The Annual Bubble Discussion Thread - 2021 Version

[Alsacs]

We win 1 on 1 but Jackson smokes our entire roster in a dunk contest

Would Jackson even play if he came here?
We needed a PG and got lucky.
Jackson looks a big when I watch him play on UConn.

He can dunk but he doesn’t appear in year one ready to play in the backcourt.

UConn-Providence is a bubble game to watch tonight.
Atleast one of them has to lose which helps us.
Providence has a lot of losses but a lot of decent wins we don’t want them to sweep UConn as I think UConn will win enough to get in.

 

[miamicuse]

Right now we are on an outer bubble to get into the bubble. We are like a 4th seed in the NIT.

A long way from the golden days when we used to get nervous at the last two minutes of a game, being 12 points up, because we would get fouled, and our starters have higher field goal percentages than their free throw percentages.

 

[20plus]

I think we are in a somewhat worse situation than most prior years in terms of controlling our destiny... or at least what we need to reasonably do to get in the tournament.

Why exactly

 

[Alsacs]

Why exactly

Typically we have more solid wins by this point in a season. Thus it’s been about not just losing games at the end.
We don’t have much From the nonconference. We played 3 tomato cans, Rutgers and beat Northeastern.

The ACC as a whole is down this year and we missed games with Clemson, Louisville Florida State at home and at Wake Forres.
If we go 2-2 in those 4 canceled games we are sitting pretty good on the bubble.

6-5 in the ACC looks good but when it’s broken down it’s not a tournament resume.

In past years we have had wins we could say are helping our resume.
Every season up to last year we were on the bubble because we had good wins.

This year we have 1 good win.
I don’t think we are terrible as a team but we don’t good wins you don’t make the tournament beating only tomato cans.

 

[jncuse]

Why exactly

If you look at 2018 and 2019, we were a 9 seed and 3rd last team in at this time of year (I pulled archives -- see earlier post, but repasted below). Certainly still bubble status, but much better standing than this year. Which is why I struggle with the assertion that we control our destiny this year more than in prior years.

February 15, 2020 - ZERO people had us in
https://web.archive.org/web/20200216235550/http://www.bracketmatrix.com/

February 16, 2019 - 95 out of 95 had us in (we were projected a 9 seed)
https://web.archive.org/web/20190218002810/http://www.bracketmatrix.com/

February 14, 2018 - 71 out of 105 (we were an 11 seed, 3rd last team in)
https://web.archive.org/web/20180215123144/http://www.bracketmatrix.com/

Did not have a chance to look at 2017 and 2016, but I suspect you will find we were doing better in those year as well in terms of the matrix at this time of year.

In 2018 and 2019 some people were thinking we had to do much more than we actually needed to -- ergo my point early in this thread where we oversell what is needed. We probably maintained position by closing around .500. This year we have to close better than in prior years.

 

[jdubs30]

Would Jackson even play if he came here?
We needed a PG and got lucky.
Jackson looks a big when I watch him play on UConn.

He can dunk but he doesn’t appear in year one ready to play in the backcourt.

UConn-Providence is a bubble game to watch tonight.
Atleast one of them has to lose which helps us.
Providence has a lot of losses but a lot of decent wins we don’t want them to sweep UConn as I think UConn will win enough to get in.

I think we root for UConn here

 

[Sherman20]

The fat-shaming of JG is really getting kind of old and annoying.

He’s not fat! But the jokes are still funny!

 

[Alsacs]

I think we root for UConn here

Watching Dan Hurley go nuts for every single call makes it impossible to root for UConn.

I can’t stand hardo coaches who complain about everything.

 

[jdubs30]

Watching Dan Hurley go nuts for every single call makes it impossible to root for UConn.

I can’t stand hardo coaches who complain about everything.

Couldn’t agree more about Hurley. But I think they’ll make the NCAAs especially with Bouknight back. PC is much more iffy

 

[blust2i3d4]

Per KenPom, USC is 13... VaTech is 34

KenPom hates all ACC teams except UNC and Duke. Even Virginia is just neutral.

 

[lindros2]

Just read this on ESPN:

Syracuse Orange
Say hello to the season's first new member of the impressive Bubble Watch club. No, Syracuse isn't here by virtue of its most recent result (a victory at home over Boston College). The win at home over Virginia Tech is this profile's strongest bullet point, and, despite being swept by Pitt, Jim Boeheim's 12-6 team is the equal of North Carolina in the NET rankings and superior to several bubble teams in terms of strength of record. Now, the bad news for the Orange faithful: Syracuse is, as our colleague Joe Lunardi likes to say, "on the bubble of the bubble." The Orange will have to overtake competitors such as Saint Louis, Richmond and Maryland to actually earn an at-large bid. But the Cuse is in the discussion.

 

[CousCuse]

 

[jncuse]

KenPom hates all ACC teams except UNC and Duke. Even Virginia is just neutral.

Is this meant to be serious or sarcastic?

 

[andrewSUfan]

Would Jackson even play if he came here?
We needed a PG and got lucky.
Jackson looks a big when I watch him play on UConn.

He can dunk but he doesn’t appear in year one ready to play in the backcourt.

UConn-Providence is a bubble game to watch tonight.
Atleast one of them has to lose which helps us.
Providence has a lot of losses but a lot of decent wins we don’t want them to sweep UConn as I think UConn will win enough to get in.

I think you take Jackson 100 times over. I’m not sure if you would get the most out of him defensively in the zone as he just shut down Scruggs and Duke in back to back games, his jumpshot is not good, but he would provide much needed athleticism and rebounding. Also catching the PC game he is such a good passer and could spot Joe, Buddy, Griffin clean looks. I don’t see how you would take Kadary over Jackson given the current roster. Jackson does everything but shoot which is good when you have 3 starters who love to shoot.

 

[Cuse1055]

I think you take Jackson 100 times over. I’m not sure if you would get the most out of him defensively in the zone as he just shut down Scruggs and Duke in back to back games, his jumpshot is not good, but he would provide much needed athleticism and rebounding. Also catching the PC game he is such a good passer and could spot Joe, Buddy, Griffin clean looks. I don’t see how you would take Kadary over Jackson given the current roster. Jackson does everything but shoot which is good when you have 3 starters who love to shoot.

Because Kadary is better, that’s why you take him every time.

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

Guys, come on. Even if we win out (which we won't) we won't get in. Three of our last 4 are teams behind us. They won't improve our overall resume. And NC will beat us up inside like they always do. We are absolutely NIT bound.

 

[Cuse1055]

Guys, come on. Even if we win out (which we won't) we won't get in. Three of our last 4 are teams behind us. They won't improve our overall resume. And NC will beat us up inside like they always do. We are absolutely NIT bound.

IF we win out (big if), we’ll get in. We’ll be 16-6 and 10-5 in ACC with quad 1 road wins over Duke and Georgia Tech. I still think we’ll make up 1 game too. Obviously the ACC tourney (if it happens) will make a difference as well.

 

[andrewSUfan]

IF we win out (big if), we’ll get in. We’ll be 16-6 and 10-5 in ACC with quad 1 road wins over Duke and Georgia Tech. I still think we’ll make up 1 game too. Obviously the ACC tourney (if it happens) will make a difference as well.

Duke has been playing well lately so that could be a good win, the others we just flat out should beat. Need to pick up 1 or 2 impressive wins in the ACC tourney to get on the bubble.

 

[Cuse1055]

Duke has been playing well lately so that could be a good win, the others we just flat out should beat. Need to pick up 1 or 2 impressive wins in the ACC tourney to get on the bubble.

If we go 4-0 we are absolutely on the bubble at least. Winning 1 or 2 in the ACC tournament would probably get us in the NCAA tournament.

 

[20plus]

Guys, come on. Even if we win out (which we won't) we won't get in. Three of our last 4 are teams behind us. They won't improve our overall resume. And NC will beat us up inside like they always do. We are absolutely NIT bound.

If we win out we in joker!

 

[NineOneSeven]

Love the bubble threads, baby!

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

If we win out we in joker!

If that happens I’ll buy you a beer

 

[Cuseball]

Games of Interest Friday, Feb 19th:

• 7PM St. Louis at Dayton: St. Louis has a sparse resume but sits higher than us in the bubble world. This would be a nice way to get them out of the discussion. Go Flyers!

• 9PM Toledo at Buffalo: the Buffs sits 84 in the current NET ratings. Beating a 17-6, NET 71 Toledo team might get Buffalo close to 75 and move them into a Quadrant 2 victory for us. Any little bit helps. Root for the COVID spreading trash talkers.
• 10PM Utah State at Boise State: Boise State is projected as an 11 seed and Utah State is one of next 4-5 teams out. Both ahead of us so not sure what to root for. Might be a chance to move ahead of the loser if we beat ND. I might root for Boise and then we get rid of Utah State.

Cuse!

 

[jncuse]

4 of the 28 brackets that were updated today on the matrix have us in and seventh team out.
On the surface that doesn't sound good but it is moving up and I have seen in years past that typically 2 wins in a row from that position will move you right around the line (of course game dependent)

 

[20plus]

4 of the 28 brackets that were updated today on the matrix have us in and seventh team out.
On the surface that doesn't sound good but it is moving up and I have seen in years past that typically 2 wins in a row from that position will move you right around the line (of course game dependent)

Yesterday the bubble wasn’t great,how are we looking tonight Seton hall ?