Thursday night rubik's cube

[zooropa]

Re: Thursday night rubik's cube

Know what?

Some last second heroics helped SDSU out last night. Seems like a nice bit of payback, since last second heroics have cost SDSU this year.

[Just in the crowd]

Re: Thursday night rubik's cube

NDSU has locked up the #1 seed with a victory over Centenary, they hold the tiebreaker with OR with their sweep of IUPFW.

[rabidrabbit]

Re: Thursday night rubik's cube

Best bet without running through all scenarios is SUU beating the Gents on Saturday. SUU is pretty good at home and the Gents are sliding.

Then it's just a matter of our buddies up north beating the Gents next Thursday and then the Saturday game will not be a make or break game. The Gents would have 12 losses going into the game and the most the Jacks can end up with is 11.

The main possibility of being excluded from the play-offs is if there are 5 teams tied at 7-11 at the end of the regular season. That would be a "tie" from 6-9 position. SDSU can find itself on the outside looking in in that situation.

Centenary is the ONLY team that is likely to have 12 losses prior to the last night. We really will be much better off if Centenary does not win at Cedar City.

[jackmd]

Re: Thursday night rubik's cube

The main possibility of being excluded from the play-offs is if there are 5 teams tied at 7-11 at the end of the regular season. That would be a "tie" from 6-9 position. SDSU can find itself on the outside looking in in that situation.

Centenary is the ONLY team that is likely to have 12 losses prior to the last night. We really will be much better off if Centenary does not win at Cedar City.

As it pertains to qualifying for the tournament this is true. As it pertains to our position in the tournament an its applicability to the eventual ultimate success, this scenario does not bode well for us.

I'm pulling for Centenary over SUU. The Jacks need to take care of business on their end and knock Centenary off regardless. If we lose our way in we'll lose our way right back out.

[zooropa]

Re: Thursday night rubik's cube

If we lose our way in we'll lose our way right back out.

Ah yessssss..... I believe that's what's known as Childress' Law.

(BTW: I'm a long suffering and crabby Vikings fan.)

[BTownJack]

Re: Thursday night rubik's cube

NDSU has locked up the #1 seed with a victory over Centenary, they hold the tiebreaker with OR with their sweep of IUPFW.

Not if they lose to ORU.

Per NDSU's post in the 0-16? thread here.

[NoVaJack]

Re: Thursday night rubik's cube

As it pertains to qualifying for the tournament this is true. As it pertains to our position in the tournament an its applicability to the eventual ultimate success, this scenario does not bode well for us.

I'm pulling for Centenary over SUU. The Jacks need to take care of business on their end and knock Centenary off regardless. If we lose our way in we'll lose our way right back out.

This is a valid point of view, but in my mind is refutable on two levels given where the Jacks have been, where they are going, and where the tournament is being played:

1. Long view: Will the '08-'09 season be seen as a success in any way if the Jacks do not make the tournament? Given where the program was a year ago, will it be a success if they are playing in Sioux Falls irrespective of the seed?


2. Short (and some long) view: Those invoking Childress's law, I submit the Arizona Cardinals of the not-too-distant past. They stunk something awful at the end of the regular season, backed in, and they sparked serious debates over whether or not they even belonged in the playoffs. They ended a half minute from the Lombardi Trophy.
You never know in a tournament, seeded eighth or fifth or first. Would you want to be an NDSU, knowing this might be your last chance for awhile with this senior laden team, facing in the first round a young team that has steadily been playing better, in front of a huge hometown crowd?
Think the Bison might be a little tight in that first rounder?

The fact that this tournament is in Sioux Falls and not in some distant place makes getting into the tournament a virtual must for the overall status of the Jackrabbit program. It will help with recruiting and it will boost the morale of the current players, build a level of expectation even in what we hope will soon be seen as a down year. So to me, anything that gets you there is not just good, it is vital for the Jacks' overall progress, and that dwarfs any debate over seeding. And if they are there, of course they deserve to be there; they'll have earned it by winning more games than other teams or winning games against tougher opponents.

Of course Jacks should win two and make this discussion moot. But anything that helps get us to the warmup dance before the big dance - well, I say, go SUU and NDSU, beat Centenary!

The biggest disaster would not be a lowly eighth seed, but to not be in the mix in Sioux Falls when Summit comes to town.
This would be a moral loss, - more devestating than a modest moral victory given where the program has been been. You can't dream of playing North Carolina if you are sitting at home watching Centenary play NDSU on your virtual home court.

[zooropa]

Re: Thursday night rubik's cube

Arizona didn't back in, though. They actually (snicker snicker) WON their division (snort, snort, chortle) and clinched a playoff spot in (IIRC) week 13!! All you NFC North fans, just be glad that there's an NFC West to make you feel good about yourselves. As they say in Arkansas, "Thank God for Mississippi!"

Philly's the team that backed in......

[jackmd]

Re: Thursday night rubik's cube

The biggest disaster would not be a lowly eighth seed, but to not be in the mix in Sioux Falls when Summit comes to town.
This would be a moral loss, - more devestating than a modest moral victory given where the program has been been. You can't dream of playing North Carolina if you are sitting at home watching Centenary play NDSU on your virtual home court.

I don't disagree at all with most of what you have said. However, I don't believe not making it would be as devastating as some might think. I think SDSU and men's basketball at SDSU will be just fine regardless. Certainly I prefer the men make the tourney and win the damn thing and play in the big dance where we would almost certainly be the 65th team in.

I don't mean to be argumentative, I just like to be. Looking forward to seeing both the men and women Jackrabbits at the Summit Tourney in S.F.

[NoVaJack]

Re: Thursday night rubik's cube

I don't disagree at all with most of what you have said. However, I don't believe not making it would be as devastating as some might think. I think SDSU and men's basketball at SDSU will be just fine regardless. Certainly I prefer the men make the tourney and win the damn thing and play in the big dance where we would almost certainly be the 65th team in.

I don't mean to be argumentative, I just like to be. Looking forward to seeing both the men and women Jackrabbits at the Summit Tourney in S.F.

What makes the Forum go around, J-MD!!!