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UTEP still an at- large candidate?

UTEP out unless they win tourney. NMSU is such in a weak league and look strong and have a good history, they'll make it. How can they not lose their tourney?

Full disclose, I hate NMSU, but Coach Menzies knows when to win those game that count being a small mid major.
This post was edited on 2/15 12:36 AM by utep2step
 
With today's results, our RPI moved up 15 spots to 62. Not quite good enough and not enough games or quality opponents left to get there. A win at La Tech would make it interesting. We need ODU to win out and give us a second top 50 win. Xavier needs to keep winning and stay in the top 50. And, yes, we need NMSU to keep winning.
 
We also need Western Kentucky to win enough games without catching us. After losing to Marshal, their RPI will plummet. Could end up being a 'bad loss.'
 
I tend to agree with you ShyMiner. If we win out until the CUSA final, which would include beating LaTech on the road, I think our RPI would drop into the 40s. That is often times enough to get a team in, especially with a late season winning streak. By no means a guarantee, and perhaps a long shot still, but at least a possibility...which as of a month ago I thought didn't exist in the slightest.
 
Don't forget Floyd's first year they got the CUSA final and still didn't get an at-large bid. They need to win the CUSA tourney!
 
Just to point out though minergabe, the out of conference strength of schedule was ridiculously weak, and UTEP's rpi was somewhere in the high 60s if I remember correctly that first CTF year. This year our rpi could dip into the 40s if they win out. Huge difference, especially considering our ooc schedule this year.

This post was edited on 2/15 4:08 PM by tbleslie
 
Originally posted by tbleslie:

Just to point out though minergabe, the out of conference strength of schedule was ridiculously weak, and UTEP's rpi was somewhere in the high 60s if I remember correctly that first CTF year. This year our rpi could dip into the 40s if they win out. Huge difference, especially considering our ooc schedule this year.

This post was edited on 2/15 4:08 PM by tbleslie
Plus C-USA got two teams in that year, UAB whom I believe finished with an RPI around the 35-45 range, granted they were one of the last 4 in and had to play in the play in round.

This post was edited on 2/15 4:23 PM by allminer
 
Originally posted by kappasigmaminer:
We win out and lose in the finals= decent shot at at large
Based on what? I appreciate the enthusiasm, but you don't win your regular season, you don't win your tournament, your RPI is marginal, and no real signature win = at large bid? Miners getting hot at the right time, but there's only one scenario that leads to the tournament for UTEP.
 
If utep beats La tech on the road and wins out rpi will be in 40's and they'll have reg season title and if they lost in finals they'd be 25-8, I'd live to say they'd get in, but the loss at MarsMarshall i think sealed our fate until then our worst lost was nmsu, so basically afree thtow here and there is the difference between NIT and NCAA if we dont win tourney
 
Originally posted by nattybry:
If utep beats La tech on the road and wins out rpi will be in 40's and they'll have reg season title and if they lost in finals they'd be 25-8, I'd live to say they'd get in, but the loss at MarsMarshall i think sealed our fate until then our worst lost was nmsu, so basically afree thtow here and there is the difference between NIT and NCAA if we dont win tourney
Last year, Louisiana Tech was 27-7 when they lost in the finals and they didn't get in.
 
Again, LaTech had an RPI in the 60s. RPI, for better or worse, accounts for more weight in the decision making process than overall record. Very rarely does a team in the 60s get an invite, despite a stellar record.
 
Originally posted by tbleslie:
Again, LaTech had an RPI in the 60s. RPI, for better or worse, accounts for more weight in the decision making process than overall record. Very rarely does a team in the 60s get an invite, despite a stellar record.
Very true, but I just don't see a 25-8 Conference USA team getting into the Big Dance.
 
You may be right, chi. The topic says "still a chance...", which if UTEP wins out until the CUSA final, they will most definitely be in the discussion for an at-large. CUSA is not accustomed to getting multiple teams into the tourney because rarely does a CUSA team play an ooc schedule that spikes their RPI high enough, so only the tourney winner goes. UAB was the exception back in 2010-11. They didn't have as good of a record as LaTech did last year but they played some good teams pre-conference. They didn't even win all those games but their RPI finished in the 40s. They were rewarded for finishing strong and playing good ooc teams. We will have a chance, despite our poor losses, but I do agree that it will be a long shot at best.
 
Yes, every year is different, but if someone wants to play the "well this happened to this team that year" game. UAB 2011. 22-9. SOS 80. Regular season champ. Lost in first round of conference tournament. RPI of 37. Lost to Memphis twice, Tulsa, a horrid East Carolina. Most notable OOC wins, Kent, Az State, Virginia Commenwealth, I guess.

At any rate, its good to see the Miners back in the discussion of some publications. Thats where a seven game winning streak and a high profile coach and a player thats garnering some national attention pays off.
This post was edited on 2/16 6:41 PM by allminer
 
Thanks for the correction on the the UAB RPI, allminer. I didn't go back and look. Thought I remembered it being 43, but that was just by memory (one that's not quite as sharp as it used to be). At any rate, hopefully UTEP just wins the conf tourney and all this speculation is moot.
 
I thought UAB finished in the 40's too. At any rate, yes hopefully the Miners can just win the tourney, but there's still a lot that can happen, not only in our conference, but in all conferences. My pet peeve are the dark horses that win their tourneys after having lousy seasons, that take away a deserving team.
 
Originally posted by allminer:

I thought UAB finished in the 40's too. At any rate, yes hopefully the Miners can just win the tourney, but there's still a lot that can happen, not only in our conference, but in all conferences. My pet peeve are the dark horses that win their tourneys after having lousy seasons, that take away a deserving team.
Well, conference champs are assured of an NIT bid in that event. It keeps the NIT interesting.
 
Top CIT/CBI Candidates: TCU, Memphis, Pepperdine, Portland, Illinois St., St. Bonaventure, Evansville, Loyola (IL), Kent St., UC Irvine, New Mexico, Utah St., UTEP, Northeastern, Hofstra, Georgia St., Rider, Belmont, Eastern Kentucky, UT Martin, South Dakota St., Coastal Carolina, Radford, Chattanooga, Sacramento St., North Florida, USC Upstate, Norfolk St., NJIT, Florida St., Georgia Southern, Sam Houston St., Western Michigan, Cleveland St., Vermont, New Hampshire, Stony Brook, Saint Francis U.

http://www.nycbuckets.com/2015/02/nit-bracketology-feb-8/
 
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