Lunardi's argument for KU over Syracuse 12-7 vs. 7-2 on RPI top 50 wins

[PoppyHart]

I'd just like clarity on What "body of work" means. It's up there with "game face" and "making a football move" for stupidest terms in sports. Could really mean anything.

 

[marz09cuse]

What's funny is probably every other elite team in the country goes 1-2 in that 3 game road trip. So why in the world should Syracuse lose their 1 seed to a team with 7 loses and just lost to an unranked team, albeit on the road?

I think this has more to do about the eye test, as Syracuse obviously is not playing great on the offensive end. It certainly doesn't make sense when you look at the entire body of work throughout the season.

In the end, a Wichita State loss would solve a lot of problems.

 

[Briancuse]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-col...ed-rundown-tournament-odds-college-basketball

Excerpt,

"For now, Syracuse's loss is Kansas' gain. Even though I can't remember the last time, if ever, a team has been elevated to the top line coming off a loss, the Jayhawks would be the obvious choice. Tops in the RPI and in Non-Conference SOS, KU has 13 victories over teams already projected or under consideration for the NCAA field.

A whopping seven of those wins are against RPI Top 25 opponents, part of a dozen against the Top 50 overall, and these totals are better than the combined quality wins of any two of the next three teams on the current seed list (Syracuse, Duke and Villanova). The final No. 2 seed at this point is Wisconsin, which compares favorably to Kansas in RPI, SOS and quality win totals, but has the misfortune of sitting two games off the pace in its own conference."

I don't think KU finishes above us unless they win the Big XII tournament and we lose the ACC tournament.
The Big XII had a good non-conference season, but playing each other twice has gamed the RPI to keep all of their power numbers up Kansas State is #35 at 20-9, Baylor is #42 at 17-10 and Oklahoma State is #45 at 19-10 which has given the Big XII the old Big East effect and elevates these teams higher. The true robin helps the Big XII a lot.

Then he should have had them ahead of us before saturday

 

[SoBeCuse]

We just need to improve. SU will not last long in the Tourney in Buffalo or anywhere else playing like this. Personally I feel like we are a 2 right now and would like to keep it that way and not slip any further where the step up in competition from a 15 to a 14 is significant, imo.

 

[Alsacs]

We just need to improve. SU will not last long in the Tourney in Buffalo or anywhere else playing like this. Personally I feel like we are a 2 right now and would like to keep it that way and not slip any further where the step up in competition from a 15 to a 14 is significant, imo.

I don't disagree with you as we haven't been playing well since the first Duke game. I just hate inconsistency and Joe Lunardi is an inconsistent evaluator IMO. If UVA or Wisconsin had 1 less loss they would be in the discussion as they have played well in conference play. Duke doesn't have many scalp wins and has What losses. Lunardi wants to say Kansas's schedule gives them the advantage over Syracuse yet he has Wichita State on the 1 line with 3 games against top 50 teams and only 5 more against top 100 teams. I can say without certainty if Wichita State played @Duke, @Maryland, @Virginia in 7 days they wouldn't go 3-0. I honestly doubt any team in college basketball this year would go 3-0 in those games back to back to back in 7 days. However, Lunardi wants to be cute and tweek Syracuse and that is the crap that ticks me off. We are flawed right now, but that shouldn't take away from our entire season.

 

[TheCusian]

We are a 1, 2, or 3 seed. If we play like we did vs Duke and Nova - where we are will not matter one iota.

There is way too much hand wringing over our last few games and seeding. Last season we ended the regular season as poorly as you could - got shipped west - and were one poorly called block/charge from a rematch with Louisville.

If Grant is healthy, I think we are final four bound from any of the top three lines.

 

[SoBeCuse]

We are a 1, 2, or 3 seed. If we play like we did vs Duke and Nova - where we are will not matter one iota.

There is way too much hand wringing over our last few games and seeding. Last season we ended the regular season as poorly as you could - got shipped west - and were one poorly called block/charge from a rematch with Louisville.

If Grant is healthy, I think we are final four bound from any of the top three lines.

I mostly agree with this. I get it. Lets not sugar coat that Michigan game though. Triche shouldn't have gotten himself into that kind of a jam and we were playing poorly offensively again in that Michigan game. The Marquette game was ugly. The D was very good but Marquette couldn't make anything and our offense was horrendous in the 2H.

 

[RF2044]

I mostly agree with this. I get it. Lets not sugar coat that Michigan game though. Triche shouldn't have gotten himself into that kind of a jam and we were playing poorly offensively again in that Michigan game. The Marquette game was ugly. The D was very good but Marquette couldn't make anything and our offense was horrendous in the 2H.

I've watched that Marquette game a dozen times. To chalk it up to "marquette couldn't make anything" is a disservice to our defensive performance that day.

We held them to 39 POINTS--and that's with them hitting a meaningless three in the final minute to get to that total. Think about that for a second. 36 points... in a game to go to the final four. One game after they absolutely ran Miami off of the floor.

We crushed them defensively in that game.

I'm also not sure what you mean about Triche. It sounds like you are giving him criticism for what amounted to a crap call that went against him. And for the record, Triche was one of only two players on the team to have a reasonable offensive game that day.

 

[SoBeCuse]

I've watched that Marquette game a dozen times. To chalk it up to "marquette couldn't make anything" is a disservice to our defensive performance that day.

We held them to 39 POINTS--and that's with them hitting a meaningless three in the final minute to get to that total. Think about that for a second. 36 points... in a game to go to the final four. One game after they absolutely ran Miami off of the floor.

We crushed them defensively in that game.

I'm also not sure what you mean about Triche. It sounds like you are giving him criticism for what amounted to a crap call that went against him. And for the record, Triche was one of only two players on the team to have a reasonable offensive game that day.

Well aware about the defense in that game and I did say it was "very good." You can't tell me that the offense wasn't bad in that 2H. I think we had a real brutal scoring drought as well. Fortunately Marquette was brick city then.

Yes, I am criticizing Triche and I know he had a decent game. I'm just tired of seeing these tunnel vision drives to the hoop enabling a 50/50 call on a reckless play. There are drive and kicks or dump offs there but the drivers never see them or never pull up earlier.

 

[pearl31]

ESPNLunardiJoe Lunardi
Two words: Boston College. “@jTuna: @ESPNLunardi how do you have Kansas as a 1 seed over syracuse?”

 

[jncuse]

ESPNLunardiJoe Lunardi
Two words: Boston College. “@jTuna: @ESPNLunardi how do you have Kansas as a 1 seed over syracuse?”

Did we play Boston College on Saturday? Stupid . At a minimum, he should admit he made a mistake before the games on Saturday.

I would not pick Kansas over Syracuse, but I can see a limited argument. I actually have Wisconisn over Kansas as well, but I guess Lunardi will state Northwestern.

 

[SmilinBob]

I honestly couldn't care less what seed WSU or Kansas gets. If SU can win their last 2 ACC regular season games and win at least 1 game in the ACC tournament they will end up 29-4 and that should set them up pretty well. Then, it's off to the playoffs and you then have to earn your stripes because everybody is 0-0.