6 yet with a #30 RPI is in while a mid major at #38 going 8-2 could be left out.

(02-03-2013 12:01 PM)axeme Wrote:  Akron needs a game vs. a tourney team on the road and needs to win it, something that is not currently on their schedule.

If they can beat Ohio on the road and they make the tourney....

You are being dense. It doesn't matter if they beat Ohio, or KSU, or EMU. Those teams making the tourney does not help Akron.

As for WMU, that was 15 years ago. The selection process, the RPI calculation itself, and the history of selecting mid-majors has changed since then.

Coach Dambrot's reported offer to ESPN for Akron to accept a road game
in the BracketBuster is probably predicated on Akron playing @ Witchita
State or @ St. Mary's. There is more to this than meets the eye. In part,
switching to a road game is aimed at getting a stronger opponent in the
BrackBuster this year. More so, is the return game next year or the year
after when the Zips will be an even stronger team. This is a well calculated
tactic aimed at improving Akron's future schedule.

Axeme really enjoys making up facts about the NCAA tournament.

Facts are facts. You want to explain how a 45+ RPI team from the MAC with no marquee road wins gets an at-large bid? I'd be happy to hear your support for that concept. You think how teams were selected 15 years ago is relevant today? Great. I don't, which is why I didn't include them.

There is no reason to lose your cool about it. We're all just guessing here anyways.