UAZipster0305

85-73 Zips. Against weaker perimeter defense, our less contested outside shots will fall, and we'll pull away in the second half to then cruise down the stretch.

I'm not in the area and can't help you with a specific spot, but when I have a similar evening planned, I call ahead and ask. A lot of places will be accommodating if it does not interrupt a weekly theme night and if they know you are bringing others or will post to social media for them. Barley House isn't a good option?

Lyles' shooting rhythm is off. When he is up on his toes and bends his knees and has a whole body shooting motion, his FTs are good. Otherwise, he is stiff and flat footed and misses. If I were Kent last night, I would have used bench players to put him on the line. I hope his FT form is better tonight. In any case, I hope Groce tells him no 3's. Aside from his recent poor shooting streak, we need him under the basket for rebounds. His size and strength is wasted on the perimeter, and we have plenty of other sharpshooters.

While it may be highly unusual on an annual basis, we've been within one game of doing it two years in a row now, and had Miami come to our place, that would have likely been our win and undefeated MAC season, not theirs. Luck of scheduling in their favor. Also, as you say, yes, they were highly lucky in about eight games. Context matters. So do hypotheticals. As you said before, it's necessary when there are only about 35 at-large slots for 300+ teams. Justifying Miami's entry on WAB is almost as weak as their schedule.

You say it's impossible to project that while relying on the WAB metric to say that Miami is worthy. What I am saying that if that is valid, the opposite should be too, but it is not applied that way, which makes zero sense. I am also saying is that if the OOC schedule is essentially a bunch of scrimmages like Miami's, the team only really has to focus on the MAC schedule. In that regard, we have played the MAC schedule as well as they have. If our match up was in Akron, they likely would have lost and the MAC roles would have been reversed. Overall, there are virtually no differences between our results and quality of our team as compared to Miami. We aren't getting any at large talk, and they shouldn't either.

That makes sense. Thanks for sharing. However, I find the WAB metric to be highly unreliable because if Miami had our schedule (played at Purdue, vs. Yale, vs. Murray State, at Troy, and at our place), they'd have at least 3-4 losses, and they would not be anywhere near the bubble. Conversely, if we had their schedule, we'd have one loss or less as well. All I get out of that is that it is highly beneficial to schedule as weak of an OOC schedule as possible to rack up wins and then buckle down in the MAC part of the schedule.

If Miami gets in, it encourages creampuff scheduling. The selection committee is smart enough to know this. If Miami had our schedule, they'd have at least 3-4 losses, and there would be no discussion about an at-large bid.

With their loss, Miami has fallen to #93 in Pomeroy (between #92 30-4 High Point and #94 13-20 Pitt) and #64 (from #54) in NET. I still don't think they make the NCAAT.

Suder is the Christian Laettner of the MAC but with much less talent and far fewer accomplishments. He's a tough pretty boy that everyone despises, but he thrives on that negative energy.

Can anyone honestly say Miami is better than a mid-tier Big Ten or SEC team? I can't, and money, prestige, and power are all tie breakers.

I honestly don't think they'll get in.

The MAC POY had all of ... ten points. If Miami make the NCAAT, they will get smoked in their first game there too.

I'm not sure Miami even makes the NCAAT at this point! IMO, with their weak schedule, they shouldn't. The only justification would have been a close loss to us in the MACC.

Without the whistle being heavily in their favor like it has been all season, they can't win. I've watched about six of their games, all close, and the difference is, Miami can get easy points at the foul line nearly every time down the court, but their opponents receive physical play at the other and can't get calls. That decided their last game against Ohio.

In their last game against Ohio, there was a play with about 15 minutes left in the second half in which the Toledo defender saved the ball from going out of bounds on a defensive rebound and threw it right to a Miami player standing alone under the basket and laid it up. In that moment, I thought, watch that be the difference in the game, and because it went to OT, it was. That's the kind of season Miami is having. Watch the screw up before half time by UMass be the difference in the game.