Lots of parity this year...

[cto]

Still three weeks from the start of conference schedules, and there are only seven undefeated teams left. And none are in the ACC or Big 10. And all seven are pretty much plausible teams.

Baylor, Creighton, Nova, UCLA, USC, South Carolina and Gonzaga are the undefeated..

Usually at this point, there are many more undefeated teams out there.

 

[jdubs30]

I think Nova, UCLA, UK and Duke have separated themselves from the pack. Creighton is on the next level below.

But the parity is definitely strong. All we can ask that we improve every day from here on out and we will be in shape come March.

 

[Ish88888]

There is parity every year in college hoops minus UK, Duke, and 2 or 3 others. Add in the fact that the national champ is decided by a 3 week tourney in march, anything is possible and that defines parity. Renders the regular season as borderline insignificant.

 

[bballbeadle]

There is parity every year in college hoops minus UK, Duke, and 2 or 3 others. Add in the fact that the national champ is decided by a 3 week tourney in march, anything is possible and that defines parity. Renders the regular season as borderline insignificant.

Okay, I agree that it seems that things are trending in that direction, but I don't like it. It negates all the ups and down, joys and despairs, triumphs and desolations . . . gosh, I wandered into the election, sorry! . . . anyway, as a fan I LIKE the regular season! It's important to me. Without the season, the tournament is meaningless. Etc. etc. and so forth. I rest my case.

 

[Ish88888]

Okay, I agree that it seems that things are trending in that direction, but I don't like it. It negates all the ups and down, joys and despairs, triumphs and desolations . . . gosh, I wandered into the election, sorry! . . . anyway, as a fan I LIKE the regular season! It's important to me. Without the season, the tournament is meaningless. Etc. etc. and so forth. I rest my case.

I love the regular season too, but it isnt much more than preseason and entertainment . teams basically have 3 months to figure out lineups, rotations , bench strength, and find their mojo. 2-3 losses dont matter for the big boys and in our case, look decent in a bad non conference schedule , go .500 in the league with a few key wins and we have a shot at the dance. once in, the national champ is crowned as the winner of a 3 wk tournament . as awesome as march madness is as entertainment , its a poor way to Crown a champion .

 

[PoppyHart]

At this point last year there were 6 ranked undefeated teams. Same as this year. The previous year there were 7 undefeated, ranked teams. There were probably some unranked teams that got off to hot starts those years.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Love watching UCLA play and it kills me being a Trojan. Both will be in the Tourney for sure.

 

[realorange]

I love the regular season too, but it isnt much more than preseason and entertainment . teams basically have 3 months to figure out lineups, rotations , bench strength, and find their mojo. 2-3 losses dont matter for the big boys and in our case, look decent in a bad non conference schedule , go .500 in the league with a few key wins and we have a shot at the dance. once in, the national champ is crowned as the winner of a 3 wk tournament . as awesome as march madness is as entertainment , its a poor way to Crown a champion .

And how would you suggest it be done to be fair to all teams?

 

[SWC75]

People throw around the word "meaningless" a lot. If you define meaning as having a bearing on the national championship, yes, the regular season has lost a lot of meaning, compared to when you had to win your conference to get into the tournament. But we still want to beat Georgetown and that gives that game meaning. When you don't care who wins, that's a meaningless game.

 

[Doc5120]

At this point last year there were 6 ranked undefeated teams. Same as this year. The previous year there were 7 undefeated, ranked teams. There were probably some unranked teams that got off to hot starts those years.

I agree. This season is par for the course as far as undefeated teams. Not a ton of teams start 8,9, 10 & 0.

 

[Dcuse]

I love the regular season too, but it isnt much more than preseason and entertainment . teams basically have 3 months to figure out lineups, rotations , bench strength, and find their mojo. 2-3 losses dont matter for the big boys and in our case, look decent in a bad non conference schedule , go .500 in the league with a few key wins and we have a shot at the dance. once in, the national champ is crowned as the winner of a 3 wk tournament . as awesome as march madness is as entertainment , its a poor way to Crown a champion .

Really? What do you want to do? Vote on a national champ after regular season is over?

 

[Ish88888]

Really? What do you want to do? Vote on a national champ after regular season is over?

Not sure what to do. nobody has the answer and America is too in love with march to take that away. That said , you cant have it both ways and say a game in December is meaningful when there are a million ways into the dance. The regular season for mid majors building a resume as a backup if they lose in their conference tourney, is meaningful.

 

[pearl31]

Not sure what to do. nobody has the answer and America is too in love with march to take that away. That said , you cant have it both ways and say a game in December is meaningful when there are a million ways into the dance. The regular season for mid majors building a resume as a backup if they lose in their conference tourney, is meaningful.

You do a good job of being wrong.

 

[AlaskaSU]

If we do not get an invite you will know the meaning of the regular season.

 

[RMH44]

You do a good job of being wrong.

Same on the football side ;-)

 

[rocklloyd]

I love the regular season too, but it isnt much more than preseason and entertainment . teams basically have 3 months to figure out lineups, rotations , bench strength, and find their mojo. 2-3 losses dont matter for the big boys and in our case, look decent in a bad non conference schedule , go .500 in the league with a few key wins and we have a shot at the dance. once in, the national champ is crowned as the winner of a 3 wk tournament . as awesome as march madness is as entertainment , its a poor way to Crown a champion .

To me it seems as close to perfect as it can possibly get.

 

[OrangeDW]

I love the regular season too, but it isnt much more than preseason and entertainment . teams basically have 3 months to figure out lineups, rotations , bench strength, and find their mojo. 2-3 losses dont matter for the big boys and in our case, look decent in a bad non conference schedule , go .500 in the league with a few key wins and we have a shot at the dance. once in, the national champ is crowned as the winner of a 3 wk tournament . as awesome as march madness is as entertainment , its a poor way to Crown a champion .

Nah. If we lose one more regular season game, we probably don't even make the dance last year. If Duke got their usual BS calls down the stretch. If Gbinije didn't go nuts and put the team on his back against NC State. If we didn't shoot the lights out in November in the Bahamas. It all mattered and got us to the dance in the first place.

 

[Ish88888]

You do a good job of being wrong.

Newsflash: many think the reg season isnt hugely important . geez, our cuse team proved my point just last year. we had a few big wins but for the most part were wildly inconsistent for 4 months. we slid into the tourney and flipped a switch for 3 weeks. the reg season is much more important for teams like monmouths squad last year.

 

[pearl31]

Newsflash: many think the reg season isnt hugely important . geez, our cuse team proved my point just last year. we had a few big wins but for the most part were wildly inconsistent for 4 months. we slid into the tourney and flipped a switch for 3 weeks. the reg season is much more important for teams like monmouths squad last year.

Keep trying.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

as awesome as march madness is as entertainment , its a poor way to Crown a champion .

Don't take this personally, but I think you might be on an island with this one.

 

[skurey]

Ish is correct. Stop being aggressively wrong towards him, it's not a good look.

 

[PoppyHart]

Contract the tourney to 48 teams. Done.

 

[JoeySimz]

Contract the tourney to 48 teams. Done.

Actually, you might be on to something but they'll probably expand it before contracting it. I'd say the corporations are after the casual fans based on how they push cinderella stories. Those opening rounds are a big promo for the main event.

 

[pearl31]

Ish is correct. Stop being aggressively wrong towards him, it's not a good look.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Contract the tourney to 48 teams. Done.

I think what's been happening in the first round has made it more exciting for tv and even casual fans proving what CTO said about the parity of NCAA D1 basketball. There were 13 upsets, bracket busters in just the first round last year. It makes results on the court actually matter, not conference affiliation, reputation nor past glory. Regular season and conference tournament results mean so much more for non P5 conferences.People love an underdog. Gambling industry must absolutely love it.

NCAA tourney upsets match first-round record