Gator Country

**msa3** · 03-22-2013, 12:25 AM

Harvard beat New Mexico, and Marquette should have lost to Davidson.

Let's hope we either learned from it, or all the three-seed suckiness has left the brackets.

hastings15 · 03-22-2013, 12:29 AM

After a slow start for the first few minutes, Michigan State was completely in control of the Valpo game and won easily. I expect Florida's game to be more like that one.

kalaniocc · 03-22-2013, 12:32 AM

my bracket is awful this year.

corpgator · 03-22-2013, 12:35 AM

Northwestern St is much worse than the other 14 seeds.

tommyuf21 · 03-22-2013, 12:38 AM

I think someone just said on ESPN that they are down to about 1500 brackets that are still perfect, because of Harvard. I believe less than 4% picked them to win this game.

tommyuf21 · 03-22-2013, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corpgator

Northwestern St is much worse than the other 14 seeds.

Watching the way this game unfolded, it looked as if New Mexico's inability to separate from anyone this year finally did them in.

It's ironic that some were heralding their ability to win close games and using it to knock us.

I also thought that Harvard was a much better team than they were being credited for. However, I guess its unusual for any Ivy to be seeded above 14.

jrcg8tor · 03-22-2013, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tommyuf21

I think someone just said on ESPN that they are down to about 1500 brackets that are still perfect, because of Harvard. I believe less than 4% picked them to win this game.

All over ESPN since Sunday all their experts did was rave about how great New Mexico was.

WESGATORS · 03-22-2013, 12:45 AM

The entire MWC is overrated; the entire conference has something like 3 wins in OOC games against top 40 teams. However they did it, they managed to build up strong rpi by beating up on lesser opponents. Maybe a loophole in the evaluation process. Too bad Missouri couldn't take Colorado State, but hopefully Louisville pounds 'em. I'd also like to see Kruger take down the Aztecs.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

tommyuf21 · 03-22-2013, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WESGATORS

The entire MWC is overrated; the entire conference has something like 3 wins in OOC games against top 40 teams. However they did it, they managed to build up strong rpi by beating up on lesser opponents. Maybe a loophole in the evaluation process. Too bad Missouri couldn't take Colorado State, but hopefully Louisville pounds 'em. I'd also like to see Kruger take down the Aztecs.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

I think they avoided what the committee considered bad losses. They also benefited from some of the bubble teams having absolutely horrible SOS.

Just my opinion, but one thing is for certain. What happens in the tourney tells you the story and it ain't looking good for the MWC.

WESGATORS · 03-22-2013, 12:56 AM

This year the committee seemed to actually count "bad losses" as significant in the criteria. In the past, their mantra has typically been "it's not who you lost to, but who you've beaten." When you look at New Mexico, all their "good wins" are against conference opponents. But how did those conference opponents get their good ratings?

New Mexico's best OOC wins were against UConn and Cincinnati (neither team ranked in the top 45 rpi). New Mexico gets credit for beating up on a #18 Colorado State and a #22 UNLV, but how did those teams get their high ratings. Colorado State's best OOC wins were against Montana and Denver? UNLV's best OOC win was against Iowa State (#45 rpi). Just makes you scratch your head about how these teams are evaluated.

Sagarin's ratings are more accurate for that conference where New Mexico is at #19, and the next three best teams are in the mid- to upper-30's.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

tommyuf21 · 03-22-2013, 12:57 AM

Yep, Wes. Overseeded and heading home.

ufgator4ever · 03-22-2013, 12:59 AM

I had them losing next round, but New Mexico had some bad, or poor losses. Not sure why/how they got such hype except for a Big 10 hero being their coach.

tommyuf21 · 03-22-2013, 01:21 AM

I watched a lot of the UNLV-New Mexico MWC championship game. They are the type of team that lulls you to sleep with their deliberate, plodding style. They are a poor man's Wisconsin (despite being higher seeded), which makes sense since Alford is a Big 10 Knight disciple.

They take advantage of young, inpatient teams that get frustrated at having to play a pace dictated to them.

Tonight, they met a team perfectly comfortable with that pace and that team shot the ball better and beat them.

themistocles · 03-22-2013, 10:29 AM

Each match up is different.

I was very surprised at New Mexico's rating.

Hopefully the Gators get back to form in the NCAA tournament. They began to show flashes in the SEC Tournament, but not at the same level as when they crushed Marquette early in the year.

TampaGatorFan · 03-22-2013, 04:04 PM

Yeah...we're screwed...we'll probably only win by 20.

DieAGator · 03-22-2013, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TampaGatorFan

Yeah...we're screwed...we'll probably only win by 20.

3 seed due for a win then.

Brodeur · 03-22-2013, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WESGATORS

The entire MWC is overrated; the entire conference has something like 3 wins in OOC games against top 40 teams. However they did it, they managed to build up strong rpi by beating up on lesser opponents. Maybe a loophole in the evaluation process.

I forget who said it, but one TV guy mentioned that the MWC teams play a bunch of D-II schools instead of lowly D-I schools. Those D-II games don't count towards your RPI, so they don't get weighed down as much for the cupcake games they play.

Don't know how true that is, just relaying what I heard.