UWM One Half Away From An NCAA Berth

[TedBaxter]

Leading Wright State 43-33 at half. Hope they can make it.

[milkbone]

Good 1st half for the Panthers. They started out hitting 7 of the 1st 9 shots.

[IWB]

Kyle Kelm is having the game of his life!

[Markedman]

When you can shoot the lights out you can beat anybody.....Jeter has really changed his style over the years...he gives his players lots of freedom....some of the shots the guards take are crazy but they are going in in this tournament.....fun to watch

[MUMac]

And they hang on. Congratulations to UWM and a special congratulations to Austin Arians. You made EHS proud!

[milkbone]

Congrats to Jeter and the Panthers.

[MU_Iceman]

Yuck!! This whole college BB season has been in a word...disgusting. This is my issue with these small school auto bids..Not a single one of them deserves to be there, namely Milwaukee who got hot for what?? 4 days?? They should take the best 68 teams...period. Let the small schools have a tournament of their own. At least then they have a legit shot at winning a title. I can't congratulate Milwaukee. Now they steal the Milwaukee spotlight for awhile. MU just needs to one up them and win the BE tourney.

[IWB]

Wow - they hung on and are now dancing - great to see our Pro-Am guys going to the tourney!

Congrats to Kyle Kelm, Matt Tiby, JJ Panoske and Even Richard!!

[MUfan12]

Only downside is they're stuck with Jeter for the foreseeable future.

[MUBB713]

Wow that's some sour grapes there. MU had a bad season. The breaks didn't go their way. One could argue if MU won the BE tourney they wouldn't deserve to be there. UWM earned it fair and square. Congrats to them. We have a chance to do the same Thursday.

[MU_Iceman]

Wow that's some sour grapes there. MU had a bad season. The breaks didn't go their way. One could argue if MU won the BE tourney they wouldn't deserve to be there. UWM earned it fair and square. Congrats to them. We have a chance to do the same Thursday.


Ah but MU DOES deserve to be there if they won the BE tourney. After all, they were picked to win the BE this year. Now if DePaul won it...or Seton Hall..

[kneelb4zerg]

Ah but MU DOES deserve to be there if they won the BE tourney. After all, they were picked to win the BE this year. Now if DePaul won it...or Seton Hall..

So they deserve to make it because they were picked to win the regular season title before the season started, even though they were the epitome of average all year long?

Do you ever think and read before you post?

[MayorBeluga]

Iceman, just a thought. You might be happier and healthier if you stopped following Marquette. Clearly following MU is making your life too difficult. Just sayin'...

PS Congrats to UWM

[MU_Iceman]

So they deserve to make it because they were picked to win the regular season title before the season started, even though they were the epitome of average all year long?

Do you ever think and read before you post?

They've been mediocre, but have played way below their potential. I have said it before...they were picked to win the BE for a reason. Milwaukee finished 7-9 in the Horizon league. Because they won their tournament, they deserve to be there after being below average in a rinky dink conference?? I don't care of it's Milwaukee or Mt. Saint Mary's...Teams like that(some say make it exciting), I think it waters down the tournament. I have always felt that way. They have NO shot at winning the title, and just serve as fodder for a #1 seed in the 1st round. Let them have their own tournament, like I said, at least then they all would have a legit shot at winning a National Championship. I'd much rather see the BEST 68 teams. The basketball would be even better, and that's what it's about isn't it??

[MUBasketball]

Yuck!! This whole college BB season has been in a word...disgusting. This is my issue with these small school auto bids..Not a single one of them deserves to be there, namely Milwaukee who got hot for what?? 4 days?? They should take the best 68 teams...period. Let the small schools have a tournament of their own. At least then they have a legit shot at winning a title. I can't congratulate Milwaukee. Now they steal the Milwaukee spotlight for awhile. MU just needs to one up them and win the BE tourney.

Please shut up.

[Halo]

Iceman-do you at least feel happy for BBFran? Congrats to the UWM team on earning their bid. Hope they can win a few.

http://buckyville.yuku.com/topic/70994/UWM-vs-Wright-State-Thread?page=1#.Ux-5OEJdUQQ

http://buckyville.yuku.com/topic/70931/Why-Im-a-sports-fan#.Ux-5nkJdUQQ

The DB Fran in here is hilarious also.

[MU_Iceman]

Iceman-do you at least feel happy for BBFran? Congrats to the UWM team on earning their bid. Hope they can win a few.

http://buckyville.yuku.com/topic/70994/UWM-vs-Wright-State-Thread?page=1#.Ux-5OEJdUQQ

http://buckyville.yuku.com/topic/70931/Why-Im-a-sports-fan#.Ux-5nkJdUQQ

The DB Fran in here is hilarious also.

He's EXACTLY one of the biggest reasons I hate seeing UWM in.

[MU_Iceman]

Please shut up.

Please*** off. I'm entitled to my opinion. I swear you stalk me...I really think you do.

[MU_Iceman]

Iceman, just a thought. You might be happier and healthier if you stopped following Marquette. Clearly following MU is making your life too difficult. Just sayin'...

PS Congrats to UWM

I'd be happier and healthier mayor if they were going to the dance(still one last chance), like they were supposed to be, and have done for the last 7 years. My health and happiness has been just fine prior to this year. Do what they were supposed to do, and my life would be simple. :)

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

Congrats to Milwaukee. Have enjoyed watching those guys at the Pro Am. Will be a tough go, probably headed for Dayton. At best a 15, but that seems unlikely.

Have to think this buys Jeter time, not sure if that's a good thing.

This does remind me of one annoyance. Most UWM grads I know are Badger fans that forget they went to Milwaukee except when it's convenient. A lot of UWM love from people who profess to live for Bucky in my FB feed tonight.

[MU/Panther]

Tears of joy!!! I wish I would've made the trip to Dayton.

[MU/Panther]

Congrats to Milwaukee. Have enjoyed watching those guys at the Pro Am. Will be a tough go, probably headed for Dayton. At best a 15, but that seems unlikely.
I can't see that. Milwaukee will be 130'ish in the RPI. Mount St. Mary's help the cause, with the upset at Robert Morris.

[MU_Iceman]

I can't see that. Milwaukee will be 130'ish in the RPI. Mount St. Mary's help the cause, with the upset at Robert Morris.

Lunardi had Wright State as a 16 before that game so....If UWM gets anything higher than a 15, that got a HUGE gift. Strangely enough, they could well end up a 15, playing 2nd seeded Michigan....in the BC.

[warriorfan4life]

I can't see that. Milwaukee will be 130'ish in the RPI. Mount St. Mary's help the cause, with the upset at Robert Morris.

I have Milwaukee as 63rd on the S Curve (just behind Weber State and Eastern Kentucky), the top 16 seed. Giving Weber and EKU credit for better regular seasons, though the Horizon is much superior to the Big Sky and OVC.

[MUBasketball]

Please*** off. I'm entitled to my opinion. I swear you stalk me...I really think you do.

I sure do!

[IWB]

I can't see that. Milwaukee will be 130'ish in the RPI. Mount St. Mary's help the cause, with the upset at Robert Morris.

Congrats to you MU/Panther - enjoy the dance!

[MU/Panther]

Congrats to you MU/Panther - enjoy the dance!Thank You! It means alot.

[Goose85]

UWM does deserve to go because that is how the conference decided to award their bid. Every conference has a bid and can determine how they wish to award that bid.

Congrats to UWM and especially the Scion Dental Pro Am guys.

[Mucrisco]

Congrats to Milwaukee. Have enjoyed watching those guys at the Pro Am. Will be a tough go, probably headed for Dayton. At best a 15, but that seems unlikely.

Have to think this buys Jeter time, not sure if that's a good thing.

This does remind me of one annoyance. Most UWM grads I know are Badger fans that forget they went to Milwaukee except when it's convenient. A lot of UWM love from people who profess to live for Bucky in my FB feed tonight.

I may be mistaken, but I think the ones who go to Dayton are the last ones to get an at-large bid.

I think it's great that these conferences get an automatic bid. I love watching the conference tournaments for these schools, because it means everything to win it. You can see the passion in their play. For me, this week is the first round of the Dance.

[warriorfan4life]

I may be mistaken, but I think the ones who go to Dayton are the last ones to get an at-large bid.

I think it's great that these conferences get an automatic bid. I love watching the conference tournaments for these schools, because it means everything to win it. You can see the passion in their play. For me, this week is the first round of the Dance.

Eight teams go to Dayton, last four at-large teams in and the bottom four auto quÃ*lifiers.

[IWB]

In my opinion it should never be the last four auto qualifiers as they deserve to play at the real sites.

Should be the last 4 in vs the last 4 out fighting for the right to be "in".

[TheSultan]

Yuck!! This whole college BB season has been in a word...disgusting. This is my issue with these small school auto bids..Not a single one of them deserves to be there, namely Milwaukee who got hot for what?? 4 days?? They should take the best 68 teams...period. Let the small schools have a tournament of their own. At least then they have a legit shot at winning a title. I can't congratulate Milwaukee. Now they steal the Milwaukee spotlight for awhile. MU just needs to one up them and win the BE tourney.


When I logged on this morning to see that this thread had grown to four pages, I said to myself "I bet Iceman is pissed because UWM takes the Milwaukee spotlight from MU."

Lo and behold...

[Mucrisco]

Eight teams go to Dayton, last four at-large teams in and the bottom four auto quÃ*lifiers.

OK, thanks!

[Goose85]

In my opinion it should never be the last four auto qualifiers as they deserve to play at the real sites.

Should be the last 4 in vs the last 4 out fighting for the right to be "in".

I agree. That would settle who of the 8 teams on the bubble should be in the tourney.
The small schools should get the big stage.

[Mucrisco]

I agree. That would settle who of the 8 teams on the bubble should be in the tourney.
The small schools should get the big stage.

I completely agree. I thought that's the way it was done.

[unclejohn]

I have always thought the play-in games were fertilizer. There weren't any until the Mountain West got an auto bid, and at that point, the majors figured out that there were more automatic than at-large bids. The play-in game has always been ridiculously tough on the teams that play in it. One year, Vermont won, so they got to play some top seeded team on the West Coast with nothing but two thousand miles and a blizzard in between them. They got to their location the morning of the game after spending a night in the Denver airport. Then they got to face Kansas or somebody. I always thought it was better to stay at 64 and leave the seventh-place team in the Big Ten-Twelve-East or wherever behind.

When they expanded it to four play-in games, I agree entirely with you guys. Let the teams on the bubble fight it out. And schedule the games all in one day to give the participants an extra day to travel. And have them pour into a regional somewhere near Dayton, and not in Alaska. But the committee split the difference and sent four auto bid teams and four at-large teams to the games. So far, it is hard to complain about the results of the at-large games at least. They have been exciting, and of course, VCU went all the way to the Final Four. I guess that is all we can expect in an imperfect world. Life is not fair.

[IWB]

Yeah, but for so many of the small conference teams - making the NCAA tourney is a once in a lifetime event, and when they finally get there - they don't get there. They go to Dayton for a fake intro to the dance.

Going to the NCAAs is a great experience. The lights are brighter, the atmosphere is incredible..... and even though those teams earned it, they go to freaking Dayton.

[MU/Panther]

Yeah, but for so many of the small conference teams - making the NCAA tourney is a once in a lifetime event, and when they finally get there - they don't get there. They go to Dayton for a fake intro to the dance.

Going to the NCAAs is a great experience. The lights are brighter, the atmosphere is incredible..... and even though those teams earned it, they go to freaking Dayton. I think you are correct. I not a fan of the 16 seed vs 16 seed. But, it has done some good for the schools getting extra TV time.

[IWB]

Yes and no. Yes, their game is featured on Tuesday or Wednesday night, but no, because the whole world doesn't start watching until Thursday.

[MU/Panther]

Yes and no. Yes, their game is featured on Tuesday or Wednesday night, but no, because the whole world doesn't start watching until Thursday.

The ratings do draw about 0.9 rating, which is over a million viewers for example Alabama State vs Mt. St Mary's.

I heard some of the coaches say who have played in the 16 vs 16 game says, hey we are in the field of 68. We get the money! If gives our kids a chance at winning a game in the ncaa tourney. We use it as a tool for our program with being the only ncaa game on at that time to recruits.

[Goose85]

Do the play in games count the same for tourney credits?

So if a school is in the Dayton games and win, do they automatically get two credits (one for playin game and one for second round game)?

If that is the case, then I'm hoping for two Big East teams to go to Dayton, get wins, and then take their chances in the field of 64. Financially it may be better for some of the small conferences to send a team to Dayton and get a win. Double the cash.

[IWB]

Not positive, but I believe so.

[unclejohn]

I know when they put the system in, the NCAA made it clear that the play-in teams would get the same payout as first round teams. I cannot imagine that they get more for winning a play-in game. I think they just get paid what they would for making the tournament and losing in the first round, or what the NCAA insists on calling the second round now. The NCAA has never been generous with money to the small schools. And I certainly cannot imagine a system that would virtually assure the small conference teams an extra credit every year. When there was only one play-in game, there was an unwritten rule that only one of the traditionally black conferences, the SWAC or MEAC could be sent there. I do not know if it is still in effect. I suspect that now that there are two game to send them to, they can both be sent there. But I would be highly surprised if the NCAA was giving them any extra money.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

As far as whether UWM plays in Dayton or not, here are the current 4 lowest RPI teams in the field:

201 Coastal Carolina
192 Mount St. Mary's
152 Wofford
129 Milwaukee

At the very least, the SWAC champion will have a lower RPI than Milwaukee; Southern is the highest RPI team with a 164 RPI. They should be able to avoid the play-in, and if there continue to be low-seeds losing, they could get up to a 15 seed.

Any thoughts on which teams on the 1/2 lines would be the best chances of a Cinderella story for the Panthers? Most likely 1's seem to be Florida, Wichita State, Arizona, and Villanova, while the most likely 2's at the moment are Duke, Kansas, Wisconsin, and Syracuse with Virginia, Louisville, Creighton, and Michigan all still fighting to get on the top 2 lines.

[MUBasketball]

As far as whether UWM plays in Dayton or not, here are the current 4 lowest RPI teams in the field:

201 Coastal Carolina
192 Mount St. Mary's
152 Wofford
129 Milwaukee

At the very least, the SWAC champion will have a lower RPI than Milwaukee; Southern is the highest RPI team with a 164 RPI. They should be able to avoid the play-in, and if there continue to be low-seeds losing, they could get up to a 15 seed.

Any thoughts on which teams on the 1/2 lines would be the best chances of a Cinderella story for the Panthers? Most likely 1's seem to be Florida, Wichita State, Arizona, and Villanova, while the most likely 2's at the moment are Duke, Kansas, Wisconsin, and Syracuse with Virginia, Louisville, Creighton, and Michigan all still fighting to get on the top 2 lines.

I don't think there is any way Milwaukee is in Dayton. They have 2 Top 100 wins. That might even get them a 14 seed? I'm guessing on that, but no way are they are a 16.

[MU/Panther]

As far as whether UWM plays in Dayton or not, here are the current 4 lowest RPI teams in the field:

201 Coastal Carolina
192 Mount St. Mary's
152 Wofford
129 Milwaukee

At the very least, the SWAC champion will have a lower RPI than Milwaukee; Southern is the highest RPI team with a 164 RPI. They should be able to avoid the play-in, and if there continue to be low-seeds losing, they could get up to a 15 seeds.
Southern can't play in the ncaa tourney.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

Southern can't play in the ncaa tourney.

Regardless, the SWAC representative will have a lower RPI than Milwaukee. Decent chance there will be 2-3 others provided there are some upsets in the other low-majors.

[GOMU1104]

Southern can't play in the ncaa tourney.

Along with about half of the SWAC. Crazy situation there.

[MU/Panther]

Along with about half of the SWAC. Crazy situation there.

Didn't get the APR number.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

I don't think there is any way Milwaukee is in Dayton. They have 2 Top 100 wins. That might even get them a 14 seed? I'm guessing on that, but no way are they are a 16.

14 would be pretty surprising. They are usually pretty much by the books when it comes to low seeds and RPI. Highly unlikely there will be 10+ sub-130 teams.

Honestly, I'm very disappointed with the upsets this year. There are a lot of good teams that got bumped out of the field. This shows why it's so hard for a 16 to knock off a 1. Not only do the 1's get teams from the weakest conferences, they usually get middle-of-the-road teams from weak conferences.

I think that would be one of the biggest changes you'd see if leagues started sending their regular season champs. 1-seeds would have a much tougher opening game.