Western at #23 Middle Tennessee Thoughts/Predictions

WKU takes on MTSU in Murfreesboro for the regular season championship and #1 seed on CBSSN at 8PM ET. Supposed to be a sellout 11k+ crowd at MTSU with at least 2k+ WKU tickets sold. There isn't a more significant in the country game being played Thursday. 2nd highest rated KenPom matchup in the country (after UofL@UVA).

MTSU @ 26 in RPI. If WKU can pull off this win and add another tier 1 school to their NCAA tournament resume, WKU can likely get an at large bid if they reach the conference championship game.

WKU takes on MTSU in Murfreesboro for the regular season championship and #1 seed on CBSSN at 8PM ET. Supposed to be a sellout 11k+ crowd at MTSU with at least 2k+ WKU tickets sold. There isn't a more significant in the country game being played Thursday. 2nd highest rated KenPom matchup in the country (after UofL@UVA).

 

 

MTSU @ 26 in RPI. If WKU can pull off this win and add another tier 1 school to their NCAA tournament resume, WKU can likely get an at large bid if they reach the conference championship game.

Appreciate anyone who drops a KenPom "thrillscore" ranking into a post.

MTSU by about 5, if I had to guess.

Would certainly be a great road win for WKU if they can pull it off.

The funniest thing about this is that MTSU is ranked.

WKU needs to win this, and make the conference tournament title game, and drop that to MTSU to have any chance at an at-large bid.

The funniest thing about this is that MTSU is ranked.

Correct, pure silliness.

MTSU is another that probably doesn't get in if they don't win their conference tournament. WKU is their best win. They only have the one bad loss (@Marshall).

WKU has bad losses to Missouri State, @UTSA, Ohio, and Wisconsin. They do have a really good win over Purdue on a neutral floor, but that by itself won't do it IMO.

Don’t see how MTSU being ranked is silly? They are right where there RPI is.

Don’t see how MTSU being ranked is silly? They are right where there RPI is.

They have played one ranked team this season and lost. Quite frankly, them being top 30 in the RPI makes me understand why we changed to Quadrant wins for NCAA Tournament purposes.

Don’t see how MTSU being ranked is silly? They are right where there RPI is.

You love KenPom, they are 42nd there...just as an aside.

They have played the 94th best schedule..which will go up a little after playing WKU.

ONE top 50 win. ONE. (WKU)

They are projected by nearly everyone to be a 9-11 seed in the NCAA -- a team that is legitimately one of the 25 best in the USA isn't in that seed conversation. No one thinks they are that good.

Their best out of conference win is at Murray State.

Good points. They have played well against the schedule they have. That’s all you can ask. Beat a couple SEC teams too. Best road record in the country. I hate MTSU but these are facts. They also get the benefit of the doubt of having two straight years of beating top teams in the NCAA tournament.

WKU takes on MTSU in Murfreesboro for the regular season championship and #1 seed on CBSSN at 8PM ET. Supposed to be a sellout 11k+ crowd at MTSU with at least 2k+ WKU tickets sold. There isn't a more significant in the country game being played Thursday. 2nd highest rated KenPom matchup in the country (after UofL@UVA).

 

 

MTSU @ 26 in RPI. If WKU can pull off this win and add another tier 1 school to their NCAA tournament resume, WKU can likely get an at large bid if they reach the conference championship game.

It is true that MTSU can clinch the regular season title and top seed - it is not true of WKU. They’d be tied with a game to go. WKU would still have to either win Saturday at UAB, or have MTSU lose to Marshall. WKU does have an advantage that the second tiebreaker will favor them, which is record against the next highest team. They are 2-0 against ODU which will beat MTSU’s 1-0.

It is true that MTSU can clinch the regular season title and top seed - it is not true of WKU. They’d be tied with a game to go. WKU would still have to either win Saturday at UAB, or have MTSU lose to Marshall. WKU does have an advantage that the second tiebreaker will favor them, which is record against the next highest team. They are 2-0 against ODU which will beat MTSU’s 1-0.

Yes you are correct. Maybe I could have been more specific. If WKU wins, they win championship as long as they beat UAB.

MTSU opens as 4 point favorites.

Good points. They have played well against the schedule they have. That’s all you can ask. Beat a couple SEC teams too. Best road record in the country. I hate MTSU but these are facts. They also get the benefit of the doubt of having two straight years of beating top teams in the NCAA tournament.

No one is cutting on MTSU. They are a fine mid-major team. They just aren't a top 25 team in America.

Tops win. Honestly, I'm more worried about the game at UAB then this one.