March 5, 20188 yr Yeah, at 100% I would agree but they're still down 2 starters. Even so, they still have the one guy in the league that could go out and win a tournament game pretty much by himself...
March 5, 20188 yr Author Even so, they still have the one guy in the league that could go out and win a tournament game pretty much by himself... No doubt. But, if I'm the head of the Horizon League, I would want NKU or Wright State in the NCAA before this Oakland team.
March 5, 20188 yr No doubt. But, if I'm the head of the Horizon League, I would want NKU or Wright State in the NCAA before this Oakland team. I would too, but if there is one team in the league most likely to win a 2-15 type matchup, it's Oakland. That's why the whole premise is flawed...
March 5, 20188 yr I think a lot people feel that it is broken. Hits home because it's NKU but a lot of people dislike the conference tournaments. Really, what's not to like? Most tournaments are really competitive and you see plenty of great games in them as teams are fighting for their postseason lives.
March 5, 20188 yr My solution ... don't change a thing. At the start of post season play virtually every D1 basketball team has an opportunity to win the national championship. I say virtually because there may be a league or two where they exclude some teams from the tournament. If that is wrong, then every D1 team has an opportunity to win the title. For those who say the regular season doesn't matter, wrong! Your regular season play can get you in the tournament even if you lose your conference tournament. Play well against a challenging schedule in the regular season and you get a second chance. All the at large bids are second chances given to teams that earned them with their performance in the regular season. I like the system as is. No changes. As to NKU, they have zero wins versus quad 1 and quad 2. They are 0-5 in those games. Unfortunately they don't have a regular season resume that will get them a second chance. Wright State has a slightly better resume than NKU but they aren't getting in either.
March 5, 20188 yr This all comes down to shares of the NCAA kitty, and that comes down to how many Tournament games your league gets in the big event. Conference commissioners have tackled this issue countless times, and always come back to this -- we (meaning them) want the team playing the best in March to go to the dance on our behalf. Period. You have countless situations with injuries, suspensions, and the like where a team in March isn't who they were in January, both positive and negative. The Horizon's best chance to steal a 2nd game is that the team playing their best right now goes to the Tourney. All of the one-bid leagues have considered the old Ivy scenario of sending the regular season champion, and all have passed on that. Some one-bid leagues, like the Big South, have the 1-seed host the tourney, which is their way of doing what some of you want (reward the season-long champ), but still, upsets can and do occur. For bigger one-bid leagues, that feels very bush-league and most University Presidents won't consider that. Attendance at most one-bid league Conference Tourneys (especially the early rounds) is typically awful, but the money derived from sponsorships make it a net-positive solution for the leagues. Getting shares is why every conference coaches' meeting in America is so heavily-focused on how to get more bids -- it is a huge difference to a league to get more teams in, which therefore gives you the potential for even more shares.
March 5, 20188 yr Author I would too, but if there is one team in the league most likely to win a 2-15 type matchup, it's Oakland. That's why the whole premise is flawed... Oakland is 18-13, 10-8 in conference. They've lost to IUPUI and Youngstown State in the last month. They are not the same team they were in December or January. If they are a .500 team against the Horizon in the last month, they have little to no chance of beating a top 3 seed. NKU and Wright State are just much better teams right now. Yes, Nunn can "win a game by himself" but that is much more difficult when you have no one else around you, as the last month has shown. Check his and Oakland's scoring and shooting in the last month. Different team. Not as good. Not as dangerous.
March 5, 20188 yr Author Really, what's not to like? Most tournaments are really competitive and you see plenty of great games in them as teams are fighting for their postseason lives. Not sending your best team to the NCAA, having a great regular season mean nothing, being rewarded with a #1 seed but seeing no benefit in that, etc.
March 5, 20188 yr Author My solution ... don't change a thing. At the start of post season play virtually every D1 basketball team has an opportunity to win the national championship. I say virtually because there may be a league or two where they exclude some teams from the tournament. If that is wrong, then every D1 team has an opportunity to win the title. For those who say the regular season doesn't matter, wrong! Your regular season play can get you in the tournament even if you lose your conference tournament. Play well against a challenging schedule in the regular season and you get a second chance. All the at large bids are second chances given to teams that earned them with their performance in the regular season. I like the system as is. No changes. As to NKU, they have zero wins versus quad 1 and quad 2. They are 0-5 in those games. Unfortunately they don't have a regular season resume that will get them a second chance. Wright State has a slightly better resume than NKU but they aren't getting in either. Nothing will happen. But I think there is a discussion to be had about what the mid and small major conferences should do to send their best teams and what is best for them.
March 5, 20188 yr Nothing will happen. But I think there is a discussion to be had about what the mid and small major conferences should do to send their best teams and what is best for them. They have their chance to send their best team and their best team went and screwed it up.
March 5, 20188 yr So far 4 of the mid-lower level conferences have completed their conference tournaments. 3 of the 4 champions were the regular season champs. In the one that wasn't it was the #2 seed upsetting the #1 in the finals. Typically, the top team wins the conference tournament in most of these conferences. It sucks that NKU couldn't get the job done, but at the end of the day that's how it is. It benefited them last year, hurt them this year. No need for a change IMO.
March 5, 20188 yr Not sending your best team to the NCAA, having a great regular season mean nothing, being rewarded with a #1 seed but seeing no benefit in that, etc. By the same token, are they really your best team if they aren't winning this time of the year? What about the team that had a bad season due to injuries that is just getting everyone healthy...shouldn't they have a shot now that they are healthy to see how good they are? Bottom line it's a tough deal for the small conferences...I get that. But if any conference doesn't like it, they are welcome to cancel the tournament and send the regular season champ.
March 5, 20188 yr Author So far 4 of the mid-lower level conferences have completed their conference tournaments. 3 of the 4 champions were the regular season champs. In the one that wasn't it was the #2 seed upsetting the #1 in the finals. Typically, the top team wins the conference tournament in most of these conferences. It sucks that NKU couldn't get the job done, but at the end of the day that's how it is. It benefited them last year, hurt them this year. No need for a change IMO. Agree. Overall system isn't going to change. I like what those conferences do. The Horizon #1 seed hasn't won a single game in 3 years. Just think there's a better way to do it if you want to send your best team.
March 5, 20188 yr Oakland is 18-13, 10-8 in conference. They've lost to IUPUI and Youngstown State in the last month. They are not the same team they were in December or January. If they are a .500 team against the Horizon in the last month, they have little to no chance of beating a top 3 seed. NKU and Wright State are just much better teams right now. Yes, Nunn can "win a game by himself" but that is much more difficult when you have no one else around you, as the last month has shown. Check his and Oakland's scoring and shooting in the last month. Different team. Not as good. Not as dangerous. And still more likely to pull that upset than NKU and Wright State, who in the past 10 days have lost to IUPUI and Cleveland State at full strength. You not liking my answer doesn't change the reality of what I'm saying...
March 5, 20188 yr Author And still more likely to pull that upset than NKU and Wright State, who in the past 10 days have lost to IUPUI and Cleveland State at full strength. You not liking my answer doesn't change the reality of what I'm saying... Fair point. Everyone loses a bad game. Oakland's lost a bunch of them. Also, at full strength they lost to Kansas by 40+. Not saying that Nunn couldn't go for 40 and a top seed not play well and Oakland pull an upset but it's a lot less likely today than it was a month ago. This team has struggled all year. I'd take my chances with NKU or Wright State.
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