Creme latest update

[Quaoarsking]

I don't think there's a women's version of the Bracket Matrix, so we've just got ESPN, updated just now:
https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/30423107/ncaa-women-bracketology-2024-women-college-basketball-projections

Against all odds, we remain as the last team in the field according to ESPN.

Ironically, we want to root for Green Bay (the first team out) to ... win tomorrow (!) because Green Bay would then take the Horizon autobid, and Cleveland State (who won the Horizon regular season) would not be getting into the tournament with their NET in the 80s. If Cleveland State wins, they might decide to give Green Bay (NET 53, though it would likely go down with a loss to Cleveland State) an at large bid themselves.

The only other team on the bubble still playing is Columbia, who plays Harvard in the Ivy League tournament on Friday. Columbia's NET is 54, and Princeton is 33, so ideally Princeton would win the tournament and Columbia left out.

For comparison, we finished 8-8 in the SEC and a NET of 48. Auburn (8-8, 45), Texas A&M (6-10, 41), and Vanderbilt (9-7, 55) are all on the bubble with us, and slotted in ahead of us according to the ESPN bracket.

[KOdawg1]

They don't deserve to be in honestly

[klong-dog]

yeah I won't lose sleep on this group of girls. Pretty terrible team down the stretch.

[Quaoarsking]

They don't deserve to be in honestly

I still don't understand why this negative, inferiority-complex mindset has infected our fanbase so badly. Just like in the men's tournament, they're not going to leave out a clearly "deserving" team to put us in. If we are in, it will be at the expense of someone with a similarly borderline resume.

There are 68 bids. If we have a resume that earns us one of the last few spots, we "deserve" to be in, period. It sucks that we had a chance to be a single digit seed and blew it, but that doesn't mean we deserve less than our full body of work has earned.

[KOdawg1]

I still don't understand why this negative, inferiority-complex mindset has infected our fanbase so badly. Just like in the men's tournament, they're not going to leave out a clearly "deserving" team to put us in. If we are in, it will be at the expense of someone with a similarly borderline resume.

There are 68 bids. If we have a resume that earns us one of the last few spots, we "deserve" to be in, period. It sucks that we had a chance to be a single digit seed and blew it, but that doesn't mean we deserve less than our full body of work has earned.
Cool.

It's not an inferiority complex.
It's the fact we lost 6 of the last 7 games. And yes, your resume is your whole body of work, but something has to be said of how you finish too. We've looked like a team that doesn't want to be there for the last month.

[Quaoarsking]

There's no such thing as "deserving" a bid or not in a vacuum. It's all about how you compare to everyone else vying for a bid.

If you compare our resume to the other bubble teams, I think our full body of work barely - barely! - warrants a bid. I won't be too surprised or upset if the committee has a different opinion, because like I said, we have barely earned one, but I don't think Green Bay, Washington State l, etc., have earned the bid any more than we have.

One thing I can guarantee that none of the other bubble teams' so-called fans are sitting around saying their teams don't "deserve" to make it, especially not without a thorough resume comparison.

[KOdawg1]

There's no such thing as "deserving" a bid or not in a vacuum. It's all about how you compare to everyone else vying for a bid.

If you compare our resume to the other bubble teams, I think our full body of work barely - barely! - warrants a bid. I won't be too surprised or upset if the committee has a different opinion, because like I said, we have barely earned one, but I don't think Green Bay, Washington State l, etc., have earned the bid any more than we have.

One thing I can guarantee that none of the other bubble teams' so-called fans are sitting around saying their teams don't "deserve" to make it, especially not without a thorough resume comparison.
None of those other teams have fans sitting around talking about who deserves to make the tournament because they probably don't even know they have a women's basketball team.

[Bothrops]

They don't deserve to be in honestly

Agree

[CaptainObvious]

There's no such thing as "deserving" a bid or not in a vacuum. It's all about how you compare to everyone else vying for a bid.

If you compare our resume to the other bubble teams, I think our full body of work barely - barely! - warrants a bid. I won't be too surprised or upset if the committee has a different opinion, because like I said, we have barely earned one, but I don't think Green Bay, Washington State l, etc., have earned the bid any more than we have.

One thing I can guarantee that none of the other bubble teams' so-called fans are sitting around saying their teams don't "deserve" to make it, especially not without a thorough resume comparison.

Green Bay won over Cleveland St. but they both essence to be in ahead of State. Until Cleveland St lost to Green Bay in the tourney final, they had won 12 straight games. State lost 6 of their last 7. No comparison there. They deserve to steal a bid, and if it is State's it will definitely be justified. Wash. State compares directly with State in that they sucked down the stretch just as badly.

[Quaoarsking]

Cleveland State is not even a bubble team with a NET in the 80s

[DawgFromOxford]

They don't deserve to be in honestly

Whether you believe it's deserved or not, it's good for the program and good for the school for the team to be a part of March Madness. Do I think we'll win a national championship with this team? No. Do I still want them to be a part of the tournament? Yes. Never know what can happen once you make the post season

[KOdawg1]

Whether you believe it's deserved or not, it's good for the program and good for the school for the team to be a part of March Madness. Do I think we'll win a national championship with this team? No. Do I still want them to be a part of the tournament? Yes. Never know what can happen once you make the post season

I never said it wouldn't be good for the program. Of course making the tournament is better than not. That's a silly counter argument

[viverlibre]

I still don't understand why this negative, inferiority-complex mindset has infected our fanbase so badly. Just like in the men's tournament, they're not going to leave out a clearly "deserving" team to put us in. If we are in, it will be at the expense of someone with a similarly borderline resume.

There are 68 bids. If we have a resume that earns us one of the last few spots, we "deserve" to be in, period. It sucks that we had a chance to be a single digit seed and blew it, but that doesn't mean we deserve less than our full body of work has earned.

Our fanbase is infected with this mentality. I'll never understand it. We need to build mindset of positivity, pride and superiority, unfortunately we have just the opposite. I never seen a fanbase tear down its players, university and town like State fans.

[CaptainObvious]

Well it is true that Alabama fans in the Stadium Roar just as loudly when they beat Middle Tenn State by 7 as they do when they beat a bigger team by 24. Maybe we should be more like Alabama fans. Cheer when our teams barely lose games they shouldn't lose at all like Bama fans cheer when they barely beat a team they really should beat by 40!

[KOdawg1]

Our fanbase is infected with this mentality. I'll never understand it. We need to build mindset of positivity, pride and superiority, unfortunately we have just the opposite. I never seen a fanbase tear down its players, university and town like State fans.
You should look closer at other universities then.

Mississippi State doesn't have fans any different than any other fanbase.

[Commercecomet24]

Our fanbase is infected with this mentality. I'll never understand it. We need to build mindset of positivity, pride and superiority, unfortunately we have just the opposite. I never seen a fanbase tear down its players, university and town like State fans.

Yeah, I've been in marketing a long, long time and it's always best to enhance your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. Everything has a spin, it's just how you spin it. Heck om knows how to play this game, they had a freaking half time tribute this past year for the sec west football co champions, even though that doesn't even exist. Heck you'd think om was the worlds best at everything the way they spin it but it's what you have to do. That being said all message boards are filled to brim with negative takes.

[viverlibre]

You should look closer at other universities then.

Mississippi State doesn't have fans any different than any other fanbase.

I have just as many rebelbearshark friends and family as I do MSU friends. They don't trash their players, town and university near to the point our fans do. They are all generally pulling in the same direction.

[KOdawg1]

I have just as many rebelbearshark friends and family as I do MSU friends. They don't trash their players, town and university near to the point our fans do. They are all generally pulling in the same direction.

Nah. You're being dramatic. You're a part of this fanbase so you get to see all of it, but MSU fans aren't any worse than any other fanbase.

[viverlibre]

Yeah, I've been in marketing a long, long time and it's always best to enhance your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. Everything has a spin, it's just how you spin it. Heck om knows how to play this game, they had a freaking half time tribute this past year for the sec west football co champions, even though that doesn't even exist. Heck you'd think om was the worlds best at everything the way they spin it but it's what you have to do. That being said all message boards are filled to brim with negative takes.

Great line, we have way too many fans, on both boards (I don't look at Genespage - if that is even still up) that maximize, and want to hone in on, our weaknesses, that think we are not deserving and want to press that mantra.

[Quaoarsking]

Portland stealing a bid will probably knock us out of the ESPN bracket.

[LC Dawg]

Latest update has us in the first four out.

[Commercecomet24]

Great line, we have way too many fans, on both boards (I don't look at Genespage - if that is even still up) that maximize, and want to hone in on, our weaknesses, that think we are not deserving and want to press that mantra.

I've always been more of a glass half full, focus on your strengths kinda guy. My mind has been trained for a long time to look at and focus on strengths while the same time recognizing weaknesses and working to make them strengths. I know everyone's not wired like that. Think about this in the last 30 years, State sports has accomplished the following: final 4 men's basketball, SEC west championship in football, played for 2 national championships in baseball and won one, played for back to back national championships in women's basketball and that's just the big stuff. We should be trumpeting the heck out of this stuff! I'd be putting stuff out left and right on this and our other successes. When you look at our recent history we've had a pretty successful go of it since the 90s

[viverlibre]

I've always been more of a glass half full, focus on your strengths kinda guy. My mind has been trained for a long time to look at and focus on strengths while the same time recognizing weaknesses and working to make them strengths. I know everyone's not wired like that. Think about this in the last 30 years, State sports has accomplished the following: final 4 men's basketball, SEC west championship in football, played for 2 national championships in baseball and won one, played for back to back national championships in women's basketball and that's just the big stuff. We should be trumpeting the heck out of this stuff! I'd be putting stuff out left and right on this and our other successes. When you look at our recent history we've had a pretty successful go of it since the 90s


No doubt, I've always said Keenum should have a room full to student writers pumping out fluff pieces about MSU and Starkville. Ton of websites, like Outkick (I see pro OM articles on it periodically) would post them just for content and clicks.

[Commercecomet24]

No doubt, I've always said Keenum should have a room full to student writers pumping out fluff pieces about MSU and Starkville. Ton of websites, like Outkick (I see pro OM articles on it periodically) would post them just for content and clicks.

Right and as much as I love State we need to get on board with marketing our athletic prowess. It doesn't take much to spit out blurbs, tweets, Instagram, etc...

[Quaoarsking]

3/16 update: https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/30423107/ncaa-women-bracketology-2024-women-college-basketball-projections

No change. Still first team out. There's no women's "Bracket Matrix" that I can find, and really not many women's bracketology sites at all. I found a couple of others:
2nd team out - The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/5345988/2024/03/16/womens-basketball-bracket-tennessee-seed/
Last 4 in - HerHoopStats: https://herhoopstats.com/bracketology/

Those 3 brackets are all pretty similar, but HHS having us in over Texas A&M as the only real difference. So somehow, against all odds, there seems like some faint hope for us. However, there are 2 games today that could crush those hopes:
Middle Tennessee plays Liberty in the CUSA championship game. Middle Tennessee with a NET of 41 should be in anyway, while Liberty with a NET of 134 won't be, so we really need Middle Tennessee to win, or the bubble shrinks by 1.
Princeton plays Columbia in the Ivy League championship game. Princeton with a NET of 37 should be in anyway. Columbia at 54 is a bubble team and could get in (though not projected in any of the 3 above brackets). We need Princeton to win.

[R2Dawg]

You should look closer at other universities then.

Mississippi State doesn't have fans any different than any other fanbase.

Yep we ain't no different but I think we are better than most.

[msstate7]

3/16 update: https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/30423107/ncaa-women-bracketology-2024-women-college-basketball-projections

No change. Still first team out. There's no women's "Bracket Matrix" that I can find, and really not many women's bracketology sites at all. I found a couple of others:
2nd team out - The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/5345988/2024/03/16/womens-basketball-bracket-tennessee-seed/
Last 4 in - HerHoopStats: https://herhoopstats.com/bracketology/

Those 3 brackets are all pretty similar, but HHS having us in over Texas A&M as the only real difference. So somehow, against all odds, there seems like some faint hope for us. However, there are 2 games today that could crush those hopes:
Middle Tennessee plays Liberty in the CUSA championship game. Middle Tennessee with a NET of 41 should be in anyway, while Liberty with a NET of 134 won't be, so we really need Middle Tennessee to win, or the bubble shrinks by 1.
Princeton plays Columbia in the Ivy League championship game. Princeton with a NET of 37 should be in anyway. Columbia at 54 is a bubble team and could get in (though not projected in any of the 3 above brackets). We need Princeton to win.


I have no idea if the committee does this or not, but if I were on it, I would most definitely have some changes from these projections. Maybe some on the committee will do sorta what I would.:: put someone like us in just bc haha

[Quaoarsking]

The Athletic actually had a full article on whether or not we will make it:
https://theathletic.com/5340823/2024/03/14/womens-basketball-bracket-watch-is-mississippi-state-in-or-out-the-factors-to-consider/

The writer doesn't have us in, but thinks we at least have a case for it. The NET is decent, the win over LSU is great, the 1-6 end to the season isn't good (though technically the committee isn't "supposed" to consider that at all), and we went 0-3 against bubble teams Vanderbilt, Miami, and Auburn and just lost handily to bubble team Texas A&M isn't great either.

[CaptainObvious]

Now if ESPN could get Jimmy Dykes slobbering all over Auburn's *****

[maroonmania]

Whether you believe it's deserved or not, it's good for the program and good for the school for the team to be a part of March Madness. Do I think we'll win a national championship with this team? No. Do I still want them to be a part of the tournament? Yes. Never know what can happen once you make the post season

What would be good for the program is to not totally collapse as a team at the end of the year. I don't know what all was going on internally with the team but in the last few games we were a shell of what we had been. No excuse for the way we ended the year. Only reason we got the one win in the last 7 was getting the worst SEC team at home.

[ZedFedder]

If the girls do not get in, they can only blame themselves.

[Leeshouldveflanked]

If the girls do not get in, they can only blame themselves.
Yep. They didnt play with much intensity after the LSU game.

[Quaoarsking]

3/16 update: https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/30423107/ncaa-women-bracketology-2024-women-college-basketball-projections

No change. Still first team out. There's no women's "Bracket Matrix" that I can find, and really not many women's bracketology sites at all. I found a couple of others:
2nd team out - The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/5345988/2024/03/16/womens-basketball-bracket-tennessee-seed/
Last 4 in - HerHoopStats: https://herhoopstats.com/bracketology/

Those 3 brackets are all pretty similar, but HHS having us in over Texas A&M as the only real difference. So somehow, against all odds, there seems like some faint hope for us. However, there are 2 games today that could crush those hopes:
Middle Tennessee plays Liberty in the CUSA championship game. Middle Tennessee with a NET of 41 should be in anyway, while Liberty with a NET of 134 won't be, so we really need Middle Tennessee to win, or the bubble shrinks by 1.
Princeton plays Columbia in the Ivy League championship game. Princeton with a NET of 37 should be in anyway. Columbia at 54 is a bubble team and could get in (though not projected in any of the 3 above brackets). We need Princeton to win.


Both Middle Tennessee and Princeton won, so that's good news.

6 of these 10 teams will make the tournament, assuming no shockers:
Probably Safe - Auburn, Miami, Vanderbilt
More Likely In Than Out - Marquette, Arizona
?? - Texas A&M, Mississippi State
Probably Out - Columbia, Penn State, Washington State

[Commercecomet24]

Both Middle Tennessee and Princeton won, so that's good news.

6 of these 10 teams will make the tournament, assuming no shockers:
Probably Safe - Auburn, Miami, Vanderbilt
More Likely In Than Out - Marquette, Arizona
?? - Texas A&M, Mississippi State
Probably Out - Columbia, Penn State, Washington State

Thanks for keeping up with this for us! Please keep posting updates cause I can't keep up with all this like you young uns!

[basedog]

I was excited early in conference play bout our WBB team. Now I’m wondering bout a few things. Can Purcell regroup this bunch, can he control locker room, can he coach them up. He is young and hopefully he can learn and adjust. Got to be tougher.

[Reunion Dog]

Who cares? He is just gonna get out coached and jump up and down like a male cheerleader does.

[Quaoarsking]

Final update:
Still 1st team out at ESPN
Swapped spots with Columbia to be 1st team out at The Athletic
Still Last Four In on HHS


No idea if any of these are working with inside information from the committee or are just making things up.

[Quaoarsking]

Both Middle Tennessee and Princeton won, so that's good news.

6 of these 10 teams will make the tournament, assuming no shockers:
Probably Safe - Auburn, Miami, Vanderbilt
More Likely In Than Out - Marquette, Arizona
?? - Texas A&M, Mississippi State
Probably Out - Columbia, Penn State, Washington State

Update: CBS projection now out: https://www.cbssports.com/womens-college-basketball/news/womens-bracketology-final-predictions-for-march-madness-field-of-68-uconn-edges-out-lsu-for-no-2-seed/

It's a little different from the other 3. They have Last 4 In: Washington State, Marquette, Penn State, Miami, and Last 4 Out: Texas A&M, Mississippi State, California, Arizona

[Quaoarsking]

And here's one from "College Sports Madness" updated through today: https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/womens-basketball/bracketology

It doesn't list a First 4 out, but it has IN the First 4 along with Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, and Miami with Auburn out.

[Quaoarsking]

Compiling those 5 brackets, these are the % that have each bubble team in. Only 6 teams from this list will make it, with 4 playing in the First Four.

100% Miami
100% Vanderbilt
100% Marquette
80% Auburn
80% Arizona
60% Texas A&M
40% Mississippi State
20% Washington State
20% Penn State
0% Columbia
0% California

Verdict - I doubt we make it, but it's not as unlikely as I think we all expected it to be.

[Quaoarsking]

Selection show comes on in 2 minutes

[Quaoarsking]

Texas A&M is in, which isn't a great sign for us, just because they were right on the bubble line with us.

[Quaoarsking]

Half the bracket revealed, nothing much to say so far. No disasters, but not good signs either.

[Quaoarsking]

Columbia getting in is a dagger to us.

[Quaoarsking]

I think we're out. Auburn/Arizona and Vanderbilt/Columbia are the First Four matchups.

[SteelCurtain74]

Tennessee and Alabama will probably be last two SEC teams. Can't see 9 SEC teams getting in.

[Quaoarsking]

We're out. Bummer.

[99jc]

Purcell needs to kick ass instead of buddy buddy with these girls. Note Vic and Texas #1 seed

[tcdog70]

When you shit the bed you stay at home

[KOdawg1]

I guess we didn't deserve to be in.

*ducks for cover*

[MetEdDawg]

Got a 2 seed in the NIT. Tells me we may have been further off than others might have thought.

[Quaoarsking]

Yep, not a 1 seed in the WBIT (a new tournament that takes the place of the WNIT, even though the WNIT apparently still exists), so we probably weren't even close:

https://twitter.com/hoopfeed/status/1769535635985948883