What would be wrong with a rule like CFB has -- .500 or above to go to postseason. In this instance, .500 or above IN YOUR CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON to go to postseason. That is something each team controls. If you are not .500 in your own conference, you better win the tourney.

 

BTW -- how many sub-500 regular season conference teams have made the NCAA tourney?

And those teams have no better argument for being IN than anyone can make for someone like a Murray being left out.

 

Except multiple wins against teams in the Top 100 in the country, and in most cases, in the field.

 

Murray is a nice story, and everyone loves when the little guy has a shot at the big guy, but you have to have some (any) compelling argument given the way the teams are measured and evaluated. Murray has none. I can't even believe we are having this conversation a week later. There are more compelling little guys than Murray, who had better resume's, but I don't see anyone pining for them. LaTech has a better RPI, more Top 100 wins, and played a better schedule...they most assuredly would have made it before Murray. Green Bay had a higher RPI, more top 100 wins, a better schedule, and a MUCH better non-conf schedule...also would have received a bid before Murray.

 

Winning 25 straight against the bottom-third of D1 isn't a feat to anyone but Murray fans. Is it great they never stubbed their toe at some 200+ level team? Sure. Doesn't make them a tourney team.

 

As I said last week, the mistake they made was not going on the road and playing more high-level teams for a paycheck. Instead, they chose to play a regional schedule with only a couple of exceptions, and in those exceptions, they didn't fare very well. Go play on the road at lower tier power teams where Murray's RPI will help them, and you have a chance at stealing a win. Plus you pick up $50-$75k for your troubles.

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Not for nothing, many feel like KenPom does as good a job as anyone at statistically ranking the teams based on their offensive and defensive efficiencies in such a way that it truly represents the most accurate ranking available. Every program I have been around uses KenPom rankings regularly within their program.

 

According to their ranking this morning, Murray State is the 23rd best team....that didn't make the field. Again, not the be all, and end all, but just another example that they weren't on the cusp of the field.

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Not for nothing, many feel like KenPom does as good a job as anyone at statistically ranking the teams based on their offensive and defensive efficiencies in such a way that it truly represents the most accurate ranking available. Every program I have been around uses KenPom rankings regularly within their program.

 

According to their ranking this morning, Murray State is the 23rd best team....that didn't make the field. Again, not the be all, and end all, but just another example that they weren't on the cusp of the field.

Probably because he asked for legitimate reasons, not just reasons... UC Davis won their league... St. Francis won theirs... South Dakota St.... NC Central... The list goes on. Winning your regular season league title isn't a realistic measure of small division 1 conferences.

 

But going undefeated in it and dominating it is, no matter who it is. The SEC is horrible this year as a power conference, but I don't see them lining up saying UK is any less the team because of it.

 

I get it. Murray is a relative no body out side of the state. I went there. I know that. BUT, those of us in the know, know just how good they can be and just how good they have consistently played in the NCAA tournament when they get there. I just personally think the NCAA tournament is lessor on interest and intrigue when they constantly let the underperforming major conference teams in and leave the good performing little guys out.

So because they went undefeated in one of the worst conferences in the country and won 25 straight against atrocious competition they deserve to be in? Sorry, but that's just Illogical.

 

Murray wants to have a shot, spend some money and join a halfway decent mid major. Join the MVC or A10, or CUSA. Otherwise win your conference tournament.

Best team in their conference....Congrats, they want a cookie? The OVC is atrocious.

 

25 game win streak....Their best win was Illinois State. The same Illinois State team that lost twice to 15-16 Indiana State. The same Illinois State team that lost to 12-21 Southern Illinois.

 

Lost on a prayer....Not sure what that has to do with them deserving an at-large. Should every team that losses in the conference title game be given a bid?

 

Most improved team...By who's metrics? Yours? There's no way to gauge that. What we do know is they played the toughest part of their schedule at the beginning of the year, where they got blown out by the only remotely above average teams they played all year. Was it that they improved, or that the competition just sucked?

 

I'm looking at Dayton, Ole Miss, BYU, and Boise State....All 4 have resumes that to the unbiased eye are HEADS and SHOULDERS better than Murray State. BYU - win @ Gonzaga. Dayton - wins @VCU and Ole Miss. Ole Miss - wins against UC, @ Oregon, and @ Arkansas. Boise State - season sweep of San Diego State. Every single one of those is more impressive than anything Murray State did. When the most impressive items on your resume are blowout losses, it's clear you aren't deserving.

 

UCLA - beat Oregon, Utah, & swept Stanford. Again, you have to play someone.

 

Murray State needs to realize it isn't in a position to demand these mid-major to major conference teams play them in home and home series or neutral court deals. They have to take what they can get, and when they get opportunities (Xavier & Valpo this season) they can't afford to get beaten like a JV team. That's the thing. They win one of those two, and they very well may have got in. They didn't just lose, they got embarrassed by both. I don't care if they got better as the year went on. So did those teams, and most teams do.

 

Same Illinois State that just beat Wichita...if you're going to point out flaws, at least do them the service of recognizing their accomplishments as well...but that'd mean you'd have to be less pompous.

We get it, you're a front runner kinda guy.