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Bracketology

EWUEagleEye

Active member
Prognosticators giving EWU some love as in a 12 seed in the NCAA's that would be pretty awesome

https://bracketville.wordpress.com/bracketology/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Joe Lunardi of ESPN Bracketology currently has the Eags as a #13 seed in the Midwest Region. Updated last on January 15th. Here's the link:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


In the Rafters at Reese....
go eags!
 
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/bracketology" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

CBSsports.com has EWU as a 13 seed taking on Wichita State... that's a match-up the Eagles could make interesting
 
Lunardi updated his "Bracketology" today (02/16). Still has the Eags as a #13 seed but in the south this time vs Wichita St. When he had Sac St. in there last week, he had them listed as a #16. He didn't ding us at all for that slip up at home against PSU. I thought we might slip to a #14.

From the rafters....
Go eags!
 
Here's the link to Lunardi's latest Bracketology as of February 16th. I think the fact that we didn't have Venky helped us hold onto a #13 seed if we make it to The Dance. Even if we would have slipped to a #14 for losing to PSU it wouldn't have been the end of the world. It seems like every year a #14 gives a #3 seed a scare or actually beats them in the Big Dance. Look at Duke last year. Here's the link:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

From the Rafters....
go eags!
 
Thanks for keeping us updated Rafter!

I really think we need to stay in the 12-14 range to have a legit shot... but looks like we are on that pace so far!
 
I think the Eags need to get at least a #14 seed if we want to make it to the Dance and have a legit shot to upset somebody. I understand that just because Lunardi (and I do respect his opinion) has us as a #13 seed right now, doesn't mean we will actually get a #13 seed if we make it to the Dance. I believe we can finish the season either 6 - 0 or 5 - 1 and still maintain a #14 seed or higher in the eyes of the selection committee.

From the Rafters....
go eags!
 
As of today (03/08) Lunardi has the eags playing Gonzaga in the first round of the Dance. Apparently he believes we are going to go into Missoula and walk out of there 3 - 0. It's just one man's opinion but it's cool he's giving us a tiny bit of respect. Anyone who knows the Big Sky knows its not going to be that easy though. I hate our first round game. Idaho almost (probably should have) walked out of Cheney with a win. I don't envy the Griz either. Weber is a scarry team right now that is as talented (or more talented) than every team in the Sky. They just haven't put it all toghther yet but are close to doing so. Remember. they were preseason favorites for a reason. I believe there are 6 teams that could Dance from the Sky. Parody = BSC.

If we do Dance and get a #15 seed, I personally would want to play Wisconsin (not the Zags). We don't match up well with GU. Wisconsin plays more our style and i've seen them go ice cold at times. Really, the only 4 teams I wouldn't want to face if we make the Dance are Zona, GU, UV, and UK.

go eags!
 
Rafter_Reese said:
As of today (03/08) Lunardi has the eags playing Gonzaga in the first round of the Dance. Apparently he believes we are going to go into Missoula and walk out of there 3 - 0. It's just one man's opinion but it's cool he's giving us a tiny bit of respect. Anyone who knows the Big Sky knows its not going to be that easy though. I hate our first round game. Idaho almost (probably should have) walked out of Cheney with a win. I don't envy the Griz either. Weber is a scarry team right now that is as talented (or more talented) than every team in the Sky. They just haven't put it all toghther yet but are close to doing so. Remember. they were preseason favorites for a reason. I believe there are 6 teams that could Dance from the Sky. Parody = BSC.

If we do Dance and get a #15 seed, I personally would want to play Wisconsin (not the Zags). We don't match up well with GU. Wisconsin plays more our style and i've seen them go ice cold at times. Really, the only 4 teams I wouldn't want to face if we make the Dance are Zona, GU, UV, and UK.

go eags!

Thanks Rafter for the bracketology update. I think Lunardi succumbs to the drama of pairing teams that make for good stories. My personal opinion of the zags is that they feast in a weak conference, and consistently climb the polls due to that weak conference. It is my opinion that the zags in no way should be in the same conversation as Arizona, Virginia or Kentucky. I would much rather have the EAGS play the zags over Wisconsin.

How do you rate the zags WCC player of the year versus Drew Brandon? I would take Drew Brandon.
 
GoldenEagle said:
My personal opinion of the zags is that they feast in a weak conference, and consistently climb the polls due to that weak conference. It is my opinion that the zags in no way should be in the same conversation as Arizona, Virginia or Kentucky. I would much rather have the EAGS play the zags over Wisconsin.

Couldn't agree more. If you guys end up in the tournament (obviously I'm hoping it'll be the Griz) I hope you guys get a team like Gonzaga or another good (but overrated) mid-major team. You guys have the talent to pull off an upset & the Zags seem to be over rated, as usual, in my opinion.

That said I still envy the hell out of them and the WCC. Hoping one day the Big Sky, with more teams scheduling top 100 non conference schedules (like the Griz and EWU did this year) might start to move in the direction of the WCC. Have to say big time kudos to whoever does your scheduling for not loading up on cream puffs (like Sac does) and actually putting your team against good competition! That's what builds a good program that has a chance in the NCAA tournament!

Now if we can get the other usual suspects (Sac and Portland State for example) to do the same instead of what they usually do maybe the Sky will gain some respect as teams occasionally upset other big time programs (like your win against Indiana this year, the Griz win against UCLA years ago, etc etc). Those types of games not only help the conference gain some notoriety it also can be used as a great recruiting tool leading to better teams in our conference.
 
Jeez, I agree completely. Wisconsin is all wrong for us; so physical and with a good big man to present a major matchup challenge. Gonzaga isn't easy by any means, but no ones knows whether they can really grind against a good team. Wisconsin has to grind every game in their conference.
 
LDopaPDX said:
Jeez, I agree completely. Wisconsin is all wrong for us; so physical and with a good big man to present a major matchup challenge. Gonzaga isn't easy by any means, but no ones knows whether they can really grind against a good team. Wisconsin has to grind every game in their conference.


Yes, Wisconsin! I'm not backing down on that one either. It's more about their style of play than their personnel, although I'd rather have to guard Wisconsin's personnel over GU's personnel. They have the type of offense that can go into frozen mode at times. Bo Ryan loves to have his BIGS shoot the 3 but they only shoot 35% as a team from three point land where GU can go inside out and they shoot over 40% AS A TEAM from 3-land so playing zone doesn't make any sense either. At least with a team like Wisconsin we could drop into a zone and make them shoot outside where they go very cold at times. Kaminsky is their best 3-point shooter that gets any minutes and that is a good thing for teams like EWU that have bigs that can matchup on the perimeter. Venky can step out and guard you with his athleticism where many bigs that try to guard Kaminsky can't. That's why he has so much success. I respect the heck out of Kaminsky but I would much rather have Venky matchup with him than Karnowski or Sabonis from GU. Those guys are made out of concrete where Kaminsky is always trying to spin his way to the bucket and is a little more finesse. We don't have the physical strength to guard BIG bigs down low without fouling, and ultimately fouling out. Nigel Hayes is a rock but he's only 6'7" and we can guard 6'7". I think Blizzard and OG could match up with Decker and Hayes and do well.

It's all about the matchups in basketball and I will take our matchups with Wisconsin all day over our matchups with GU. First we have to make the Dance (which will be hard enough) so this is all just hypothetical of course, but hypothetical is fun. I'm hoping we would get a #14 seed and avoid the top 8 teams all together. That would be nice but Lunardi doesn't seem to think so right now. I think the PSU, NAU and UM losses might have taken us from a 13 or 14, to a #15 seed. So, if that's the case, and we make the Dance, it looks like we'd get Wisconsin, Zona, GU, or Kansas at this point. If we win 3 more we would have 26 wins though so you never know....

From the Rafters....
go eags!
 
If/when we advance, hope we don't see Wisconsin as they get beat up on #23 Ohio State 72-48 yesterday.
 
To say we want Wisconsin is a joke. The way that team is built, they would throttle EWU. Who do you see guarding Frank Kaminsky ? Venky? come on dude. He would score at will and it would be very ugly...

I mean, any 2 seed would clearly be a much better team than EWU. But Wisconsin is the exact wrong matchup style for EWU. Gonzaga isn't much better of a matchup either. Karnowski and Sabonis would have a field day. We lack size in the paint, so any team with a dominant big man presents trouble.

Look at the UW game. Take away Robert Upshaw, and EWU would have won that game by 10+ points. But Upshaw had his best game of the season vs us. We just cant guard a 7 footer.
 
JasonEWU said:
To say we want Wisconsin is a joke. The way that team is built, they would throttle EWU. Who do you see guarding Frank Kaminsky ? Venky? come on dude. He would score at will and it would be very ugly...

I mean, any 2 seed would clearly be a much better team than EWU. But Wisconsin is the exact wrong matchup style for EWU. Gonzaga isn't much better of a matchup either. Karnowski and Sabonis would have a field day. We lack size in the paint, so any team with a dominant big man presents trouble.

Look at the UW game. Take away Robert Upshaw, and EWU would have won that game by 10+ points. But Upshaw had his best game of the season vs us. We just cant guard a 7 footer.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not hoping we face Wisconsin if we make the Dance. They play nasty defense and I respect their team a ton. They're actually one of my favorite college teams and have been for years. I don't see a team in the top 10 that I really WANT to face. I just don't like the idea of the Eags having to face Karnowski (7'1" 300 lbs) and Sabonis (future Lottery pick) because we can't guard true BIG MEN. Then you think about those two guys (who are both great passers) kicking it out to Pangos (44% 3-pt shooter), Wiltjer (45% 3-pt shooter), and Bell who can stroke it. What's to like about that matchup? Nothing.

The analysts are talking a lot about the selection committee placing teams by geographical location this year, so we probably wouldn't have to play Wisconsin anyways. If the Eags were to make the Dance as a #15, we would probably land GU or Zona (like Weber last year). Hate both matchups. Rather play GU than Zona cause Zona will lock-you-down and they might as well be a football team that can put a ball through the hoop.

Let's just beat Idaho first. That will be a tough enough task.

From the Rafters....
go eags!

T
 
The Big Sky learned all they need to know about Wisconsin when a few years back they took a Griz team (with a considerably better RPI than any BSC team this year) behind the woodshed for a good ol' Badger beatin in the first round

NO one -- and I mean NOOOOOO ONE -- in the BSC wants Wisconsin.
 
Like I said in my earlier post (you can go read it), "I hope we can get a #14 seed so we can avoid the top 8 teams all together." In that post I am acknowledging that no one in the Big Sky is ASKING to play Wisconsin. Hoping we wouldn't have to. But I will take them any day over GU the way the matchups go. See my most recent post. It's all about matchups. I think there's a good chance GU loses to BYU tomorrow night but that still won't change my opinion. I even think Wisconsin is a Final 4 team, but once again---matchups. Not even saying we matchup really well againt Wisconsin, just better than GU. Just my opinion. I respect yours too.

All I really hope is that we can beat Idaho. Not easy.

From the Rafters....
go eags!
 
But I will take them any day over GU

No way, no how. And this is coming from a Zag fan, my second favorite team (my parents have season tickets). BSC teams (ANY of them) match up considerably better with the Zags than with Wisconsin.
 

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