**** OFFICIAL**** My team got screwed by the committee thread

[MacGuyV]

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Syracuse:

First 10-6 team out of the Big East not to make the tournament ever. 3-2 against RPI top 25. Wins against Georgetown, @Providence, Villanova, @Marquette. No loss all season by more than 12 points, with the 12 point loss to ND the only one in double digits. Higher in the Big East standings than both Marquette and Villanova who are in.

Pathetic.

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They also were 7-3 in their last ten and anyone who saw this club play could see they were indeed getting to be a formidable team. Why does no one really complain about Stanford getting in more vocally. 4-6 since Feb.1 and losers of 4 of their last five. They lost by 30 at home to Air Force early, pretty ridiculous. I heard they had injuries, but so what, you can't just throw out losses as if they didn't happen. How is their resume better than the 'Cuse?

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The "argument" I've heard from the committee was unbalanced conf scheduling. Of course that's a joke given that they played NONE of the bottom teams twice (Seton Hall not even once), beat G'town by double digits, won @Marquette, split easily w/ Nova, & lost a close game @L'ville...but it's ok for Illinois to play OSU/Wisc only once each and lose both at home [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]
I know Illinois and a couple other teams played a tougher non-conf schedule but I don't know how that trumps 1,000 other cumulative factors unless these other teams actually win a couple of those tough games (which most of them don't). What's the problem with rewarding a team if they win a tough non-conf road game but not punishing them if they lose? Instead it's like randomly selected teams are rewarded infinitely for playing a tough OOC game win or lose doesn't matter, which I just find mind-boggling. Then they flip-flop on this whole "OOC schedule > conf. play" philosophy by putting ODU in over Drexel when Drexel actually won their tough games not to mention W. Virginia last yr who basically got no credit for winning @UCLA & @LSU last yr and now this yr they get ripped for "not playing anyone"...there's just no rhyme or reason to anything; it's [censored] retarded.

[TheNoodleMan]

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IU's big non-conf win was @ UConn and pretty much a yawn everywhere else

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Southern Illinois.

The Wisconsin win played pretty big for IU as well.

[Cubswin]

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There is a reason why Illinois is a common pick for both their first round and the sweet16 among many 'experts' (that term is used quite loosely by me). When it comes down to it, they recognize Illinois is one of the best 25 teams in the country.


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Any 'expert' that is picking Illinois is only doing so because of name recognition, they have obviously not seen this team play a lot of games. This is what happens when you are the 2nd winningest team of the century.

This team has huge flaws, flaws which have kept them from cracking the top 25 in either poll all year. Based on these 'expert' opinions, I think its safe they are not a top 25 team, and most likely not a top 35 team.

Can this team win a few games? Absolutely. Did they get the seed they deserve? Yes. Did they get a better draw than the other 3rd to 6th place teams in the Big 10 despite being a 12 seed? YES. I dont get all your complaining.

[Richard Tanner]

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There is a reason why Illinois is a common pick for both their first round and the sweet16 among many 'experts' (that term is used quite loosely by me). When it comes down to it, they recognize Illinois is one of the best 25 teams in the country.


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Any 'expert' that is picking Illinois is only doing so because of name recognition, they have obviously not seen this team play a lot of games. This is what happens when you are the 2nd winningest team of the century.

This team has huge flaws, flaws which have kept them from cracking the top 25 in either poll all year. Based on these 'expert' opinions, I think its safe they are not a top 25 team, and most likely not a top 35 team.

Can this team win a few games? Absolutely. Did they get the seed they deserve? Yes. Did they get a better draw than the other 3rd to 6th place teams in the Big 10 despite being a 12 seed? YES. I dont get all your complaining.

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What's not to understand. He's an Illini fan and the Illini are having a bad year. He's lobbying for his team, it's what fans do.

Cody

[Cubswin]

I'm an Illinois alum and, of course, a huge fan as well. There is very little to lobby for this season.

[ChipWrecked]

I went to Arkansas.

My only reaction is 'bite me'.

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[DrunkIrish05]

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There is a reason why Illinois is a common pick for both their first round and the sweet16 among many 'experts' (that term is used quite loosely by me). When it comes down to it, they recognize Illinois is one of the best 25 teams in the country.


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Any 'expert' that is picking Illinois is only doing so because of name recognition, they have obviously not seen this team play a lot of games. This is what happens when you are the 2nd winningest team of the century.

This team has huge flaws, flaws which have kept them from cracking the top 25 in either poll all year. Based on these 'expert' opinions, I think its safe they are not a top 25 team, and most likely not a top 35 team.

Can this team win a few games? Absolutely. Did they get the seed they deserve? Yes. Did they get a better draw than the other 3rd to 6th place teams in the Big 10 despite being a 12 seed? YES. I dont get all your complaining.

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very good post


I've seen most of the Illini games and agree with everything you said. In comparative terms to other mid pack big tens teams, Illinois was underseeded. In overall terms, their seed seems to be pretty damn accurate. I don't know how you can say this is is getting screwed, as the matchups are obviously what is important at this point. The fact that they received a lower seed than they deserve compared to other big ten teams is not a disadvantage to them in any way whatsoever.

[Troll_Inc]

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I'm an Illinois alum and, of course, a huge fan as well. There is very little to lobby for this season.

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I concur.

http://bracketproject.atspace.com/comparison.htm

I think Illinois could have been a #11 seed and I also think that Purdue was seeded a bit high, but it's all pretty close - just splitting hairs. Overall the Big Ten is pretty damn sucky this year outside of Wisconsin and OSU.

The Illini have a good defense, which will keep them in any game. However, they better wise up that the NCAA tournament is called a bit tighter than your average Big Ten game (where the Illini still have foul problems). Their offense, even with Jamar Smith, has been very suspect all year.

However, if they put in a quality offensive effort they could easily win 2 games and make it to the Sweet 16. People are forgetting that they are a team that is on a roll. They essentially played themselves into the tournament with the second half of their conference schedule, and apparently they needed those 2 wins in the conference tournament just to make it in.

[Austiger]

Regarding Syracuse vs. Arkansas...

The days of saying ZOMG we had 11 wins in the AWESOME BIG EAST are over. Syracuse had 8 (8!!!) conference games against teams with an RPI over 100:

110 vs Connecticut 78-65
110 Connecticut 73-63
110 @ Connecticut 60-67
133 St. John's 76-74
133 @ St. John's 60-64
174 Cincinnati 77-76
192 @ South Florida 70-53
215 @ Rutgers 68-58

Games vs. the top 100:
Cuse 8-8 (10 home, 6 road/neutral)
Arkansas 11-11 (8 home, 14 road/neutral)

Arkansas went 5-5 vs. the top 50 despite only 3 of those games being at home. Cuse was 3-6 (5 home, 4 road/neutral.)

The only team that really has a good beef is FSU, simply because of the Toney Douglas situation.

As far as seeding, Purdue and Butler are seeded too high, but whatever. Illinois is seeded correctly, and is lucky to be in the field at all, since they were in the last 4 in/out on pretty much everyone's projection. No it's not an anti-Illini conspiracy.

The committee had a really difficult job this year and they made some great choices.

[hoyasnaxa]

I hate this Illinois team, they shouldnt be in. The Big 10 is painfully bad, and they are so incredibly boring to watch. Illinois is the worst of the group. Arkansas is also horrible and hard to watch. Syracuse being left out was awesome though.

Virginia being a 4 seed literally made no sense whatsoever.