Women's Basketball Bracketology has ZERO respect for our team

[BulldogDX55]

http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basketball/bracketology

http://i.imgur.com/JLjFroi.png

A six seed? We have only one kind of bad loss @Vandy (Which we avenged, brutally) and should win two of our last three (Bama, @SCar, OM), which would leave us at 26-5 with a chance at being 3rd in the conference. Any theories on the lack of respect?

[DawgInMemphis]

A 6 seed in a 32 team tourney is a lot better than a 6 seed in a 68 team tourney. Still probably seeded a bit low, but that's basically saying there are only 10 or so teams in the country "better." Not too shabby.

[TheRef]

Women's Basketball is a little weird. We were undefeated and never even sniffed the Top 10 earlier this year. What they are saying is the reason is our lack of a good non-conference schedule (which isn't exactly inaccurate). While it would have been better for us to host the first two rounds of the tournament (only done for the Top-4 seeds in each Region), I believe that we can make it on the road. All we can do is win the games that are placed in front of us, and battle in the SEC Tournament.

[TheRef]

A 6 seed in a 32 team tourney is a lot better than a 6 seed in a 68 team tourney. Still probably seeded a bit low, but that's basically saying there are only 10 or so teams in the country "better." Not too shabby.

It's a 64 team tournament...

[DawgInMemphis]

It's a 64 team tournament...

Really? Shows how much I follow women's BB. At one point was it a 32 team tourney? I'm getting old.

[TheRef]

Really? Shows how much I follow women's BB. At one point was it a 32 team tourney? I'm getting old.

I'm not sure about that, it very well could have been a 32-team earlier. But it is a 64 team tournament, 16 teams per region.

[Dawg496]

Even if it were 32 teams, how exactly is a 6 seed better in that format? If there are still four teams for each seed (i.e. four 1s, four 2s, etc), then there are still 20 teams seeded ahead of you, and 3 seeded the same as you (fellow 6 seeds). The scenario is exactly the same in a 64 team bracket.

[mparkerfd20]

Really? Shows how much I follow women's BB. At one point was it a 32 team tourney? I'm getting old.

You must be getting REALLY old seeing as how he laid out the whole bracket in his original post. haha

[maroonmania]

Even if it were 32 teams, how exactly is a 6 seed better in that format? If there are still four teams for each seed (i.e. four 1s, four 2s, etc), then there are still 20 teams seeded ahead of you, and 3 seeded the same as you (fellow 6 seeds). The scenario is exactly the same in a 64 team bracket.

Its not. A 6 seed is a 6 seed either way. I do find it hard to believe that there are 20 teams better than us so we should be at least 5, maybe even a 4. Would have made a lot of difference if we could have pulled out that KY game. Our seeding with KY might even be flip flopped.

[smootness]

If you click on the teams, it gives the rationale. And basically they just said they don't think we're a top 20 team. If you click on A&M, who we beat, it says they thought they were a top 20 team.

A&M is helped by the fact that they beat Duke non-conference, and also DePaul. Our West Virginia win isn't nearly as good now. And the UGA win isn't that great anymore, either, though A&M did lose to them.

So it looks like it's the non-conference schedule. Finish 2-1 and win a couple in the SEC Tournament, and I still think we have a chance to be a top-4 seed. Obviously if we were able to beat SC, we would be a lock.

ETA: Our RPI is 32; A&M's is 22. Yet again, in what is becoming a theme for MSU sports, our OOC schedule is what is killing us.

[DawgInMemphis]

Even if it were 32 teams, how exactly is a 6 seed better in that format? If there are still four teams for each seed (i.e. four 1s, four 2s, etc), then there are still 20 teams seeded ahead of you, and 3 seeded the same as you (fellow 6 seeds). The scenario is exactly the same in a 64 team bracket.

Guess it depends on the bracket, and whether or not you've got two 16 team divisions or four 8 team divisions. I thought that the women's tourney was comprised of two 16 team divisions - meaning there would only be 10ish teams ahead of you.

[maroonmania]

If you click on the teams, it gives the rationale. And basically they just said they don't think we're a top 20 team. If you click on A&M, who we beat, it says they thought they were a top 20 team.

A&M is helped by the fact that they beat Duke non-conference, and also DePaul. Our West Virginia win isn't nearly as good now. And the UGA win isn't that great anymore, either, though A&M did lose to them.

So it looks like it's the non-conference schedule. Finish 2-1 and win a couple in the SEC Tournament, and I still think we have a chance to be a top-4 seed. Obviously if we were able to beat SC, we would be a lock.

ETA: Our RPI is 32; A&M's is 22. Yet again, in what is becoming a theme for MSU sports, our OOC schedule is what is killing us.

Seriously, when was the last MSU team in ANY sport where the non-conference schedule was helpful?

[Liverpooldawg]

It's strength of schedule, period. More specifically it's the out of conference schedule. It for some reason has become the fashion in all sports to count your OOC schedule more than your in conference one. They do have a remedy coming up though. Beat South Carolina on the road and we get in the hosting conversation.

[smootness]

It's strength of schedule, period. More specifically it's the out of conference schedule. It for some reason has become the fashion to count your OOC schedule more than your in conference one.

Even with the in-conference schedule, our overall SOS this year is 92. A&M's is 38.

[TheRef]

Yeah the OOC schedule is what is killing us on here.

[Bigohh]

Yeah the OOC schedule is what is killing us on here.

In Vic's defense, of the 5 girls averaging 20+ minutes we have 2 freshmen, 2 sophomores and 1 senior. 2 other sophomores and 1 senior average 10+ minutes. I'm sure he didn't want to overschedule this very young team. I expect a much tougher OOC schedule next year.

[curmudgeon]

The NCAA Womens Selection Committee came out with a Top 20 seed list last week that was basically a list of teams that should get ready to host the first two rounds. It came out after last week's Bracketology, that had us a 4 seed.

We were not on the list of Top 20/potential host teams, so Bracketology, which has respected us, adjusted their seed lines.

[Dawg61]

Really? Shows how much I follow women's BB. At one point was it a 32 team tourney? I'm getting old.

They've even got a 3-point line now. Shocker right

[smootness]

In Vic's defense, of the 5 girls averaging 20+ minutes we have 2 freshmen, 2 sophomores and 1 senior. 2 other sophomores and 1 senior average 10+ minutes. I'm sure he didn't want to overschedule this very young team. I expect a much tougher OOC schedule next year.

Yeah, I agree. I'm not really upset with the scheduling, just explaining why we're seeded where we are.

Just beat South Carolina, and we'll be in.

[engie]

But all we have to do is win the games -- schedule strength doesn't matter**

I agree -- our RPI has suffered from our early scheduling. And I agree that this team probably didn't need to face a much tougher schedule than it had to. Next year, I'm expecting a tougher schedule to go with our increasing experience and expectations...

[TheRef]

But all we have to do is win the games -- schedule strength doesn't matter**

I agree -- our RPI has suffered from our early scheduling. And I agree that this team probably didn't need to face a much tougher schedule than it had to. Next year, I'm expecting a tougher schedule to go with our increasing experience and expectations...

Warren Nolan has our RPI at 32 and SOS at 91