Sorry for the Monday morning reality check, but the Zips couldn't beat any of these teams on their best day.
All of these teams are near the top of their respective conferences. I saw Vandy take apart South Carolina in Columbia this year and they would destroy the Zips. Maryland finished near the top of a real conference as did Wisconsin and Purdue. UofA finished second in the worst conference in the country and was destroyed twice by the regular season champion. The Zips lost to a bad OU team in the MAC Championship. There is no way they beat either of these teams.
Next year, I need everyone to do me a favor. I asked a similar favor after football season when I asked everyone to stop posting as if it is the 1950s and it has taken a little. Next year, I need everyone to go to a top level conference game somewhere driveable from NE Ohio...meaning the Big East or Big Ten. Go with an open mind and really think about the Zips position and college basketball and ask whether or not they could really be even competitive in one of those leagues. If you come to the conclusion the Zips fall short, it doesn't make you a bad fan.
I go to both ACC and SEC games here in the south and I can no longer convince myself what I watch at a MAC basketball game is even similar.
GP1.... If the zips would have made the tourney then they would not have lost to a bad OU team. Just the 2 bad losses to the regular season champion.