Bracketology thread for the next few weeks.



  • Might as well start a thread heading towards March Madness.

    Here’s the madness part. I thought I saw this on the game last night, something about Auburn being on the #1 seed line by Jerry Palm who apparently must be an SEC cool aid drinker. They lost to also ran SC.

    Winners and losers on CBS today has Kentucky as a winner because they broke a 5 game losing streak. They called the SEC a winner because all their top teams lost to middle tier teams which by their convoluted logic makes the middle tier teams now dance worthy.

    How many big 12 teams make it? Hard to say with OU’s meltdown and all, but I’m seeing 7 teams dancing, but not saying which 7 besides us, and TT. I mean, WVU is 8-6 in the league. OU even worse I think. CBS article says Texas is now a last four in team. We shall see.

    I have MSU, Villanova, Xavier as the best locks for #1 seeds, and they’ll probably include whomever gets hot from a major conference in the next few weeks. Could be us even, but who knows.

    We’re probably a 2-3 seed is my bracketology guess.



  • @wissox Some crazy people are saying 1 seed but I would agree, likely a 2 or 3 depending on how things shake out. Disaster scenario is 4/5 but that would require a lot of Ls.



  • I wouldn’t have objected to Auburn on the 1 line before yesterday. They were 2 up in a conference that’s probably going to get 8-9 teams in the tournament. They’re a legitimately good team.



  • @Texas-Hawk-10 The were ranked as high as 9th in the various polls and that was before their loss yesterday. Can’t really see Auburn getting a 1. If TTech could win our conference and our tourney, as strange as it sounds, they’d get my vote for a 1 seed.



  • @wissox I don’t see Auburn getting a 1 seed at this point without help after yesterday. I think if KU or Tech win out, they’d be a deserving 1 seed. I think Nova and Michigan State are pretty well locked in as 1’s at this point.



  • @Texas-Hawk-10 agreed. they were talking about TT being a 3 seed prior to their loss to Baylor, which makes no sense unless they fall off.



  • I would be shocked to see us on the one line regardless if we win the conference, 6 loses is a lot for a 1 seed. OU IMO should be on the bubble right now, 16-10 and losers of 8 of their last 10. If they lose to us Monday no reason other than Young viewership to put them in.



  • We need to bury OU tomorrow night.



  • OU being ranked and KSU not being ranked is hilarious and sad. Trae effect!!!



  • @BShark Very true, the only reason KSU isn’t a lock right now (1 more win and I think they are) is their 330th non conference SOS and a terrible loss to Tulsa. I said on different thread, I didn’t know what the selection committee was thinking saying they are a top 16 team. They are 32nd in RPI, 40th in BPI and 38th in kenpom. That sounds like a bubble team to me, at least ESPN is paying attention to Midwest hoops lol.



  • KU is back in the top 10. Can KU win out the regular season? That is the real question! https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/college-basketball-rankings-kansas-climbs-into-top-10-after-win-over-west-virginia/



  • BShark said:

    We need to bury OU tomorrow night.

    Here is what I can see easily happen tomorrow night with Oklahoma. - -I think quite possibly Trae will come out have a huge game meaning some where close to 30 - -BUT with this swoon this team is in, I don’t see the supporting cast giving him enough help.

    I think we get the win despite Trae’s big game - we just have to make sure we don’t let Trae AND Manik is his name right? - they both can’t go off -but with the way they have been playing I think we take this.

    I noticed yesterday and some other that I have talked to says it looks like to them that some of the Oklahoma players have cashed it in - -very well might be some chemistry issues we will see - -but I think we come out play hard as a team - -we take this game - - ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • kjayhawks said:

    I would be shocked to see us on the one line regardless if we win the conference, 6 loses is a lot for a 1 seed. OU IMO should be on the bubble right now, 16-10 and losers of 8 of their last 10. If they lose to us Monday no reason other than Young viewership to put them in.

    I agree I don’t think there is anyway we end up as a # 1. - Actually personally I don’t care if we are a 2 - -not a lot of difference and maybe a better ending. Just seems we just don’t that well as a # 1 maybe a little less pressure who knows. - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • According to CBS Sunday top 25 the possible 2 seeds or TT, Duke, and KU have a challenging schedule for the next 4 games! There should be some movement in the #2 department lol!



  • Palms has moved us up to a #1 after the win over the Hillbillies, and Auburn’s loss. We have a very solid base with 11 top 50 Kenpom wins. Only Virginia has as many. Still, it would be a longshot to make a #1 seed, but I think we’re a real solid 2 seed.



  • @kjayhawks

    Where did you get that SOS ranking for KSU? Sagaring has KSU’s SOS at the 42, Massey 45, Pomeroy 49 and the NCAA at 58. Once Conference play started the SOS for all the Conference teams went way up.



  • Well I just read from zag’s blog - -that ol Joey L - with ESPN has us as a # 1 seed along with Virginia - - Xavier - - Villanova.

    Sorry guys I can’t see it. I don’t see how you can keep Michigan State off the one line, with the way the been playing and then how they came back yesterday and I think they are what # 2 in the Nation and you don’t have them as a # 1 seed? - -come on - - ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • @jayballer73 Tech beat NW by 35. Yes, great comeback yesterday. But Sparty doesn’t have the schedule to support a 1 seed. 2 Top 50 RPI victories is less than alot of midmajors that aren’t even ranked. Not saying they can’t play like a 1 seed, but they will punished for the cupcake schedule.



  • @JayHawkFanToo He was only referencing nonconf SOS.



  • @mayjay

    Do you remember having this discussion early in the season when KU’s SO was pretty low? Most elite programs have weak SOS before conference because the play cupcakes. Most cupcakes have seriously good SOS at the bogging oif the season because they play the part of a punching bag for elite teams. Once conference play starts the SOS becomes more realistic. Pre-conference play SOS has not that much weight, particularly for teams in elite conferences that play tough conference schedules.



  • The NCAA selection committee had Kansas as a 2 seed (#6 overall) as of one week ago. Given that three teams ahead of us lost this week and we had solid wins, it’s not unreasonable to say we are on the 1 line. MSU was a 3 in the selection committee’s preview. Barely beating a bad Northwestern team doesn’t vault them to a 1 seed.



  • @JayHawkFanToo That’s their non conference SOS according to RPI, it’s 328 on Kenpom. I doubt their non conference is any better on the sites you listed.



  • @JayHawkFanToo F it is really bad it can hurt, so KSU’s nonconf SOS can make a big difference when it is only 20th from the bottom. That is what kept S Carolina out of the Dance 2 years ago (as one of the first 4 out they automatically became a 1 seed in the the NIT). The whole SEC has been trying to upgrade their nonconf schedules to try to get more teams in.



  • I don’t want the #1 seed. To be honest I’d take about a 4 or 5 seed and let them be the underdog. Tired of the losing to a lower seeded team scenario that has afflicted our team the past 5 seasons and 9 of 10 or whatever it is. This is one year we really don’t deserve the #1 seed. We have too many ugly losses obviously with the home losses to good but not great teams.



  • Nebraska just saw its tourney hopes take a huge dump after losing to Illinois



  • Houston is an intriguing team that is likely in this year.

    Bigs wins- Arkansas, Wichita, Cincinnati.

    Bad losses- Tulane, LSU, Drexel

    21-5, 11-3 in conference.



  • Only 4 ranked teams haven’t lost in the past TWO Weeks. How crazy is that.

    Ranked teams went 27-20 this week. 15 ranked teams lost this week alone.



  • Auburn lost one of its starters Anfernee McLemore for the season. Was averaging 7 and 5 and nearly 3 blocks a game. Huge loss for them especially since they weren’t a huge team to begin with. They are down to two 6’8 guys now



  • Two teams are locks for #1 seed right now, Virginia & Villanova. They are a combined 28-5 vs Top 100 competition (RPI).

    KU is not out of the race for a #1 seed which sounds crazy but its true. 17-6 against Top 100 is the most wins and most games played against Top 100 competition in all of D-1. If they won the last 4 regular season games and won the Big-12 tourney there is no way they are not getting a #1 seed at 28-6. I can’t see a team that potentially wins the Big-12 regular season, tourney championship and the resume they will potentially have not being rewarded. Of course the road to get their is difficult. Most likely they end with a #2 seed which was their seed line in the initial reveal.

    What does the committee do with Michigan St. They have a 26-3 record and have had the easiest schedule of any Power 5 team in history. 11 wins against 150+ opponents. They have only played 11 teams all season in the Top 100. In the initial Top 16 reveal they were a #3 seed which was surprising but at the same time who have they played? They have no bad losses which helps them. Avoiding the loss to Northwestern who played the best half of their life and the worst half of their life all in one game was essential to a #1 seed. They could get one by default because their record and reputation. Michigan St is just 2-3 vs the top 50. The Big 3 in the Big-10 (Mich St, Purdue, Ohio St) is a combined 10-11 against the Top 50. It looks like the Big-10 has very overrated teams on resume. Don’t get me wrong St & Purdue have very good squads to the eye and Ohio St has had a great bounce-back season.

    So who else? Xavier still has a great chance despite being blown out by Villanova twice. No bad losses, lots of quality wins overall. If they take care of business to end the regular season and say upset Villanova in the conference tourney final they would be the most likely next #1 seed. Even if they lose to Nova again they should be rewarded. However we all know reputation matters and Xavier wouldn’t be a “sexy choice”.

    With Virginia a lock its hard for Duke or UNC to get a #1 seed. Duke is in a similar position as Michigan St, weak resume overall, just 11 games against Top 100 competition. Beating Clemson on the road minus Bagley helped them. 3 of the next 4 are at home and they get the payback UNC game to end the season. Duke would have to win the next 4 and win the ACC tourney and have KU lose along the way.

    UNC is in a similar boat. The bad loss against Wofford really sticks out. They have to win out in the regular season and have a good conference tourney. Their resume keeps them in the hunt but they can’t lose again it looks.

    Purdue doesn’t have a #1 seed resume unless they win the Big-10.

    Auburn isn’t a #1 seed candidate, much less a #2 seed.



  • @BeddieKU23 Duke isn’t getting a 1 seed. That loss to a terrible St. John’s ruined any shot they had.

    This is also why using the RPI and this new quadrant system is garbage. Michigan State has clearly been a top 4 team this season and should be the 1 seed in the Midwest this season.



  • @Texas-Hawk-10

    I disagree that Duke isn’t still in the discussion. The St Johns loss wasn’t as bad using the RPI as the Oklahoma St loss was for KU. Who knows how much of a factor the RPI will still have in final decisions.

    Duke is Duke and they have 4 winnable regular season games (3 RPI Top 50 games, 4 Top 100) + the ACC tourney which could put them at something like 29-5 if they won out.



  • Lenardi has us as a 1 seed now. Kind of crazy in my view. Ours is the kind of team that could easily suffer an embarrassing 1-8 seed loss.



  • wissox said:

    Lenardi has us as a 1 seed now. Kind of crazy in my view. Ours is the kind of team that could easily suffer an embarrassing 1-8 seed loss.

    There are so many teams that could lose early.

    Michigan St has a ton of talent but is 2-3 vs the RPI top 50. They are vulnerable. The Northwestern game was a prime example of a team that could lose itself for a half and not recover.

    I generally agree KU having a shot at a #1 seed is crazy and also gives you an idea how volatile the rest of the field is as well. This isn’t a typical year for anyone really. Virginia might be the only #1 seed that would get a #1 seed in past years.

    Lunardi didn’t agree with KU being a #2 seed in the initial reveal. He made a good point though, when the teacher gives you a preview of the answers you take notice to that and adjust. With another wild weekend in the books KU’s strength of resume stands out, especially with the Quadrant/tier they are using this season



  • @mayjay

    The selection and seeding has changed quite a bit now and it has switched to a system of quadrants which assigns more weight to neutral and road games. The conference schedule provides plenty of opportunities to pad the resume with wins against top teams so the weak pre-conference schedule does not hurt as much as it helps teams from the smaller conferences that play strong pre-conference road schedules.

    KU is really well positioned with the most wins in quadrant 1. Sometimes we take the team for granted and concentrate on the losses and don’t really realize how many good wins the team has and how good its SOS is.



  • I don’t understand the “logic” used to pick brackets and seedings.

    Kansas a #1 seed, says Lunardi? Gheezus. Okay… we have some nice wins. What about some of those horrible losses? This is the sort of junk that creates Jayhawk haters… putting us in the same “rigged narrative” as Duke.



  • KUSTEVE said:

    @jayballer73 Tech beat NW by 35. Yes, great comeback yesterday. But Sparty doesn’t have the schedule to support a 1 seed. 2 Top 50 RPI victories is less than alot of midmajors that aren’t even ranked. Not saying they can’t play like a 1 seed, but they will punished for the cupcake schedule.

    Possibly so, I just feel and it’s just me - I just don’t feel we deserve a # 1 seed/ = Actually guy I am not sure if it would do us better NOT to be a # 1 seed - there is not that much difference between a # ! & 2 anyways - Purdue - - - Michigan - - - Ohio State pretty salty - not trying to disagree just me myself feel that they should get the #1 at this point anyways a # 1 over us. -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • drgnslayr said:

    I don’t understand the “logic” used to pick brackets and seedings.

    Kansas a #1 seed, says Lunardi? Gheezus. Okay… we have some nice wins. What about some of those horrible losses? This is the sort of junk that creates Jayhawk haters… putting us in the same “rigged narrative” as Duke.

    The only bad loss KU has to date is Oklahoma St and even then OSU is still hovering inside the Top 100 in RPI because of their own big wins when they feel like playing.

    There are other teams with equal bad losses, UNC vs Wofford, Purdue vs Wisconsin, Duke vs Boston College, St Johns & NC St, Villanova vs St Johns, Tech vs Iowa St, Gonzaga vs San Diego St, Auburn vs Temple & South Carolina, Wichita vs SMU & Temple, Arizona vs Western Kentucky, SMU, Colorado, Clemson vs Temple.

    Just about every team has had its fair share of letdowns



  • wissox said:

    I don’t want the #1 seed. To be honest I’d take about a 4 or 5 seed and let them be the underdog. Tired of the losing to a lower seeded team scenario that has afflicted our team the past 5 seasons and 9 of 10 or whatever it is. This is one year we really don’t deserve the #1 seed. We have too many ugly losses obviously with the home losses to good but not great teams.

    I Actually have to agree with you on this lol. - I know we have had a couple of times umm we didn’t agree BUT I couldn’t agree more actually. - Again I really don’t care if we are a # 1 this yr or not - -like you say for one thing being a # 1 hasn’t really been that beneficial to us anyways.- -I’m not sure about a 4-5 but I think anywhere from a 1-3 is possible for us - -I would be satisified with a # 2 -we have had our share of early exits with a # 1 seed and losing to lesser teams - We actually haven’t had any dominant wins against quality teams this year. - -What’s our biggest margin of victory in the Big 12? - -We have ONE game by double digits - - that was to K- Straight - other then that they have been - - -6,4,5,1,5,3,7,&5- - -that’s not what you call dominant solid wins.- - -while in the main time have been beatin pretty solid 2 times - -12 by Tech and 16 by Baylor - -so yes some ugly losses.

    I’m just not convinced we need or deserve a # 1 - we are top 4 seed we going to be in Wichita chances are anyways but ya I have to agree with ya. - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • BeddieKU23 said:

    Only 4 ranked teams haven’t lost in the past TWO Weeks. How crazy is that.

    Ranked teams went 27-20 this week. 15 ranked teams lost this week alone.

    it has been really crazy this year. - -I don’t think you have that one really dominant team that is head and shoulders above the rest. - Could prove for a really interesting Dance. - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • @BeddieKU23 Thank you for the info. Guess goes to show how naïve I am. I didn’t realize Michigan States schedule sucked so bad & here I was thumping my chest saying they deserved a number 1 spot. - Guess I was feeding to much into their record and how many they have won in a row and where they stand in the rankings right now in the top 25. - -Well what about Texas Tech possibly? - of course a lot of that would ride on how the game turned out with us and the big 12 tourney I reckon. - Heck I don’t begin to know now lol. - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • drgnslayr said:

    I don’t understand the “logic” used to pick brackets and seedings.

    Kansas a #1 seed, says Lunardi? Gheezus. Okay… we have some nice wins. What about some of those horrible losses? This is the sort of junk that creates Jayhawk haters… putting us in the same “rigged narrative” as Duke.

    True. Plus all it does is feed the frenzy when we are a # 1 seed and then lose the 2nd game or 2nd weekend-- - just feeds what we here yearly - -how we are so overrated - -how we constantly wet all over ourselves - I just don’t see us as a # 1 I just don’t. - - ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • @wissox It is still an amazing thing to be a #1 vs. a #2. The #1 seeds remain 100% perfect against the #16 seeds. The #2 seeds have become more and more vulnerable over the years. I would hate to be another #2 to go down!! That said, I will be thrilled with a #2 seed if that is what we get this year based on the ups and downs of the regular season and our lack of consistency at AFH.



  • joeloveshawks said:

    @wissox It is still an amazing thing to be a #1 vs. a #2. The #1 seeds remain 100% perfect against the #16 seeds. The #2 seeds have become more and more vulnerable over the years. I would hate to be another #2 to go down!! That said, I will be thrilled with a #2 seed if that is what we get this year based on the ups and downs of the regular season and our lack of consistency at AFH.

    Which would be a worse scenario , ANOTHER #2 to go down OR be the 1st # 1 that loses to a # 16 seed in the history of the tourney?

    You may think that sounds crazy – but with the type of year we have had - some really bad nights shooting the ball seemed like our heads just not in the game - - the way this season has gone with so many ranked teams being beatin during the season losing to some un ranked teams - - - the way there doesn’t seem to be a really dominant tem - - this season - -we sure are not dominant which would you rather see between those two scenarios? - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • checking out the sites: - - -Lunardi -has 8 - - yes 8 teams in the tourney right now:

    South : - -Texas Tech - 3 - - -Texas - 12 - - - -East:- - West Virginia- 5- - -Oklahoma- 6- - - West:- - KU - 1- - - Baylor- 11- - Midwest- - TCU- 9- - - KSU- 11

    Jerry Palm from CBS - - has 7 teams in the tourney right now

    South- - Texas Tech- 3- - East:- - West Virginia - 5- - West:- - KU- 1- - KSU- 10 ( vs # 7 Mizzery by the way )- - Midwest- - TCU- 8- - Oklahoma- 7 - - Has Texas/Flordia- - 11’s–playin- - & Baylor first four out.

    USA Today Bracket: - -has 8- - -yes 8 teams in the tourney right now

    South- - ZERO from the Big 12- - - East:- - Oklahoma-6- - KSU-9- - West- - KU- 1- - West Virginia-5- - TCU-10- - & Baylor- 11- - - Mid West- - Texas Tech- 3- - Texas-10

    Geez - - Trae Young is pulling LOT’S of Weight - -announcers yesterday talking about their free fall and to them if they not careful - -Oklahoma will or could very easily become a bubble team. - -Then I see these brackets as of today and they are ASTILL very solid. – a 6 - - 6 --& 7 - -man oh man I don’t get that. Going to be interesting - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • @jayballer73

    Do you really think that if KU gets a #1 seed it would lose to #16 seed?



  • @BeddieKU23 Our only bad loss is OSU? Oklahoma with 1 vote in todays poll stands as a so so bad loss, Washington, no votes stands as a bad loss.

    Now, my real beef with your post. Purdue losing to Wisconsin is a bad loss. That’s it, you’ve crossed the line. Losing to Wisconsin is never a bad loss! It’s to be expected!

    Just kidding!



  • Most of ya’ll probably know this but Princeton came a missed shot away at the horn from being the only 16 seed to knock off a 1 seed when they nearly beat Georgetown. Southern came quite close against Gonzaga about 3 years ago as well. It’s bound to happen some day and this could be the year.



  • @wissox

    I never thought I would say Wisconsin being a bad loss would be true but this year is unlike any in recent memory for the Badgers. As we’ve discussed before, injuries and an inexperienced coach have hurt them this year. Hard to believe Wisconsin is in the #130’s for RPI. Are fans calling for a new coach? What’s the deal with the mood around them… Any program that is used to sustained success like they had and have a down down season cannot be easy for the fans.



  • @jayballer73

    Michigan St is still one of the most talented teams in the country. However I think they are the most talented team likely to lose early in the tournament according to the weak schedule they have played most of the season. They have legitimate NBA talent and Izzo is a good tournament coach who knows how to maximize his teams. I think they are vulnerable, some bad teams have given them scares (like Northwestern) and I’m not sure even Michigan St fans are convinced they have reached their ceiling or will play up to it in tournament time. I get the feeling that they are a bit overrated despite the talent 1-5 on that squad. The eye test says they look as good as anyone out there when they are all engaged (which you could say for any number of teams with enough talent).



  • @BeddieKU23 They’re giving a Gard a pass this year. Lost a ton of experience, and then two season ending injuries. The pressure is mounting however as recruiting misses this year has really begun to mount. He’s especially missed on in state kids like Ellenson who went to Marquette for one year, Stone who went to Maryland, and now losing Tyler Herro. Even losing the kid from KC to KU, normally no shame in that, is stinging a bit too. He can point to his last class (this years freshmen who are all decent players and will grow into very good players I think. Next year with a senior Ethan Happ, and healthy experienced players younger than him, they should expect to dance again, but if not, he’ll really feel the heat.