[U]Sun Belt Conference Championship Semi-Final Game[/U]
#9 Middle Tennessee (14-16, 8-10) vs #5 [B]North Texas[/B] (20-10, 10-8), 7:30 pm
You guys might remember Johnny Jones (coach of North Texas) as the guy who coached Memphis for a year after Tic Price was found to be sleeping with students. Ahh, the glory years.
[QUOTE=fsquid;222551]Tic Price was found to be sleeping with students. Ahh, the glory years.[/QUOTE]
Well, at least for Tic Price. :biggrin:
Did this Tic guy write a book?
[QUOTE=fsquid;222551]You guys might remember Johnny Jones (coach of North Texas) as the guy who coached Memphis for a year after Tic Price was found to be sleeping with students.[/QUOTE]
And I thought Eustachy was bad for [B][I]drinking[/I][/B] with students. :unsure:
[U]Sun Belt Conference Championship Semi-Final Game[/U]
#9 Middle Tennessee 52
[B]#5 North Texas 59[/B]
So, North Texas is now 21-10 and in the Sunbelt championship game?
Damn, where are all those “we lost to a bottom feeder” posts. I’m not happy that we lost the game, but this team might be the Sunbelt champion.
So, North Texas is now 21-10 and in the Sunbelt championship game?Damn, where are all those “we lost to a bottom feeder” posts. I’m not happy that we lost the game, but this team might be the Sunbelt champion.
I don’t recall anyone lableing NT as a bottom feeder of the Sunbelt back when we lost to them. I think the majority of people just felt like we had no business losing to a Sunbelt team, period. And I stand by my [I]opinion[/I] that a Charlotte 49er team with 4 senior starters should never lose to a North Texas team. NT is a good team when compared to the calibre of competition they face in-conference. We shouldn’t have lost to them but I can say that about a few teams who gave us a “L” this year. Even if they get the auto-bid, it’s still our worst OOC loss of the season. Not hard to win in the Sunbelt when your in-conference SOS is 277. As bad as the A-10 is, our conference SOS is still 172 spots better than the Sunbelt.
[QUOTE=NinerAdvocate;222785]So, North Texas is now 21-10 and in the Sunbelt championship game?
Damn, where are all those “we lost to a bottom feeder” posts. I’m not happy that we lost the game, but this team might be the Sunbelt champion.[/QUOTE]
Well, I think they finished 5th in the Sun Belt. MTSU took out the champion South Alabama in the Quarters.
[QUOTE=jcl49er;222790]Not hard to win in the Sunbelt when your in-conference SOS is 277. As bad as the A-10 is, our conference SOS is still 172 spots better than the Sunbelt.[/QUOTE]
The Sunbelt is #21 in the [URL=http://www.kenpom.com/confrank.php?y=2007]conference RPI rankings[/URL], and you’re bagging on it and NT for possibly being the best team in that league?
Meanwhile, Winthrop is in the 29th best conference. Davidson is the best team in the 19th best conference. Yet, many idiots here say that those two “programs are better than our program”.
I give up. Let’s just move to the fuggin SWAC. There’s no logic left on this board.
[QUOTE=fsquid;222796]Well, I think they finished 5th in the Sun Belt. MTSU took out the champion South Alabama in the Quarters.[/QUOTE]
Dont start that argument again. The Sunbelt crowns its champion at the tournament just likethe NFL crowns its champ at the Super Bowl.
The Sunbelt is #21 in the [URL=http://www.kenpom.com/confrank.php?y=2007]conference RPI rankings[/URL], and you're bagging on it and NT for possibly being the best team in that league?Meanwhile, Winthrop is in the [B]29th[/B] best conference. Davidson is the best team in the 19th best conference. Yet, many idiots here say that those two “programs are better than our program”.
I give up. Let’s just move to the fuggin SWAC. There’s no logic left on this board.
I’m not on record anywhere touting the SoCo or Big South as a premier conference. My only defense of Winthrop has been that despite the weak conference, it still manages to beat the teams that are relevant to their level of talent. I don’t particularly feel any better about our loss to Davidson than I do about the N. Texas loss. However, both Winthrop and Davidson absolutely dominated their conferences whereas N. Texas was middle-pack but went on a nice conference tournament run.
The only reason I even bothered commenting on this is simply to state that despite N. Texas being in the finals, they are still nowhere remotely close to being a moral victory for us. And I don’t feel any better today about losing to them (on our home court nonetheless) than I did on November 12th. If you do, I respect that but we had no business losing to them, or Davidson for that matter, though at least with a rivalry, anything is possible.
Teams that annually do what they have to do to get into the NCAA tournament, whether that’s win their conference tournament or get in as an at-large, have their program running the way it’s supposed to run. You could argue that North Texas or Winthrop or Davidson don’t belong in the NCAAs because of the relative strength of their conference, but that would be as elitist as the ACC or Big 10 thinking they deserve eight bids because of their strength relative to the A-10, CUSA, etc.
But to me, the key to the success and status of a program is, do you get to the NCAA tournament more often than not? That's the only fair measure, because Sweet 16/Elite Eight are unattainable for most schools in most years.Man I hope N Texas wins, what a resume boost for next season!!!
[QUOTE=Mike_Persinger;222808]But to me, the key to the success and status of a program is, do you get to the NCAA tournament more often than not? That’s the only fair measure, because Sweet 16/Elite Eight are unattainable for most schools in most years.[/QUOTE]
Quoted for truth.
I am not happy about losing to anyone, but call me unsurprised that we lost to some small conference champs in a down year. Their best year(s) they can get us if we’re having a bad year. Where’s Captain Obvious?
I am not happy about losing to anyone, but call me unsurprised that we lost to some small conference champs in a down year. Their best year(s) they can get us if we're having a bad year. Where's Captain Obvious?
Which is essentially why I have such a big problem losing to them this year. This was not supposed to be a down year, giving how many seniors we had starting but that conversation is both redundant and hindsight now. If we were to lose to N. Texas next season (assuming they were on the schedule), then I can possibly come to terms with it a little easier.
I don’t expect us to always beat alleged inferior teams. The little guys get a body blow in every now and again so that’s to be expected. My problem is simply trying to justify it being easier to digest simply because they’re in the Sunbelt finals. When they get in the Big Dance and advance past the first round, then maybe I’ll feel better about our loss to them. Something tells me I shouldn’t hold my breath on that though.
You could argue that North Texas or Winthrop or Davidson don't belong in the NCAAs because of the relative strength of their conference, but that would be as elitist as the ACC or Big 10 thinking they deserve eight bids because of their strength relative to the A-10, CUSA, etc.
Only an idiot would argue that Winthrop doesn’t belong in the Big Dance. They’re a top 25 team, have the 2nd longest winning streak in the country and their only OOC losses were to ranked teams. They deserved an at-large even had they stumbled in their conference final. They may very well lose their first tournament game but you can’t argue that they don’t belong. If N. Texas wins their final, then they belong in the NCAA Tournament as well. But without that luxury, they wouldn’t sniff an invite. Winthrop would at least have a solid case. Davidson wouldn’t have gotten in without the auto-bid. Unfortunate but obviously true.
I’m pulling hard for Davidson and Winthrop. It would be a great story if one/both could at least win a game and put up a good fight in the 2nd round. Winthrop stands the better chance simply because they will have a seed that will give them more favorable matchups. I’d be surprised if McKillop’s squad can win one but if anyone deserves some Big Dance success, it’s McKillop.
Just for you NA…
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One point that most people are overlooking. Winthrop is head and shoulders above the other Big South Conference teams. High Point is closing the gap slightly. They only have to play 7 schools. A good team in a lesser conference wins their conference and gets a bid, they may be no where close to being as good as a team in a higher rated conference who stays at home. Charlotte has always had at least 11 to defeat, now 13 in the Atlantic 10. The 49ers (or any team in a large conference) are competing just to be strong enough to get an at-large bid, a conference title is gravy. And this season, the gravy is missing some key ingredients!
Just for fun and argument… some comparisons between Charlotte/Winthrop and the Conference USA/Atlantic 10/Big South over the past nine years.
2007 - Winthrop RPI 69, SOS 266, BSC 29
2007 - Charlotte RPI 139, SOS 106, A10 10
2006 - Winthrop RPI 73, SOS 194, BSC 19
2006 - Charlotte RPI 104, SOS 126, A10 10
2005 - Winthrop RPI 83, SOS 291, BSC 27
2005 - Charlotte RPI 30, SOS 99, CUSA 9
2004 - Winthrop RPI 210, SOS 187, BSC 28
2004 - Charlotte RPI 34, SOS 58, CUSA 5
2003 - Winthrop RPI 183, SOS 210, BSC 28
2003 - Charlotte RPI 95, SOS 41, CUSA 8
2002 - Winthrop RPI 219, SOS 317, BSC 31
2002 - Charlotte RPI 35, SOS 16, CUSA 8
2001 - Winthrop RPI 188, SOS 278, BSC 31
2001 - Charlotte RPI 48, SOS 77, CUSA 0
2000 - Winthrop RPI 143, SOS 278, BSC 26
2000 - Charlotte RPI 57, SOS 14, CUSA 5
1999 - Winthrop RPI 152, SOS 303, BSC 30
1999 - Charlotte RPI 19, SOS 18, CUSA 6
9-year average - Winthrop RPI 147, SOS 258, BSC 28
9-year average - Charlotte RPI 62, SOS 62, CUSA/A10 8
Had Winthrop lost in the Big South Championship game, they wouldn’t have gotten an at-large bid. I don’t believe they deserve to be ranked in the top 25 either, but that is a different argument.
They are a good team, but their resume doesn’t really merit an at large bid… mainly due to the bad conference they play in. They finished with an RPI of 69, but their overall SOS is 266. Their non-conf. SOS was a respectable 42, but conference play killed their overall SOS. They missed out on all of their chances to get a big win… they didn’t beat anyone in the RPI top 35.
Had Winthrop lost to VMI in their tourney final (RPI 300), their RPI would have taken a big hit and they would not be dancing. It would be a shame too because it would seem they did everthing right… played a tough non conf. schedule… won 24 games… the Big South is really holding them down.