2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

[SanDakotaState]

Re: 2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

I thought USD had an opportunity to make a splash when they got matched up with Chattanooga in some tournament, they played a bad game against them and lost. Can't perform poorly against good teams if you want to make impressions. They played fairly well against Kansas, but lost at Kansas. This is the same reason the Jacks would, in all probability, be the Summit team that would garner the highest seed in the NCAA tournament, we have the best resume.

Kansas isn't even that good. They have a RPI of 95 and are in last in the Big 12.

[filbert]

Re: 2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

I thought USD had an opportunity to make a splash when they got matched up with Chattanooga (#2) in some tournament, they played a bad game against them and lost. Can't perform poorly against good teams if you want to make impressions. They played fairly well against Kansas, but lost at Kansas ( by 5 or 6 ?). We've had our stumbles , but we've had successes too, because we schedule tougher games. There's a reason for the SOS in figuring rpi, it's harder to win against quality opponents. This is the same reason the Jacks would, in all probability, be the Summit team that would garner the highest seed in the NCAA tournament, we have the best resume,and frankly,we've earned more consideration.

A win over Chattanooga this year would have been huge--absolutely immense for the national stature of USD's program. As I recall, that would have come not too long after Chattanooga had beaten Tennessee.

USD might have collected some AP/Coaches Top 25 votes this year if they'd pulled that one off, and been poised for one of those truly "magical" seasons.

[jackdaniel]

Re: 2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

Kansas isn't even that good. They have a RPI of 95 and are in last in the Big 12.

Maybe the only good thing they got from that game then was the opportunity to play against an all big 12 performer in Chelsea Gardner 6'3" F then. Another one of those tall athletic Texans like the Ogwumike sisters who starred at Stanford. Oh, I forgot, they played against her too (Chiney), as did we.We both lost to Stanford that year by the exact same margin,19 pts....which I thought was interesting.

[SanDakotaState]

Re: 2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

A win over Chattanooga this year would have been huge--absolutely immense for the national stature of USD's program. As I recall, that would have come not too long after Chattanooga had beaten Tennessee.

USD might have collected some AP/Coaches Top 25 votes this year if they'd pulled that one off, and been poised for one of those truly "magical" seasons.

I don't think so. They played no competition expect for Drake (maybe), Chatty and Washington. I think they could have had a better SOS with the team they have. I want to see the Yotes play OOC schedules like the Jacks.

I do agree that if they would have beat Chatty that would be a program changing win for them but unfortunately for them, they came up short.

[jackdaniel]

Re: 2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

A win over Chattanooga this year would have been huge--absolutely immense for the national stature of USD's program. As I recall, that would have come not too long after Chattanooga had beaten Tennessee.

USD might have collected some AP/Coaches Top 25 votes this year if they'd pulled that one off, and been poised for one of those truly "magical" seasons.

Tennessee has some good basketball teams it seems, if you include MTSU too.

[yoteforever]

Re: 2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

I don't think so. They played no competition expect for Drake (maybe), Chatty and Washington. I think they could have had a better SOS with the team they have. I want to see the Yotes play OOC schedules like the Jacks.

I do agree that if they would have beat Chatty that would be a program changing win for them but unfortunately for them, they came up short.

You follow other women's programs closer than I do, I'll give you that. When you say you wished we play a strength of schedule like SDSU, I'm not sure if it's done on purpose, or at the time of making the schedule you can't tell the difference. I looked at your schedule, then looked at ours, and quite frankly both teams are playing about the same amount of games against teams in top tier leagues, and mid major tiers, or at least close. I'm sure it's been difficult to get games and people to come to Vermillion. I don't know.

All that matters to me at the end of the day is the conference schedule and ultimately the tournament. When you play a round robin schedule, usually the best team comes out on top. I'm not crowing, because the race isn't over. We aren't used to playing for the trophy, so I don't know if nerves will come into play or not. For me, the other HUGE thing is KARMA. I know many of you don't believe in it, but I do. Last year at the tournament, the KARMA was squarely in our corner, and it played out that way. I sorta feel like the KARMA is now back in your corner, and your gals have something to prove. Many times in that scenario, the other team (USD in this case) play far more tentatively than they should, like your gals did last year. I think it's going to be interesting the last two weeks.

So I have an informal poll for you to participate in. What's more important to your fan base....

1.) Winning the conference title outright but not winning the tournament
OR
2.) Finishing 2-4th but winning the tournament and moving on to the dance, likely for one game

YFE

[GolfingYote]

Re: 2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

Only when the second place team's RPI is #61 and the top team's is 80.

Couple of things. I have no problem with SDSU being ranked ahead of USD in this poll. I mean it is a poll, it means litle to nothing. If I were a voter I would put state ahead of usd too, more quality wins against quality opponents, a handful of losses to quality teams.

The clear flaw in the poll is that, as I beleive Filbert mentioned as wel, most voters in this poll do not do the proper homework. Clearly name recognition and previous history play into this with those that vote. Just as reference, USD has a better RPI and similar sagarin than several teams ranked ahead of them, and beat a Drake team ranked ahead of both SD schools on the road.

Its alot like the polls in mens basketball, a loss by kansas doesnt drop them as far as say a a loss by Wichita state if both had similar records. At the end of the day, while is fun to look at and be recognized, what does it really mean? Not a whole lot.

[Jacks-02]

Re: 2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

1.) Winning the conference title outright but not winning the tournament
OR
2.) Finishing 2-4th but winning the tournament and moving on to the dance, likely for one game

YFE

No question in my mind. NCAA appearances are much more important than regular season titles.

[GolfingYote]

Re: 2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

Agree with you on the scheduling YFE, it will be a night and day difference for ease of scheduling when we are able to get teams to come to us and also being able to scheule home games before football season is over.

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: 2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

Agree with you on the scheduling YFE, it will be a night and day difference for ease of scheduling when we are able to get teams to come to us and also being able to scheule home games before football season is over.

Ummm...I wouldn't get too hopeful. SDSU has had those options the past few years and our teams/staffs complain about the difficulty in getting quality home games all the time - especially on the Men's side. The Women's schedule has only been better as AJ has done a good job of scheduling home and homes with quality power conference opponents and perennial successful mid majors. That has been possible due to the success of his program over the past ten years (not the past 1-2 years) and the name recognition that SDSU has built in WBB.

[Southeast]

Re: 2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

When you say you wished we play a strength of schedule like SDSU, I'm not sure if it's done on purpose, or at the time of making the schedule you can't tell the difference. I looked at your schedule, then looked at ours, and quite frankly both teams are playing about the same amount of games against teams in top tier leagues, and mid major tiers, or at least close.

High-quality, solid-reputation teams like BYU, Green Bay, Middle Tennessee, UALR and DePaul are the difference in the schedules between SDSU and USD. Sure, we both played some high-major teams but SDSU also faces a well-known, murders row of mid-majors that people who follow WBB nationally are familiar with. The fact that we went 3-2 against those schools helped maintain our own national reputation. Beating a ranked Arkansas team was icing on the cake.

I'm sure 100% of people will say that winning the Summit Tournament is the better of your two options. I think that's obvious. I must admit, however, watching SDSU beat the likes of Butler, Creighton, Minnesota and Indiana in last year's WNIT run was a lot more fun than watching the team go one-and-done in the NCAA's the few years. Big home court crowds and wins against big teams is a pretty nice consolation prize. I sure hope we can get in again if things don't work out in Sioux Falls.

[GolfingYote]

Re: 2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

I understand what you are saying. Oh yeah, I know the mens side is really tough. On the women's side, I am talking just being able to consistently get a creighton or a drake to come play in Vermillion. Right now we can barely do that. In general, its much easier to trade home and homes on the womens side with teams like that.

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: 2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

I understand what you are saying. Oh yeah, I know the mens side is really tough. On the women's side, I am talking just being able to consistently get a creighton or a drake to come play in Vermillion. Right now we can barely do that. In general, its much easier to trade home and homes on the womens side with teams like that.

No question it's easier for home and homes in the women's game. No way would Notre Dame be coming to Frost in men's basketball.

I think there is some similarities between women's basketball and wrestling. There is desire to grow the sport by all involved. That means the bigger conference schools are more willing to go on the road to showcase the sport.

Wrestling has had some big programs in Frost Arena. Bono commented in one of his Jacked Up segments that they won't go on the road to wrestle someone unless they are willing to come to Brookings to wrestle. I think AJ is able to do some of that too.

Men's basketball is just a completely different animal.

[rabidrabbit]

Re: 2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

SDSU has developed a reputation as a consistently great mid-major. USD didn't develop their D-I teams with the same "we'll play anybody, anywhere" mentality during their transitional years. Because of the continued success by SDSU, the Jacks WBB has been able to translate the willingness to play anyone, anywhere into we're a great road win, if you can get it, that has led to top programs being willing to make home/home arrangements.

USD started this season down that road to getting top 75 RPI teams onto their schedule. Hopefully, some of those are home/home, especially the midwestern powers like Creighton, Drake, UNI, Minnesota, and other top conference or top mid-majors. Having another 2-3 teams in the Summit who can go .500 in OOC vs teams who were post-season the year before would help launch Summit into becoming a WCC or A-10 WBB power league.

SDSU is there. USD, IUPUI, and at least one other team needs to be consistently in double digit RPI before we'll see two or more teams in the NCAA tourney.

Last year's WNIT run by the Jacks and going 6-1 vs B10, B-East should open doors. Stanford, Maryland, Baylor, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Kentucky are all testaments to what tough scheduling, and then some wins, will do for a program.

[jackdaniel]

Re: 2014-2015 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll

Opponents like to schedule teams that are challenging,can help them prepare for their own conference games,who they have a good chance to beat on the road in exchange for a win (probably) at home and are good enough to impress those who vote,maybe some media types too,and most important of all,if they lose ,the loss isn't seen as a big embarrassment .

It takes awhile to become that type of team, it takes wins against teams that are ranked and considered very good by those in the know.Most of all it takes winning,period.When you get to be that team,the scheduling becomes much easier.You have to make a reputation,any stumbles along the way ,sets you back some, so, you better recruit great players and mold them into the team you want,yr after yr, to keep building the program up,and not allowing it to slip backwards.That's what AJ does.