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<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:blogger='http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd="http://schemas.google.com/g/2005" xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503</id><updated>2025-07-01T00:57:58.661-05:00</updated><category term="Game Preview"/><category term="pomeroy"/><category term="Game Recaps"/><category term="Buzz Williams"/><category term="NCAA tournament"/><category term="Dominic James"/><category term="tempo-free stats"/><category term="rosiak"/><category term="MUTV"/><category term="Video"/><category term="Jerel McNeal"/><category term="tom crean"/><category term="Big East"/><category term="Post Game"/><category term="Victory"/><category term="recruiting"/><category term="recruit"/><category 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Day"/><category term="Nebraska"/><category term="New York"/><category term="North Carolina State"/><category term="Northeastern University"/><category term="Oakland"/><category term="Offensive Impact"/><category term="Officials"/><category term="Ohio State"/><category term="Ooze"/><category term="Outlook Download"/><category term="Oxygen"/><category term="Paradise Jam"/><category term="Patrick Swilling"/><category term="Pitino"/><category term="Points"/><category term="Pythagorean"/><category term="Quabius"/><category term="Real Chili"/><category term="Recruiting mistakes"/><category term="Refs"/><category term="Reggie Murphy"/><category term="Reseating"/><category term="Robb Logterman"/><category term="Robert Frozena"/><category term="Roney Eford"/><category term="Rucker"/><category term="SNY"/><category term="STHOTG"/><category term="SWAC"/><category term="Sabbatical"/><category term="Sabermatrix"/><category term="Sasa Borovnjak"/><category term="Scott Merritt"/><category term="Sean Miller"/><category term="Seth Davis"/><category term="Sheldon Cooley"/><category term="Soccer"/><category term="Sports illustrated"/><category term="Steve Taylor"/><category term="Symir Torrence"/><category term="TJ Kadima"/><category term="TWC"/><category term="Tamar Bates"/><category term="Terri Mitchell"/><category term="Texas"/><category term="Texas Recruiting"/><category term="Texas Southern"/><category term="Thabeet"/><category term="The Warrior"/><category term="Theo John"/><category term="Tom Crean Show"/><category term="Tom Keegan"/><category term="Tony Freeland"/><category term="Tony Reeder"/><category term="Tony Walls"/><category term="Training Methods"/><category term="Tre Leonard"/><category term="Trends"/><category term="Trevor Powell"/><category term="Tyler Kolek"/><category term="Tyrone Baldwin"/><category term="USC"/><category term="Ultimate Hoops Guide"/><category term="Value Subtract (Defense)"/><category term="Vanderbilt"/><category term="Videos"/><category term="WFAN"/><category term="Wade"/><category term="Walt Mangham"/><category term="Walter Downing"/><category term="Warrior Shoppe"/><category term="Wesley Matthews boot camp"/><category term="XM"/><category term="XXX"/><category term="aau"/><category term="abel joseph"/><category term="al's night"/><category term="all-time"/><category term="an"/><category term="andy glockner"/><category term="ap poll"/><category term="avalanche"/><category term="awesome"/><category term="basketball revenue"/><category term="ben sheets"/><category term="big east commissioner"/><category term="bill cords"/><category term="billingsley"/><category term="blogs"/><category term="bo ryan"/><category term="branden dawson"/><category term="budget"/><category term="bye-bye"/><category term="carolina"/><category term="chat session"/><category term="christian morris"/><category term="coach of the year"/><category term="coaches luncheon"/><category term="collapse"/><category term="comeback"/><category term="commencement"/><category term="converse"/><category term="coy"/><category term="crossroads"/><category term="crowder"/><category term="curse"/><category term="davidson"/><category term="dead"/><category term="dexter strickland"/><category term="dion dixon"/><category term="disappointment"/><category term="draft"/><category term="draftexpress"/><category term="espn milwaukee sucks"/><category term="eulogy"/><category term="experience"/><category term="fans"/><category term="five point play"/><category term="florida"/><category term="fox"/><category term="free throw rate"/><category term="free throws"/><category term="gene frenkel"/><category term="givony"/><category term="gomarquette"/><category term="grinch"/><category term="guards"/><category term="head coach"/><category term="henry ellenson"/><category term="hickey"/><category term="home"/><category term="home court advantage"/><category term="htthttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifp://www.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifblogger.com/img/blank.gif"/><category term="ia Updates"/><category term="implosion"/><category term="ineligible"/><category term="james siakam"/><category term="jeffrey jordan"/><category term="jeremy leonard"/><category term="jim boylan"/><category term="jimmy v"/><category term="karaoke"/><category term="keaton miles"/><category term="korie"/><category term="live blogging"/><category term="lose"/><category term="low mid-major"/><category term="lucious"/><category term="madison square garden"/><category term="matt humphrey"/><category term="mcguire"/><category term="michael dunigan"/><category term="michael haynes"/><category term="midstate hoops"/><category term="mike"/><category term="mike tranghese"/><category term="mj"/><category term="murray state"/><category term="nickname"/><category term="ninja"/><category term="nit"/><category term="nyc"/><category term="old media"/><category term="organ donor"/><category term="paint touches"/><category term="paris bennett"/><category term="perry clark"/><category term="player departure"/><category term="point-counterpoint"/><category term="prep school"/><category term="profile"/><category term="program"/><category term="promotions"/><category term="q and a"/><category term="quits"/><category term="racine"/><category term="radio show"/><category term="raymonds"/><category term="remain"/><category term="remember the titans"/><category term="renaldo woolridge"/><category term="revenge"/><category term="rice"/><category term="rodents"/><category term="rotnei clarke"/><category term="rumble in the garden"/><category term="rush the court"/><category term="scoreboard"/><category term="seed"/><category term="shot clock era"/><category term="sit down"/><category term="sports"/><category term="sports business"/><category term="stan simpson"/><category term="team stats"/><category term="tempo"/><category term="three goggles"/><category term="threes"/><category term="tip-off dinner"/><category term="top 25"/><category term="trajectory"/><category term="tranghese"/><category term="trend"/><category term="trey schwab"/><category term="uva"/><category term="vecsey"/><category term="vegas watch"/><category term="verdell jones"/><category term="victory margin"/><category term="vote"/><category term="willie warren"/><category term="winning streak"/><category term="wtmj"/><category term="www.kenpom.com"/><category term="zach auguste"/><title type='text'>Cracked Sidewalks</title><subtitle type='html'>"My rule was I wouldn't recruit a kid if he had grass in front of his house. That's not my world. My world was a cracked sidewalk." 
—Al McGuire 
Marquette's Premier Basketball Blog</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><link rel='next' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default?start-index=26&max-results=25'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>3346</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-3040235570327467609</id><published>2025-06-30T09:18:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-30T09:18:12.334-05:00</updated><title type='text'>#mubb summer check-in</title><content type='html'>&nbsp;Scrambled Eggs and #mubb have been away for a while so we thought we might step back into the podcast studio for a hot minute to record. It's got all the general meandering that you've come to loathe and hate but off-season addition. First spend we spend time talking about everyones little homie from Memphis (extreme Gary Parrish voice), Kam Jones on his being drafted by the Indiana Pacers. We also talking about #mubb NBA legacy and who picks up that torch. Marquette also announced (as well as generally clarified) retirements of jerseys for Tom Crean, Jerel McNeal, and Markus Howard so we talk about that and other MU greats. We then talk about the non-conference schedule announcement and one of us has strong feelings. Close out with some light roster talk. Enjoy!&nbsp;&nbsp;https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/pckx3f2ruxh5dmuq/Eggs_2025_Summer_Check_In7a1bb.mp3&nbsp;&nbsp;<iframe title="#mubb summer check-in" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=tmryf-18f0802-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7" loading="lazy"></iframe></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/3040235570327467609/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/3040235570327467609?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/3040235570327467609'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/3040235570327467609'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/06/mubb-summer-check-in.html' title='#mubb summer check-in'/><author><name>Phil Bush</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09466744499136353810</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-7202324175015911952</id><published>2025-03-31T07:21:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2025-03-31T07:21:14.353-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Perhaps the ending was inevitable but it was still a journey</title><content type='html'>Well the season ended as it always does and we've got to break it down. #ScrambledEggs talks about that New Mexico game and whether the outcome was inevitable for #mubb. Then we try to put the season in perspective in terms of expectations and performance and do some evaluation of what went wrong. We then turn to an early look at next seasons rosters and the burning question of to portal or not to portal. We close out with a thank you to the seniors and a reflection on Kam Jones career. Enjoy!&nbsp;&nbsp;https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/aec4v7x9xj87z9iu/Eggs_2025_The_Enda6iuy.mp3&nbsp; <iframe title="Perhaps the ending was inevitable but it was still a journey" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=xqaez-1868ad4-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7" loading="lazy"></iframe></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/7202324175015911952/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/7202324175015911952?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7202324175015911952'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7202324175015911952'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/03/perhaps-ending-was-inevitable-but-it.html' title='Perhaps the ending was inevitable but it was still a journey'/><author><name>Phil Bush</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09466744499136353810</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-7774035620996208189</id><published>2025-03-23T08:47:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2025-03-23T08:47:01.135-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Disappointment is fine but thinking the program is better off without Shaka Smart is not</title><content type='html'>Losing in the NCAA Tournament is never easy. The finality of the season concluding so abruptly always makes it worse.<a href="https://x.com/whitesox_bill/status/1903283672033222702" target="_blank">The reaction</a>&nbsp;to the Golden Eagles' first-round defeat in the Marquette social media world (and even on alumni text chains) made it seem like this team just lost to Western Michigan at home during the first round of the NIT.That did happen in 2005, and imagine what the reaction would have been if social media had been in full swing instead of being in its infancy (or if text messaging had been free).Sure, the message boards existed, but the entire lunatic fringe of some fanbases did not feel emboldened to express such extreme views knowing they did not have an echo chamber to shout back "You're right."Let's be clear, it is disappointing that Marquette lost to New Mexico in the first round, especially after there was hope of a Final Four once the team reached No. 5 in the AP rankings.Remember, seeds matter more than rankings.<a href="https://www.jsonline.com/sports/golden-eagles/" target="_blank">As Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's MU hoops beat writer Ben Steele</a>&nbsp;pointed out there were plenty of flaws with this team exploited once the calendar turned to February that getting to the third weekend seemed impossible.That still does not mean this was the worst season ever despite another untimely March exit.20 wins should still be considered an accomplishment in college basketball. Heck making the tournament, especially after getting to just two in the Wojo era, is always nice.Reaching the floor does not mean a complete failure. It just means coming up short on some goals.&nbsp;While it is frustrating this program has come up short for three straight seasons, let's hope two nights' sleep has calmed some of you down.Especially, if you are in the camp of thinking Shaka Smart is not the guy to guide the program toward having sustained success. Maybe, you might want to re-examine how high your expectations should be.Fan how you want but if you are in the camp citing Shaka is riding a Final Four run a decade ago, then hopefully you were not one of those in attendance at Fiserv Forum when former head coach Tom Crean got a standing ovation.That guy made a career off of guiding the 2003 team on that magical run (all because of Dwyane Wade, Travis Diener, Robert Jackson, and Steve Novak).It is fair to point out that Shaka Smart has not beaten a single-digit seed in the big dance in a while. You can also view it as the next hurdle to clear just like when the criticism was Shaka could no longer get to the Sweet 16. He checked that box last season for those keeping scoring.Also, I just make these suggestions to those demanding heightened standards as I used to be among you.Sometimes you must zoom out and realize winning in the tournament is hard. Especially in the NIL and transfer portal era.The website is now defunct, but I once wrote a scathing (and regrettable) piece on Sportsbubbler.com tackling how Jerel McNeal, Dominic James, and Wesley Matthews only won two NCAA Tournament games. I argued that made them not great enough.Looking back, that was really unfair (and I deserved the tongue-lashing I got from the now current AD and a good portion of the fan base) especially after I lived through the Wojo days.&nbsp;Making the tournament should still be an expectation for every fan.&nbsp;Making deep runs is a whole different story since it is so hard to win one game in this type of tournament let alone many, especially now that the tournament landscape has seen 16 seeds pull of upsets.A cold shooting night or a bad matchup in January means a conference loss. In a one-and-done tournament like this, it means the season is over.A short-term injury in December is survivable. An injury late in the season can be crippling. All things this program has dealt with in March the past couple of seasons.To avoid everything like that plus any negative variance working against you for six straight games is tough.If you want to cite programs like Duke, UConn, Michigan State, or Kansas that keep finding ways to make runs in the tournament, that's fine.&nbsp;Also, realize the big picture thing those programs have (or have had).&nbsp;Their head coaches have stayed long enough to establish those high standards. That means sometimes it is better to be patient.Duke is not a brand name had the upset portion of their fan base gotten their way before 1986 and ran off Coach K.You want an elite program?&nbsp;You need a head coach who can recruit and develop talented players. You need that coach to stick around. Now NIL is going to alter that a bit, but still, the secret sauce is having a strong leader who stays.Right now, the coaches who have proven capable (Kevin O'Neill, Crean, and Buzz Williams) have treated this job as a stepping stone.Shaka might finally be the guy to realize the grass is not always greener (since it was not in Texas) and build off of his four-year success here.&nbsp;Yet, a 3-4 record in March so far has a portion of the fan base questioning a coach who has won 98 games along with a Big East regular season and tournament title in four years.That is also after taking over a program left in the gutter by Steve Wojciechowski.Imagine if two decades ago Villanova had that same stance toward Jay Wright.&nbsp;It took him until his fourth year just to get the Wildcats into the dance and he did not win a Big East title until his fifth year. He also went 13-19 in 2011-12. Then he won two titles and is a Hall of Fame coach.However, this is not to discount your hope for more March success from the core of Tyler Kolek, Oso Ighodaro, Kam Jones, Stevie Mitchell, and David Joplin.That was a great core, and one Sweet 16 run that could have been a Final Four feels like being short-changed.It is also fair to question Shaka's coaching when it comes to this team's rebounding ability and being so hesitant to use the transfer portal especially after he got Kolek and O-Max in the portal.However, acting like everything is awful because of a poor stretch, well, then I suggest you keep checking out our guy <a href="https://x.com/JoeMcCann3/status/1903278294478295332" target="_blank">Joe McCann's tweet to readjust your perspective.</a> </content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/7774035620996208189/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/7774035620996208189?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7774035620996208189'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7774035620996208189'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/03/disappointment-is-fine-but-thinking.html' title='Disappointment is fine but thinking the program is better off without Shaka Smart is not'/><author><name>Todd Welter</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/02409445307224745645</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-8231499531653227609</id><published>2025-03-18T14:18:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2025-03-18T21:09:52.449-05:00</updated><title type='text'>New Mexico Preview, 2024-25</title><content type='html'>New Mexico LobosFriday, May 21 at Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OHHead Coach: Richard Pitino (246-185 overall, 87-48 at New Mexico)2024-25 NET Rank: 422024-25 kenpom Rank: 41<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXI684AeKTXldTndCe_PfF2MZ8SJVhPKqs7fYYchwB-cUYNqMtyj6-EX4uosQPQkb4d4KP3StbK_H5YaK5iunJEYwlJsOu3o8uaQQ8hj4HbAysvk9USyTpa16SJnq8PcXbGcbLdAGnXNfwtvSnCzgLKwFduL7HyftVelQZqbkcmlNKpIT5-Rtzg/s1080/Dent.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="1080" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXI684AeKTXldTndCe_PfF2MZ8SJVhPKqs7fYYchwB-cUYNqMtyj6-EX4uosQPQkb4d4KP3StbK_H5YaK5iunJEYwlJsOu3o8uaQQ8hj4HbAysvk9USyTpa16SJnq8PcXbGcbLdAGnXNfwtvSnCzgLKwFduL7HyftVelQZqbkcmlNKpIT5-Rtzg/s320/Dent.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Donovan Dent is one of the best guards in the nation</div>Photo by Wendell Cruz | Imagn ImagesWhile the results have been consistently solid, my guess is New Mexico fans would consider their team to have had an up-and-down season. It started fantastically well with a neutral court win over UCLA in Las Vegas and was reinforced with a win over USC, but losses to Arizona State and New Mexico State (along with a thumping at St. John's) showed cracks and had them playing like they'd be a team on the bubble in the early goings. A win over VCU sparked a run where they won fourteen of fifteen games, with the only loss by one point on the road at San Jose State. During the stretch from December 8th through February 16th, the Lobos ranked #24 at T-Rank and were in first place in the Mountain West. They've come back to earth a bit since. The Lobos lost back to back games at Boise State and San Diego State. The did win the Mountain West regular season title, but lost again to Boise State in the tournament semifinals, capping off a 4-3 stretch where they ranked #62 at T-Rank. They come into the NCAA Tournament possibly a little underseeded based on body of work, Cracked Sidewalks had them as a 9-seed, but Marquette could be a touch overseeded as an 8/9 Marquette/New Mexico was the exact matchup we predicted for the first round in Cracketology.Rotation <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hXnQIVbzXDyvmsqMv6_4i5fGwvzO3uFYiiphl70wVNQE_bam07zR9-7Pb5PWjSwx7lyxJ97wQvcGqxsOt7UCpnoCVIQbxkgRs3siilIHyXtKwUDUJ_TM_m2aP3k83qk6NrlED7-mv1SqBxfmknL8FdbobcMCrrXrSVUVhBvbshId_fYoDo-uMQ/s559/UNM%20Rotation.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="559" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hXnQIVbzXDyvmsqMv6_4i5fGwvzO3uFYiiphl70wVNQE_bam07zR9-7Pb5PWjSwx7lyxJ97wQvcGqxsOt7UCpnoCVIQbxkgRs3siilIHyXtKwUDUJ_TM_m2aP3k83qk6NrlED7-mv1SqBxfmknL8FdbobcMCrrXrSVUVhBvbshId_fYoDo-uMQ/w469-h158/UNM%20Rotation.png" width="469" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div>Everything for the Lobos starts with Donovan Dent. The Field of 68 had him as a Third Team All-American and he is the only player in the country to average over 20 points per game and 6 assists per game. Dent isn't a usage monster, however, getting his points through efficient play, primarily at the rim. Despite his size, he's athletic with the ability to finish above the rim. Dent is also a great shooter from deep, though he rarely takes threes. Dent is a model of consistent quality. He has been over 100 in Adjusted Offensive Rating in 28 of 32 games, and below 93 just once (84). Bottom line, he's going to show up and give his best, night in and night out. Tru Washington is the back court Robin to Dent's Batman. He's an elite ball hawk on defense and would fit well in a Shaka Smart system, getting most of his points at the rim or from three. Marquette would be well served to lock in on Washington; when he scores 11+ points, New Mexico is 19-0, but just 6-7 when he does not (one DNP). He has been less efficient against top tier teams. Mustapha Amzil joined by way of Dayton. He's a lean forward that provides defensive length and help side rim protection as well as chipping in some scoring and rebounding. He's struggled with a foot injury since February, but seems to be healthy now. Filip Borovicanin transferred from Arizona and plays as a stretch four. He's not a great finisher offensively, but the Lobos defense is 9.8 points/100 possessions better with him on the floor and he is a great rebounding sidekick to Nelly Junior Joseph. Speaking of which, if it all starts with Dent, it often ends with Joseph. After wreaking havoc in the MAAC for Rick Pitino at Iona, the big man transferred to New Mexico and did the same to the Mountain West. He's a physical big that is one of the best rebounders in the country and strong finisher at the rim. He shoots 60.3% at the rim and takes 71.9% of his shots there. He will definitely test Marquette down low as he's effective on the glass at both ends. New Mexico's bench isn't very deep, and has already started to shorten up. C.J. Noland is the one regular contributor, filling in at the guard and wing. Their other bench options are Braden Applehans and Jovan Milicevic, both of whom add size and shooting from deep, but are defensive liabilities. Expect a six-man rotation with Noland the only bench player that gets significant run.Style of PlayOn offense, New Mexico likes to go. Their average possession length is 15.1 seconds, ranked 5th fastest in the country. They thrive in transition, ranking in the 99th percentile in transition attempt rate according to hoop-explorer. However, they are not the best at converting those attempts, scoring 1.063 points per possession in transition (48th percentile per Synergy). In the half court, they will look to get chances at the rim, sometimes through the drive, but often through big men cutting off screens to the basket. Dent and Joseph have a great sense for each other and do well creating easy looks there. Also look for Joseph to try to post up Gold down low. One of the biggest questions will be if Gold can replicate his non-conference defensive form that saw him hold up against guys like Derik Queen, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Asa Newell. This is not, however, a great shooting team. While they have some shooters on the roster, New Mexico takes just 32.2% of the shots from deep and convert at a relatively middling 34.1%. They turn the ball over at a 15.6% rate, which is 69th in the country. New Mexico is decent at protecting the ball, but not elite. Look for Marquette to try to exploit that early.&nbsp;<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8UEKCIoPOi5cXr33V4hH0Le2gHP3DYKjeP8bglNWIY4lk_fSeKgdWwpfQaBffbAX9KcAwpmDcu58Q4DvdqeVFqpn0DKC0ESpPKTN6I6poEOlpH1FCI7TsM_cne5Jz9R_PXass2WyiG4KU48INpI4Loh5bJlPnmMwMvwKT6-mA1EO-u-p2ir_AGA/s473/UNM%20Defense.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="473" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8UEKCIoPOi5cXr33V4hH0Le2gHP3DYKjeP8bglNWIY4lk_fSeKgdWwpfQaBffbAX9KcAwpmDcu58Q4DvdqeVFqpn0DKC0ESpPKTN6I6poEOlpH1FCI7TsM_cne5Jz9R_PXass2WyiG4KU48INpI4Loh5bJlPnmMwMvwKT6-mA1EO-u-p2ir_AGA/s320/UNM%20Defense.png" width="320" /></a></div>Defense is where the Lobos shine. They have the 19th ranked defense according to kenpom, which is based on solid play across the board. They challenge shots (49.2 eFG% ranks 97th), force turnovers (20.5% ranks 35th), and clean the glass (25.6 DR% ranks 21st). Looking at the defensive shot chart above, this game will largely be decided where most Marquette games are. Marquette needs to go at UNM's strength and finish at the rim, and they need to hit their threes because Marquette will be able to get those shots. According to Synergy, New Mexico is in the 68th percentile allowing shots at the rim and in the 71st percentile defending them. Marquette will be able to get inside and will be able to get those shots off, but can you get them over the shot blockers is the question. Marquette also wants to get out in transition and run pick and roll, two areas where the Lobos are excellent defensively. This is a team that will blow up your actions and is good at forcing teams into shots they don't want to take.Friday OutlookAs much as we'd all love to call this a comfortable Marquette win and move on with our days, this will likely be anything but. Both teams have elite lead guards, disruptive defenses with length, and competent complimentary pieces. I feel those pieces are likely where Marquette has the advantage. The experience and tenacity of Stevie Mitchell and Chase Ross can be a difference maker, and getting out of Big East play will likely be a positive. The physicality of the Big East won't be present on Friday, and Marquette did well handling non-conference opponents that relied on dominant big men (Maryland, Purdue, Georgia). I do think this game will come down to a couple possessions in the final minute, but I like Marquette to take the narrow win.Marquette ConnectionIt would be easy to say "we played Rick Pitino on Friday, now we play Richard Pitino a week later," and while that would be true, it isn't nearly as interesting as another one of the UNM staff members. Associate Head Coach Isaac Chew was on Marquette's staff under Buzz Williams from 2012-14, most prominently with the 2013 Elite Eight squad. Chew went to Virginia Tech with Williams, then preceded him at Texas A&amp;M. Chew is regarded as an elite recruiter and has been at Pitino's side since he took the New Mexico job four years ago. He is now the longest serving assistant on the Lobos staff. </content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/8231499531653227609/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/8231499531653227609?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/8231499531653227609'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/8231499531653227609'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/03/new-mexico-preview-2024-25.html' title='New Mexico Preview, 2024-25'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXI684AeKTXldTndCe_PfF2MZ8SJVhPKqs7fYYchwB-cUYNqMtyj6-EX4uosQPQkb4d4KP3StbK_H5YaK5iunJEYwlJsOu3o8uaQQ8hj4HbAysvk9USyTpa16SJnq8PcXbGcbLdAGnXNfwtvSnCzgLKwFduL7HyftVelQZqbkcmlNKpIT5-Rtzg/s72-c/Dent.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-2681952544492240102</id><published>2025-03-17T12:10:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2025-03-17T12:20:19.906-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Cracketology: Bracket Brokedown</title><content type='html'>&nbsp;<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdL9kFt9hNgi1nLz6jM3jSCExe1g74i7CiwO4MHLfy3bblJO9gBKy6yPO-66O4cMYIKx_0o8-88CnLeMxvuqFlIWvXG6hM6h0r6dlLaynGf9EksWjyfFFq5uddPxTUFTXN8_HAr1vzLMM1Br9K17vp2rEC5Anl6QzKKh_MdMefSJIpIWNoZ2NUiA/s1051/SS%2025.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="1051" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdL9kFt9hNgi1nLz6jM3jSCExe1g74i7CiwO4MHLfy3bblJO9gBKy6yPO-66O4cMYIKx_0o8-88CnLeMxvuqFlIWvXG6hM6h0r6dlLaynGf9EksWjyfFFq5uddPxTUFTXN8_HAr1vzLMM1Br9K17vp2rEC5Anl6QzKKh_MdMefSJIpIWNoZ2NUiA/s320/SS%2025.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Marquette celebrates their selection to the 2025 NCAA Tournament</div>Photo from gomarquette.com Every year after the NCAA tournament bracket comes out, I look back to see how the Selection Committee did. Because their work reflects which teams are selected and where they are sent, they technically can't get it wrong. But this year, as soon as Selection Committee chairman Bubba Cunningham appeared with his Vice Chair Keith Gill, it was clear he needed cover for something the Selection Committee got wrong. We'll start with the most glaring error and work our way down from there.West Virginia got snubbedBuckle up, this is going to be a long one. There is no other way to say it. The Mountaineers should have been in this field. This isn't just me saying it. On <a href="http://bracketmatrix.com/">bracketmatrix.com</a>, there were 111 brackets updated as of the Selection Show. All 111 had West Virginia in. No team has ever been left out that was included in all of their submissions. There are always additional brackets that come in from people who don't do regular updates throughout the year and just submit a bracket email at the end. Of the additional 109 brackets that did so, 104 had WVU in. Every serious bracketologist and the vast majority of people who just throw in results at the end included the Mountaineers.Why should WVU have been a lock? The at-large field extends to team #46 on the S-Curve, North Carolina. In terms of selection, West Virginia was inside the top-46 (45 KPI, 42 SOR, 43 WAB) in all three resume metrics. North Carolina (55 KPI), Texas (58 KPI, 54 SOR), and Xavier (60 KPI) cannot claim the same, yet all three were in. As a result, West Virginia had a better resume average than any of those three included teams (as did Indiana, top-49 in all three metrics).For years, we have been told the Selection Committee looks at who you played, where you played them, and what the result was. West Virginia won 6 Q1 games, 5 away from home (2 neutral, 3 true road games). Bubba Cunningham cited that West Virginia would be without Tucker DeVries for the Tournament as a reason they were left out. That is simply preposterous. DeVries only played 8 games this year. The Mountaineers were still 13-10 without him, including two of their best wins, at Kansas and over Iowa State. Those two wins are better than anything North Carolina has on their team sheet.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLx3Ag9lfT1TRuz2Tk-tmwwnAoqjCVKaF3rVUpib4AjVFjA8Z7vLOnIXBbKKe6DLDhkklP2Y-t0MNN34CULlPCo_uEPxKb-I4Bv2zDuNtHEEY1sEFpVXW1p0YkcwdgYQUnODTh9s5HmgnuaBf9NfuPZUm0SEU6teVUa6IWpdkX5iOsTAcpfJcPsA/s1114/Cunningham.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="1114" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLx3Ag9lfT1TRuz2Tk-tmwwnAoqjCVKaF3rVUpib4AjVFjA8Z7vLOnIXBbKKe6DLDhkklP2Y-t0MNN34CULlPCo_uEPxKb-I4Bv2zDuNtHEEY1sEFpVXW1p0YkcwdgYQUnODTh9s5HmgnuaBf9NfuPZUm0SEU6teVUa6IWpdkX5iOsTAcpfJcPsA/s320/Cunningham.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cunningham needed Gill to provide air of legitimacy</div>Photo from CBS Sports broadcast Vice Chair Keith Gill even cited North Carolina's Q2 record as a reason for inclusion. This is ridiculous for two reasons. First, no one has ever used Q2 record as a reason to include a team before, particularly a team that was 1-12 in Q1 games. Second, there were ZERO tournament teams on North Carolina's Q2 column. Xavier at least beat UConn and Creighton in Q2, but UNC didn't add a single game of value. What the Selection Committee is effectively telling us is that a win over UCLA on a neutral court is worth more than winning at the Phog (UCLA &amp; Kansas are on the same seed line) and beating ISU (a 3-seed) combined. Not to mention the wins over Gonzaga (N), Arizona (N), Cincinnati (A), and Utah (A), all also Q1 wins the Mountaineers earned, each of which equals the sum total of UNC's Q1 wins and combined obviously are better than UNC's sum resume.It has been noted that Cunningham would not have been in the room when North Carolina discussed. I'm sure this is true, but it does not preclude Cunningham as chair from influencing this decision without being in the room. When the Selection Committee was initially discussing their procedures and then first got together in February, it was presumably Cunningham who explained what would be important or not important for selection. At that time, North Carolina was already 1-10 in Quadrant 1 games, but 5-0 in Q2. Graham Doeren has pointed out the influence a Chairman can have in this regard. Looking ahead, UNC only had one Q1 game left on their schedule, so they weren't going to significantly improve their Q1 record. But they would have the chance to improve their SOR/WAB simply by winning Q2 &amp; Q3 games in the ACC. If Cunningham says "we like to prioritize the metrics over just raw results, especially the new WAB metric that was added this year. And teams in Q1 and Q2 are designed to reflect postseason caliber teams, with Q1A representing protected seeds, Q1B representing at-large caliber teams, Q2A representing upper seed (12-14) auto-bid teams, and Q2B representing lower seed (15-16) auto-bid teams. Because all of these could be tourney teams, we will weigh those games about the same." Anyone saying that Cunningham didn't matter or couldn't have mattered in this regard is being disingenous.And while I'm zeroing in on North Carolina, Texas might be an even more egregious inclusion. In terms of resume metrics, the only top-46 metric they had was #45 WAB. Yes, they had 7 Q1 wins, but they balanced that with 10 losses. We're told that for North Carolina, Q2 record matters, yet Texas was 3-5 in Q2. Like North Carolina, they had zero wins over tournament teams in Q2. Texas tied a record for the most total losses for an at-large team (15) and had an abysmal NCSOS (#286) so they positively fail the "who/where/result" question because in terms of their controllable schedule, they played 8 low-major buy games (all wins), 3 teams not near the tournament (all wins), and 2 teams that were in consideration (both losses). They didn't beat a single non-conference opponent that was in at-large tournament consideration. No team has ever made the field at more than 1 game under .500 in Q1-3, yet Texas was 12-15, worse than the precedent by a magnitude of three.&nbsp;But of course, Big East fans will be happy Xavier was included. Why was Xavier included? I'm confident the answer is because there is no comparison under which you can include North Carolina and not Xavier. Both had just 1 win in Q1, but Xavier had the better win percentage there and two additional wins over the field. Xavier had a cleaner resume, with zero losses outside Q1+2. And like UNC, they had 8 of these apparently now coveted Q2 wins.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS_BacsI3AKVuLToOfF2SDjrWkEauDPZyZTgA2cJGTyCP8GMpEAB8OkJMre5ldrxWPCOwFTGl0h7ygqWhgCQabaEL0g-R5CmoBgTOCqVHu8VIfaifkX6NykBqWH7_J3sw_ZkDmVKwJ__Pcvae8RropdPiqBnSnXUqpSwmH1c-ht4mfFKW857iPGQ/s1600/Devries.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS_BacsI3AKVuLToOfF2SDjrWkEauDPZyZTgA2cJGTyCP8GMpEAB8OkJMre5ldrxWPCOwFTGl0h7ygqWhgCQabaEL0g-R5CmoBgTOCqVHu8VIfaifkX6NykBqWH7_J3sw_ZkDmVKwJ__Pcvae8RropdPiqBnSnXUqpSwmH1c-ht4mfFKW857iPGQ/s320/Devries.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Darian DeVries and West Virginia deserved a bid</div>Photo by William Purnell | Imagn Images &nbsp;So in order to snub West Virginia, they had to make up an excuse for Tucker DeVries, who hasn't played since the kids were opening St. Nick's stockings, shoehorn Xavier in because of the UNC comparables, and include a Texas team with unprecedentedly bad performance in meaningful games.Quickly on Indiana, they had 4 Q1 wins, including 2 over protected seeds (at Michigan State, over Purdue), were undefeated in Q2 (and Q3 for that matter), and had better resume metrics than any of the three "Last Four In" teams we are discussing here. And don't get me started on Boise State or UC Irvine, it's very obvious that even with a majority of non-power conference members, the name on the front of the jersey is a whole lot more important than the substance of the resume. Texas &amp; UNC over Boise is laughably bad, and while I can see leaving Irvine out (I did) there is no world under which they are not in the First Four out and should certainly be ahead of Ohio State. But again, name on the front of the jersey, unless you're Indiana who already fired their coach.Missed SeedingsThree in particular stood out. The first one was on the 5-line, where Memphis shows up. The Selection Committee has 7 metrics on the team sheet. According to the NET, which is primarily a sorting tool for the quadrants, Memphis is ranked #51, which equates to a 13-seed. According to the results average, their 18.3 does reflect a 5-seed, but their predictive average puts them at 51.3, also a 13-seed. Logically, they should be somewhere between those ranges, which is why we had them as an 8-seed, giving them extra credit for their big wins and result averages despite the quality metrics saying they should be 5 seed lines lower. This miss was so bad that Memphis is a +3.5 point underdog at Action Network against 12-seed Colorado State.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyEyPnHcRX8TU-OcC4tx5-ydiqkfad9Hw0sAhUzZQgdtpGo-Igeuh3p4ASE088xN4KYVOZsw0OaVxN_2zA8N8YD-PaszmShawDuplZGowbrH6oodxM5GZvBauhbE-ZWIZiQR-NvBBJfwS-4bjkqGnBZnl0IqDidR1GRM3NqpTnuD3qzTeUZYIdw/s1416/Memphis.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="1416" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyEyPnHcRX8TU-OcC4tx5-ydiqkfad9Hw0sAhUzZQgdtpGo-Igeuh3p4ASE088xN4KYVOZsw0OaVxN_2zA8N8YD-PaszmShawDuplZGowbrH6oodxM5GZvBauhbE-ZWIZiQR-NvBBJfwS-4bjkqGnBZnl0IqDidR1GRM3NqpTnuD3qzTeUZYIdw/s320/Memphis.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Memphis earned their bid, but not their 5-seed</div>Photo by Ben Solomon | AAC What compounds this is our next missed seed. Louisville landed on the 8-line. We had them as a 6, which was right in line with their 23.3 overall metric average. But if the message from Memphis is that resume metrics matter more for seeding, then why was Louisville's 13.7 resume average, more than a full seed line in value better than Memphis', not get them a better seed than the Tigers, particularly when Louisville was better in every other metric on the team sheet? This is the definition of hypocrisy, having completely different criteria for teams. This is exacerbated by putting Louisville in the Lexington pod with Auburn. This means that if Louisville wins, the overall #1 seed will be playing a de facto road game in their opening weekend. It's less than an 80 mile drive from Louisville to Lexington. That will be a heavily pro-Louisville crowd. So not only are the Cardinals punished in terms of being given a seed worse than they deserved, Auburn is punished by being bracketed against a team better than they should see in the second round in a road environment. Typically, a team is never given a true seed lower than their lowest metric. Louisville's lowest metric on the team sheet was their #28 BPI, which was only that low because it includes a factor for preseason ranking, so Louisville's worst metric was that bad because the formula BEFORE ANY GAMES WERE PLAYED didn't think they were good. But even with that, they should be no lower than #28, which is the last 7-seed. There is no excuse for this.The last error of note is Gonzaga. Quite simply, they should not have been an 8-seed. The design of the bracket is to give a favorable path to the best teams. That means a 1-seed should not have to worry about facing a top-10 predictive matchup before the Elite Eight, and certainly not in the round of 32. But that's the case for Houston if they advance to play the Zags. While the seeding is only one line off what we had, Gonzaga's predictive metrics were far too good to put a 1-seed in that position the first weekend.Our ResultsOn the whole, it was a decent year. We correctly predicted 65/68 teams, but as virtually everyone had West Virginia in, it was more akin to 65/67. Of those 65, we had 49 on their exact seed line and 14 that were one line off. Our total Paymon score, which is used to judge entries on the Bracket Matrix, was 356 points, a 10-point improvement over last year. Rankings will be out later, but we'll mostly be on to other pursuits (like picking our own bracket) at that point.My final argument is that it is past time for the Selection Committee to be broken up and reconfigured. Having partisan conference members play such a major role in who gets in and who is left out is a bad look. Right now, it is impossible to not look at the selection of UNC over West Virginia and not assume the Chair's presence influenced that decision. According to the New York Post, Cunningham earns a $67,905 bonus for making the field. Whether that played into the selection or not, the mere impression that it could is problematic.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCInounEN5z8GoMNcckiGB_jy0Nkhke7S4gmN-CX2QE6ifNwAmB151RLhw5GsMTLpk7ciBDEaOH_XkT05p9v9JNg9CiNfGV7zafMpNnuYzAh8zzvEvnNFzEey5axs0tXhi_9PR7MiWHHmsRNE6x_wQFdWHVf6uBEAiSerPWsxsXjP3CoWdjiy5g/s400/Rocco.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCInounEN5z8GoMNcckiGB_jy0Nkhke7S4gmN-CX2QE6ifNwAmB151RLhw5GsMTLpk7ciBDEaOH_XkT05p9v9JNg9CiNfGV7zafMpNnuYzAh8zzvEvnNFzEey5axs0tXhi_9PR7MiWHHmsRNE6x_wQFdWHVf6uBEAiSerPWsxsXjP3CoWdjiy5g/s320/Rocco.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rocco Miller belongs on the Selection Committee more than the current members </div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo from ESPN broadcast</div>The Selection Committee makeup should be radically reshaped. If conference commissioners and athletic directors are included, that should only be a portion of the makeup. On a 12-team Committee, they should make up no more than 3 spots. Perhaps one P4 member, one from the traditional non-P4 multibid leagues (Big East/Mountain West/WCC/American/etc), and one from the single-bid leagues. The Committee should also feature members of the media who cover this the entire year round at different levels. This shouldn't just be prominent names like a Gary Parish or Seth Davis, but people who track low and mid-majors, such as Jim Root from Three Man Weave. I would put three media members on the panel. There should also be bracketologists. For someone like me, this is a hobby I do aside from my full-time job, but there are people who track this annually and are in touch with the sport as a whole like Joe Lunardi, Rocco Miller, and Lukas Harkins. That should make up a portion of the Committee. And finally, there should be coaches in there. None that are working, and none that have not worked at multiple programs across different levels. People like Matt McCall, Scott Davenport, or Jay Wright would fit that mold.The Committee as it exists clearly follows an agenda that has not been the best for programs at all levels of the sport. Diversifying the people that make these selections, bringing in different levels of media, coaching, and bracketologists to bolster the experience of college administrators would not only improve the process but the perception from the outside.I would also make one last plea that this shows the need for expansion. If we are going to get garbage high-major teams like Texas and North Carolina with a field limited to 68, then the sport should really look at expanding to 80 so teams like Boise State and UC Irvine, both of whom were more deserving than any of the three high-major teams heading to Dayton, aren't left out in the cold and the bracket has room for them. I'm sure others will come away with the opposite conclusion, but year after year I've seen teams like 2019 UNC-Greensboro and 2024 Indiana State left out. There are countless others, but if the Selection Committee, even with a 7-5 membership edge outside the current power structure, cannot put these teams in under the current format, we need more bids to insure these teams get a shot.Okay, ranting over. Enjoy the true start of March Madness! </div></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/2681952544492240102/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/2681952544492240102?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/2681952544492240102'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/2681952544492240102'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/03/cracketology-bracket-brokedown.html' title='Cracketology: Bracket Brokedown'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdL9kFt9hNgi1nLz6jM3jSCExe1g74i7CiwO4MHLfy3bblJO9gBKy6yPO-66O4cMYIKx_0o8-88CnLeMxvuqFlIWvXG6hM6h0r6dlLaynGf9EksWjyfFFq5uddPxTUFTXN8_HAr1vzLMM1Br9K17vp2rEC5Anl6QzKKh_MdMefSJIpIWNoZ2NUiA/s72-c/SS%2025.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-5668183673346945459</id><published>2025-03-17T08:03:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2025-03-17T08:03:39.080-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Please Dance with Caution</title><content type='html'>&nbsp;Welcome to the most exciting, important, and stressful portion of #mubb season. We are back to talk about where they are seeded in the tournament, what take-aways we have from BET, and how we feel going forward. We chatted about the match up against New Mexico and then look forward a potential match-up for revenge against Michigan State. We talk about hope (and good 3pt shooting) as the one and only path to a deep run. It's a fun pod and have to hope we've got several left in the season. Enjoy!&nbsp;&nbsp;https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/y56tvczjh8rwuiqu/Eggs_2025_March_16_Dance8qk7q.mp3&nbsp;
<iframe title="Please Dance with Caution" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=mk526-1846dee-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7" loading="lazy"></iframe></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/5668183673346945459/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/5668183673346945459?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/5668183673346945459'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/5668183673346945459'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/03/please-dance-with-caution.html' title='Please Dance with Caution'/><author><name>Phil Bush</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09466744499136353810</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-2364657581058070232</id><published>2025-03-16T16:46:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2025-03-16T16:46:00.401-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Cracketology: Final Submission</title><content type='html'>Pencils down!Here are changes since this morning:<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Michigan winning the Big 10 Tournament moved them up to the 4 line, replacing Oregon.</li><li>Rescrubbed the 6/7 cutoff, Saint Mary's moved up to a 6 and Kansas moved down to a 7.</li><li>Reconsidered the bubble, heavily considered Xavier and UNC, but ultimately stuck with Indiana and Boise as the last two teams in the field.</li></ul>Here we go:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaI4wgqnEoivozx3buZ7_baBTx5V5UK2DzyFvQ-LNqXRhwyiiJ3hqYgUwe1dWuVyV-dZ-erkXZHyO56LeqEyggPiIN3uuXnqKin1RLhMIl3u0h6nwI33cbrgYQMuC8DLxggPTC8f_a05jpX5JusCti8CaKNNIr78kTLJn54_YK-ATDet_kHZyDCg/s678/3-16%20Final%20S.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="678" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaI4wgqnEoivozx3buZ7_baBTx5V5UK2DzyFvQ-LNqXRhwyiiJ3hqYgUwe1dWuVyV-dZ-erkXZHyO56LeqEyggPiIN3uuXnqKin1RLhMIl3u0h6nwI33cbrgYQMuC8DLxggPTC8f_a05jpX5JusCti8CaKNNIr78kTLJn54_YK-ATDet_kHZyDCg/s320/3-16%20Final%20S.png" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9qL-khUq_vv275gtQV74I_780Mcf-j-fRBoQdDy7YtURCECvGRiD3SY3yRw7Sl3X3FOuuVwhv9UuDU-z6PoCgwrCuO2KDvlll_Bnjyw6XIvjuFTgojuzFUpb52ZDc2lwZkY38aVM_M1tuhBlqs3F8tXGOw_-QpdOrFjoF2Whw0E3ETbjMzoC6w/s625/3-16%20Final%20Bracket.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="625" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9qL-khUq_vv275gtQV74I_780Mcf-j-fRBoQdDy7YtURCECvGRiD3SY3yRw7Sl3X3FOuuVwhv9UuDU-z6PoCgwrCuO2KDvlll_Bnjyw6XIvjuFTgojuzFUpb52ZDc2lwZkY38aVM_M1tuhBlqs3F8tXGOw_-QpdOrFjoF2Whw0E3ETbjMzoC6w/s320/3-16%20Final%20Bracket.png" width="320" /></a></div> </content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/2364657581058070232/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/2364657581058070232?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/2364657581058070232'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/2364657581058070232'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/03/cracketology-final-submission.html' title='Cracketology: Final Submission'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaI4wgqnEoivozx3buZ7_baBTx5V5UK2DzyFvQ-LNqXRhwyiiJ3hqYgUwe1dWuVyV-dZ-erkXZHyO56LeqEyggPiIN3uuXnqKin1RLhMIl3u0h6nwI33cbrgYQMuC8DLxggPTC8f_a05jpX5JusCti8CaKNNIr78kTLJn54_YK-ATDet_kHZyDCg/s72-c/3-16%20Final%20S.png" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-1356818284576285727</id><published>2025-03-16T10:34:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2025-03-16T10:34:18.616-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Cracketology: Dreaming of a White Selection Sunday</title><content type='html'>&nbsp;<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSoWicPooPwb5kv5Dvlh-h6z62HJZnQxDlzwfuHBqbDtFN3ypbZN-QEQOn8mGJ6lB3tPO5mJrDdrtW6eG9jB-RhJlaug6B8pY7DOpBIb5cwBuWNLeAiyMd_KKGgoSOTU_voSpCzxKxV4sSZjf-3xbnxIoO105cX7WQgPIZhL71igVotFXZSIpHg/s5712/Flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSoWicPooPwb5kv5Dvlh-h6z62HJZnQxDlzwfuHBqbDtFN3ypbZN-QEQOn8mGJ6lB3tPO5mJrDdrtW6eG9jB-RhJlaug6B8pY7DOpBIb5cwBuWNLeAiyMd_KKGgoSOTU_voSpCzxKxV4sSZjf-3xbnxIoO105cX7WQgPIZhL71igVotFXZSIpHg/s320/Flag.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Marquette fans in Milwaukee were greeted this morning by a heap of snow falling on this most festive of days. We may not have had a White Christmas, but we certainly have a White Selection Sunday. Let's get a quick rundown of where things stand going into Selection Sunday.The last 1-seed: I feel good about Florida here, even if they lose. I'll re-evaluate if Tennessee pulls it off, but Florida will have the better metrics and Q1+2 record regardless. If not, Florida is clearly the most dangerous 2-seed.At Sixes &amp; Sevens: There is certainly confusion and disorder at the end of the 6-seeds and start of the 7-seeds. It seems for the most part that Missouri, Kansas, UCLA, and Illinois are the root of that. I went with Missouri and Kansas on the 6-line because they have better top end wins and metric averages. I seem to be in the minority, but we'll see how it pans out. BYU is also a complication because depending on the order of the 3-seeds, they may not be able to play as a 6-seed. I'm projecting Wisconsin as Big 10 champs, which pushes them up to #10 overall and opens the door for BYU/Texas Tech in Wichita.Marquette's Seed: Because of the metrics and the evolution of wins, I can't get Marquette higher than #29 overall, the top 8-seed. I'm prepared to be wrong because Marquette does have a 6-seed resume, but the top 7 lines are stronger than normal this year, which means everyone from the 6-line to the middle of the 8-line has a 6-seed resume or better. One more win and Marquette is probably a 6, but they didn't get it while other teams got just enough results to inch ahead. The Golden Eagles playing New Mexico in Auburn's Lexington pod has been in every scenario I've envisioned since yesterday morning. Last Team In: I agonized over this last night and this morning. I was down to Xavier, UNC, and UC Irvine. The overall resume favors UC Irvine, the cleanest resume belongs to Xavier, and UNC has the best metrics. Ultimately, the UC Irvine loss to UCSD was one loss too many, which knocked them out (UCSD would've been an at-large). That left Xavier and UNC, and from Q1 record to wins over the field to best overall win, Xavier was the winner. I feel good about Xavier ahead of UNC, and felt good about them as my last team until Boise lost to Colorado State. That puts Boise back into the at-large field. They have a better resume average than Xavier, similar win away from home (Saint Mary's on a neutral), and six wins over the field to Xavier's three. For now, Boise State is my last team in.Bid Thieves: George Mason (A-10) and UAB (American) remain as potential bid thieves. One winning would knock Boise State out, two would knock Indiana out as well. George Mason would slot in as a 12-seed, while UAB is likely a 13 or 14. Personally I'd love the bid thieves because it would take out the debate over the last two spots. I do think VCU would get in if GMU wins the A-10, likely heading to Dayton. Memphis would stay on the 8-line. Surprise Exclusions: Teams that most everyone projects in that could be left out are Baylor and Vanderbilt. The Bears' 13-14 record in Q1-3 is uninspiring and while most of their losses are Q1A, they only have 1 win in that same quadrant. I've seen them as high as the 9-line, but they could be on the outside looking in. Vanderbilt has a great collection of wins, but their #331 NCSOS typically isn't good enough to get to Dayton. That alone could keep them out, especially because in terms of scheduling intent, teams like SEMO &amp; Jackson State (both Q4) were projected to be even worse to start the season.Surprise Inclusions: We covered the most likely bubble teams, but if someone's name shocks people by getting in, it's either Ohio State with their excellent collection of wins or UC Irvine. The Buckeyes have three wins over top-5 seeds (Maryland, Kentucky, Purdue) with the latter two away from home and three more Q1 wins away from home. UC Irvine set a record for the most road wins by a D1 team. While 10 were in Q3+4, they went 4-1 in true road games in Q1+2. That's impressive, and I'd be very happy to be wrong and see UC Irvine in the field.Here's the updated S-Curve and bracket:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCchD8Z9WiPcmZ497mp5wRjxhd1t_xqiXYvZefLGFYtHJclpXhLCMZZy8xecpET-kC63HErSSvt3J42tm77JQSaVv66P7co6GZreaenRLhzstcmHoe4xj3y1Q3FxvlP5_3SpuDgGkp-H5PZ3IWxwntPyrOc4p5VKjYjNEi8HvpexjjLKTeZgD7g/s662/3-16%20Sunday%20S.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="662" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCchD8Z9WiPcmZ497mp5wRjxhd1t_xqiXYvZefLGFYtHJclpXhLCMZZy8xecpET-kC63HErSSvt3J42tm77JQSaVv66P7co6GZreaenRLhzstcmHoe4xj3y1Q3FxvlP5_3SpuDgGkp-H5PZ3IWxwntPyrOc4p5VKjYjNEi8HvpexjjLKTeZgD7g/s320/3-16%20Sunday%20S.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BPsxbaZAhfeu4Y4jWWMAc78sQfjyDl-hsWbI0D4aq98sEeibl3mIsr7Agcn-gM1ac8uaSwMbb_VJnNM8hB_iDbdKuRSDGrciST2BRgYTbsGjRsViTlexOiZWya-mGE2PBQUReK7_FIVhhP8oYO3QntWpJxCaeAHgbe1ICieZjUzgs64AI1cAqQ/s622/3-16%20Sunday%20Bracket.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="622" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BPsxbaZAhfeu4Y4jWWMAc78sQfjyDl-hsWbI0D4aq98sEeibl3mIsr7Agcn-gM1ac8uaSwMbb_VJnNM8hB_iDbdKuRSDGrciST2BRgYTbsGjRsViTlexOiZWya-mGE2PBQUReK7_FIVhhP8oYO3QntWpJxCaeAHgbe1ICieZjUzgs64AI1cAqQ/s320/3-16%20Sunday%20Bracket.png" width="320" /></a></div> </content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/1356818284576285727/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/1356818284576285727?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/1356818284576285727'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/1356818284576285727'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/03/cracketology-dreaming-of-white.html' title='Cracketology: Dreaming of a White Selection Sunday'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSoWicPooPwb5kv5Dvlh-h6z62HJZnQxDlzwfuHBqbDtFN3ypbZN-QEQOn8mGJ6lB3tPO5mJrDdrtW6eG9jB-RhJlaug6B8pY7DOpBIb5cwBuWNLeAiyMd_KKGgoSOTU_voSpCzxKxV4sSZjf-3xbnxIoO105cX7WQgPIZhL71igVotFXZSIpHg/s72-c/Flag.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-1140530936579913551</id><published>2025-03-15T07:22:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2025-03-15T07:22:16.883-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Cracketology: Marquette Falls</title><content type='html'><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfkY9ECgQ3za6ht55pd3P1H0loc_WUcXxSOMPd9YEkVhyphenhyphen3nwPyt7iuPC7laNiW4jSXhNoNzIm6HRxHIhgHSXyoFoBVg7FlkZmeqgf1-YkpweYZuNlJ6Xggv10yvgytQO9mxZkbMtaAMQ8AAl4f__7GPYnSf0pUBO_Re9TUxejgM_a0hn9-TaW1w/s1024/MU%20falls.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1024" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfkY9ECgQ3za6ht55pd3P1H0loc_WUcXxSOMPd9YEkVhyphenhyphen3nwPyt7iuPC7laNiW4jSXhNoNzIm6HRxHIhgHSXyoFoBVg7FlkZmeqgf1-YkpweYZuNlJ6Xggv10yvgytQO9mxZkbMtaAMQ8AAl4f__7GPYnSf0pUBO_Re9TUxejgM_a0hn9-TaW1w/s320/MU%20falls.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">A valiant first 10 minutes wasn't enough for Marquette</div>Photo by Jason Szenes | NY Post The first 8 minutes against St. John's went about as well as Marquette could hope for. Kam Jones was cooking, the threes were falling, and the Golden Eagles raced out to a 24-9 lead. Then it all came apart as St. John's pulled back within 2 by halftime and overwhelmed Marquette in the second half. That result not only knocked Marquette out of the Big East Tournament, but coupled with Louisville's win over Clemson&nbsp; pushed them down to an 8-seed. It could also jeopardize Marquette's 50-week streak in the AP Top 25 (4th longest in the nation) but that won't impact their NCAA selection or seeding.The bubble is also of interest. First, here are the potential bid thieves still remaining:Mountain West - Boise State/Colorado State: A thief here is guaranteed, and they knocked UC Irvine out of our field late last night. Boise has been tentatively placed as the Mountain West champ, and is still a viable at-large candidate. Colorado State likely needs to win to take a spot. The biggest question is if the winner will be on the 11 or 12 line, which would determine if a play-in game goes to the 12-line.Atlantic 10 - George Mason/St. Joseph's/Loyola-Chicago: Any of these would be unexpected, and at a glance VCU should be included. However, the Selection Committee could hold their #280 NCSOS against them. Would it matter that teams like Seton Hall (bad loss) and Miami were Q4 games that typically would not be expected that low? Unsure, but VCU winning is best for teams on the bubble.American - North Texas/UAB/Tulane: Memphis is locked into the field, though have also fallen down the seed lists. Any of these teams winning would likely slot them to the 12/13 lines. Keep an eye on this one until the end, no one on the bubble will feel safe until the American is decided.Big West - UC Irvine: This is where it gets interesting. If the Anteaters take the automatic bid, UC San Diego goes into the at-large pool with a 2-1 Q1 record, a win at Utah State, and 11-5 record in the first three quadrants. I think that would be enough to get them to Dayton, but it would be close. I'm pulling for 2-bid Big West, but it feels like a long shot.So what about the teams hoping to get in? Here are quick thoughts batching the teams at the bottom.Shock Miss Potential - Baylor/Vanderbilt: Baylor is 13-14 in Q1-2 with only 1 Q1A win. Vanderbilt has a respectable all-around resume, but a glaring #331 NCSOS is something the Selection Committee could leave out. I think these teams are in, but while it would surprise pundits, there is precedent for leaving them out.Sweating on the Inside - San Diego State/Indiana/Xavier: I think SDSU's wins over Houston and Creighton get them in, but every metric is very bubbly. Indiana has good resume metrics, but 4-13 in Q1 isn't good at all. Oklahoma was the first team out last year at 4-12 in Q1, so Indiana being left out wouldn't be unprecedented, but it took five bid thieves to knock OU out. Xavier is hanging on by their fingertips. They edge out North Carolina in Q1 and not having any bad losses, but bubbly metrics and a UConn win that is teetering on Q1/Q2 could be the deciding factor. If anything, this is clear evidence to do away with the Quadrant system.Banging on the Window - UC Irvine/North Carolina: UC Irvine can remove doubt by winning today. Their 15-5 Q1-3 record and NCAA record 14 road wins are strong indicators, but UNC's metric superiority and the presence of Bubba Cunningham as Selection Committee chair could come into play. Colorado State could be in the mix, but I think they need to win their way in.Unprecedented Either Way - Texas: No team that is more than 1 game under .500 in Q1-3 has ever made the tournament, and Texas is 12-15. No team with 7 Q1 wins has ever been left out of the field, and Texas has that. I think the shrinking bubble keeps them out, but they have a slim shot.Here's our updated S-Curve and bracket:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzr44Z4-0bj7GRE7_47z1LOwiZ2KurH-mNvuwfrtLhVnxDwcFj4S2Es5JgsPyPfohoc3Rz8OPQgLdorJmBgQU44UifZqiH6sf3MN9oaHoEh8Hb8eSQC7Jah-EIy36fPhPazosNa5eTfthhpwhr7lYWabZxKP6i9OLzrT6q0MCYhsY5aYnF3C10g/s620/3-15%20S.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="620" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzr44Z4-0bj7GRE7_47z1LOwiZ2KurH-mNvuwfrtLhVnxDwcFj4S2Es5JgsPyPfohoc3Rz8OPQgLdorJmBgQU44UifZqiH6sf3MN9oaHoEh8Hb8eSQC7Jah-EIy36fPhPazosNa5eTfthhpwhr7lYWabZxKP6i9OLzrT6q0MCYhsY5aYnF3C10g/s320/3-15%20S.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPl3AwAK6TQM2njwfe0ERAOe5WrIudb4Gk5J-LGwxE-43qZ0RqxBk5UNXp92_lPh9cZHydbb7zeu66G87Ld2p6lgNsV5QdbNIjZG3D2F214TP4wGXzeiX3C2o62_wxGrStWWx5IF6FDadwocZj_UPOHGxUK8ntJginqwnp5LH85NMwtrhOI1UIA/s575/3-15%20Bracket.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="575" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPl3AwAK6TQM2njwfe0ERAOe5WrIudb4Gk5J-LGwxE-43qZ0RqxBk5UNXp92_lPh9cZHydbb7zeu66G87Ld2p6lgNsV5QdbNIjZG3D2F214TP4wGXzeiX3C2o62_wxGrStWWx5IF6FDadwocZj_UPOHGxUK8ntJginqwnp5LH85NMwtrhOI1UIA/s320/3-15%20Bracket.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Multibid LeaguesSEC: 13Big 10: 9Big 12: 8Big East: 5Mountain West: 4ACC: 3WCC: 2 </content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/1140530936579913551/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/1140530936579913551?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/1140530936579913551'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/1140530936579913551'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/03/cracketology-marquette-falls.html' title='Cracketology: Marquette Falls'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfkY9ECgQ3za6ht55pd3P1H0loc_WUcXxSOMPd9YEkVhyphenhyphen3nwPyt7iuPC7laNiW4jSXhNoNzIm6HRxHIhgHSXyoFoBVg7FlkZmeqgf1-YkpweYZuNlJ6Xggv10yvgytQO9mxZkbMtaAMQ8AAl4f__7GPYnSf0pUBO_Re9TUxejgM_a0hn9-TaW1w/s72-c/MU%20falls.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-174347756536765893</id><published>2025-03-12T07:14:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2025-03-12T07:14:37.287-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Cracketology: March Dreams & Nightmares</title><content type='html'><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4Bd_swAKTWk3T2FqM9ueqfnvKAoY77YTOIfxxuMY-8r2i6hOFn2BR8aZ6smEN3RMQr0pwPSTTWN7uE03PfnKMNSDd31Xgg2N3BQP3nxkIgXw79jVMge4BrO-KdaXMaXAinUFWjRCjePuT6S8Q8pUmTcDSdPWbje4PAZcrYPqXMPBe5QlziKhVg/s660/Milkshakes.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="660" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4Bd_swAKTWk3T2FqM9ueqfnvKAoY77YTOIfxxuMY-8r2i6hOFn2BR8aZ6smEN3RMQr0pwPSTTWN7uE03PfnKMNSDd31Xgg2N3BQP3nxkIgXw79jVMge4BrO-KdaXMaXAinUFWjRCjePuT6S8Q8pUmTcDSdPWbje4PAZcrYPqXMPBe5QlziKhVg/s320/Milkshakes.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Kam Jones &amp; Shaka Smart want more NCAA milkshakes in March</div>Photo by Mike de Sisti | Milwaukee Journal SentinelSelection Sunday is just days away, which means we will soon know where Marquette is going and who they will be matching up with in the NCAA Tournament. So much of March success is about matchups, which is why today we are going to look at potential first and second round opponents for Marquette to see who we hope to see and hope to avoid in the opening weekend.First, we need to assess Marquette's strengths and weaknesses. I used a combination of kenpom, CBB Analytics, Haslametrics, and Synergy Sports to determine places Marquette can take advantage of opponents on offense and defense as well as places opponents can exploit Marquette.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRbg9N3zn8HoGoXgdoZdK_JcB6rzb3K17w3bme-IHVPklVdkcZT_s87cpNGW7OyR5jCW4fso3WEhHT3UH6u0rY3rOE9-fUngqhKieXaOKO0U4XIMsUrsVjRleeCdyPuf08k8wDYsqwy3OjQkGOLIDU1XnZgchvep-4x9KUFkei6aBkPS9mIXhhg/s484/MU%20S-W.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="484" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRbg9N3zn8HoGoXgdoZdK_JcB6rzb3K17w3bme-IHVPklVdkcZT_s87cpNGW7OyR5jCW4fso3WEhHT3UH6u0rY3rOE9-fUngqhKieXaOKO0U4XIMsUrsVjRleeCdyPuf08k8wDYsqwy3OjQkGOLIDU1XnZgchvep-4x9KUFkei6aBkPS9mIXhhg/s320/MU%20S-W.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Marquette Offense: Marquette's drive to get to the rim pays off as they are one of the best teams in the country when they get there. They are also very good at pick &amp; pop plays, largely highlighted by Ben Gold's tendency to pop off of screens. In transition, they get a heavy dose of chances and are lethal when they are on the run. There are negatives as well. Marquette is miserable against zone. And while their 3PFG% conversion rate is just below average, the high frequency of three point attempts makes this a weakness, especially against teams that let them shoot those shots they are poor at converting on. Haslametrics notes Marquette performs poorly against teams that deny second chance points, largely because while they are decent on the offensive glass, they are terrible at putting those rebounds back through the hoop.Marquette Defense: Marquette's pick and roll familiarity pays off with high efficiency defending those plays. They also excel at forcing turnovers and converting them into points, which is related to the offensive transition numbers. Marquette is also very good in isolation, which is good because it's a frequent means of attack for opposing teams. Where Marquette struggles is on cuts to the rim as well as defending off screens. Marquette can also be beat on the boards as teams are good at getting second chances and better at converting them.We currently expect Marquette to land as either a 6-seed or 7-seed and will base our opponent expectations on those seed lines. Most of these evaluations will be based on Synergy percentiles, which means the higher the number the better the team is in that particular area.Opening Round Opponents 11-Seed Dream - Indiana: Offensively, Marquette would likely gash Indiana at the rim (53%) and in transition (19%). They are average rebounding on both ends, so this isn't an area they would really be able to exploit. Indiana runs a lot of pick &amp; roll ball handler (74%) but are terrible at executing it (7%). They're also an even worse shooting team than Marquette. One thing that jumped out is that while they don't use a lot of zone (3.9% of defensive possessions) they used zone on 42/66 possessions in their upset win at Michigan State. But overall, this is a team where the matchups would really favor Marquette.11-Seed Nightmare - VCU: Defensively, what Marquette wants to do is exactly what VCU is best at taking away. They are in the 99th percentile of at the rim defense, they defend well off screens, and they are great denying second chances. While I do think Marquette could turn VCU over, their other strengths don't really play into what VCU is best at. The Rams are good at cuts and excellent coming off screens, both of which would be problematic. Add in a pair of high-major caliber scorers in Joe Bamisile and Max Shulga and the Rams will be a tough out. Not to mention all the extra attention that will come with a Shaka vs VCU matchup.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomELQEtWozIT7eRd6RUhyphenhyphencB5uc9vxGnFCMMHs1r5M1ITsggxPemMua1HuC_gdJq_ZcHbEmRAfjADn_VsweZBHgWwpt7RYtLFNaklGcoO6YiyVz6cumsTGZTFw8BF96_Jk0NZagVI_dIVoiLgD0nxyDEJ488jyzyqVxssF2qol93C_hJxjLHx3vA/s428/OK%20PC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="428" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomELQEtWozIT7eRd6RUhyphenhyphencB5uc9vxGnFCMMHs1r5M1ITsggxPemMua1HuC_gdJq_ZcHbEmRAfjADn_VsweZBHgWwpt7RYtLFNaklGcoO6YiyVz6cumsTGZTFw8BF96_Jk0NZagVI_dIVoiLgD0nxyDEJ488jyzyqVxssF2qol93C_hJxjLHx3vA/s320/OK%20PC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Marquette shouldn't be afraid of Jeremiah Fears &amp; Oklahoma</div>Photo by Tim Aylen | AP Photo 10-Seed Dream - Oklahoma: This is a team Marquette should feast on. They are awful defending at the rim (9%), not particularly good in transition (43%), and turn the ball over a lot (Ranked 202nd). They don't run much zone and are poor defending putbacks. On the other end, pick and roll ball handler is their second most frequent play type but they execute poorly (11%) and they run heavy isolation (96% usage) with mediocre effectiveness (43%). They're also a poor cutting team (12%) and on put back attempts (26%) so they don't seem suited to take advantage of Marquette's weaknesses. While the individual talent of guys like Jeremiah Fears and Duke Miles is impressive, this is a team Marquette should handle.10-Seed Nightmare - Utah State: Defensively this team is trouble. They primarily run zone, which will immediately make things more difficult for Marquette. They aren't great guarding the paint but do very well keeping teams out of it (7% frequency). They rate out as excellent guarding transition (89%), off screens (94%), and pick and roll ball handler (91%). Offensively, they are don't use much pick and roll ball handler (22% frequency) or iso (27%) and have the best turnover rate on the 10-line (ranked #87). They are great on cuts (99%) and good off screens (75%) and put backs (96%). Basically, the things Marquette would exploit they don't do frequently, and the things Marquette does poorly they are great at. Historically Mountain West teams don't fare well in the tournament, but I'm not sure Marquette wants to test that trend.----------------------------------------Second Round Opponents 2-Seed Dream - Alabama: Take this with the caveat that playing any 2-seed isn't ideal, but what Marquette does well is suited to beat the Crimson Tide. They're the worst 2-seed defending the rim defending in transition (62% in both). They didn't run a single possession of zone this year per Synergy, don't chase teams off the line, and are abysmal on offensive putbacks (6%). Offensively, they're good-not-great on cuts (74%), off screens (59%), and on putbacks (53%) so they aren't going to massively exploit Marquette's weaknesses. While they are a good P&amp;R team (89th), they turn it over a lot (Ranked 167th) while not turning opponents over at all (350th) so this is a team Marquette should have a possession edge over. Add in the marquee matchup of Kam Jones vs Mark Sears and I would like Marquette's chances.2-Seed Nightmare - Tennessee: The Vols have an elite rim defense (98%) and are good guarding off screens (73%) and transition (69%). They don't chase teams off the line but are great at shutting down three point shooters (#2 rank 3PFG% D). Offensively, they are a great cutting team (86%). And while it wasn't one of our focuses above, they are also elite on baseline out-of-bounds plays (93%) which is another weakness for Marquette (9%) as anyone who watched the Dayton game will remember.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvSQq4QT4v5Lg5eBWFRfVu_7PFcBoZ4_mWOhCX2ww6aYwWZ0dFxS4MfRUkWetBJbF3Do1x5hn62cZkhATwvst32Qw5oa3AwU2hyfZIg1uolOIDm1GCVsJfsyGcqQOaC2RvWvZeKj0pGzsXWAIV7WHpEFRIYnow0dFiVyBmUynT984BtI4p-4OcQ/s1200/wade-taylor-buzz-williams.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvSQq4QT4v5Lg5eBWFRfVu_7PFcBoZ4_mWOhCX2ww6aYwWZ0dFxS4MfRUkWetBJbF3Do1x5hn62cZkhATwvst32Qw5oa3AwU2hyfZIg1uolOIDm1GCVsJfsyGcqQOaC2RvWvZeKj0pGzsXWAIV7WHpEFRIYnow0dFiVyBmUynT984BtI4p-4OcQ/s320/wade-taylor-buzz-williams.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Buzz Williams' Texas A&amp;M squad would be a tough, tough out</div>Photo by Erik Williams | USA Today Sports 3-Seed Dream - Kentucky: The Wildcats are poor defending the rim (32%) and in transition (25%). While they run a little zone, they are 1-5 in games where they play 5+ zone possessions and their zone efficiency (2%) is woeful. And while it's not as prevalent as it was with Tyler Kolek, Kentucky's defense saw more pick and roll ball handler than any other play type and were miserable (5%) defending it, which is still a place Marquette excels (90%). Offensively, they would pose problems as it would be strength on strength with their offensive pick and roll (92%) and isolation (92%), while they are a great cutting team (100%). Kentucky doesn't turn it over a ton (Ranked #37) but were 1-4 in games where they turned over 19.2+% possessions, something Marquette did in 20/31 games.3-Seed Nightmare - Texas A&amp;M: This would be another game that fans thought was planned by the Selection Committee. The Aggies are great defending the rim (88%), pick &amp; pop (86%), and mix in a lot of zone (79%) with very good results (84%). Offensively, it all really comes down to rebounding. Texas A&amp;M leads the nation in offensive rebound rate and second change points according to Haslametrics. They wouldn't beat Marquette with skill, but their physicality is like St. John's on steroids. It would also be a particularly bitter pill to come up short against Buzz Williams. Marquette would have to turn A&amp;M over, turn up the pace, and turn this into a shooting contest.14/15-Seed Dream - Anyone: While it wouldn't be unheard of for a 14-seed or 15-seed to win, any of these are preferable to anyone above. If Marquette gets to the second round against a lower seeded team, that's a dream under any circumstance.Let's look at the updated S-Curve and bracket:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDUCxN7llqY007Biz3UvcaoLVmy4ofxtKofIvpjbEaWA7_sljsqAFVztroPpOWdEnftCreeqzh2jJoJt9IGNHM9_vFv1acgvulDtSXMExgIXm1KAsTlj_JJULXopW3xavK01fybvHh4V4XXN_X8zQ6gG-hRs5yLd0_Jwyv5t6_PScXlW8LwpeKw/s596/3-13%20S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="596" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDUCxN7llqY007Biz3UvcaoLVmy4ofxtKofIvpjbEaWA7_sljsqAFVztroPpOWdEnftCreeqzh2jJoJt9IGNHM9_vFv1acgvulDtSXMExgIXm1KAsTlj_JJULXopW3xavK01fybvHh4V4XXN_X8zQ6gG-hRs5yLd0_Jwyv5t6_PScXlW8LwpeKw/s320/3-13%20S.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8dDKVb3d16ncuFzB6jgEDUiITvYGcAPqYaZodLT7CNOf5lSl68vo-nNvEB7cC6ZSjmfBhpOCLjiimLtn3RVFOzA7izf7lgm59tif6eKX89G9u0GrvoeYsMEY3ER6NQX9GqZeTQ4OIDh-kRxJmhcKcAv3rRrvKrDzIzfmjxoLxZhw5avQDgwJxQ/s499/3-13%20Bracket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="499" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8dDKVb3d16ncuFzB6jgEDUiITvYGcAPqYaZodLT7CNOf5lSl68vo-nNvEB7cC6ZSjmfBhpOCLjiimLtn3RVFOzA7izf7lgm59tif6eKX89G9u0GrvoeYsMEY3ER6NQX9GqZeTQ4OIDh-kRxJmhcKcAv3rRrvKrDzIzfmjxoLxZhw5avQDgwJxQ/s320/3-13%20Bracket.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Multibid LeaguesSEC: 13Big 10:&nbsp; 9Big 12: 8Big East: 5ACC: 3Mountain West: 3Big West: 2WCC: 2 </content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/174347756536765893/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/174347756536765893?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/174347756536765893'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/174347756536765893'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/03/cracketology-march-dreams-nightmares.html' title='Cracketology: March Dreams & Nightmares'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4Bd_swAKTWk3T2FqM9ueqfnvKAoY77YTOIfxxuMY-8r2i6hOFn2BR8aZ6smEN3RMQr0pwPSTTWN7uE03PfnKMNSDd31Xgg2N3BQP3nxkIgXw79jVMge4BrO-KdaXMaXAinUFWjRCjePuT6S8Q8pUmTcDSdPWbje4PAZcrYPqXMPBe5QlziKhVg/s72-c/Milkshakes.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-4716878004409571303</id><published>2025-03-10T12:09:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2025-03-11T14:37:24.772-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Cracketology: Championship Week Watchlist</title><content type='html'>&nbsp;<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbF8VQgPuqPJfEp26FAtMElHUbt5icrK2mOER_dsPP1zlZyAvYxKV3AjSeQmgox-p2r6tvzZFCS8o3hbHSp_ThNFBN-fNLXF91pZZyJ4Uc2OUoJjniduVf2i9fG6j-SGTw6FfwU531FBSMHE3ZFaH1_SOxfbJeg2Iu94tlFrUrhXJK63ledevGxA/s1280/Kam%20KU.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbF8VQgPuqPJfEp26FAtMElHUbt5icrK2mOER_dsPP1zlZyAvYxKV3AjSeQmgox-p2r6tvzZFCS8o3hbHSp_ThNFBN-fNLXF91pZZyJ4Uc2OUoJjniduVf2i9fG6j-SGTw6FfwU531FBSMHE3ZFaH1_SOxfbJeg2Iu94tlFrUrhXJK63ledevGxA/w371-h247/Kam%20KU.webp" width="371" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Marquette &amp; Kansas will battle for conference titles &amp; seeding this week</div>Photo by Marco Garcia | AP Photo We have made it to Championship Week, and while it might not be the week to watch that Marquette fans were expecting in January, there's still a lot to pay attention to. Today will just be a quick hit to update the seed list and explain the six groupings of teams we are looking at. We'll go a bit deeper on the third grouping, which is where Marquette is located.First Grouping - The 1-Seed Contenders: Auburn, Duke, Houston, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Michigan StateThe first four currently sit in 1-seed position. Auburn and Duke are pretty well cemented here. Houston and Florida are solid, but Alabama or Tennessee can make a case with an SEC Tournament title, while it would be hard to imagine a Big 10 regular season and tournament champ not being on the 1-line. None of these teams will be below a 2-seed.Second Grouping - Protected Seed Contenders: St. John's, Texas Tech, Kentucky, Texas A&amp;M, Iowa State, Purdue, Maryland, Wisconsin, Clemson, Oregon, Arizona, Saint Mary'sI feel confident about the St. John's through Wisconsin group likely being protected seeds. One of those Big 10 teams might fall out, but they are in good shape. Clemson and Oregon are very close for the last 4-seed, with Clemson having the edge metrically over Oregon's overall wins. Arizona and Saint Mary's are a stretch in this group, but too good to be in the next group.Third Grouping - The Middle Seeds: Michigan, UCLA, BYU, Illinois, Louisville, Ole Miss, Kansas, Marquette, Missouri, Memphis, Mississippi StateThis group has fluctuated a little, but the 20-30 spots have been the hardest to sort out over the past 7-10 days. A tournament title could put any of these teams into the mix to climb into the battle for the last 4-seed, while a loss could have them dropping to an 8 or even a 9. I expect game through Friday to hold weight here because the resumes are so close. We'll look ahead at each of these teams further down this page so you know when to tune in for Marquette fans trying to figure out their seed in real time.Fourth Grouping - Should Be In: UConn, Creighton, Gonzaga, Utah State, Georgia, New Mexico, West Virginia, Vanderbilt, DrakeObviously Drake is in, but they round out this group of teams from a seeding perspective. These are primarily the 8-10 seeds that should feel confident they will hear their names on Selection Sunday. Gonzaga is probably the most difficult to figure out here, as they have 11-seed resume metrics and 3-seed predictive metrics. The WCC finishes early, so if they can get the title it might push them as high as a 6 or 7. I do think they are in regardless, but I wouldn't advise losing their opener to test the Selection Committee. For Marquette, a UConn/Creighton Big East Tournament title would be a bad thing. Right now the non-con wins have Marquette clearly grouped ahead of the other Big East teams here, but if they are drawn into a direct comparison, Creighton being the outright #2 with so a double-round-robin to compare and UConn having the sweep of Marquette could have either of those teams jumping up ahead of the Golden Eagles.Fifth Grouping - Bid Thief Watchers: Oklahoma, Arkansas, Indiana, San Diego State, Xavier, UC San Diego, Baylor, UC IrvineThis past weekend really cleared up the bubble picture. These teams are in, but those last three in particular (four if SDSU loses to Boise) should be watching for bid thieves. These are teams that have generally overcome fatal flaws and have enough to be in. I don't think these teams will automatically fall out with an early loss, but a loss and a bid thief could push any of them (especially the Dayton-bound) out of the field. In the Big West, UC San Diego has the better bubble case than UC Irvine because of their win over Utah State, so for that to be a 2-bid league the most likely scenario is Irvine beating UCSD in the title game.Sixth Grouping - On Life Support: North Carolina, Boise State, Wake Forest, DaytonI have a hard time seeing any of these teams getting in, but if some of the teams in the fifth grouping lose early and there aren't many bid thieves, these are the teams with the best cases to sneak into Dayton. UNC and Wake will likely have a play-out game on Thursday with the winner needing to beat Duke to have any shot of an at-large. Boise gets SDSU in a game that could flip the two Mountain West schools. Dayton has been hanging at the edge of the bubble but the big non-con wins might get them back in the mix if they can add a couple wins and get chaos ahead of them. Anyone not listed here likely needs to win a conference tournament to hear their name.Here's a quick look at the next games for the teams in the third grouping: Michigan vs Purdue/Rutgers/USC - Friday, March 14: Michigan needs a couple wins to have any hope of getting back to the 4-line. They haven't played well of late, but if they get a win over Purdue it would likely secure them on the 5-line barring someone from behind making a big run.UCLA vs Wisconsin/Minnesota/Iowa - Friday, March 14: The Bruins have been strong since their 4-game swoon in early January. Their top end wins are excellent but the 5-line is probably their ceiling because of the late title game.BYU vs Iowa State/Oklahoma State/Cincinnati - Thursday, March 13: BYU has rocketed up the seed list of late. They might have the best case in this grouping to be able to get to the 4-line with a tournament title because their path would likely include Iowa State, Houston, and another team in the field while also wrapping up by Saturday night. Their seed could come down to location as they need to open play in Providence, Lexington, Wichita, or Denver while playing in the East or West regions.Illinois vs Iowa/Ohio State - Thursday, March 13: Which Illinois team will show up in Indianapolis? They could win the whole thing and likely push for a 5-seed or possibly back end 4, or could drop their first game and crack the door for Ohio State (if they are alive) to crawl back into the field.Louisville vs Stanford/Virginia Tech/Cal - Thursday, March 13: Louisville won't move the dial on Thursday, needing to beat Clemson and/or Duke to really help their case. Despite the gaudy record, the lack of resume wins in the ACC has them looking destined for the 6/7 lines.Ole Miss vs Arkansas/South Carolina - Thursday, March 13: For Ole Miss to move the needle they need to win at least two games, which would include Auburn on Friday. That feels unlikely. I feel safe pencilling them in as a 7-seed, as their destiny seems to rely more on the teams around them than themselves.Kansas vs Utah/UCF - Wednesday, March 12: The Jayhawks win over Arizona stopped the bleeding, but they'll need to win their opener and beat Arizona again to have any shot at moving up further. It feels like a 6-seed is their ceiling unless they win the Big 12 Tournament.Marquette vs Xavier - Thursday, March 13: It will be a desperate Musketeers squad that lines up Thursday night as they are 2 bid thieves removed from being on the outside looking in. If Marquette can win Thursday and Friday, they should be safely on the 6-line, with a 5-seed still possible. Barring some collapse further up the bracket, I don't see them getting back to the protected seeds. On the other end, a loss could see Marquette end up in an 8/9 game, though most likely still wearing home whites in the opener. Missouri vs Mississippi St/LSU - Thursday, March 13: If Mississippi State beats LSU, that sets up the only Middle vs Middle battle currently on our slate. Mizzou's wins have them on the 7-line ahead of Mississippi State, but if one of these teams can win and then beat Florida, they could jump up 1-2 lines. I can't imagine much after that mattering with the SEC not wrapping their tournament until Sunday.Memphis vs South Florida/Wichita State - Friday, March 14: Tiger fans won't like seeing themselves on the 8-line, but their wins have lost some luster and three Q3 losses is more outside Q1+2 than any team in the running for a single-digit seed. This is one of the hardest teams to seed as they have 5-seed resume metrics and 13-seed predictive metrics. They get bumped up a bit because of their Q1 record (6-1) and counting as AAC champs, but this is a team that could land anywhere from the 5-10 seed lines because of their bizarre resume.Here's our current seed list:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_buVTHxH6azLEZAL3fsx5hK0UfDkYEduqIl7SQEZFMedgZgHULrLv7jQKX4U2fDa39DCqB0SyNIuIT-olEJ3w-y9rdYJTowH1rzcnfzXEbQbwmuDOdX4TmW7ijM7d13pLYmHgaKYhHcgPVZp_LYW67aD2pzZ1FFexwWvplxqOUIH4Z2WzIr9-nA/s748/3-10%20S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="748" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_buVTHxH6azLEZAL3fsx5hK0UfDkYEduqIl7SQEZFMedgZgHULrLv7jQKX4U2fDa39DCqB0SyNIuIT-olEJ3w-y9rdYJTowH1rzcnfzXEbQbwmuDOdX4TmW7ijM7d13pLYmHgaKYhHcgPVZp_LYW67aD2pzZ1FFexwWvplxqOUIH4Z2WzIr9-nA/s320/3-10%20S.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> &nbsp;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/4716878004409571303/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/4716878004409571303?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/4716878004409571303'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/4716878004409571303'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/03/cracketology-championship-week-watchlist.html' title='Cracketology: Championship Week Watchlist'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbF8VQgPuqPJfEp26FAtMElHUbt5icrK2mOER_dsPP1zlZyAvYxKV3AjSeQmgox-p2r6tvzZFCS8o3hbHSp_ThNFBN-fNLXF91pZZyJ4Uc2OUoJjniduVf2i9fG6j-SGTw6FfwU531FBSMHE3ZFaH1_SOxfbJeg2Iu94tlFrUrhXJK63ledevGxA/s72-w371-h247-c/Kam%20KU.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-8481779629455185575</id><published>2025-03-10T08:34:00.005-05:00</published><updated>2025-03-10T08:34:43.468-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Better but not good enough ends the regular season</title><content type='html'>&nbsp;Welp, it wasn't the regular season ending we wanted for #mubb and it's been a long time since we've been daggered like that. We're back to talk about the last week of the regular season and just kind of sort out our feelings. We also talk about where the team is at overall and what hope/fears we have for the win or go home portion of the season. We chat about the Big East tournament and what we can expect from there before turning to the NCAA tournament and touching on seeding and match ups. Now it's time for everyone to get serious. Enjoy!&nbsp;&nbsp;https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/hc29ndu5nrmvee4j/Eggs_2025_March_9_FSJU6tdbu.mp3&nbsp;&nbsp;<iframe title="Better but not good enough ends the regular season" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ws4k8-1834653-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7" loading="lazy"></iframe></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/8481779629455185575/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/8481779629455185575?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/8481779629455185575'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/8481779629455185575'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/03/better-but-not-good-enough-ends-regular.html' title='Better but not good enough ends the regular season'/><author><name>Phil Bush</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09466744499136353810</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-6249392760300560530</id><published>2025-03-07T14:47:00.004-06:00</published><updated>2025-03-07T14:50:32.138-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Cracketology: Rethinking the Resumes</title><content type='html'>&nbsp;<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZAB173OdUfDj9Dc80iQBQTFxEjJ1zWIUUAtZHijHd3L30Esk_vm7nOWEu0Ro_WfWIjYQsNipGCzcHh6H_DD9Ry1_lGGb2kzPu-CEnpO2Ex2dZiy8LfbrgD6kCpIaPwwCd07atmI7Xu6ntE0xQzskk9h250dlIOMMwZkR42X7IgF0o0Un__DboQ/s1140/RJ%20Davis.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1140" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZAB173OdUfDj9Dc80iQBQTFxEjJ1zWIUUAtZHijHd3L30Esk_vm7nOWEu0Ro_WfWIjYQsNipGCzcHh6H_DD9Ry1_lGGb2kzPu-CEnpO2Ex2dZiy8LfbrgD6kCpIaPwwCd07atmI7Xu6ntE0xQzskk9h250dlIOMMwZkR42X7IgF0o0Un__DboQ/s320/RJ%20Davis.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Marquette fans don't have fond memories of UNC &amp; R.J. Davis</div>Photo by Robert Willett | Raleigh News &amp; Observer Today our focus will again be on the bubble. After a week of reviewing resumes and considering what the Selection Committee will likely prioritize, we have made some major bubble changes. Many are the unfortunate type because some teams we'd like to see in the field (Boise State, UC Irvine) just might not have enough polish on their resumes, while other teams we'd rather not see in (North Carolina, Oklahoma) have some major advantages. Let's dig in.Last Four Byes: 39-West Virginia, 40-Georgia, 41-Indiana, 42-San Diego StateCurrently, our last at-large team comes in at #47 on the S-Curve, which means any resume metric inside the top-47 meets at-large qualification. Collectively, these four teams have 11/12 resume metrics inside the top-47, with only Indiana's SOR (49) on the outside. All of them have at least .500 records in Quadrants 1-3 with at least 3 Q1 wins and 1 Q1A win. For whatever Bracket Matrix is worth, they also all show up in at least 87/92 brackets there as of this writing. If there are bid thieves, these teams could end up in trouble, but for the moment they look fairly safe.Last Four In: 44-Arkansas, 45-North Carolina, 46-Oklahoma, 47-Xavier Collectively, these four teams have 10/12 resume metrics inside the top-47. The outlier is KPI for both North Carolina (50) and Xavier (59). Arkansas and Oklahoma are the two safest for selection. While Oklahoma gets knocked for their 5-12 SEC record and 1 road win, those aren't official criteria and their 13-0 non-con record along with 5 neutral court wins help offset those issues. Bracket Matrix is positive on both of these teams, with 85 including Arkansas and 66 including Oklahoma. Both also boast 5 Q1 wins and mulitple Q1A wins.North Carolina and Xavier are a little different, mostly because of only having 1 Q1 win apiece. However, at the Top-16 reveal, we covered how SOR and WAB were the best predictors of seed, and both of these teams are inside the top-46 in those metrics. Further, they both have just 1 loss outside Q1, so while their Q1 records are poor, their winning overall records in Q1-3, solid resume metrics, and backing that up with predictive averages inside the top-40 give them enough to be selected. One other note for Xavier, they have 3 wins over projected non-bubble at-large teams (Marquette, Creighton, UConn). Bracket Matrix doesn't like these teams as much, with just 29 including Xavier and 20 including UNC, but these are the types of teams that the Selection Committee is more likely to take on historical precedent. Essentially, these teams have no fatal flaws and just enough to get them into Dayton.First Four Out: Ohio State, Texas, Boise State, Wake Forest Taking a step back and rethinking things, these teams definitely break into two clear categories. The fatal flaw of Q1-3 record is harmful for Ohio State (11-13) and Texas (10-13) despite having some great wins at the top of their resumes. They also both have 2/3 resume metrics outside the top-47. Ohio State is in 89/92 brackets, so it would surprise most if they are left out, but Texas shows up in just 17 on Bracket Matrix. If they win this weekend and in their conference tournament openers they might have a shot to get back in the mix, but for now they are on the outside looking in.Boise State's biggest problem is all of their resume metrics are 52 or below. I love their wins over St. Mary's and Clemson, but I'm not sure the Committee will put them in because of those. Bracket Matrix has the Broncos in 34/92 brackets. If I were the one voting, the Broncos would be in, but in terms of predicting what the Selection Committee will do, I think they'll be out.I was surprised Wake Forest landed this high in consideration. Having 2/3 resume metrics inside the top-47 helped. They also have a winning Q1-3 record and more Q1 wins than North Carolina or Xavier, but like UNC have just one win against a projected non-bubble at-large team. Wake is not in any of the Bracket Matrix entrants right now, but I think they still have a shot, though any bid thieves would likely end that chance. If it comes down to one win between UNC and Wake, the edge goes to UNC who is better in every team sheet metric than the Demon Deacons despite Wake's 1-point home win over the Tar Heels.Also Considered: Nebraska, UC Irvine We looked at more teams than these two, but these two tumbled the furthest so I wanted to address them. Nebraska is 11-13 in Q1-3, every team sheet metric is outside the top-47, and despite some nice quality wins, there just isn't enough good to outweigh the bad. They are 15-5 in Q1-3, have 1 Q1A win, and lead the nation with 13 road wins. However, WAB and SOR are both designed to equalize resumes and they are 54 or lower in each. Maybe their 43 KPI gives them a shot, but their predictive average (80.7) would be the second lowest ever included. Like Boise, I would vote for them, but based on historical precedent, I don't think the Committee will put them in without an automatic bid.Bids Thieved: Gonzaga, VCU, Drake, UC San Diego If we see these teams that are currently the NET leaders in their respective leagues lose in their conference tournaments, I feel good about the first three making it in. Gonzaga and Drake both have all resume metrics inside the top-47. From a seeding perspective, Gonzaga's predictive average (9.3) would push them higher up the seed line than Drake's (66.3) would but I think both of them have enough in terms of resume quality, Q1-3 records, and Q1 wins to get in. VCU has 2/3 resume metrics in the top-47 and with a 12-4 record in Q1-3 and strong predictives (28.7) I think they get in, though they might be sent to Dayton again. Ram fans may not object to that, given their history.UC San Diego, on the other hand, I don't feel so good about. I moved them down to the 12-line today and I think if they fall in the Big West tournament, they will be in trouble. All 3 resume metrics are outside the top-47 and while they have the Q1-3 record and Q1 wins, this is the kind of team that tends to get left out. The other problem is if they lose again in the Big West Tournament, it won't be a Q1 game (UC Irvine is Q2). I strongly advise they win their automatic bid.So that's the bubble. Here's what you can expect from Cracked Sidewalks in the next week as Selection Sunday draws closer:March 10: Scrambled Eggs - Phil and Joe will wrap up the regular season and look ahead to the Big East Tournament. March 12: Dreams &amp; Nightmares - our annual piece that looks at which teams Marquette fans would most and least want to see in their pod come Selection Sunday. This piece accurately picked Vermont as a dream scenario in 2023 and Colorado as a nightmare (single possession game in the final minute).March 15: Contingency Time - On the eve of Selection Sunday, most of the field will be set and most teams will be done playing. This should be pretty close to what our final projections will look like.March 16: Selection Sunday - We'll provide a last update once we have a better sense of conference tournament champions, bid thieves, and any last minute changes the Selection Committee may take into account.March 17: Scrambled Eggs: Phil and Joe are back to talk about the bracket and their expectations for the NCAA Tournament. Here's the current S-Curve and bracket:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcQOXrTpXmwXV0o4aMWawjZwNfT0Qel3GhulpOW1ENt8fz_mh84JLQFxQZofJkgQZOPrMgb_sydegQLJP1GCNYpmiXOLPNqY6ILGNuJdZmZ_IWcs8eCnEwd4EcHsHUMfG1fVnlWlnrMS4HyqiSA9AKC8CfaoBf0lmePVE8X2ivCgLWCml8-6oGw/s738/3-7%20S.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="738" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcQOXrTpXmwXV0o4aMWawjZwNfT0Qel3GhulpOW1ENt8fz_mh84JLQFxQZofJkgQZOPrMgb_sydegQLJP1GCNYpmiXOLPNqY6ILGNuJdZmZ_IWcs8eCnEwd4EcHsHUMfG1fVnlWlnrMS4HyqiSA9AKC8CfaoBf0lmePVE8X2ivCgLWCml8-6oGw/w473-h328/3-7%20S.jpg" width="473" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1eeTjnguXZa1Ilgum4VRUMNewnFG0ziqcHHfeSRQvk2qj90BwsypOGP9ikcgVKz3ZyHpsrP0NKsaVYmn3u5itF7cqF2z-orUdQTfMZ_ybv9gVYJo_lqM-FUVzyuKKIFRN0Q46gh6ajGqxcMK0X9Pp9a6IyMbbxjqfgPVB-bhCsMtV0mPljQVU_Q/s603/3-7%20Bracket.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="603" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1eeTjnguXZa1Ilgum4VRUMNewnFG0ziqcHHfeSRQvk2qj90BwsypOGP9ikcgVKz3ZyHpsrP0NKsaVYmn3u5itF7cqF2z-orUdQTfMZ_ybv9gVYJo_lqM-FUVzyuKKIFRN0Q46gh6ajGqxcMK0X9Pp9a6IyMbbxjqfgPVB-bhCsMtV0mPljQVU_Q/w475-h440/3-7%20Bracket.jpg" width="475" /></a></div>Multibid LeaguesSEC: 13Big 10: 9Big 12: 8Big East: 5ACC: 4Mountain West: 3WCC: 2 </content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/6249392760300560530/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/6249392760300560530?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/6249392760300560530'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/6249392760300560530'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/03/cracketology-rethinking-resumes.html' title='Cracketology: Rethinking the Resumes'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZAB173OdUfDj9Dc80iQBQTFxEjJ1zWIUUAtZHijHd3L30Esk_vm7nOWEu0Ro_WfWIjYQsNipGCzcHh6H_DD9Ry1_lGGb2kzPu-CEnpO2Ex2dZiy8LfbrgD6kCpIaPwwCd07atmI7Xu6ntE0xQzskk9h250dlIOMMwZkR42X7IgF0o0Un__DboQ/s72-c/RJ%20Davis.JPG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-8989913847197935173</id><published>2025-03-03T08:45:00.003-06:00</published><updated>2025-03-03T08:45:48.990-06:00</updated><title type='text'>A Week That Went As It Should</title><content type='html'>&nbsp;Finally #mubb had a "normal" week. #ScrambledEggs is back to generally overview the week that was and talk about the challenges of the week to come. We chat about some of the performance against Providence and Georgetown and what it means for the rest of the season. We then chat about the UCONN and St Johns games from a basketball perspective. We also get a little misty eyed about senior day and the end of the regular season. Lastly we spend some time talking about seeding. As always, enjoy!&nbsp;&nbsp;https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/eutbk9d5xzyuhxg7/Eggs_2025_March_2bvmyy.mp3&nbsp;&nbsp;<iframe title="A Week That Went As It Should" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=96vbv-1826cfa-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7" loading="lazy"></iframe></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/8989913847197935173/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/8989913847197935173?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/8989913847197935173'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/8989913847197935173'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/03/a-week-that-went-as-it-should.html' title='A Week That Went As It Should'/><author><name>Phil Bush</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09466744499136353810</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-309268694524458537</id><published>2025-03-03T06:46:00.001-06:00</published><updated>2025-03-03T06:46:22.645-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Cracketology: Maddening March</title><content type='html'>&nbsp;<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKECCwxfNyGOseosualg6EYCWp_iSKBiNY0rvKvXW3oT8jAnt9q2H2nzIYYIFuGhXYvL-0RcUruxBBFNuRyJ9_jc04kSQjGF-AT9fo-yBoLt6nsKj0H9gOMLQE5FUHK3n2pkgpF-MorujpqanqysW34OWjDlNQhXjOLh81oL1ffuwywQZrpGDrbA/s1440/Kam%20MD.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1440" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKECCwxfNyGOseosualg6EYCWp_iSKBiNY0rvKvXW3oT8jAnt9q2H2nzIYYIFuGhXYvL-0RcUruxBBFNuRyJ9_jc04kSQjGF-AT9fo-yBoLt6nsKj0H9gOMLQE5FUHK3n2pkgpF-MorujpqanqysW34OWjDlNQhXjOLh81oL1ffuwywQZrpGDrbA/s320/Kam%20MD.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Marquette's win over Maryland in November helped tilt a seeding decision</div>Photo by Nick Wass | AP Photo As we unveil our first bracket of March, there are a number of conundrums that start at the top of the field and carry on all the way to the bubble. Today I'll talk my way through these decisions and the tilting points that made the difference. One note, I'm not including the NET of the teams compared, because we only use the NET as a grouping tool for the Quadrants. The Final 1-SeedIn the final minute of Tennessee's comeback win against Alabama on Saturday, the announcers proclaimed that a 1-seed was on the line. While Auburn, Duke, and Houston seem very solid as 1-seeds at the moment, it's close between Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida for the last 1-seed. Let's look at the comparative resumes:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnDR2hKxxPuTS2qoNzNYvWwmWjOAR9ME-fDRWk4-TT49cGZUsayaIe4LeJbGnXigeoQyebkHs75FQpI6Kz7uCHqkUlURfFKhAXuwH0OpZF4LFYxaJozLoje141V4P1JlAkIe8RXNE2r_dXW8ivS_nRKmDa8zQksakqskuSZDLciN8bkZIAnIqqg/s362/3-3%201-Seed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="362" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnDR2hKxxPuTS2qoNzNYvWwmWjOAR9ME-fDRWk4-TT49cGZUsayaIe4LeJbGnXigeoQyebkHs75FQpI6Kz7uCHqkUlURfFKhAXuwH0OpZF4LFYxaJozLoje141V4P1JlAkIe8RXNE2r_dXW8ivS_nRKmDa8zQksakqskuSZDLciN8bkZIAnIqqg/s320/3-3%201-Seed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In terms of overall record, Florida edges Tennessee and Alabama. The resume average favors Alabama, the predictive average favors Florida, but the total metric average is separated by only 0.5 (with Alabama in the lead). Where things start to separate is in the next categories. In terms of challenging themselves, Alabama stands out with their NCSOS of 11. Not only did Alabama schedule multiple high-major opponents, they also had Arkansas State, McNeese, and South Dakota State, all of whom lead their respective leagues in NET. In the Quadrants, Alabama and Tennessee are tied with 10 wins, with the slight win percentage advantage to the Volunteers. But Alabama's 17 Quadrant 1+2 wins are more than either of the other two and second only to #1 overall seed Auburn. Alabama also leads in Q1A victories, while having the fewest games played in the bottom two quadrants, reinforcing their schedule strength. Looking at the best results, while both Alabama and Tennessee have 6 Q1 wins, Tennessee's three best wins come at home while Alabama has five Q1A wins away from home.Despite yesterday's loss, Alabama remains on the top line, relegating Tennessee and Florida to the 2-line despite having resumes that are clearly worthy of 1-seeds.The Final 2-SeedAs tough as the top line decision is, the fight for the last 2-seed is even closer. Michigan State is clearly deserving of the #7 overall seed, but their win over Wisconsin put the Badgers in a dogfight with St. John's, Iowa State, and Texas Tech. All of these teams look more like 3-seeds, but one of them has to land on the 2-line. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZAKDYiNrMIZpT5G-1BTLHQwCc2rLnYyB4seKFwhmrXto2d73JkqtklNPiBCmO-HEzFgocACPyGiqmnOVIDa99QdrrNiKtA5hezqPFcGum6tIwXnJk38_Nuu518vNMM6Yifp3OFbx2rDIBbv_NiuJkAQLNKqQgBHTy0H8IhxH2aKJW6hREgrjqQ/s492/3-3%202-Seed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="492" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZAKDYiNrMIZpT5G-1BTLHQwCc2rLnYyB4seKFwhmrXto2d73JkqtklNPiBCmO-HEzFgocACPyGiqmnOVIDa99QdrrNiKtA5hezqPFcGum6tIwXnJk38_Nuu518vNMM6Yifp3OFbx2rDIBbv_NiuJkAQLNKqQgBHTy0H8IhxH2aKJW6hREgrjqQ/w414-h202/3-3%202-Seed.jpg" width="414" /></a></div>St. John's record jumps ahead of the rest. The Red Storm are level with Wisconsin in resume average while Texas Tech and Iowa State are far ahead in the predictive average. It's worth mentioning that during the Top-16 Reveal it was the resume average that was the better seed predictor than the predictive average. The overall metric average favors Wisconsin.Looking at the Quadrants, a few things stand out. First, Wisconsin, Texas Tech, and Iowa State all have 6 Q1 wins, though Texas Tech having 5 in Q1A jumps off the page. St. John's lags behind here with 3 Q1 wins. However, it's the totality of the resume that matters. St. Johns' has no losses outside Q1 while the other three all have losses outside the top quadrant. The two that stood out the most were St. John's overall quality against Texas Tech's 5 Q1A wins.So why do we have St. John's ahead of the Red Raiders? In 2023, we saw Marquette get a 2-seed as the Big East Champions despite having 3-seed metrics. St. John's is the only team here that has secured a league crown. That coupled with a better record and metrics than that Marquette team shows they have a 2-seed profile despite lagging in a few categories.Marquette's Seed The Golden Eagles come in at #21 overall, the first 6-seed. They land in between a pair of Big 10 teams in Oregon and Maryland. They represent the turn between the 5-seeds and 6-seeds, but are a good example of evaluating wildly different resumes. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuQ2fhQE3WBBEOoNxu9_hCmzHfNZ4GgkidqtuZw9L6TV890vsAHLzoZFpm0UtuhTx0X8Hw50Z-SujGdPV_NgWuYr4cFSCt7G3g4qbqwS55Pyt4wNk7LKCjiSwOWlIkFYwS-kJ3vXILupDWPCkIuz473eP6SyWUIPJNKlXxtMwISssPHYGKLpzSA/s400/3-3%205-Seed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="400" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuQ2fhQE3WBBEOoNxu9_hCmzHfNZ4GgkidqtuZw9L6TV890vsAHLzoZFpm0UtuhTx0X8Hw50Z-SujGdPV_NgWuYr4cFSCt7G3g4qbqwS55Pyt4wNk7LKCjiSwOWlIkFYwS-kJ3vXILupDWPCkIuz473eP6SyWUIPJNKlXxtMwISssPHYGKLpzSA/w359-h217/3-3%205-Seed.jpg" width="359" /></a></div>Oregon's resume average leads the way but the Ducks lag significantly in the predictives. While the overall average for Marquette and Maryland are very close, Oregon's predictive disadvantage feels like a definite negative mark for them. However, they also have the most Q1 and Q1+2 wins and the best winning percentage in those quadrants. They also have more Q1A wins than the other two combined. Oregon's early season wins really stand out here and push them ahead. As with Alabama and St. John's, we're looking closely at the resume average and the comparison here would be teams like 2022 Wisconsin and Providence who were seeded higher than their overall metric average despite lagging predictive numbers.So why does Marquette finish ahead of Maryland? These teams are very close. Marquette wins in resume average, Maryland wins in predictive. Maryland has one more Q1 win and one fewer Q2 loss, but the teams have the same 11-7 Q1+2 record and two Q1A wins. In terms of challenging themselves, Marquette's NCSOS stands out significantly. Comparing their best wins is where this is truly decided. Both teams beat Wisconsin at home. Maryland also notched a road win at Illinois while Marquette picked up a road win at...Maryland! I rarely like to use head-to-head because most teams in different conferences don't play each other, but when it's this close, they played head-to-head, and the road team won the game it's enough to tilt it in their favor.Fatal Flaws &amp; the BubbleThe quality on the bubble isn't close to what we see on the top seed lines, so we are first going to highlight some of the trends that have historically been disqualifying:<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Less than +4 win vs loss differential: Typically, teams with fewer than four more wins than losses are unlikely to earn at-large bids. So 16-13 teams like Ohio State and Texas shouldn't feel secure.</li><li>Quadrant 1 Wins: The worst Q1 record to ever make the field was 1-6 for 2023 NC State. This feels like it may be tested this year with teams like Baylor, Xavier, North Carolina, and Cincinnati all under consideration. </li><li>Record below .500 in Quadrants 1, 2, and 3 combined: Rocco Miller calls these "meaningful games" and while this is historically a difficult obstacle to overcome, the sheer quantity of teams on the bubble with Q1-3 records from 11-12 Nebraska to 10-13 Ohio State will likely lead to this being broken.</li><li>Fewer than 2 road wins: No team has ever made the field as an at-large without at least 2 true road wins. Georgia just secured a second with their win at Texas but Oklahoma sits on the bubble with a 1-7 road record.</li><li>Sub-300 NCSOS: Weak non-conference schedules are harmful to a resume, but particularly so for teams on the bubble. If a team's NCSOS is full of cupcakes, they'd better leave no doubt in terms of deserving inclusion. Currently Vanderbilt has risen above the bubble despite this. </li></ul>The problem this year is many teams have a fatal flaw, or multiple fatal flaws, and are still strongly in the mix for inclusion simply because you have to put 68 teams in the field. In addition, some teams with fatal flaws have so much quality in terms of wins that it's hard to leave them out even with their flaws considered. We'll start with the last six teams in the field and the reasoning behind their inclusion:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-Ma9YIQuJv7X-zu_f9VhVN_WRND4kdHhuI2p4-ZPi_ZJrIEtC9e-B1KR7m2iy169Ny8Zwfb7swCI0bIcmcx_3hewdWi3Fu0pjqSEW8TtRfj4dLxXSJsn2LBXrDV68kLNTzljufaygYmSD7lMhKqpAhi31n98dzC5lars85n4FTdkbuL9x6zvMg/s618/3-3%20Bubble%20In.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="618" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-Ma9YIQuJv7X-zu_f9VhVN_WRND4kdHhuI2p4-ZPi_ZJrIEtC9e-B1KR7m2iy169Ny8Zwfb7swCI0bIcmcx_3hewdWi3Fu0pjqSEW8TtRfj4dLxXSJsn2LBXrDV68kLNTzljufaygYmSD7lMhKqpAhi31n98dzC5lars85n4FTdkbuL9x6zvMg/w449-h192/3-3%20Bubble%20In.jpg" width="449" /></a></div>&nbsp;<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Boise State: The Broncos non-con wins
over St. Mary's and Clemson have aged very well. Their record and
quadrant breakdowns are adequate. The resume average is the biggest
question mark, but they do well enough in every other category to be
included. </li><li>Georgia: This is a team clearly playing their way
into the field. Georgia's Q1-3 and NCSOS are less than ideal, but wins
over Florida, Kentucky, St. John's, and Texas, the latter two away from&nbsp;
home, are enough to get them into the field.</li><li>Arkansas: I'm not
overly comfortable with having this team in, but everything on their
resume is just good enough. Wins over Michigan and Kentucky away from
home bolster their case, but with a 10-12 record in Q1-3 they have work
to do. The Razorbacks need to keep winning to get in.</li><li>Baylor:
The Bears are the yo-yo team right now, going from in to out to in over
the past week. The positive is they are 18-2 outside of Q1A, but when
you get 11 tries and only one win, it isn't very convincing. The worst
predictive average to be left out was 2022 Oklahoma being out at 32.7,
which gives Baylor just enough to lift them in.</li><li>Ohio State: The
10-13 record in Q1-3 is abysmal, and 16-13 overall should be
disqualifying. Wins over Kentucky and Purdue away from home are elite
and just enough to get them in over teams that don't have comparable
wins. They likely need to win out and get at least one win during
Championship Week to have any breathing room.</li><li>UC Irvine: The
Anteaters have a lot to like. While they only played one Q1 game, it was
a Q1A road win at UC San Diego. Their 13-5 record in Q1-3 is very good
and their 12 road wins are tied for the most in the country. The biggest
negatives are three losses in Q3 and a predictive average that would be
the worst in at-large history (81.3 for 2022 Wyoming). But with as much
good as they have, I like them to be a surprise pick in Dayton.</li></ul>Next we'll move to the first five teams out. There are a couple other resumes I'm still looking at, but these felt like the most serious options. All of them have at least one fatal flaw and simply not enough quality in terms of their wins to overcome them. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZuV2RyG6ffLfHjS8mcXeHqszXbkCSRYqy9yULrUTuPm4QRxHx5YIeIH_ruVKolmz70P01c9YEtQte37nAjUdN7NdZOkjOzwCkkfwRiC8X2GGc84rQeRkUy0Fw8NailyTnQudD5N18sdjXQ-AJlc6rykN4-ynS8iDbGP1Xl0VkgPTbv0-8ziQMXg/s579/3-3%20Bubble%20Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="579" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZuV2RyG6ffLfHjS8mcXeHqszXbkCSRYqy9yULrUTuPm4QRxHx5YIeIH_ruVKolmz70P01c9YEtQte37nAjUdN7NdZOkjOzwCkkfwRiC8X2GGc84rQeRkUy0Fw8NailyTnQudD5N18sdjXQ-AJlc6rykN4-ynS8iDbGP1Xl0VkgPTbv0-8ziQMXg/w419-h192/3-3%20Bubble%20Out.jpg" width="419" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Nebraska: The 'Huskers disqualifying 11-12 record in Q1-3 is comparable with some teams that are in, but two losses in Q3 and wins that just aren't on par with the other high-major at-large bubble teams keeps them on the outside looking in.</li><li>Oklahoma: Having both a losing Q1-3 record and only one road win is a double-whammy. The Sooners need to win their final game at Texas to have a real shot. Conference record isn't supposed to be a factor, but sitting at 4-12 in the SEC is a real eyesore if they can't add wins.</li><li>Xavier: The Musketeers have done well to get back on the bubble, and while they don't have any fatal flaws, there's no real there there. The win at Marquette is nice but they've done little else away from home. I fear the consecutive road losses at St. John's, Creighton, and Villanova may have cost them a bid before their winning streak began.</li><li>North Carolina: 10 of the 11 Tarheel losses are in Q1 and they do have a winning record in Q1-3. The NCSOS is great, but the argument "we only lose to good teams" isn't as good as showing a tendency to beat good teams. UNC's Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham is the Selection Committee chair, but they need to beat Duke to get into the field.</li><li>Cincinnati: The Bearcats don't have a great resume, mostly based on their Q2 work. Their only Q1 win is over BYU and their only other win over the field is Baylor at home. They just don't have enough substance to the resume for inclusion. </li></ul>Let's look at the full S-Curve and bracket:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8eb2POgyBL8DFkPqkFOzPygL8HNKZPZFScEHhHOVfntL8DOE4b4TQt3oD9Sf7YZGJjkdOj_e__5ewG18mFyke3dBHNDaBaelozvNG289C10pwplGpCj_QJf0Xzk8SVgBvjVB_jmdYfkCOP4BW1KtXiOuhfTy-MR9nLXgK3r4-q4cOE5njhotYIw/s590/3-3%20S.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="590" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8eb2POgyBL8DFkPqkFOzPygL8HNKZPZFScEHhHOVfntL8DOE4b4TQt3oD9Sf7YZGJjkdOj_e__5ewG18mFyke3dBHNDaBaelozvNG289C10pwplGpCj_QJf0Xzk8SVgBvjVB_jmdYfkCOP4BW1KtXiOuhfTy-MR9nLXgK3r4-q4cOE5njhotYIw/w414-h294/3-3%20S.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREAEf5aV7wMS1-9QszCnl0Ti3TtVHttsg8-fsAG-CgzLKFPVxQNKjQKwSTqwHfod71NH7ASRRCRrKyqKxLwXfnorLPd1Gx8lldNThtJhELzU-crvQQUQuFyhcYMk7dc4OA7oKIE3ZXE0Ij6gh-0aZ79dv6kpxrBXHY9vq43jyyuBHZwM58nw2vQ/s483/3-3%20Bracket.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="483" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREAEf5aV7wMS1-9QszCnl0Ti3TtVHttsg8-fsAG-CgzLKFPVxQNKjQKwSTqwHfod71NH7ASRRCRrKyqKxLwXfnorLPd1Gx8lldNThtJhELzU-crvQQUQuFyhcYMk7dc4OA7oKIE3ZXE0Ij6gh-0aZ79dv6kpxrBXHY9vq43jyyuBHZwM58nw2vQ/w416-h394/3-3%20Bracket.jpg" width="416" /></a></div>Multibid LeaguesSEC: 12Big 10: 10Big 12: 8Big East: 4Mountain West: 4ACC: 3Big West: 2WCC: 2 </content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/309268694524458537/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/309268694524458537?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/309268694524458537'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/309268694524458537'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/03/cracketology-maddening-march.html' title='Cracketology: Maddening March'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKECCwxfNyGOseosualg6EYCWp_iSKBiNY0rvKvXW3oT8jAnt9q2H2nzIYYIFuGhXYvL-0RcUruxBBFNuRyJ9_jc04kSQjGF-AT9fo-yBoLt6nsKj0H9gOMLQE5FUHK3n2pkgpF-MorujpqanqysW34OWjDlNQhXjOLh81oL1ffuwywQZrpGDrbA/s72-c/Kam%20MD.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-8444103065568683999</id><published>2025-02-28T09:20:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2025-02-28T09:20:01.212-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Cracketology: Marquette & the 10,000 Simulations</title><content type='html'>&nbsp;<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AepD22N7Gyy9RjQs5H71xuM_Ur8LzPVXGenc_opzN1ZfAXFBL0j-thvBofh_NwhrmC7GzEyGGlYKli1nV7_8_2N-GFA1pumNLTAASMJw4062dQ787MkYLtMLn8mg_AGTWJ9F3LR9SG5xCxfnXdjcapZOxBTyRT7wKO0bYAlKbyk5GBfqUvTjYw/s660/SelSun.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="660" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AepD22N7Gyy9RjQs5H71xuM_Ur8LzPVXGenc_opzN1ZfAXFBL0j-thvBofh_NwhrmC7GzEyGGlYKli1nV7_8_2N-GFA1pumNLTAASMJw4062dQ787MkYLtMLn8mg_AGTWJ9F3LR9SG5xCxfnXdjcapZOxBTyRT7wKO0bYAlKbyk5GBfqUvTjYw/s320/SelSun.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">We'll all be watching for Marquette's name on Selection Sunday</div>Photo by Ebony Cox | JS Online With just three games left in the regular season, it would seem that Marquette's future is pretty well carved in stone. But looking at resumes over the past 24 hours, this year's bracket separates itself in some clear divides. In any other year, all of the top six teams would be 1-seeds. Michigan State has set themselves apart as a clear 2-seed, Wisconsin is a clear 3-seed (even though they land as a 2), but after that there were 11 teams that could be considered anywhere from the 3-5 lines, starting with #9 St. John's and going all the way to #19 St. Mary's.Today, Marquette sits at #22 overall, ranked #23 in WAB and a predictive average of 24.7, landing as the second 6-seed on the S-Curve. They travel to Georgetown on March 1, to UConn on March 4, and host St. John's to close the season on March 8. Thanks to fellow Cracked Sidewalks contributor Rob Lowe, we ran 10,000 simulations of Marquette's last three games to determine the odds of every outcome, then extrapolated those into seed ranges and my best guess on where Marquette would land. First, here are the results:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbAC_tkI-8q6a-X38r4oea-10QqR6VSmCDeiAjazhS_eDaoopwcfqHJDkYeubaKZhEE9DcFG_DxEUmQguByFXM42Br0UEx671cKIblAy36h18WmvQAu6yyJRfsHtY3uLDhpoEoSuhXZZetX7U3ncHK_WEFfP-YelDEF0clqN0kGrjnj0iyaPVzw/s422/Pro%20Seed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="422" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbAC_tkI-8q6a-X38r4oea-10QqR6VSmCDeiAjazhS_eDaoopwcfqHJDkYeubaKZhEE9DcFG_DxEUmQguByFXM42Br0UEx671cKIblAy36h18WmvQAu6yyJRfsHtY3uLDhpoEoSuhXZZetX7U3ncHK_WEFfP-YelDEF0clqN0kGrjnj0iyaPVzw/w419-h219/Pro%20Seed.jpg" width="419" /></a></div> Now let's talk through why I am guessing the seeds where they are:0-3 (21-10): If Marquette were to lose out, I think they end up right on the cutoff between the 7/8 seeds, but currently there's a bit of a gap between those lines. With 5 Q1 wins banked and no bad losses possible, they likely stay on the high side of that cutoff, though if they also lose on Thursday in the Big East Tournament, I expect I'd have them as an 8-Seed come Selection Sunday. Using the Torvik Teamcast, this would give Marquette an expected WAB of 34 and predictive rank of 30, which lines up with an 8-seed, but their quality wins with no bad losses would likely push them ahead of other teams on that cutoff. 1-2 (22-9): The most likely win here would be Georgetown, which would add a Q2 win and two Q1 losses. Even if they lost at Georgetown and beat UConn or St. John's, the end result would likely be very similar in landing on the 6-line and staying about where we have them today. This would give them a WAB of 27 and predictive rank of 28, but again the quality wins and no bad losses would nudge Marquette up a little bit. This is really showing where the work done in November is paying off as wins over Maryland, Purdue, and Wisconsin have aged very well. 2-1 (23-8): This is the most likely scenario of the simulations and would likely add one win in both Q1 and Q2 with a Q1 loss. In today's bracket we considered Marquette for the last 5-seed but sheer volume of Q1 wins along with some great Q1A scalps gave the edge to Oregon. Metrically, this would give Marquette an expected WAB of 19 and predictive rank of 24.7. Getting a win at UConn or over St. John's would be enough of a dial mover to push them up a seed line.3-0 (24-7): Winning all three is where you see the resume metrics really perk up. Marquette would have an expected WAB of 11 and predictive average of 24.0. While the predictives wouldn't necessarily take a jump, that's because the UConn and St. John's games are both projected to be within 2 points, so simply winning one more possession than projected could tilt the resume significantly while only marginally changing the predictive results.Here are the extrapolated grids:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh288haDW7fyBitO1N2gXjPr_04WOsW4p7Y_XVIZELRo2_rCqGYozjijdkeTMXOhFiNIDjfqOv5H3KqrldTtGUZ_WXl-irOQwh6YdgcJcAmQffb4iwHmOoq8Eaw7rNbL2oZqPwM_T1Ex_iHzEIK2nYnh5sNR4vN6Y2WdYtySrnwCwMt03LNGDH0w/s484/Lowe%20BE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="484" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh288haDW7fyBitO1N2gXjPr_04WOsW4p7Y_XVIZELRo2_rCqGYozjijdkeTMXOhFiNIDjfqOv5H3KqrldTtGUZ_WXl-irOQwh6YdgcJcAmQffb4iwHmOoq8Eaw7rNbL2oZqPwM_T1Ex_iHzEIK2nYnh5sNR4vN6Y2WdYtySrnwCwMt03LNGDH0w/w409-h236/Lowe%20BE.jpg" width="409" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8YYDIgcta2n7hf32F9n74RX6IKQvvVAJQP6V_3GHwN7ILmlnEl9oGxprQZd69wKX_gudjcsJjSpEBZfxJ8WTKvdxAVQrPB3WPV3XthoViNcp1tuurbwuyl1bqE4bRLlvIdiPIuksDKTNKSfBwdIQgmtADJVRaeK1lDCRV_aEdstk6Gu9jubPEg/s483/Lowe%20MU.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="483" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8YYDIgcta2n7hf32F9n74RX6IKQvvVAJQP6V_3GHwN7ILmlnEl9oGxprQZd69wKX_gudjcsJjSpEBZfxJ8WTKvdxAVQrPB3WPV3XthoViNcp1tuurbwuyl1bqE4bRLlvIdiPIuksDKTNKSfBwdIQgmtADJVRaeK1lDCRV_aEdstk6Gu9jubPEg/w410-h239/Lowe%20MU.jpg" width="410" /></a></div>Historically, Championship Week hasn't meant much unless you either flame out very early or cut nets. I think Marquette's absolute floor at this point is an 8-seed, which means under most any circumstance they will be wearing home whites in the first round. I think their ceiling if they win out and win the Big East Tournament would be a 3-seed, but that will depend on what happens around them and how convincingly they win their games as the predictive metrics right now are not favorable to that seed line.Here's the full S-Curve and bracket as of today:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzXOghqZNmnceclPYeyXIvwFeffSfD9QrhKUk2HhV5Bx16tmN7jQRi902fUfqOukiiNsLoRfsuCfRDb0YEg2r3qqgGfRaiuYUF59vvZXeGxrH9yMPfdg8hw5Q1ikwtcVbHD-JSCGaXS20WO3rEds-QerzOjmpXTypQJ9vN0J5XJlX5OVcJyC0nQ/s578/2-28%20S.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="578" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzXOghqZNmnceclPYeyXIvwFeffSfD9QrhKUk2HhV5Bx16tmN7jQRi902fUfqOukiiNsLoRfsuCfRDb0YEg2r3qqgGfRaiuYUF59vvZXeGxrH9yMPfdg8hw5Q1ikwtcVbHD-JSCGaXS20WO3rEds-QerzOjmpXTypQJ9vN0J5XJlX5OVcJyC0nQ/w466-h338/2-28%20S.jpg" width="466" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEcrkdzxnsQOOd_S0_4Xkg_apEHxGiDieaYsG8sfRVWMZX14NaI0kNQSK_HFKd8K5iRM3uuKnXqn9WDDUaO64hvp4uMrmbhGFtDPnXOwWfzsLo4tpdjtQUaJI2Ux2MWLH0mAG8zWmHQvrfV-zjkCxJ4epX0W3We8AGlZhDutMDYYb8jXnoISc5A/s504/2-28%20Bracket.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="504" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEcrkdzxnsQOOd_S0_4Xkg_apEHxGiDieaYsG8sfRVWMZX14NaI0kNQSK_HFKd8K5iRM3uuKnXqn9WDDUaO64hvp4uMrmbhGFtDPnXOwWfzsLo4tpdjtQUaJI2Ux2MWLH0mAG8zWmHQvrfV-zjkCxJ4epX0W3We8AGlZhDutMDYYb8jXnoISc5A/w473-h436/2-28%20Bracket.jpg" width="473" /></a></div>Multibid LeaguesSEC: 12Big 10: 11Big 12: 7Big East: 4Mountain West: 4ACC: 3Big West: 2WCC: 2 </content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/8444103065568683999/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/8444103065568683999?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/8444103065568683999'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/8444103065568683999'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/02/cracketology-marquette-10000-simulations.html' title='Cracketology: Marquette & the 10,000 Simulations'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AepD22N7Gyy9RjQs5H71xuM_Ur8LzPVXGenc_opzN1ZfAXFBL0j-thvBofh_NwhrmC7GzEyGGlYKli1nV7_8_2N-GFA1pumNLTAASMJw4062dQ787MkYLtMLn8mg_AGTWJ9F3LR9SG5xCxfnXdjcapZOxBTyRT7wKO0bYAlKbyk5GBfqUvTjYw/s72-c/SelSun.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-3111836519953156957</id><published>2025-02-25T06:48:00.004-06:00</published><updated>2025-02-25T06:48:58.633-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Cracketology: 1-Seeds and Mormons</title><content type='html'>&nbsp;<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEzwkqvECvwDsVWSCyMUM13jvI7B8jvQQcboXDYsTs9k2pVF61q0CACem8pjU8F31sh2NMqlrV8i4f28obJocU_yLZc9aNaT9_YCDgIc9fWQiAaXti9pGXo9oHIELcjyVSmjHr1kVjwr2LHQau5g5r5Oznt4B7PJ-sjWRLfPzBiMGynPsk_79YQ/s1920/Flo1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEzwkqvECvwDsVWSCyMUM13jvI7B8jvQQcboXDYsTs9k2pVF61q0CACem8pjU8F31sh2NMqlrV8i4f28obJocU_yLZc9aNaT9_YCDgIc9fWQiAaXti9pGXo9oHIELcjyVSmjHr1kVjwr2LHQau5g5r5Oznt4B7PJ-sjWRLfPzBiMGynPsk_79YQ/s320/Flo1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Florida fans are throwing up their hands at their drop from the 1-line</div>Photo from ESPN.com When Houston beat Texas Tech last night, there was a bit of a social media uproar from Florida fans. The Gators have generally pushed up to the 1-seed line for the past couple weeks, but Houston's win has many bracketologists (myself included) moving the Cougars up to the 1-seed line. Florida fans point to their overall record, resume average, and monster wins over Auburn and Tennessee to make their claim. They feel they have a 1-seed resume. And they are right.Historically, no team that has had an average below 5.0 in all of the team sheet metrics has been anything other than a 1-seed, and Florida's 3.7 average as of late last night fit that bill. The problem for the Gators is that this year, there are six teams that fit that profile. Look at the resumes:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wP3H2SoNDepRQWWhh7HBG2FQertmBK353hhqa-_WVXBMSl5HbbBRMdSwvaGCHNah9-NQBlKkJtt_CL1a4HZNPGbEiBOrjIxAW16nSAaxa2IV0W82_ca7q4Vea1YjvnIqrxZCsLxhIBPKUe68GshVW9R9xQNJOsa1hFpkYtD_Kmi5J7uaX0Ej9A/s538/1-R.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="538" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wP3H2SoNDepRQWWhh7HBG2FQertmBK353hhqa-_WVXBMSl5HbbBRMdSwvaGCHNah9-NQBlKkJtt_CL1a4HZNPGbEiBOrjIxAW16nSAaxa2IV0W82_ca7q4Vea1YjvnIqrxZCsLxhIBPKUe68GshVW9R9xQNJOsa1hFpkYtD_Kmi5J7uaX0Ej9A/w470-h154/1-R.jpg" width="470" /></a></div>Last year, North Carolina was the last 1-seed with a 7.5 RAP, while Kansas had a 5.4 in 2023. This year, there are six teams that are better than either of those teams, but only four can land as 1-seeds. While Auburn's 14 wins in Q1 and 19 in Q1+2 stand out, the others are all very comparable. We did move Houston to the last 1-seed this morning because their 16 wins in Q1+2 are now on par with Auburn and second only to Alabama. Compared to any other year, 2025 effectively has six 1-seeds.The impact of that is not having many deserving teams for the 2-seed line. Certainly the bottom of this group is more than worthy of being there, but no other teams has a metric average below Michigan State's 10.5 (typically a 2-seed should be between 5.0 and 9.0). Overall, this feels like one of the strongest fields in years, however. The concentration of teams at the top is the reason teams like Michigan State, Texas A&amp;M, Wisconsin, and Iowa State don't have those typical 2-seed averages. When the best average you can have in any individual metric is 7, it's hard to get an average below 9.Overall, the field seems incredibly strong, especially through the first seven seed lines. The teams on the 5-line all would be worthy of a protected seed in just about any other year, and the differences between teams on the 4/5 lines like Purdue and Missouri is very slim compared to teams on the 6/7 lines like Oregon and Marquette. Get ready for a fantastic March. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfADd6qBuDWdog_Mu6zehGsf8xCD4N9cZOjUi0cSJNqif07JoldPLVpEVYtGFAzx5oCKq9boD0xtCP6t7XONaWRuG8_GpOY7CD2-ph3gIwVHTxF0-Xni1DNm2yyYh3eusYshW0qYOWs8RMe6LIxuPEkYN8XvNZ4Yx1FGFRv9zEU6R17xZtx-2SVw/s2160/BYU.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="2160" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfADd6qBuDWdog_Mu6zehGsf8xCD4N9cZOjUi0cSJNqif07JoldPLVpEVYtGFAzx5oCKq9boD0xtCP6t7XONaWRuG8_GpOY7CD2-ph3gIwVHTxF0-Xni1DNm2yyYh3eusYshW0qYOWs8RMe6LIxuPEkYN8XvNZ4Yx1FGFRv9zEU6R17xZtx-2SVw/s320/BYU.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">BYU's rise up the S-Curve has made life difficult on bracketologists </div>Photo by Jamie Squire | Getty Images Further down the field, BYU is leading to all kinds of headaches for bracketologists and will likely do the same for the Selection Committee in a few weeks. As a Mormon university, BYU does not play games on Sundays. For bracketing purposes, this rules out a number of sites and regions because there are 4 sites that will play round of 32 games on Sunday in the first weekend and two regionals that are set to play on Sunday for the Elite Eight.BYU can only play the first weekend in Providence, Lexington, Wichita, or Denver and can only play in the East and West regions. BYU has moved up from being a bubble team initially to a 10-seed, and today we were debating them and Memphis for the last 7-seed/first 8-seed. The problem is the number of places they can play as those seeds. We initially had them at 28 overall, which puts them into a 7/10 game in a 2-seed pod. However all four of the 2-seed pods would play on a Sunday one of the first two weekends. The NCAA will always move BYU down for bracketing purposes (they were moved down to a 6-seed last year) and that was the move we made, but dropping them to 29 and putting them in an 8/9 game (1-seed pod) only gave one option, which was to pair them against fellow Big 12 school Houston, and the Selection Committee tries to avoid first weekend matchups between league mates when possible.The alternative was to drop them from a 7-seed to an 11-seed, which would've opened up either of the Providence pods, but as the Committee has had second weekend matchups between league opponents that only played once in the regular season (think Marquette/Syracuse in 2011) we sent them opposite Houston. Rest assured, the Cougars will provide no shortage of difficulties when it comes to bracketing next month.Let's look at the updated S-Curve and bracket:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tMJJwP8OHKjFBfGgVwwtRv5yMNsoSA_Y2opriXsndOLq6BY_srOnnElQyt3_HPDFoyfeUJ1V_LWdjfbAAgjUcl061ll1NSdLyBybNhTOS_rjWslC__LDFpzuYIp8SFRiA7jbovGuEOqDAwUGvuaiPOZ95vxl6FTUEeru2j9bLQbug-VCTtIswQ/s742/2-25%20S.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="742" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tMJJwP8OHKjFBfGgVwwtRv5yMNsoSA_Y2opriXsndOLq6BY_srOnnElQyt3_HPDFoyfeUJ1V_LWdjfbAAgjUcl061ll1NSdLyBybNhTOS_rjWslC__LDFpzuYIp8SFRiA7jbovGuEOqDAwUGvuaiPOZ95vxl6FTUEeru2j9bLQbug-VCTtIswQ/w473-h325/2-25%20S.jpg" width="473" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1t51uabTjVLw1ws9sTMltC1A9Ub-IxN0-sJyVIrVp-GjHfx_c0Okt2YFbc_uIGE4poD4FsAYRReTYzH3KKJz91ksG28leS6AxdSaM11gXM9WQVsmt-MEkEzq_AzsOnoahzJCpczTZ6dipTXUT327JwuZr4ZZCEJBb22PJ76MDbGaJcrHwkpZb3A/s605/2-25%20Bracket.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="605" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1t51uabTjVLw1ws9sTMltC1A9Ub-IxN0-sJyVIrVp-GjHfx_c0Okt2YFbc_uIGE4poD4FsAYRReTYzH3KKJz91ksG28leS6AxdSaM11gXM9WQVsmt-MEkEzq_AzsOnoahzJCpczTZ6dipTXUT327JwuZr4ZZCEJBb22PJ76MDbGaJcrHwkpZb3A/w479-h443/2-25%20Bracket.jpg" width="479" /></a></div>Multiple Bid LeaguesSEC: 11Big 10: 10Big 12: 8ACC: 4Big East: 4Mountain West: 4Big West: 2WCC: 2 </content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/3111836519953156957/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/3111836519953156957?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/3111836519953156957'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/3111836519953156957'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/02/cracketology-1-seeds-and-mormons.html' title='Cracketology: 1-Seeds and Mormons'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEzwkqvECvwDsVWSCyMUM13jvI7B8jvQQcboXDYsTs9k2pVF61q0CACem8pjU8F31sh2NMqlrV8i4f28obJocU_yLZc9aNaT9_YCDgIc9fWQiAaXti9pGXo9oHIELcjyVSmjHr1kVjwr2LHQau5g5r5Oznt4B7PJ-sjWRLfPzBiMGynPsk_79YQ/s72-c/Flo1.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-1212051721936913744</id><published>2025-02-23T15:14:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2025-02-23T15:14:17.169-06:00</updated><title type='text'>At a Loss Over This Loss</title><content type='html'> Welp, it's gonna have to be another #mubb therapy session for #ScrambledEggs. We kick off the pod with a little bit of "WTF is going on around here?". We spend time breaking down how concerned we are and if there are any fixes on the horizon. We then talk about the balance of the season and what potentially may happen. We then close out with discussion of this week's games and the worry we have for the road game against Georgetown. Enjoy!
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/jkxf84xykh8fzbff/Eggs_2025_Feb_23_Stop_Losingb0oky.mp3
<iframe title="At a Loss Over This Loss" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=4bhut-181308d-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7" loading="lazy"></iframe></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/1212051721936913744/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/1212051721936913744?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/1212051721936913744'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/1212051721936913744'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/02/at-loss-over-this-loss.html' title='At a Loss Over This Loss'/><author><name>Phil Bush</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09466744499136353810</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-4235639568137494172</id><published>2025-02-20T07:26:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2025-02-20T07:26:41.982-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Cracketology: Non-Con Check In</title><content type='html'>&nbsp;<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ol6lQmoXljO0k52g6tkNFWCWfD8oHNxgOUojCCHELTVt_wQkw0X3HuS1LiIDmoZLr1KkYw0bgJPUckHiBWxOJzu92kCAIMAtywNsrTmJ_RFCAwiRAur0KKI3OJgYhaAFtRNgFX7m9lhS2TPaN_mSZwF-ss-zo1FBy2NBMrjcd5hdujwQpEZBsw/s1920/JopGMU.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ol6lQmoXljO0k52g6tkNFWCWfD8oHNxgOUojCCHELTVt_wQkw0X3HuS1LiIDmoZLr1KkYw0bgJPUckHiBWxOJzu92kCAIMAtywNsrTmJ_RFCAwiRAur0KKI3OJgYhaAFtRNgFX7m9lhS2TPaN_mSZwF-ss-zo1FBy2NBMrjcd5hdujwQpEZBsw/s320/JopGMU.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">George Mason has climbed into the NCAA Tournament picture</div>Photo by Jeff Hanisch | Imagn Images We're in the back half of February and the brackets we are seeing now are more and more likely to look like the brackets we will see when Selection Sunday arrives in less than a month. Today we're going to go back to Marquette's non-conference schedule and see where our opponents from the first part of the season are standing right now, going in chronological order.Stony BrookNET: 334 (Quadrant 4)&nbsp; Record: 6-21 (2-12 CAA)Postseason Projection: Auto-bid onlySeason Summary: The win at Central Michigan in the Marquette Challenge was their best win of the year. The Seawolves had a lackluster non-con themselves, going just 4-9 and are currently 13th place in the 14-team CAA.George MasonNET: 64 (Quadrant 2) Record: 21-5 (12-1 A10)Postseason Projection: 11-Seed in NCAA Tournament Season Summary: The Patriots stumbled out of the gate, beginning the season just 2-3 with a two of those losses coming by a combined two points (70-69 vs Central Michigan, 78-77 in 2OT vs Eastern Carolina). Since then, they have won 19 of 21 games including eleven straight. The Patriots are atop the A-10 standings and are slotted into today's bracket as an 11-seed playing in Dayton. They play at VCU on Saturday in a game that could all but clinch the A-10 regular season title. Their early losses and lack of a true marquee win don't give them much room for error, but GMU has emerged as a viable at-large contender.Central MichiganNET: 220 (Quadrant 4) Record: 11-15 (4-9 MAC)Postseason Projection: Auto-bid onlySeason Summary: The Chippewas were the surprise challenge of the Marquette Challenge. They beat GMU, gave Marquette a test, and followed that up with a close loss at Minnesota. But they haven't been able to find that level consistently and sit in 9th in the 12-team MAC.MarylandNET: 12 (Quadrant 1A)Record: 20-6 (10-5 Big 10)Postseason projection: 5-Seed in NCAA Tournament&nbsp; Season Summary: Marquette dealt Maryland their only non-conference loss and the Terrapins have consistently risen up the S-Curve to the same 5-line Marquette occupies. Maryland is 5th in the 18-team Big 10. This is one of the best wins any team in the country has and is a cornerstone of Marquette's resume.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqmviYiyq0rXkI6_YzQiCAmQbFhvbh6GRo-9OPgfG5SaxW_Io00W6aKzYC5r0R0P_yd8EA9bPAjKutJJJYo6v_N2qvSw4HkLm8CkPkf5bjg70myG4zogu1auta9cHe25SoSFcfwrPe3tKsIhTXs9dIvaAFMLzeRSBMB5A3HP-EGjDR42Te5-GBA/s1200/KamPU.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqmviYiyq0rXkI6_YzQiCAmQbFhvbh6GRo-9OPgfG5SaxW_Io00W6aKzYC5r0R0P_yd8EA9bPAjKutJJJYo6v_N2qvSw4HkLm8CkPkf5bjg70myG4zogu1auta9cHe25SoSFcfwrPe3tKsIhTXs9dIvaAFMLzeRSBMB5A3HP-EGjDR42Te5-GBA/s320/KamPU.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Purdue &amp; Marquette are still competing for a protected seed</div>Photo by Jeff Hanisch | Imagn Images PurdueNET: 13 (Quadrant 1A)Record: 19-8 (11-5 Big 10)Postseason projection: 4-Seed in NCAA TournamentSeason Summary: The Boilermakers have had an up and down season. Marquette was their only loss in their first 8 games. They followed that up by dropping three of four. They got back to winning ways, securing twelve of the next thirteen, but now find themselves on a three-game losing streak that has dropped them down to the 4-line. Despite the inconsistency, Purdue sits 4th in the 18-team Big 10. This is still a marquee win for Marquette. GeorgiaNET: 39Record: 16-10 (4-9 SEC)Postseason Projection: First Four OutSeason Summary: The Bulldogs loss to Marquette was the only one in their 12-1 non-conference, but that was largely built on a weak non-conference schedule. They have stumbled to 12th in the 16-team SEC and find themselves squarely on the bubble. Georgia needs to add quality wins. Depending on how you look at it, that's good or bad news. They have two great opportunities with a trip to Auburn and a visit from Florida their next two opponents, but those are also very difficult games to win and if they can't get at least one of them, they'll likely be on the outside looking in come Selection Sunday.StonehillNET: 293 (Quadrant 4) Record: 14-13 (6-6 NEC) Postseason Projection: Auto-bid only Season Summary:&nbsp; For a team we thought would be among Division 1's worst, it's actually been a successful season for the Skyhawks. They are above .500 and have matched the program record for wins in a D1 season. Included in those wins are victories over Bryant and Quinnipiac, two programs at the top of their respective leagues. They are locked deep into Q4, but sitting 4th in the 9-team NEC is far better than we expected in October. Western CarolinaNET: 342 (Quadrant 4) Record: 8-18 (4-11 SoCon) Postseason Projection: Auto-bid only Season Summary: In the preseason, we noted the Catamounts would likely have a clear offensive style of shooting a lot of threes and having players with a track record of success making those shots. We were right about the volume of threes (48.1% of shots from three is 17th nationally) but they have come up woefully short in the making those shots (29.2% is 353rd nationally) department. As a result, they are the bottom team on Marquette's resume. Clearly the gamble that we thought could allow WCU to compete in the SoCon was a failed one as they sit ninth in the 10-team league.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaT00CCypIiGJyNDfsFCJd4Mw0IJwAuDJ5_eouN-r-79eTfjZpTH-wyknhJOD8x9GTlrdrPmH1ppMC8eh2BMYXIS29Jj7ypFdHWG0of_eQBsUAUE86Rqh1MTfy4Hjn7QxfKh_LhPcl9U76MJGwrHjlVKZhneyw0oPXdZKd3JSu6iTXJK05_yCBPg/s2560/DOISU.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaT00CCypIiGJyNDfsFCJd4Mw0IJwAuDJ5_eouN-r-79eTfjZpTH-wyknhJOD8x9GTlrdrPmH1ppMC8eh2BMYXIS29Jj7ypFdHWG0of_eQBsUAUE86Rqh1MTfy4Hjn7QxfKh_LhPcl9U76MJGwrHjlVKZhneyw0oPXdZKd3JSu6iTXJK05_yCBPg/s320/DOISU.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Iowa State is still safely in the protected seeds</div>Photo by Charlie Neibergall | AP Photo Iowa StateNET: 8 (Quadrant 1A) Record: 21-5 (11-4 Big 12) Postseason Projection: 3-Seed in NCAA Tournament Season Summary: The Cyclones were one of the hottest teams in the country through mid-January, rating as a clear 1-seed and in contention with Auburn and Duke at the top of the sport. Things took a turn as they lost four of six, including a three-game losing streak that knocked them off the top line and out of the Big 12 title hunt. Even still, ISU is tied for third in the 16-team Big 12 and losing in Ames is no stain on anyone's resume. WisconsinNET: 10 (Quadrant 1A) Record: 21-5 (11-4 Big 10) Postseason Projection: 2-Seed in NCAA Tournament Season Summary: The loss to Marquette was in the middle of a three-game slide for the Badgers, but since then they have won thirteen of fifteen and skyrocketed to the top-15 in every NCAA metric and taken a spot on the 2-line where Marquette once was. The Badgers are third in the 18-team Big 10 and one of the best wins on Marquette's resume. DaytonNET: 74Record: 18-8 (8-5 A-10) Postseason Projection: Next Four Out Season Summary: Dayton's win over Marquette seemed like their Super Bowl at the time, and considering how they played in the month following that game, they might have thought the season was over. They fell out of our projected field thanks largely to the seven games after Marquette, as they went 3-4 in those seven with two of the wins over non-tourney contenders UNLV and Loyola-Chicago at home by a combined 3 points. They are trying to patch the season together and have won seven of their last nine to get back into the bubble discussion, and thankfully for them the wins over UConn and Marquette aren't going anywhere. The Flyers sit third in the 15-team A-10 and likely need to win out to truly be a bubble contender. They bear very little resemblance to the team that dismantled Marquette in the second half at UD Arena. Here's the current S-Curve and bracket:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvPdppnQZp_t3gQLStKDQhuEPvLvvG7NZCyNN9Wqvb3RqgSV7jsZKBR_xBO5NCkgWFcNLlkZrdG29iGAd-N5YkOhwguo2c4rLL7-zZ89mZqbVjPSUUG-v8gWlVcKLksmnQLLOAJNUmBGINyICuz00TZdld3bfQ302TTaQAy8UkdtwcZ3GRwNGeA/s582/2-20%20S.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="582" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvPdppnQZp_t3gQLStKDQhuEPvLvvG7NZCyNN9Wqvb3RqgSV7jsZKBR_xBO5NCkgWFcNLlkZrdG29iGAd-N5YkOhwguo2c4rLL7-zZ89mZqbVjPSUUG-v8gWlVcKLksmnQLLOAJNUmBGINyICuz00TZdld3bfQ302TTaQAy8UkdtwcZ3GRwNGeA/w476-h350/2-20%20S.png" width="476" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMx7PTO5QD6yRDTXjFBMvPK4rAMMSpDqyWkoNqNrgJ7N18DZY1Mg7d2wIVcgBF5oHXpf0atkW3aaMyLTYg7WUtyMdrP3mbh6UiyhZwmFluhEe_NPdnpLmMZWzU5BbwLpHQ4l1rBl1jm4YC0JdUNaM4CYCOilVbGaWsPRv0hbMAFJtcykdZiEMz7Q/s517/2-20%20Bracket.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="517" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMx7PTO5QD6yRDTXjFBMvPK4rAMMSpDqyWkoNqNrgJ7N18DZY1Mg7d2wIVcgBF5oHXpf0atkW3aaMyLTYg7WUtyMdrP3mbh6UiyhZwmFluhEe_NPdnpLmMZWzU5BbwLpHQ4l1rBl1jm4YC0JdUNaM4CYCOilVbGaWsPRv0hbMAFJtcykdZiEMz7Q/w482-h432/2-20%20Bracket.png" width="482" /></a></div></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/4235639568137494172/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/4235639568137494172?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/4235639568137494172'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/4235639568137494172'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/02/cracketology-non-con-check-in.html' title='Cracketology: Non-Con Check In'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ol6lQmoXljO0k52g6tkNFWCWfD8oHNxgOUojCCHELTVt_wQkw0X3HuS1LiIDmoZLr1KkYw0bgJPUckHiBWxOJzu92kCAIMAtywNsrTmJ_RFCAwiRAur0KKI3OJgYhaAFtRNgFX7m9lhS2TPaN_mSZwF-ss-zo1FBy2NBMrjcd5hdujwQpEZBsw/s72-c/JopGMU.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-7812094320638541404</id><published>2025-02-17T08:47:00.001-06:00</published><updated>2025-02-17T08:47:13.457-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Winning the Bye Week</title><content type='html'>Welcome back #ScrambledEggs listeners after a rare weekend off for #mubb. In this episode we spend a little bit of time talking about DePaul but mostly focused around the performance of the team to date and how we can see the bye week helping (or not) the performance going forward. We then look ahead to the Seton Hall game, which should be a win for the boys, but we aren't taking chances and neither should they. We then talk about where the team stands in the standings and for March, including a discussion of the path to a share of the conference title. We close out the show with a Villanova discussion and projection. Enjoy!&nbsp;https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/2dubk57gzn266b44/Eggs_2025_Feb_16bhbji.mp3&nbsp;<iframe allowtransparency="true" data-name="pb-iframe-player" height="150" loading="lazy" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=kc58g-1805ff0-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=7" style="border: none; height: 150px; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" title="Winning the Bye Week" width="100%"></iframe></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/7812094320638541404/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/7812094320638541404?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7812094320638541404'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7812094320638541404'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/02/winning-bye-week.html' title='Winning the Bye Week'/><author><name>Phil Bush</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09466744499136353810</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-2484090172922085510</id><published>2025-02-16T06:53:00.001-06:00</published><updated>2025-02-16T06:53:53.395-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Cracketology: Reveal Reset</title><content type='html'><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4fPZnznHjkysQm2rbs_XTmOC5WJA5ev4syZmd2Rxf10etS-5V6xFx_bAZoaPWQhp9yCENkWSmVUhS5vhBpQuzV18awje3GA5ksqyXjyPE0nWJi8qFKULydcOTio2h9Y8DfmNJ-Z0OX230yluqWwzdwnMbpRK1xv_oTVhzZ9BMx0BIb-UwIxFMg/s701/Top16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="701" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4fPZnznHjkysQm2rbs_XTmOC5WJA5ev4syZmd2Rxf10etS-5V6xFx_bAZoaPWQhp9yCENkWSmVUhS5vhBpQuzV18awje3GA5ksqyXjyPE0nWJi8qFKULydcOTio2h9Y8DfmNJ-Z0OX230yluqWwzdwnMbpRK1xv_oTVhzZ9BMx0BIb-UwIxFMg/s320/Top16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The NCAA Selection Committee released their midseason Top-16 on Saturday. Let's rundown the teams that were included, then see if there are any takeaways from the reveal. 1-Seeds: Auburn (1), Alabama (2), Duke (3), Florida (4) Auburn, Alabama, and Duke were the easy selections. The only question was who would be the last 1-Seed. The Committee went with Florida. As we said in our preview, the Gators were a team we thought could jump up to the last 1-seed if they included Tuesday results. Clearly they did. 2-Seeds: Tennessee (5), Texas A&amp;M (6), Purdue (7), Houston (8)The first three were expected, the only surprise with Houston is they were that far back. The Cougars don't have a great collection of wins to support their elite metrics, which has to be what cost them. With the Arizona win and Texas Tech, Iowa State, and Kansas still on the schedule, there's room for them to move up.3-Seeds: Iowa State (9), Kentucky (10), Wisconsin (11), Arizona (12)We had Iowa State, Kentucky, and Wisconsin here, though in a different order. Arizona was our first 4-Seed. Most likely this means the Arizona win at BYU Tuesday was included.4-Seeds: Texas Tech (13), Michigan (14), Kansas (15), St. John's (16)We had Michigan State in and Michigan out, but as mentioned in the preview, which Michigan school is a protected seed would tell us which games were included. If this comes out Sunday or Monday, it would've been MSU. Because it was Michigan, we know their win over Purdue was factored in.We also had St. John's too high at 12. The loss to 'Nova on Wednesday probably knocked them down, but this spot indicates they were probably always a 4-Seed, indicating that being Big East leaders didn't help them much (similar for Michigan). In Consideration: Michigan State, MarquetteThese teams were said to be right there for the last spot in the Top-16. Both have winning records in Q1 and losses in Q2, which stands out against Ole Miss, who was not mentioned but came into the Reveal better metrically but with with a losing Q1 record and no Q2 losses.Takeaways <ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Wins Over Metrics: Houston had better predictive metrics than Florida, Tennessee, Texas A&amp;M, and Purdue, but was behind them with only one Q1A win (the teams ahead all have at least three). Similarly, Kentucky was on a 3-Seed with a bevy of good wins despite being a metric 4-Seed. This is the exact opposite trend we saw last year. </li><li>Focus on Resume (Metrics): The resume metrics were better seed predictors than the predictive metrics. SOR (5 exact, 13 +/-2 spots, 2.3 average away) and WAB (4 exact, 13 +/-2 spots, 2.2 average away) were the metrics closest to the Selection Committee's seeds. BPI was worst (0 exact, 7 +/- 2 spots, 4.6 average away). </li><li>RAP is Still King: The average of the two averages was still the best predictor, with 7 exact, 15 within 2 spots, and an average of 1.3 away. If you used RAP as a strict guideline, 16 of the 18 teams mentioned would have been on the correct seed line, with only Kansas and Kentucky flipped.</li><li>Marquette's Future: Chairman Bubba Cunningham mentioned Marquette as "right there" for the #16 overall spot. A 4-seed is still a very realistic goal, while a 3-seed is possible if they get hot (think 7 more total wins). I do think getting back to a 2-seed is probably unrealistic unless they get a lot of help. </li><li>Championship Week Might Matter: We put the bracket together with Monday's data because historically, the Selection Committee hasn't included later in the week results. It is clear they at least used Tuesday data and likely used Wednesday results as well. Might this indicate that Championship Week results on Thursday, Friday, and maybe even Saturday will be factored into the final bracket? It seems more possible if this Committee is capable of processing data beyond what's immediately available when they walk into their meeting room.</li></ul>So what did this mean further down the bracket? We feel confident with Memphis as a 6-seed thanks to their Q1 wins, even though their metrics would be an 8-seed. On the bubble, we looked closer at Q1 win percentages and teams with Q1-3 winning records. Vanderbilt, Arkansas, and Georgia were all in our last field, but now all are below .300 WP% in Q1 and have losing records in Q1-3. As a result, the SEC is down to 11 schools, with Texas, George Mason, and UC Irvine replacing them. Texas' late win over Kentucky lifted them into the field. BYU also moved in with their hot streak of late (including a win over K-State last night), as did Wake Forest after winning at SMU.For the Big East, Xavier losing at Villanova was their last Q1 opportunity, which likely ends their at-large hopes. There just isn't enough meat on the Musketeer resume. Villanova's own tourney hopes took a hit yesterday with the loss at Providence. If they win their next two (at UConn, vs Marquette) maybe they can get another look, but for now they are under water and continuing to take on losses outside Q1 isn't helping.Finally, let's see where we stand now with both what we learned from the Selection Committee and Saturday's results included:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zscwgNDC8winaoCD7yoSaOWzHjajD3Yaftq3lk2ddjwHHOschU2cJtdmdWaeoTCQjJKMqHNRYtK8gq8QqiF3VZW3XNgvRcaEZ1P4w9d35xh3AWkXCdMte_XQUNMJbNixKNlsj6xVk8puerM4UuO8yXNEmjDXD3LVaTW-JeGvzAnexY3-nS9SQg/s569/2-17%20S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="569" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zscwgNDC8winaoCD7yoSaOWzHjajD3Yaftq3lk2ddjwHHOschU2cJtdmdWaeoTCQjJKMqHNRYtK8gq8QqiF3VZW3XNgvRcaEZ1P4w9d35xh3AWkXCdMte_XQUNMJbNixKNlsj6xVk8puerM4UuO8yXNEmjDXD3LVaTW-JeGvzAnexY3-nS9SQg/w451-h334/2-17%20S.jpg" width="451" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdeX0g0FiUhfYxJ6-AETCdTx6TxpSGrmfFblXRIWEsgq0jaXzhtvUtf5Qhlm12g2d9TR8EpAGc9TYGOQDeWUOmm-lNsvysALSa0jyib-DKXwXTJWuBaEC_jK7sJaezfc-G9tlVqNUXRHVOFueXEEpdfst759ETdNZN_J1yTiXdZnd-sc4Q_6cdA/s502/2-17%20Bracket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="502" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdeX0g0FiUhfYxJ6-AETCdTx6TxpSGrmfFblXRIWEsgq0jaXzhtvUtf5Qhlm12g2d9TR8EpAGc9TYGOQDeWUOmm-lNsvysALSa0jyib-DKXwXTJWuBaEC_jK7sJaezfc-G9tlVqNUXRHVOFueXEEpdfst759ETdNZN_J1yTiXdZnd-sc4Q_6cdA/w457-h419/2-17%20Bracket.jpg" width="457" /></a></div>Multibid LeaguesSEC: 11Big 10: 10Big 12: 8ACC: 4Big East: 4Mountain West: 3A-10: 2Big West: 2WCC: 2 </content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/2484090172922085510/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/2484090172922085510?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/2484090172922085510'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/2484090172922085510'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/02/cracketology-reveal-reset.html' title='Cracketology: Reveal Reset'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4fPZnznHjkysQm2rbs_XTmOC5WJA5ev4syZmd2Rxf10etS-5V6xFx_bAZoaPWQhp9yCENkWSmVUhS5vhBpQuzV18awje3GA5ksqyXjyPE0nWJi8qFKULydcOTio2h9Y8DfmNJ-Z0OX230yluqWwzdwnMbpRK1xv_oTVhzZ9BMx0BIb-UwIxFMg/s72-c/Top16.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-7610356476161325276</id><published>2025-02-12T18:56:00.003-06:00</published><updated>2025-02-12T18:56:48.831-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Cracketology: Predicting the Top-16 Reveal</title><content type='html'><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MiWjwfSbnaicLVvnqw2cTfuqW9ZUzGiUUZKWKitscVCRuPKWf8fbzMij3Hurk0bQsoRjMX26EB-rlyXHFp16xhIQt3V0AngoAbf2iGT_ndLjw1BKdeu0n2MeiWYiyyLIgi2D_PTUfrzpiWlk_ZzxjRov9zfOqYUYNst4gppWuVcj3_rT5_5z3A/s1108/T16-2024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="1108" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MiWjwfSbnaicLVvnqw2cTfuqW9ZUzGiUUZKWKitscVCRuPKWf8fbzMij3Hurk0bQsoRjMX26EB-rlyXHFp16xhIQt3V0AngoAbf2iGT_ndLjw1BKdeu0n2MeiWYiyyLIgi2D_PTUfrzpiWlk_ZzxjRov9zfOqYUYNst4gppWuVcj3_rT5_5z3A/s320/T16-2024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">CBS reveals the 2024 Top-16</div>Photo from CBS Sports broadcast On Saturday, the NCAA will reveal their initial Top-16 seeds ahead of the NCAA Tournament. This always occurs after the Super Bowl and shows the exact order of the first four seed lines if the Tournament were to begin that day. Well...sort of. In each of the past two seasons, the Cracked Sidewalks projection from the beginning of the week was more accurate than the projection we released on the eve of the Reveal.What this tells us is that when the Selection Committee gets together on Tuesday, they are using the metrics and results including games on Sunday or Monday. While it seems counter-intuitive, it makes sense. They likely start work on putting together the top four lines on Tuesday, so they continue to work with the same data all week. It's not dissimilar to the week of Selection Sunday. In the past, we've dug into the numbers that show <a href="https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2021/03/championship-week-bubble-does-it-matter.html">Championship Week results</a> have minimal impact on the Sunday bracket, so why would the week of the Top-16 Reveal be any different? We are using the records, Quadrant results, and metrics from Tuesday morning because it seems unlikely anything that happened after that will impact what we see on Saturday. Today, we will go seed by seed through the Top-16 to explain not just who you can expect to see in the Reveal, but why they are there. We'll also include at the end some other teams that may be considered.As far as things to consider, to fit a seed line teams should have average resume metric averages that are four times the seed line. This means being at an average of 4.0 or under for 1-seeds, 8.0 or under for 2-seeds, 12.0 or under for 3-seeds, and 16.0 or under for 4-seeds. Volume of wins in Quadrant 1A, Quadrant 1, and Quadrants 1+2 are also heavily considered, usually more so than losses. Having winning Quadrant records is also a positive.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnl-KYE6WMIAtMgo2KCr4L8G3sk8veDF0bBw7vyO7jT8IoXzF-zpVx50PiYYl1p-kgQEEC7xmiptZA4WYwWu9Mikqu4LexrS9AZErPlvofxtt8wEFurEo1h17OnULxxb-SiTK42vushZn1-lBug3yKmyNGVNTE-ZJ6D1alSEWsJjYMUwI88yamkg/s627/1-Seeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="627" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnl-KYE6WMIAtMgo2KCr4L8G3sk8veDF0bBw7vyO7jT8IoXzF-zpVx50PiYYl1p-kgQEEC7xmiptZA4WYwWu9Mikqu4LexrS9AZErPlvofxtt8wEFurEo1h17OnULxxb-SiTK42vushZn1-lBug3yKmyNGVNTE-ZJ6D1alSEWsJjYMUwI88yamkg/s320/1-Seeds.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>1-Seeds 1-Auburn: The Tigers 21-2 record is better than anyone else in contention for the top lines. Their 11 Q1 wins and 15 Q1+2 wins are both most in the country. They rank #1 in 5 of the 7 metrics on the team sheet. This one is an easy choice.2-Alabama: The Tide edge out Duke because they have the same overall record, 7 Q1 wins to 5, and 14 Q1+2 wins to 9. The teams are near metric mirrors, with Alabama averaging 4.0 in the metrics while Duke is at 3.8, but the strength of what Alabama has had to do in the SEC to match Duke's overall record is the deciding factor.3-Duke: This is the last easy selection. While other teams have a few more Q1 wins, Duke is the only team left that has 5 of their 7 metrics ranking in the top-3.4-Houston: This would be the first surprise of the bracket, and it will depend on what data the Committee is using. You could also argue Tennessee or Florida for this spot, but Houston has the same number of Q1+2 wins as Tennessee, more Q1 wins than Florida, and a better predictive average (2.0) than the Vols (4.3) or Gators (6.0). Ultimately, predictive metrics are thought to drive seeding, and combining that with the Cougars being the presumptive Big 12 champs (another factor that has weighed heavily) gives Houston the edge.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQQeKTPM-IdSUaEvOGo_FJwRRKzRUbWuVhXo3ILgGRY8coqqTmBRLltRuqPGhyIGTmjTAALii2uktszQT4k3z2MAw6wGxYt2-smEiCTkRO9M9Yn-Ju7cVZn1yQb-lSZwBreQMUqwVNVq9FZGoB3VohGn2HBKUZkXZu9IERe6srYMcHCoMj6pWbA/s625/2-Seeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="625" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQQeKTPM-IdSUaEvOGo_FJwRRKzRUbWuVhXo3ILgGRY8coqqTmBRLltRuqPGhyIGTmjTAALii2uktszQT4k3z2MAw6wGxYt2-smEiCTkRO9M9Yn-Ju7cVZn1yQb-lSZwBreQMUqwVNVq9FZGoB3VohGn2HBKUZkXZu9IERe6srYMcHCoMj6pWbA/s320/2-Seeds.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>2-Seeds 5-Tennessee: Comparing the Vols to Florida, the Vols have more Q1 wins (8-3) and rank higher on five of the seven team sheet metrics, including a better NET, resume average, and predictive average.6-Florida: If the Committee considers results through Tuesday, the Gators could jump up to the last 1-seed, but we're confident they won't be lower than this. Six of the seven team sheet metrics have the Gators in the top-6 and no one left has fewer losses (3) and more Q1+2 wins (11).7-Purdue: If Purdue can improve their predictive average (9.0) they have a legitimate shot at a 1-seed. The Boilermakers' 7 Q1 wins trail only Auburn and Tennessee, while their 14 Q1+2 wins are tied with Alabama for second best in the country. Metrically, they are two points behind the six teams ahead of them, but three points better than anyone behind them. This is one where using later data could hurt as the Boilermakers took a loss to Michigan Tuesday night.8-Texas A&amp;M: Another tough call here because no one fits the mathematical 2-seed profile of 8.0 or better averages. The Aggies are metrically deadlocked (both 10.7 average) with Arizona but have more Q1+2 wins (12) than the Wildcats. Wisconsin has as many Q1+2 wins, but the Aggies are better in 5/7 team sheet metrics and have more Q1A wins (4) than Bucky (1). No other team can claim a metric edge nor better collection of wins than Buzz Williams' team, so the Aggies land here.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPuTAh5SSJgZZIRNj4qpccjRu2ySN8RyzwrVWi8Br26xeRNKlZeACatHn1hyphenhypheneBKthA2xWBUSyaztV5X4TjpJ82P84TEZgGtushXv-DxoJPiCqUc_YccK_73EPn7NHvSCnadHzoXwjJQ2mY493iKpJVPXWzkbbkO-nCVzWJNw6_sVZ8tzgIXz-tTg/s625/3-Seeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="625" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPuTAh5SSJgZZIRNj4qpccjRu2ySN8RyzwrVWi8Br26xeRNKlZeACatHn1hyphenhypheneBKthA2xWBUSyaztV5X4TjpJ82P84TEZgGtushXv-DxoJPiCqUc_YccK_73EPn7NHvSCnadHzoXwjJQ2mY493iKpJVPXWzkbbkO-nCVzWJNw6_sVZ8tzgIXz-tTg/s320/3-Seeds.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>3-Seeds 9-Wisconsin: The strength of Wisconsin's resume are 7 Q1 and 12 Q1+2 wins. While their metric average (13.0) fits a 4-seed more than a 3-seed, they have better results than the only two teams that meet a 3-seed mathematical profile: Arizona and Iowa State.10-Iowa State: Iowa State's 12.2 metric average is better than anyone left except for Arizona, who we'll get to later. The only competition there is Kansas (13.3) but ISU also has more Q1 wins (6 to 5) which keeps the Cyclones on this line.11-Kentucky: Metrically, Kentucky should be a 5-seed. So why are they here? Quite simply, the wins. Their 6 Q1A wins are more than any other team left and behind only Auburn. Their three wins over top-5 teams (up to 4 on Tuesday) are more than any other team in the country, Auburn included. No one can match their quantity of quality, which bumps them up higher than their metrics would indicate. 12-St. John's: There are two teams that have a better metric claim to this spot. Arizona is at 10.7, Kansas is at 13.3, and St. John's is only at 15.2. The Wildcats (7) and Jayhawks (5) have more Q1 wins than St. John's (3), but the Johnnies
only have 3 losses with both of their competitors having double that. The real differentiator is that St. John's is recognized as our Big East champion.&nbsp; We've seen the Selection Committee nod to this in the past when Marquette was given the #8 overall in 2023.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaB5tjxNNy4SeuvTw4ZczSjItoIKZ7NOK5aXmQRxMM8BIIYUFPnQtiyjlb9lLEy5mCcwY8cbcl_M2KUTwLkmJVLFkMbvceS5NdpiLSUWsGDQaCA6WfoXXBfMHrmofd7Hhur0WIQz_juWlOuOIcIlOKkWLVxG6Pf8IbUsehAYcsRHKd0zx5YXC0XQ/s625/4-Seeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="625" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaB5tjxNNy4SeuvTw4ZczSjItoIKZ7NOK5aXmQRxMM8BIIYUFPnQtiyjlb9lLEy5mCcwY8cbcl_M2KUTwLkmJVLFkMbvceS5NdpiLSUWsGDQaCA6WfoXXBfMHrmofd7Hhur0WIQz_juWlOuOIcIlOKkWLVxG6Pf8IbUsehAYcsRHKd0zx5YXC0XQ/s320/4-Seeds.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>4-Seeds 13-Arizona: The Wildcats fit a 3-seed perfectly. Their metric
average is 10.7, no one left has more Q1 wins (7) than they do, and they
don't have any bad losses. However, they also have more total losses than anyone ahead of them and they don't have any top tier wins away from home. It wouldn't surprise us to see them higher, but there just isn't room on the 3-line for them so a 4-seed feels appropriate. 14-Kansas: The Jayhawks edge Michigan State in 5 of the 7 team sheet metrics, a better metric average (13.3 to 15.0), have more Q1 wins (5 to 4), and more Q1+2 wins (10 to 9). They edge Texas Tech in 4 of 7 metrics with metric average edge (13.3 to 15.0 again), but have one fewer Q1 win (5 to 6). However, Kansas' Q1+2 advantage (10 to 7) and not having multiple Q2 losses kept them ahead.15-Texas Tech: While MSU was a better comp for Kansas, Texas Tech gets the slight nod over Sparty. They are in a metric dead heat, though TTU is better in 4 of 7 resume metrics when NET is included. The Red Raiders also have more Q1 wins (6 to 4) and digging deeper, the win at Houston is something Sparty just can't match. If they factor the Tuesday games, it favors the Red Raiders even more.16-Michigan State: Metrically, no one left is close to Sparty. Their 15.0 metric average is far better than the next closest team (Michigan at 18.5). There are seven other teams with metric averages below 24.0 and MSU. Illinois is the only one that is ahead of Michigan State in as many as three metrics, the rest Sparty leads in at least six of seven. The biggest question is which data set they use. If it is from Tuesday morning, Michigan State belongs here. If they include this week's results, the edge likely goes to Michigan who we have at #17. Which of the Michigan schools is a protected seed likely tells us which games they included. In Consideration 17-Michigan: The Wolverines have better metrics than Kentucky and added the big Purdue win this week. 10 Q1+2 wins is excellent, but the two Q2 losses knocked them down here.18-Marquette: The Golden Eagles boast 11 Q1+2 wins, but shoddy metrics (20.7 average) and three Q2 losses keep them out of the Top-16.19-Ole Miss: This team fits the 5-line perfectly. Nine Q1+2 wins, a losing Q1 record, and 6 of 7 metrics outside the top-16 keep them outside the conversation.24-Memphis: The Tigers are a wildcard here. Their resume average is 13.3 but all predictive metrics are sub-40. Their metric profile fits an 8-seed, but the Selection Committee has boosted conference champs with great W/L profiles before (2022 Providence). I don't think they'll be here, but they could be the out-of-the-blue shocker.Here's the current S-Curve and bracket:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMOBKYenGGaamoa-tw8bXXj7FXs3MoVr_Rzm-Y0CBd4hyNCQ1ZokEg_CBLgbk0PFhsLRR1IFZg39EsESHXnT92I3KlkqauxFDM_LgB4gqkT_16fe932dsR5SopimpgP4Q87a1iwgRE5Ejdp5-tfk7QCaMiS_rmxhjdPteOU5PIk-WewjsRd3HR6Q/s687/S%202-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="505" data-original-width="687" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMOBKYenGGaamoa-tw8bXXj7FXs3MoVr_Rzm-Y0CBd4hyNCQ1ZokEg_CBLgbk0PFhsLRR1IFZg39EsESHXnT92I3KlkqauxFDM_LgB4gqkT_16fe932dsR5SopimpgP4Q87a1iwgRE5Ejdp5-tfk7QCaMiS_rmxhjdPteOU5PIk-WewjsRd3HR6Q/w470-h345/S%202-13.jpg" width="470" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGJvfFugT1RQ_V3JQL8jL6SipIbCqu_1ARxcLV5Xdq3TSjXGFpadLH4WbSF7tIqS5IsUeySwHjXqHc25JjYcLEjJZjnbyU08oF5QoZ-ugwsVLAFM9H2lRsLpTUJhANZrK0C-nto6_QX1mjvN1qGQJyOsAesRN9URB32tc4AIjjURjyA4dHmda2Q/s677/Bracket%202-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="677" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGJvfFugT1RQ_V3JQL8jL6SipIbCqu_1ARxcLV5Xdq3TSjXGFpadLH4WbSF7tIqS5IsUeySwHjXqHc25JjYcLEjJZjnbyU08oF5QoZ-ugwsVLAFM9H2lRsLpTUJhANZrK0C-nto6_QX1mjvN1qGQJyOsAesRN9URB32tc4AIjjURjyA4dHmda2Q/w473-h387/Bracket%202-13.jpg" width="473" /></a></div>Multibid Leagues SEC: 13Big 10: 10Big 12: 7ACC: 5Big East: 4MWC: 3WCC: 2 </content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/7610356476161325276/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/7610356476161325276?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7610356476161325276'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7610356476161325276'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/02/cracketology-predicting-top-16-reveal.html' title='Cracketology: Predicting the Top-16 Reveal'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MiWjwfSbnaicLVvnqw2cTfuqW9ZUzGiUUZKWKitscVCRuPKWf8fbzMij3Hurk0bQsoRjMX26EB-rlyXHFp16xhIQt3V0AngoAbf2iGT_ndLjw1BKdeu0n2MeiWYiyyLIgi2D_PTUfrzpiWlk_ZzxjRov9zfOqYUYNst4gppWuVcj3_rT5_5z3A/s72-c/T16-2024.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-4735204843556537524</id><published>2025-02-10T16:44:00.003-06:00</published><updated>2025-02-10T16:44:58.273-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Pull up your therapy furniture of choice</title><content type='html'>Well, we were hoping it wouldn't come to this but it's time for some #ScrambledEggs therapy. It's been a rough 7 days of basketball outcomes for #mubb, so let's do the hard work and come to a good place. First we talk through the losing streak overall and what our biggest concerns are. We then talk about the results directly and what needs to change. We then get therapeutic for a bit before closing out on #DLTD. Also there is the jinxiest jinx to ever jinx. Enjoy!
<a href="https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/apufq4t7n2bpk8s5/Eggs_2025_Feb_9_Stop_Losinga4v2i.mp3"></a>
<iframe title="Pull up your therapy furniture of choice" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=mrpk5-17f2829-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7" loading="lazy"></iframe></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/4735204843556537524/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/4735204843556537524?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/4735204843556537524'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/4735204843556537524'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/02/pull-up-your-therapy-furniture-of-choice.html' title='Pull up your therapy furniture of choice'/><author><name>Phil Bush</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09466744499136353810</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-5120782807987212675</id><published>2025-02-08T06:39:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2025-02-08T06:39:02.624-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Cracketology: What's a Protected Seed Worth?</title><content type='html'>&nbsp;<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDV8jf_igZ20GBeTnnz8b6UlZ2iVoApICwJKLEamBb8q9Edha9JhCQXmpYeH-gZtbKggaVEGhl1RGrfVMCxPlBGIuQrrLAIlCU04dfncQfYCtrxN7RrP8SWas0PqQsW4owx7ORIbY04CoZWzXVaj8mB1F265MLkH3DzTPoPoz-i1n54oLrq-z_kQ/s2791/MU%2013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2196" data-original-width="2791" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDV8jf_igZ20GBeTnnz8b6UlZ2iVoApICwJKLEamBb8q9Edha9JhCQXmpYeH-gZtbKggaVEGhl1RGrfVMCxPlBGIuQrrLAIlCU04dfncQfYCtrxN7RrP8SWas0PqQsW4owx7ORIbY04CoZWzXVaj8mB1F265MLkH3DzTPoPoz-i1n54oLrq-z_kQ/s320/MU%2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Marquette was the #12 overall seed when they reached the 2013 Elite Eight</div>Photo by Alex Brandon | AP Photo Next week the NCAA Selection Committee will reveal their midseason top-16 seeds. The reveal is often considered a way for teams to gauge where they are at and for bracketologists to get an idea of how the Committee will approach Selection and Seeding. However we also hear about how in a single-elimination tournament, anything can happen and every team has a chance to win it all through their conference tournament and luck of the NCAA draw. Today, we will dig into the truth of that.2012 was the first year the NCAA revealed their complete S-Curve. Cracked Sidewalks went back through every bracket since that reveal and pulled the data to see how far each of the protected seeds went. Past is not always a perfect predictor, but this might be worth bookmarking for March if you want an idea of how successful the various seeds are.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKpH83pvXA5MzNyM7KEbzIAV0SLybvmSMZMdwGPAe6C1oztpTtkcI9_VTICXYbX5lLFE0z5v5xe51OD0yL-tPV38skfNJILoWePy1DYoIvW04u_9TsFTznhiy4wuD7tYdVPsMzyJ2HFCuwYbr0OtuUC2gLCvRXHH-bHWEvvRJ8_sWkycgc-laPBw/s682/Top-16.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="682" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKpH83pvXA5MzNyM7KEbzIAV0SLybvmSMZMdwGPAe6C1oztpTtkcI9_VTICXYbX5lLFE0z5v5xe51OD0yL-tPV38skfNJILoWePy1DYoIvW04u_9TsFTznhiy4wuD7tYdVPsMzyJ2HFCuwYbr0OtuUC2gLCvRXHH-bHWEvvRJ8_sWkycgc-laPBw/w482-h167/Top-16.png" width="482" /></a></div>First, let's talk about what the table shows. Each seed is broken into four columns for the four exact seeds. So if we look at the first column, that represents the #1 overall seed, projected to be the favorite by the Selection Committee. The top line represents wins (see the leftmost column) by that exact seed, color coded so no shading represents an outcome that has never happened, lighter green shading representing fewer instances and darker shading representing more likely outcomes. The bottom shows the average number of wins per seed and the number of times that exact seed reached the Final Four (4 or more wins). With the data above, let's go seed by seed to see the best case scenario, worst case scenario, and expected results.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3s2IVqkvSd9vMJuCdcNkxb8QfHRtcvrU6w2W75aS44ZXN-aLrHCsC8AeF7RIFcLn6pGIRymOscVuZVJwLge5mK-yT6ix9r3YbcRwB08Ok5zpxEAIK0-hBvooSIgHbFngRY97mpPnp8Dze6Eq27-wJtH_z-VNaBF17u6QxDCKiNFZNCR_j0p8NWw/s1853/UConn%2024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1171" data-original-width="1853" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3s2IVqkvSd9vMJuCdcNkxb8QfHRtcvrU6w2W75aS44ZXN-aLrHCsC8AeF7RIFcLn6pGIRymOscVuZVJwLge5mK-yT6ix9r3YbcRwB08Ok5zpxEAIK0-hBvooSIgHbFngRY97mpPnp8Dze6Eq27-wJtH_z-VNaBF17u6QxDCKiNFZNCR_j0p8NWw/s320/UConn%2024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">UConn captured the title as the #1 overall seed in 2024</div>Photo by Tyler Schank | NCAA Photos 1-Seeds#1Best Case: National Champions (2012 Kentucky, 2013 Louisville, 2024 Connecticut)Worst Case: First Round loss (2018 Virginia)Expectations: Half of all #1 seeds made the Final Four, with half of those winning it all. All but two made the second weekend, so if you are getting this seed, the expectation should be a second or third weekend run with odds as good as anyone of winning the title. 3.5 wins puts the average outcome between the Elite Eight and Final Four. Interestingly, this is the only exact seed that has had ever possible outcome, from zero wins to six. #2Best Case: National Champions (2018 Villanova, 2019 Virginia, 2021 Baylor) Worst Case: Second Round loss (2015 Villanova) Expectations: 33% of these teams reach the Final Four, but 92% made the second weekend, the highest rate of any exact seed. The #2 overall has been unlikely to be upset early and has also won the national title as often as any other seed. 3.42 wins puts the average outcome between the Elite Eight and Final Four, leaning slightly toward the former. #3Best Case: National Champions (2015 Duke, 2017 North Carolina, 2022 Kansas) Worst Case: Second Round loss (2014 Wichita State, 2021 Illinois, 2023 Kansas) Expectations: The #3 overall is less likely to go to the Final Four (42%) than the #1 but more likely to be a first weekend victim (25%) than the #2. 3.33 wins puts the average outcome between the Elite Eight and Final Four, leaning more likely to the former.#4Best Case: Runner-Up (2015 Wisconsin, 2017 Gonzaga) Worst Case: First Round loss (2023 Purdue) Expectations: This is the first notable expectation dropoff. Only 17% reach the Final Four, half as much as any other 1-Seed. 33% do not get out of the first weekend and the 2.33 wins on average puts the expected outcome between the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight with the former being more likely. Interestingly, when #4 seeds do get to the Final Four, they have always made the title game.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSDqajeimG1aI04nTa5tmyVFH7jQ-WDSCUsmbpukRhI6_2SX4xUxRbfv9g8QOmWhkDOo11N5TpRwBstb1Us0x1M_WmEP09kCCBUw6FJutBqdwYCFoAhzgD4mrFO36WNiAiSpzNfhCw2LekGwnbjwFRM4SBdr8u-xDws2xx6a98ZYOhpWa7Xctvg/s2048/Jenkins%2016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSDqajeimG1aI04nTa5tmyVFH7jQ-WDSCUsmbpukRhI6_2SX4xUxRbfv9g8QOmWhkDOo11N5TpRwBstb1Us0x1M_WmEP09kCCBUw6FJutBqdwYCFoAhzgD4mrFO36WNiAiSpzNfhCw2LekGwnbjwFRM4SBdr8u-xDws2xx6a98ZYOhpWa7Xctvg/s320/Jenkins%2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Kris Jenkins' buzzer beater won the title for #7 overall Villanova in 2016 </div>Photo by Bob Donnan | USA Today 2-Seeds #5 Best Case: Runner-Up (2012 Kansas) Worst Case: First Round loss (2016 Michigan State) Expectations: Considering this seed is the first team to not be a 1-Seed, it feels disappointing. No Final Four appearances since 2012, the fewest average wins of any 1/2-Seed and there are teams on the 3-Seed and 4-Seed lines that average more wins than the #5 overall. 1.92 average wins means the outcome is between one win and the Sweet Sixteen, with the latter far more likely.#6Best Case: Final Four (2016 Oklahoma, 2019 Michigan State) Worst Case: First Round loss (2012 Duke, 2021 Ohio State, 2022 Kentucky) Expectations: If the #6 can get out of the first round (three losses are the most for any 1/2-Seed) they will most likely go to the Elite Eight. Five times ending the season there is one of the highest prevalence outcomes. Despite that, the average win total of 2.25 (pulled down by the first round exits) puts them between the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight as the average finish, with the former more likely.#7Best Case: National Champions (2016 Villanova) Worst Case: First Round loss (2013 Georgetown, 2023 Arizona) Expectations: This is one of just three non-1-Seeds to win the title. This seed has a wide range of outcomes, and while the 2.25 win average puts them between the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight with the former more likely, having multiple outcomes of every possibility from a first round exit through the Final Four makes this one of the more unpredictable seeds.#8Best Case: Final Four (2014 Wisconsin, 2021 Houston, 2022 Duke) Worst Case: First Round loss (2012 Missouri) Expectations: The most frequent outcome is a second round loss, but when the #8 does get out of the first weekend, they make it to the Final Four half the time. The 2.00 average win total equates to a Sweet Sixteen expectation.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL19J0vNbueEwukDDJ7X7XAPHpdkrJtg3iNEUqNbxJtnUcbqxLB2r-NX6dA34IJ3JRvS8MPc-G8niVswgwJpAZdj_76zhvT5UFSZDyFvOfKygCvZ905TniU417QtJdeNvreniKhi12tdYcjM6eY-IjobE4UGsv_FA1CUTXt947HTkwVabNN9Qp7A/s2560/Texas%20Tech%2019.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL19J0vNbueEwukDDJ7X7XAPHpdkrJtg3iNEUqNbxJtnUcbqxLB2r-NX6dA34IJ3JRvS8MPc-G8niVswgwJpAZdj_76zhvT5UFSZDyFvOfKygCvZ905TniU417QtJdeNvreniKhi12tdYcjM6eY-IjobE4UGsv_FA1CUTXt947HTkwVabNN9Qp7A/s320/Texas%20Tech%2019.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">#10 overall seed Texas Tech came up short in 2019</div>Photo by Hannah Foslien | Getty Images &nbsp;3-Seeds#9Best Case: Final Four (2017 Oregon) Worst Case: First Round loss (2013 New Mexico, 2014 Duke, 2015 Iowa State, 2016 West Virginia) Expectations: Like the #5 overall, the top 3-Seed is the least successful on its line. It stands out that this seed suffered four straight first round upsets followed by its only Final Four appearance. The four first round losses are tied for the most of any protected seed. By and large, this seed loses early. 67% of the time the #9 does not get out of the first weekend. 1.33 wins on average puts the expectation between one win and the Sweet Sixteen, with the former more likely.#10Best Case: Runner-Up (2019 Texas Tech) Worst Case: First Round loss (2015 Baylor) Expectations: While the highest frequency outcome is one win, this seed's outcomes are evenly split between a first weekend exit and making the Sweet Sixteen or better. 1.83 wins projects between one win and the Sweet 16, with the latter more likely.#11Best Case: Runner-Up (2018 Michigan) Worst Case: First Round loss (2021 Texas, 2024 Kentucky) Expectations: The Sweet Sixteen is the most frequent outcome, but they rarely go further than that (83% lose in the Sweet Sixteen or earlier). This is the seed that led to Shaka Smart leaving Texas for Marquette after the loss to Abilene Christian. 1.75 average wins puts most outcomes between the second round and Sweet 16, with the latter more likely.#12Best Case: Elite Eight (2013 Marquette, 2015 Notre Dame, 2018 Texas Tech, 2019 Purdue, 2024 Illinois) Worst Case: Second Round loss (2012 Georgetown, 2021 Kansas) Expectations: This has the narrowest range of outcomes, with every #12 seed winning between 1-3 games. 83% made the second weekend, but none went further. Because of the low volatility, the 2.25 average wins puts the expected outcome between the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight, with the former more likely. This seed has the best win average of any 3-Seed. Marquette checks in at #12 in today's S-Curve. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-kFHaDClDToZ98C0U9cEIrsumhxbeAUWlT7Yv6EOTaeX3mxMZONTh92spK8Ylsr18jiLwhg6q3a96kUj6NSl3dY37VrwAbldl1BGq_OeUHjvDPjmFAjfBCZ-xD8wlqu0Ci5qAewj_6IqBo2nsBhhTTftl9tvYNQCbetK_vWOE1KWChOab6XdQNQ/s1200/UConn%2023.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-kFHaDClDToZ98C0U9cEIrsumhxbeAUWlT7Yv6EOTaeX3mxMZONTh92spK8Ylsr18jiLwhg6q3a96kUj6NSl3dY37VrwAbldl1BGq_OeUHjvDPjmFAjfBCZ-xD8wlqu0Ci5qAewj_6IqBo2nsBhhTTftl9tvYNQCbetK_vWOE1KWChOab6XdQNQ/s320/UConn%2023.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">#13 overall UConn is the lowest protected seed to win a national title</div>Photo from Getty Images &nbsp;4-Seeds#13Best Case: National Champions (2023 Connecticut) Worst Case: First Round loss (2012 Michigan) Expectations: This is the lowest protected seed to win it all, though 2014 7-Seed UConn won it from outside the protected seeds. While there's a wide outcome range, half of these teams saw their season end in the Sweet Sixteen, and the 2.33 average wins is the best exact seed outcome for any team outside the 1-Seed line. That win average leads to an expected finish between the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight, with the former more likely.#14Best Case: Elite Eight (2014 Michigan State, 2017 Florida) Worst Case: First Round loss (2013 Kansas State, 2016 California, 2018 Wichita State, 2021 Purdue) Expectations: This is the least successful protected seed. It is the only protected seed that has seen less than 50% of its teams reach the second weekend or beyond. The 1.25 win average puts the expectation between the second round and Sweet 16, with the former being more likely. The four first round losses are tied for the most of any protected seed.#15Best Case: Elite Eight (2015 Louisville) Worst Case: First Round loss (2019 Kansas State, 2024 Auburn) Expectations: This is the second least successful protected seed. It also has a narrow range of outcomes, with 75% of the teams winning 1-2 games. The 1.42 win average puts the expectation between the second round and Sweet 16, with the former being slightly more likely.#16Best Case: Final Four (2012 Louisville, 2024 Alabama) Worst Case: First Round loss (2018 Arizona, 2021 Virginia, 2023 Virginia) Expectations: The most frequent outcome is the Sweet 16, but there is a wide range of outcomes. The 2.00 win average puts the expectation at the Sweet 16. 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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:107%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
Multibid Leagues
SEC: 13
Big 10: 10
Big 12: 7
Big East: 4
ACC:4
MWC: 3
Big West: 2
WCC: 2
</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/5120782807987212675/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/5120782807987212675?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/5120782807987212675'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/5120782807987212675'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/02/cracketology-whats-protected-seed-worth.html' title='Cracketology: What's a Protected Seed Worth?'/><author><name>Alan Bykowski</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00629130923151101785</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Vu1vTlaX5U1RPSVyyY6LNVb-TJn-ZzpDxdC-F16p6z_xymQlcXXSWeWTKAXcLgu-63hzk7nJcOVgLyhEe8hx3idpNfCOSnDDIrUHKhJ0pbWkhHcNk2WheTR5vzoKA/s220/80F57E15-DDA8-495D-BB2A-07911522E04C.jpeg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDV8jf_igZ20GBeTnnz8b6UlZ2iVoApICwJKLEamBb8q9Edha9JhCQXmpYeH-gZtbKggaVEGhl1RGrfVMCxPlBGIuQrrLAIlCU04dfncQfYCtrxN7RrP8SWas0PqQsW4owx7ORIbY04CoZWzXVaj8mB1F265MLkH3DzTPoPoz-i1n54oLrq-z_kQ/s72-c/MU%2013.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-7209051945876091012</id><published>2025-02-03T06:27:00.004-06:00</published><updated>2025-02-03T06:27:22.220-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Yep, we have the NMD Sads too</title><content type='html'>&nbsp;Welcome back #mubb fans, and we at #scrambledeggs are just as sad about the NMD result as you. We kind of, sort of, skip over the Butler game and jump right to the disappointing result against UCONN. We break down what we saw in the game, what we're concerned about, and how this team pivots from this moment. We then spend a lot of time talking about the St John's game on the road as it is likely the toughest test left on the schedule. We also talk about the road game at Creighton and what #mubb can do to replicate the early conference season victory. It's gonna be a tough week but there's potential to come out at the end of the week fighting for possession of a conference title. Enjoy!
<a href="https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/a8cpz253qrbkttn9/Eggs_2025_Feb_1_NMD_Sadsaz7ve.mp3"></a>
<iframe title="Yep, we have the NMD Sads too" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=uymc3-17e2ff9-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7" loading="lazy"></iframe></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/feeds/7209051945876091012/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/10389503/7209051945876091012?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7209051945876091012'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10389503/posts/default/7209051945876091012'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2025/02/yep-we-have-nmd-sads-too.html' title='Yep, we have the NMD Sads too'/><author><name>Phil Bush</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09466744499136353810</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>

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