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SUU and NAU this week

NorthEndZoneDan

Well-known member
DONOR
so is 9 - 0 unrealistic? we've had slip ups at home over the years, losing games we shouldnt lose. I could see Thursday night against SUU being one of those. SUU is coming off a win over ewoo which should give them a confidence boost. Could we see a let down after beating the bobcats? I'm going Thursday night and can't wait.
 
Two of the weakest teams in the conference at home. I guess I'm pretty confident in a 9-0 start at this point.

These were both 30 point wins on the road. I'll be curious to see how both teams adapt with some more game film. I expect wins, but probably not as dominant as the first two games against these teams.

Decuire keeps talking about playing with desperation. I'm not sure how you coach that, but so far, the staff has done a great job keeping the guys hungry. So far this team appears to be all business, I think they expected to win in Bozeman. It wasn't a terribly emotional game, and don't see a let down coming after that win. You are right about having some let downs in previous years, this year just feels different to me.

Oh, and one more thing...Can we please get 5000 fans to show up this week? I'll be at both games with my wife and daughter.
 
Agree. I don't see cakewalks, but I do think this team should have fairly comfortable 7-9 point wins here.
 
Jaredkuehn said:
... Decuire keeps talking about playing with desperation. I'm not sure how you coach that, but so far, the staff has done a great job keeping the guys hungry. So far this team appears to be all business ...
Sadly, the coach is right. The Griz have only two sure ways to get into a "prestigious" post-season tournament: Win the regular season, for a guaranteed NIT bid. Or, win the conference tournament to enter the "Big Dance."

Since 2010, no team from a conference as weak as the Big Sky has even been talked about for an at-large bid unless they had a lot of wins, at least 24-28. The Griz are now 14-5. If they win out for the season, they guarantee that NIT bid and the record wouldn't matter (except for seeding). As a matter of fact, to not win the regular season, the Griz would have to lose at least two games and be on the short end of the tie-breakers with the other two-loss teams (Idaho and Weber). But that would then mean they'd end up at 23-7. The worst they could afford to do in the tourney would be to go 1-1, giving them a record of 24-8. Would that be enough for an NCAA or NIT bid? My guess is, No. But that is likely the minimum for the Griz to even "be in the conversation" for a bid to the NIT or NCAA tournament.
 
IdaGriz01 said:
...Would that be enough for an NCAA or NIT bid? My guess is, No. But that is likely the minimum for the Griz to even "be in the conversation" for a bid to the NIT or NCAA tournament.

I thought the NIT was composed of teams that won their conference regular season, but didn't win their tourney and didn't advance to the NCAA's? Record doesn't matter for that unless it is seeding, correct? I could just be missing something too. As usual. :D
 
MissoulaMarinerFan said:
IdaGriz01 said:
...Would that be enough for an NCAA or NIT bid? My guess is, No. But that is likely the minimum for the Griz to even "be in the conversation" for a bid to the NIT or NCAA tournament.

I thought the NIT was composed of teams that won their conference regular season, but didn't win their tourney and didn't advance to the NCAA's? Record doesn't matter for that unless it is seeding, correct? I could just be missing something too. As usual. :D

Yes. Teams who win their conference but do not win the conference tournament and do not receive an NCAA at-large get automatic invites to the NIT. The remainder of the NIT field is made up of at-larges.

But I believe Ida was discussing if they finish with two conference losses and do NOT win the regular season or tournament title.
 
EverettGriz said:
MissoulaMarinerFan said:
IdaGriz01 said:
...Would that be enough for an NCAA or NIT bid? My guess is, No. But that is likely the minimum for the Griz to even "be in the conversation" for a bid to the NIT or NCAA tournament.

I thought the NIT was composed of teams that won their conference regular season, but didn't win their tourney and didn't advance to the NCAA's? Record doesn't matter for that unless it is seeding, correct? I could just be missing something too. As usual. :D

Yes. Teams who win their conference but do not win the conference tournament and do not receive an NCAA at-large get automatic invites to the NIT. The remainder of the NIT field is made up of at-larges.

But I believe Ida was discussing if they finish with two conference losses and do NOT win the regular season or tournament title.
Gotcha. Makes sense. :thumb:
 
MissoulaMarinerFan said:
IdaGriz01 said:
...Would that be enough for an NCAA or NIT bid? My guess is, No. But that is likely the minimum for the Griz to even "be in the conversation" for a bid to the NIT or NCAA tournament.

I thought the NIT was composed of teams that won their conference regular season, but didn't win their tourney and didn't advance to the NCAA's? Record doesn't matter for that unless it is seeding, correct? I could just be missing something too. As usual. :D

I believe you are right, but I think that's also what IdaGriz was saying initially. But he also makes that point that if the Griz don't win the conference championship, that an NIT bid would be unlikely.

I don't honestly pay enough attention to the NIT to know how the Griz record would stack up for an NIT bid if they don't win the conference title.
 
IdaGriz01 said:
... that would then mean they'd end up at 23-7. The worst they could afford to do in the tourney would be to go 1-1, giving them a record of 24-8. ...
EverettGriz said:
MissoulaMarinerFan said:
IdaGriz01 said:
...Would that be enough for an NCAA or NIT bid? My guess is, No. But that is likely the minimum for the Griz to even "be in the conversation" for a bid to the NIT or NCAA tournament.
I thought the NIT was composed of teams that won their conference regular season, but didn't win their tourney and didn't advance to the NCAA's? Record doesn't matter for that unless it is seeding, correct? I could just be missing something too. As usual. :D
Yes. Teams who win their conference but do not win the conference tournament and do not receive an NCAA at-large get automatic invites to the NIT. The remainder of the NIT field is made up of at-larges.

But I believe Ida was discussing if they finish with two conference losses and do NOT win the regular season or tournament title.
Right, that alternative is kinda the "worse case" scenario that might leave a slight opening for the Griz.

For example, last year Valparaiso had the same record as Oakland-Michigan during the Horizon League regular season. But tie-breakers gave Oakland the #1 seed in the conference tourney. Then both Oakland and Valparaiso lost in the first round of the tournament. So Oakland got the “automatic bid” to the NIT.

(Northern Kentucky, the 4th seed in the conference championship, won … and got to play Kentucky in the opening round of the Big Dance :( )

Back then, the Horizon was around #17 in RPI-BPI … better than where the Big Sky is right now. At the end of the conference tourney, Valpo had a 24-8 record … and that turned out to be good enough for an at-large bid to the NIT. Unless the Big Sky somehow improves its conference RPI-BPI, I'm not sure that the same 24-8 record would get the Griz an NIT bid.
 
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