Lady Jacks deserve a WNIT Invite!!

[RodentiaX]

Re: Lady Jacks deserve a WNIT Invite!!

A lot will depend on how many regular-season champions win their conference tournament. In years past if you won won the regular season, but lost the tournament, you might make neither the NCAA tournament or the NIT. This year, it's different.

[NorCalJack]

Re: Lady Jacks deserve a WNIT Invite!!

Well, I DID say it was rudimentary bracketology . . .

You know from being around a while that I'm usually one of the more optimistic posters around here . . . I'm mainly trying to make the point that we'll need help to get into the WNIT--just winning out isn't likely to do it for us.  It's "necessary" but not "sufficient."

I don't think a rating in the 80's is going to do it for us.  There are fourteen conferences (as of last Sunday) that don't have a team in the top 64 of the RPI, that means that fourteen high-RPI teams get bounced into the WNIT, which means that eighteen sub-64-rpi teams will make it into the WNIT.  Eighteen plus 64 is 82.  If the highest we're rated in any rating system is 82, then we've got big problems getting into the WNIT.

We need to get into the 70's in one or more rating systems, I think.  I'm not sure how we can do that playing UC Riverside and a D-II school, unless lots of people lose games they're not supposed to lose.  We're the newbie on the block, we don't have name recognition, so really, we'll have to beat the door down in order to get in, I don't think we can barely squeak in.

About the only way I see is when the selection teams look at wins in the last 10 D-I games . . . we'd be 9-1 in our last 10 if we beat Riverside.  In retrospect, that loss at Brown may really, really, really come back to haunt us, as that's the game that's keeping us from finishing 10-0 vs. D-I.

A WNIT bid is not impossible, but it's a pretty high mountain to climb.

Well in the Sagarin ratings, they do predict the final ratings based upon future outcomes of the remaining games. Based on this "pedictor" rating, they think SDSU will finish at No. 77. Which will probably be good enough, if we win out.

You also mentioned us finishing 9-1, which is as good or better than any team eligable for the WNIT. All of the teams that will make the WNIT will be coming from a conference with an auto-bid to the NCAA. This means that they have to lose in their conference tourney. This guarantees a lose in there last game of the year. Therefore SDSU's 9-1 record would be the best record of any team eligable for the WNIT.

[89rabbit]

Re: Lady Jacks deserve a WNIT Invite!!

A lot will depend on how many regular-season champions win their conference tournament. In years past if you won won the regular season, but lost the tournament, you might make neither the NCAA tournament or the NIT. This year, it's different.

We all need to remeber that the NIT and WNIT are run by different organizations (NCAA and Triple Crown Sports respectively) and have different selection criteria.  I believe that being a regular season champ who loses in your conference tournament will not guarantee you a spot in the WNIT.


Go State!  ;D

[JBNJBQ]

Re: Lady Jacks deserve a WNIT Invite!!

The RPI number is just a guide.  It does not guarantee an invite to either the NCAA or the WNIT tournaments. That is why the WNIT has a selection committee to analyse the information availabe. They will invite teams that will generate the broadest base of interest and the most money for the tournament. There are a lot of reasons they might choose SDSU.

If the women win out:

1.  They will be the "unofficial" Champions of the DI Independent Conference (not eligible for an NCAA invite but certainly worth considering for WNIT).  I believe the tournament selection committee will want to have as many conferences represented as possible, to give the tournament broad base of interest.

2.  They will be 9-1 against DI competition the last 10 games of the year, beating last years WNIT Tournament invitee Texas A&M Corpus Cristie twice by 20+ during that stretch.  Corpus Cristie won their first round game last year and almost won their second round game.

3. They have beaten many big name schools not only this year but last year as well, almost all on the road.

4. Having won their first DII National Championship just 3 years ago, there is a "Cinderella Factor" that would get a lot of play especially if they do well in the tournament.  That translates to national interest which equals money for the tournament.

5.  Our attendance is right there with the tournament teams from last year. The Jackrabbit Nation has a history of backing their teams at home and on the road.

Let's hope the committee takes the time to do their homework.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D