Big 12: is Gillispie high?

[KingTut]

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/news;_ylt=AtWHpHd1xryzAFAKAXnSr_bevbYF?slug=rivals-85996&prov=rivals&type=lgnsCoaches not concerned with RPI - yet

As we enter the start of conference play, the Big 12 ranks as the sixth best conference according to the RPI (Ratings Percentage Index). But that doesn't concern Texas A&M coach Billy Gillispie, who believes the Big 12 will be able to make an argument for being the toughest and deepest league by the end of the season.

"This is by far the best I have seen the league in the three years I've been here, from top to bottom," Gillispie said. "We have 11, maybe 12 teams that will play in the postseason. I don't see how there could be a more competitive league anywhere.

"The RPI situation is going to take care of itself and I think (the NCAA Tournament committee) is probably going to put less and less into that in when determining the field."

Stansbury feels similarly about the SEC, which is ranked fourth behind the Pac-10, ACC and Missouri Valley.

"I think the league is the best I've seen in a long time, top to bottom," Stansbury said. "Everybody talks about the three or four teams at the top, but I think it's the deepest it's been in years."

The Big Ten was ranked as the No. 1 conference by the RPI heading into the 2006 NCAA Tournament, but all six of the league's teams who received bids were either knocked out in the first or second rounds.

[shocker3]

He is just spinning and basically lobbying the committee to ignore the rpi.


It is funny how these BCS coaches all loved the rpi when it guaranteed them 5 or 6 bids a year.

Now that another conference is crashing the party, they try and pooh pooh the rpi.

The strange thing is the Valley last year really just picked up the extra bids that C-USA and the A-10 were getting for awhile. We didn't really affect the BCS leagues.:valley:

[Griz]

Gillispie went on to say that after the season he, Jeff Spicoli and Mick are going to wing on over to London and jam with the Stones.

[MoState417]

The only way the Big 12 gets 12 teams in postseason is if you count the Big 12 tourny as postseason.

[KingTut]

That reporter should've asked him what Baylor, Colorado,and Oklahoma have done to deserve even the slightest NIT consideration.

[philcski]

The Big XII is mediocre this year, outside of Oklahoma St (who is a legit Elite 8 team). He's gotta find a way to spin it in his favor, and really he doesn't have to as his team is solid (not great), and will make the Tournament.

The Big East is suffering from the same mediocrity this year (it's Pittsburgh and a bunch of OK teams, nobody is special) and I'm surprised there hasn't been the same crying from them but maybe their coaches realize their teams are just OK, not great and the RPI numbers reflect that correctly.

Shocker3 nailed it- the bids that once were taken up by the A-10 and Conference USA have been reallocated as those conferences have struggled the last few years relative to their previous (pre-realignment) successes. This year, nobody in the A-10 has a worthy at-large profile and only Memphis in CUSA does, whereas in past years they've sent as many as four and six, respectively!

When it comes down to it, the Big East will get 7, ACC 6, SEC 5-6, Pac-10 5, Big Eleven 5-6, and the Big XII 4-5 (including the automatic bids). That leaves 30-33 for the rest of us "bums." Subracting the 16 "one bid" leagues, there's 14-17 remaining to cut up between the MVC, MWC, WAC, WCC, Conf USA, Horizon, A-10, Colonial, and Southern. Subracting the conference champions that leaves 5-8 at-large bids and I'm guessing the number will be on the HIGH side this year rather than the low.
Put a gun to my head and I say MVC 4, MWC 2, WAC 1-2, WCC 1-2, Conf USA 1, Horizon 1-2, A-10 1, Colonial 1-2, SoCon 1-2.

[tennis08tarheels]

Big 12

1. Oklahoma State - NCAA
2. Texas A&M - NCAA
3. Kansas - NCAA
4. Texas - NCAA
5. Kansas State - NCAA
6. Missouri - NIT
7. Texas Tech - NIT
8. Nebraska
9. Baylor
10. Iowa State
11. Oklahoma
12. Colorado

[philcski]

Big 12

1. Oklahoma State - NCAA
2. Texas A&M - NCAA
3. Kansas - NCAA
4. Texas - NCAA
5. Kansas State - NCAA
6. Missouri - NIT
7. Texas Tech - NIT
8. Nebraska
9. Baylor
10. Iowa State
11. Oklahoma
12. Colorado

Switch K State to NIT and I think you nailed it.

[tennis08tarheels]

The Big XII is mediocre this year, outside of Oklahoma St (who is a legit Elite 8 team). He's gotta find a way to spin it in his favor, and really he doesn't have to as his team is solid (not great), and will make the Tournament.

The Big East is suffering from the same mediocrity this year (it's Pittsburgh and a bunch of OK teams, nobody is special) and I'm surprised there hasn't been the same crying from them but maybe their coaches realize their teams are just OK, not great and the RPI numbers reflect that correctly.

Shocker3 nailed it- the bids that once were taken up by the A-10 and Conference USA have been reallocated as those conferences have struggled the last few years relative to their previous (pre-realignment) successes. This year, nobody in the A-10 has a worthy at-large profile and only Memphis in CUSA does, whereas in past years they've sent as many as four and six, respectively!

When it comes down to it, the Big East will get 7, ACC 6, SEC 5-6, Pac-10 5, Big Eleven 5-6, and the Big XII 4-5 (including the automatic bids). That leaves 30-33 for the rest of us "bums." Subracting the 16 "one bid" leagues, there's 14-17 remaining to cut up between the MVC, MWC, WAC, WCC, Conf USA, Horizon, A-10, Colonial, and Southern. Subracting the conference champions that leaves 5-8 at-large bids and I'm guessing the number will be on the HIGH side this year rather than the low.
Put a gun to my head and I say MVC 4, MWC 2, WAC 1-2, WCC 1-2, Conf USA 1, Horizon 1-2, A-10 1, Colonial 1-2, SoCon 1-2.

I'm shocked that you included the SoCon in that list. I don't think I was born the last time we had an at-large team.

K-State is a completely different team with Bill Walker. That win over USC is going to look pretty good.

[philcski]

I'm shocked that you included the SoCon in that list. I don't think I was born the last time we had an at-large team.

K-State is a completely different team with Bill Walker. That win over USC is going to look pretty good.

Bill Walker is now potentially out... http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/6345662?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=99...
but the USC win is solid.

I have to include the SoCon for now. App State has won some big games, even though they have some bad losses too... but the numbers favor them. #1 nonconf SOS is bigtime.

[KingTut]

Oklahoma State will not win the league. They have absolutely no depth. That will cost them as the conference season wears on.

[shockball]

These BCS coaches throw this stuff out because they are not doing their jobs. They are getting beat by better MVC and some mid major coaching staffs. They will get voted off the island.

[smacktalkermsu]

"This is by far the best I have seen the league in the three years I've been here, from top to bottom," Gillispie said. "We have 11, maybe 12 teams that will play in the postseason. I don't see how there could be a more competitive league anywhere."

That is coachspeak for......"Just about everyone in our league is about middle of the pack, at best. It will be hard to sort out the postseason bids because no one is really all that much better than anyone else......there might be some controversy about which 17-14 team has to stay home instead of going to the NIT."

[cufan]

I'm no Husker basketball apologist, but they will at least qualify for the NIT this year, and may make a run at the big tourney. They aren't deep, but they have kids who are fast and who can flat shoot the ball, and they have an NBA draftee in Marich. If he stays healthy, they will be right in the thick of things in the Big XII. Whether they have enough horses to land in the top half of the Big XII this year is the question - but they will get to 20 wins and will be in the post season.

[smacktalkermsu]

I'm no Husker basketball apologist, but they will at least qualify for the NIT this year, and may make a run at the big tourney. They aren't deep, but they have kids who are fast and who can flat shoot the ball, and they have an NBA draftee in Marich. If he stays healthy, they will be right in the thick of things in the Big XII. Whether they have enough horses to land in the top half of the Big XII this year is the question - but they will get to 20 wins and will be in the post season.

Nebraska has some players......Jamel White, Ryan Anderson, Marcus Perry, Aleks Maric.......all very good players that will Continue to get better and better all season.

Teams like Mo. State and SIU won't improve at the pace of younger teams like a Nebraska or UConn.......I think a lot of people need to realize that the MVC is very Upperclassmen oriented, so we should win games early in the season......when the big dogs catch up with us in march it will be much tougher to beat them.

[GivEmDaShocker24]

Do you really think that Ok. St. is good enough to win the Big 12? Outside of Curry and Boggin(who are easily two of the best in the conference) they have nothing. They are a solid team, but I don't see them beating out KU or TAMU. TAMU beat KSU by 4 or 5 points even though they shot under 35% the entire game; plus, they lost to UCLA in Anaheim by 3 points. And KU...true they haven't won some games, but they have easily the best individual PLAYERS in the Big 12.

[ShockerEngr]

The only way the Big 12 gets 12 teams in postseason is if you count the Big 12 tourny as postseason.

K-State's Athletic Dept. counts the Big 12 tourney as post-season.....

[UNI Prof]

I think you'd have to be pretty high to put K-State in the NCAAs.

[cpacmel]

Bill Walker is now potentially out... http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/6345662?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=99...
but the USC win is solid.


Walker is in fact out for the year having ruptured a ligament in his knee.

[MikeKennedyRulz]

Walker is in fact out for the year having ruptured a ligament in his knee.

Yeah, I saw that late yesterday afternoon and was able to plunk down $50 on Texas Tech at +4.5. Like taking candy from a baby! :clap:

[Ricky Del Rio]

Who is SoCon?

KSU ain't going nowhere, even the NIT.

Of course, I am not too sure my beloved Shockers are going anywhere, either.

[tennis08tarheels]

I think you'd have to be pretty high to put K-State in the NCAAs.

That was before the Walker incident.

The SoCon is the Southern Conference.

[btisu22]

Teams like Mo. State and SIU won't improve at the pace of younger teams like a Nebraska or UConn.......I think a lot of people need to realize that the MVC is very Upperclassmen oriented, so we should win games early in the season......when the big dogs catch up with us in march it will be much tougher to beat them.
While I agree with you assessment of young teams getting experience as the season going along and catching up, I think experience is the same thing that will help the Valley teams in March. Wichita, UNI, Creighton and Southern all have veteran teams that have been in the tourney and know what to expect. Younger teams may get bit at the ball played in March. Coaching will be key for them.
:sycamores: :valley:

[smacktalkermsu]

While I agree with you assessment of young teams getting experience as the season going along and catching up, I think experience is the same thing that will help the Valley teams in March. Wichita, UNI, Creighton and Southern all have veteran teams that have been in the tourney and know what to expect. Younger teams may get bit at the ball played in March. Coaching will be key for them.
:sycamores: :valley:

Basically my point was if you watched Missouri State against Wisconsin and then watched Uconn vs. West virginia

You will still recognize this missouri state team in March..........You probably won't recognize the UConn team.......MO St. has much much less room for improvement. (Along with most MVC teams)