After 23 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, it’s finally time to leave the Arizona Wildcats home this year.
Let them host a few N.I.T. games.
Yes, Joe Lunardi, we see that Kevin O’Neill’s squad is No. 29 in the all-important, tell-all RPI.
We see that.
And yes, we know about all the “no team with an RPI of such and such has never been left out blah, blah, f****n’ blah.”
Right now, Arizona sits at 18-13 overall, including a very impotent 8-10 in the Pac-10. Granted, the Pac-10 is probably the best conference this season, but 8-10?
The two teams who appear “on the bubble” closest to the Wildcats in the standings, Oregon and Arizona State, both finished at 9-9 in conference play. (By the way, Oregon's résumé is about as hot as Rosie O'Donnell, but that's a whole other article)
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Oh yeah, by the way, Arizona got swept by both Oregon and Arizona State.
But what does that matter, right?
That big, sexy 29 rank in the RPI just helps fade that back into the distance—off into a land where computers are prophets.
Let’s look at Arizona’s résumé a bit closer.
Let’s see, um, they got roasted by Washington.
Swept Washington State—that’s actually not bad. With this résumé though, that should put them ON the bubble, not safely in.
Non-conference? Beat Texas A&M and UNLV, but lost to Virginia. So-so. Very so-so actually.
Lately, the committee just seems to ignore Arizona’s bad losses, or huge number of losses, and inject the Wildcats into an eight versus nine game.
Kind of like last season; except last season, Arizona finished 20-10 (11-7) with wins over Louisville and Memphis.
My final point has to do with the team on the floor. This team has absolutely no bench to speak of; basically one inside player in Jordan Hill (what happens if he gets in foul trouble?); and freshman point guard Jerryd Bayless, who is more erratic than Roseanne Barr’s bowels.
This is a very beatable team, as proven by the 13 losses.
Let’s give a bid to a team who has actually done something this year, not a team who has underwhelmed us all year.
Put Arizona in the N.I.T. where they belong.
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5 months ago
Arizona is more worthless than a share of Enron stock.
5 months ago
I've watched the team all year and they've definitely had their share of ups and downs. It's definitely a thin team and injuries really exposed that leading to the dreaded sweep by ASU. That said though I think they deserve a bid, probably a 10 seed after beating OSU tonight. They played in the best conference, and the toughest non conference schedule in the country. The idea that Bayless is erratic is just plain stupid. He's a candidate for the Wooden award and was the heart and soul of the team. Defenses started focusing most of their energy on him after he torched ASU, Cal, and Stanford and he still produced. This team could have definitely been a top team if it weren't for some tough luck finishes against Stanford(twice), ASU(twice), UCLA, Virginia, and Kansas. They've proven they can compete with some of the best teams in the country so I think they deserve one more trip to the dance.
from 5 months ago
1. Nothing is ever earned by beating Oregon State. Especially NCAA berths.
2. They played in the best conference in America? They didn't play in the Big East, son.
3. I'm tired of Arizona fans thinking that you should automatically get a bid for merely *playing* a tough non-conference schedule. Great good for you, you played a bunch of good teams and didn't beat any of them. If UNLV's the best you can come up with, then stop crying.
4. They've proven they can compete with some of the better teams out there - like I said, great - too bad they didn't beat any of them.
You've got nothing to cry about if they get left out. That being said, they won't get left out because tough schedules ALWAYS trick the committee into giving teams bids in the Dance. Anyone that can't finish .500 in conference shouldn't even be eligible.
from 5 months ago
I agree with Jeff about the OSU comment - they're definitely not good and little should be gleaned from AZ victory.
I agree with Jux in the fact that Pac-10 is "probably the best conference in the country" - you could make a case for the ACC, but you'd be hard pressed by any metric to make a case for the big east. I live on the east coast and catch a fair amount of big east (and ACC) games. The big east is down this year.
UNLV is no slouch of victory. Lon Kruger's team can play some D.
My opinion: Arizona's in, barely. Listen, any team as offensively efficient as the Wildcats is a good team. The fact that they have played a rough schedule hurts them in the loss column but the kids can play.
from 5 months ago
I agree with Jeff about the OSU comment - they're definitely not good and little should be gleaned from AZ victory.
I agree with Jux in the fact that Pac-10 is "probably the best conference in the country" - you could make a case for the ACC, but you'd be hard pressed by any metric to make a case for the big east. I live on the east coast and catch a fair amount of big east (and ACC) games. The big east is down this year.
UNLV is no slouch of victory. Lon Kruger's team can play some D.
My opinion: Arizona's in, barely. Listen, any team as offensively efficient as the Wildcats is a good team. The fact that they have played a rough schedule hurts them in the loss column but the kids can play.
from 5 months ago
Jerryd Bayless is SO overrated. He forces way too many shots. If he had gone to ASU, nobody would know his name... just like how James Harden barely gets any pub, even though his team had a much better season.
Tough luck losses aren't wins. SOS is important, but if you can't finish over .500 in your conference (which is when you should be playing better, due to the rigors of a tough non-conf schedule), then you belong in the NIT.
South Alabama would kick the muleshit out of Arizona
5 months ago
Arizona played great last night, whether they will keep it up who knows.
5 months ago
Actually the number people are obsessed with concerning Arizona is not their RPI but their number one-ranked Strength of Schedule (SOS). I still think Arizona is an NIT team. They went 8-10 in their conference for god's sake. Oregon and Arizona State have better arguments simply because they both swept the Wildcats.
5 months ago
Don't forget the Texas A&M win and the Illinois road win back in December. The committee takes injuries into account and we were missing Bayless for 4 games and Nic Wise for 7 games. The idea that the Big East is the best conference is a joke. The reason Arizona is getting any love with this record is because everyone coast to coast agrees that this is the best conference in the country. Honestly I think their more deserving than the last 2 years and a better team. That said if they win tonight against Stanford they will be a lock come selection sunday.
from 5 months ago
Hey Jux, check it out - this guy just wacked off over wins against Texas A&M and ILLINOIS!
ILLINOIS!
Bryan - The whole world said that the Big East is the best conference, top-to-bottom. You must have missed the press release. Even Lute Olsen and Ben Howland agreed.
5 months ago
I like Arizona this year after watching them play last night I like them even more...LOL!
5 months ago
They'll get in due to their RPI and lose in the first round to a much more deserving and hungrier team. Pac-10 will get six in, so either ASU or Oregon will be screwed in this mess.
5 months ago
No team in the Big East could handle UCLA or Stanford and aside from Notre Dame and Georgetown the rest of the conference is garbage. The Big East isn't even close to as good as it was a few years ago and you're trying to say their the best in the country? Put down the the kool-aid and your east coast bias and watch the Pac-10 take 4 teams to the Sweet 16. Big East isn't even a top 3 conference. ACC and Big 12 are better than those cupcake scheduling Big East teams.
from 5 months ago
Bryan, I'm really embarrassed for your lack of knowledge and manhood.
Just so you know, there are probably 7 Big East teams capable of making the Final Four.
5 months ago
Jeff I'm sorry but you must be off your meds again. Someone get this man a doctor. The Big East's nonconference schedules are the only thing I'd be embarrassed for if I were you. Georgetown played 1 good team(Memphis). Notre Dame played 1 decent team(Ks State) and lost to Baylor and Georgia Tech. Louisville beat UNLV and lost to BYU. 9 of UConns wins came against cupcakes(Morgan St, Buffalo, Gardner Webb twice, Florida A&M, Northeastern, Quinnipac, Maine, and UCF). Marquette has a similar list of crap teams played but at least they went up against Duke and Wisconsin. West Virginia is the same story with Tennessee the only team standing out. Pitt played a cake schedule with the exception of Duke and got beat like a drum by Dayton. I wont even mention the rest of the teams since only Villanova has a chance to get in. So there you are Jeff. Your Mighty Big East. It has 2nd tier mid major teams running scared.
from 5 months ago
OK everyone, here is Bryan's genius logic:
- Brag about Arizona beating Texas A&M and Illinois in their non-conference play.
- Then claim that the Big East teams plays nobody.
Wow..assuming that Texas A&M and Illinois are wins worth bragging about, then the Big East must have really played a horrible schedule, right? Surely you wouldn't brag about THOSE wins and then rag on the Big East's non-conference schedule unless it was truly pathetic, right?
To continue Bryan's genius logic:
- Rattle off the list of cupcakes that Big East teams have played to reinforce your opinion. This makes you look correct.
- Ignore all of the cupcakes that Arizona played. That way it will seem like Arizona doesn't play any!
You know who says hi, Bryan? Northern Arizona, Virginia (yes, Virginia), UMKC, Adams State (is that a real school?), Cal-Fullerton, Fresno, and San Diego State say hi. Christ, what would Arizona's record be WITHOUT all these cupcakes? After all, they've now lost ELEVEN Pac-10 games this year. They wouldn't even qualify for the NIT if they played Cincinnati's schedule.
By the way, how many elite teams do you expect one team to play in the non-conference? Marquette played crap teams "except for Duke and Wisconsin"? What, that's not enough for you? Should they have played UNC, Tennessee, UCLA, and Kansas all in one weekend? Would that make you happy? Rattle off UConn's cupcakes but ignore their road destruction of Indiana? Ignore Louisville's games against Purdue and Kentucky as if they never occurred? Ignore WVU's thrashing of Winthrop, a Sweet 16 team? Ignore their game against Oklahoma, a team ahead of your beloved Texas A&M team in their conference standings? Pitt "played" Duke? How about Pitt "beat" Duke? Ignore Pitt's injury situation against Dayton?
Very convenient of you to "ignore the rest of the teams" since they played some really good teams too.
To summarize Bryan's logic:
1. Brag about beating Texas A&M and Illinois
2. Complain about Marquette "only playing" Duke and Wisconsin
I'd concede that you're making some good points if 1/27th of what you had to say were true.
You can go to hell now.
5 months ago
Ahhh look, Arizona got worked by Stanford once again... proving my article. Don't let them in the tournament! 8-10 aint good enough!
NIT, NIT.....
5 months ago
Alright I'm gonna extend the olive branch on this one. Lets put a moratorium on the name calling and stick to basketball. Look even I'll admit that U of A is mediocre and I'm the biggest homer for them you'll ever meet. After seeing them play with no passion in the last 10 minutes of the Stanford game I'll say that they deserve an NIT bid. I'm just trying to have an honest discussion about the merits of the Big East and Pac-10. You make some good points though and I admit I screwed up on Illinois(only saw them play that one game then saw their record after you dissed it) and your right about the cupcakes we had to. I haven't watched much Big East ball this year other than a few Pitt and GTown games and the Kentucky-Louisville game so I'm just going off the the stories I've read and the stats. I just want to know have you seen the depth of the Pac-10? UCLA and Stanford set the standard but beyond that you've got Sweet 16 teams in Washington State and USC. Arizona we've covered, but then you've got ASU and Oregon who are pretty solid. The bottom teams aside from Oregon State aren't bad either and it was always really tough to come out with a road win this year. You've obviously watched a lot of Big East ball this year so explain to me what I've been missing and why you think their the best Division 1 has to offer.
5 months ago
Arizona's in, ASU is out. That's all that makes me happy!
Look at ASU's non-conference schedule. It's like a JC schedule. The ONLY win they can barag about in non-conference is Xavier. ONLY ONE.
from 5 months ago
We all saw it coming - doesn't mean that Arizona deserved a bid.
What good is it to play such a tough non-conference schedule if you can't beat anybody worth a squirt of piss? Arizona's best win - UNLV; Arizona State's - an annihilation of Xavier. Advantage - Arizona State.
5 months ago
Blueprint for an NCAA bid, if you are desperate to prolong your "consecutive NCAA berths" streak:
1. Schedule 13 or 14 non-conference games. Make 4-5 of them very tough - basically, schedule 4 or 5 automatic L's. Make the other 8-9 easy W's. Enter conference play at 9-3 or 8-4.
2. Go .500 or two games below .500 in your conference. That way you're guaranteed to have a winning record. Something like 17-14 or 18-13.
3. Get rewarded with yet another NCAA berth, seeded between 8 and 10.
Congratulations, you've just extended your streak!
5 months ago
arizona played the number 1 toughest schedual in the NCAA
they played alot of close games with many injuries
they took KU into overtime
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