Would You Rather...

[Day2]

Uva wasn't all that good in the regular season. Gonzaga beat them by like 50. They lost to Miami and nc State at home and they lost to Duke.

I would take Oregon State’s season over Illinois.

 

[BBQuse]

I'm curious what type of season people would prefer, a dominant one with an early tournament exit, or an average one with a couple of wins in the tournament.

It's tough. It really depends on when you look back on things. I think everyone would enjoy a two loss, top ten, type season more on a game by game basis. That's a no brainer. It makes watching the games fun, bragging fun, always in the news, etc. But the emotions at the end of the year, and the enjoyment of the extra week pre-sweet 16 and looking back years later. For me, that 10000% trumps the regular season, no matter how great a season it was. And now looking back 10, 20, 30 years, other than a few extraordinary regular season games, I only remember the post-season runs -- both good and bad. And those good runs will stay with me forever.

 

[CU44SE]

Okay, so you're a #1 seed and you beat a #16 team in the first round of the tournament (congratulations) and then you get bounced. If you think that's a significantly better option, then go with that.

You do realize that since 1939, only 3 teams (83,85,88) have ever won a championship with double digit losses? And the average number of losses of the 73 previous men’s champions was 3.7. That was from 9 years ago.

since that time, winners have been
Kentucky 38-2
Louisville 35-5
UConn 32-8
Duke 35-4
Nova 35-5
UNC 33-7
Nova 36-4
Virginia 35-3

So I ask you, since 1939 (last 60 years), a team with double digit losses has won the national championship 5% of the time. Those are not good odds. 12 teams in the history of the game have lost 2 or less games and not won a championship. Of those 12 teams, only 2 lost before the elite 8. One in second round and one in the sweet 16.

The bottom line, you play percentages. The better regular season, the better chances you have in advancing in March. It’s all great to look at after the fact. But going into March, would your rather have 2 losses as a #1 seed or would you rather be an 11 seed that was one of the last 6 teams in the tournament?

 

[HoustonCuse]

I would rather be the 28-2 #1 seed that loses in the second round because that implies a stronger program foundation that will be more likely to be right back in the thick of things the following year.

That was probably more true in the past. Even 5 years ago. It appears now that we are in a mode where every year is going to be a completely different team. Between early entries to the pros, transfers, etc. Most any program of consequence has to remake itself every year from here on out, so that 28-2 season is even more devastating of a loss because you know you are back to square one within a week of losing that tourney game.

 

[SUfanNC]

Would you rather have Virginia’s season this year or Oregon State’s?

We would all take Oregon State’s

If we are taking just this season in a vacuum of course. That said in real world or based on what you know about both teams I would rather take Virginia.

 

[sufandu]

Making a good run in the tournament is always fun, but making the sweet sixteen is still only a record of 2-1. For me, winning two games that we're not favored in does not erase an abundance of frustration throughout a season while we barely squeak into the tournament. I would rather enjoy the 4 month long season. Everybody but one ends the tournament with a loss. Why not enjoy what leads up to it? Also, all the numbers show that teams with greater success in the regular season, on average, make it farther in the tournament.

How about this what if?

Would you rather have 2010 or 2021? Both teams lost in the sweet 16. One felt disappointing because there were higher expectations. The other was a pleasant surprise after a season with a variety of struggles.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

A dominant regular season is a positive feedback machine. You get ranked. You get better tv broadcasts. You get better media coverage. You get sports center highlights. Which lead to better recruits. Which lead to more dominant regular seasons. All of which give you better chances at winning more tournament games in future years.

Winning two games in the tournament after being invisible nationally does nothing but make half the forum fanbase feel good about their relentless blind faith and optimism. It's shortsighted. Two weeks of 'excitement' versus 11 months of excitement and critical peripheral results.

Oh, yeah. Plus, "Sweet Sixteen" is not a thing. It's just a marketing catchphrase. No one outside of our bubble knows or cares that we beat SDState and WVA. We can enjoy those things, but as far as being program-building/sustaining? Not so much.