Sweet 16 Teams With Losing Records

[madman]

The Sweet 16 never claims to have the best 16 teams. Only the best teams from "16 regions". Every region gets to offer their champion to the Sweet 16 to contend for the title. And - over the course of a long basketball season - sometimes the best team in a region takes a lot of early losses...particularly if they have early injuries. It's all about how you end your season...and sometimes, the best team in the region at the end of the year was pretty pedestrian early in the year...

 

Never said anything about the Sweet 16 having the best 16 teams in the state. Some regions have several. All I'm saying is that it's not always the best teams from each of the 16 regions or even close to the best. Not bashing anyone. Just saying that's it's hard to believe that a team with a 13-17 record could be the State Champion! Again, I guess that is what make KY basketball special or different than the others.

[DragonFire]

According to the Sweet 16 program from last year, Shelby Valley is indeed the worst team ever to make it. The previous worst was Scott County in 1984 who went 13-16. 17 losses entering the tournament equals the record set by Mercer County in 2000.

[King James]

And Shelby Valley will be the worst team in the Sweet 16, but for this season just making it there is a HUGE accomplishment. After graduating everything, this year's team surprised everyone in making it back to Rupp. I'm sure they will struggle mightly at Rupp and people will say "How did this team win a regional tournament?', but we will still be very happy with how things turned out...

[Jim Schue]

Didn't Cumberland make it with a losing record a few years before the Harlan merger?

[madman]

When's the last time a Sweet 16 had the top 16 teams in the state? Answer is 'Never'. With a large portion of the top teams in the state being from Louisville and Lexington, you will never have teams 1 through 16 in the Sweet 16. Personally, I feel that's what makes the Sweet 16 so sweet. You should no doubt have some of the best teams in the state there, but it's also exciting to see what Cinderella has to say when she shows up to the dance. Having Shelby Valley return makes for a great story anyhow. What a success story since last year they were the cream of the crop and this year shaky at best, and still pulled it together to get it done! Amazing that they are still around to try to defend their title. Post season is all about survive and advance no matter how your season went.

 

I never said that the Sweet 16 had the top 16 teams in the state. Just used the NCAA seedings as an analogy. Unbelievable that a 13-17 team could even be considered as a challenger for the championship much less in the running for the championship. Again, I guess that's what makes KY basketball unique and different than everyone.

[04sportsfan05]

Nothing against Shelby Valley, but are they the best team in the 15th Region? Like I just said, I have absolutely nothing against Shelby Valley, I just dislike the current Sweet Sixteen format.

 

Shelby Valley won their tournament just like every other Regional chapion did this year, so therefore, they are the best team in the 15th region. They put everything together at the right time, and came away victorious. I don't even know where Shelby Valley is, but if you win your regional tourney, you are the best in your region. All of the other teams had their chance to do what they had to do to be at Rupp, but all faltered except for SV. Thats how I feel about it anyways.

[Walter]

Didn't Central have a losing record heading in to Postseason play in 09 when they lost in the state championship to Holmes?

 

Just looked it up ... Central was 13-14 heading into the region tourney. Went to state championship at 19-14.

[madman]

Didn't Central have a losing record heading in to Postseason play in 09 when they lost in the state championship to Holmes?

 

Just looked it up ... Central was 13-14 heading into the region tourney. Went to state championship at 19-14.

 

But they were 16-14 going to Rupp.

[westsider]

But they were 16-14 going to Rupp.

And most of those losses were without their football players, who had won the state title in December.

[StickerMann]

Just goes to show no matter the record if you get hot at the right time anything can happen. You got to love March Madness!!!!

 

Or weak regions??

[sweet16]

The NCAA tournament does not have the best 68 teams playing in it so how is that different than the Sweet 16?

[Qryche11]

Shelby Valley won their tournament just like every other Regional chapion did this year, so therefore, they are the best team in the 15th region. They put everything together at the right time, and came away victorious. I don't even know where Shelby Valley is, but if you win your regional tourney, you are the best in your region. All of the other teams had their chance to do what they had to do to be at Rupp, but all faltered except for SV. Thats how I feel about it anyways.

 

SV just won the state championship last year and lost a ton to graduation. The fact that they persevered at the end of the year and earned a trip back should be commended. Stranger things have happened just rent the greatest basketball movie ever Hoosiers.

[04sportsfan05]

SV just won the state championship last year and lost a ton to graduation. The fact that they persevered at the end of the year and earned a trip back should be commended. Stranger things have happened just rent the greatest basketball movie ever Hoosiers.

 

I agree. They lost a lot so they should be commended for their achievements, not down graded bc of their region.

[fullcourt]

The NCAA tournament does not have the best 68 teams playing in it so how is that different than the Sweet 16?

 

Less than half the teams in the NCAA tournament got their bid by winning their conference tournament. The rest get there based on their season performance. I would guarantee that every top twenty team that does not win their conference tournament will be playing in the NCAA Tournament. Example....If KY does not win the SEC Tournament, they will still be playing in the NCAA Tournament in a couple weeks.

 

There are at least 6 of the top 10 teams in the state not playing in the Sweet 16 but a team with a losing record and probably wasn't ranked in the top 75 teams in the state is playing. Once again, not knocking Shelby Valley, they won their region and they won the right to be there. I just don't like the current format.

 

I don't have a problem with the regional winners being there, I have a problem with the six top ten teams in the state not participating for the state championship.

[Flotsam]

SV just won the state championship last year and lost a ton to graduation. The fact that they persevered at the end of the year and earned a trip back should be commended. Stranger things have happened just rent the greatest basketball movie ever Hoosiers.

 

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