Butler

[MDZip]

I'll buy it. Compelling argument. That would be awesome to see an Akron run like that sometime in March.

We can't win a home CBI game against Wisconsin Green Bay. We have a long way to go.

Yes, but W-GB was only six RPI slots worse than us. If you take our RPI and divide by the conference standard deviation and multiply by the cross-coefficient constant of statistical relevancy we actually did beat them. Sorry Dave. I'd be quite happy to be in a middling conference and playing for the National Championship. It obviously can be done. I wonder what that ratio of people rooting for Butler vs. Duke is? 5-1/10-1/100-1? Go Jimmy Chitwood!

[Dave in Green]

The more closely Butler is analyzed, the more hope every mid-major should have about the potential for being able to accomplish something similar.

Looking at the individual players stats, this is not an especially big team, nor is it composed of many highly recruited superstars like a Kentucky or Kansas. None of Butler's players ranks especially high in any individual statistical category.

This is the classic team of many good, but not great, players who are well coached in a system that produces better results than other teams with similar building blocks.

When I look at the Pomeroy analysis of Butler's individual player and team statistics, the most amazing thing that jumps out at me is that nothing jumps out at me. It's just a tremendously well-balanced team that does almost everything a little more effectively than its opponents.

kenpom.com link

[johnnyzip84]

I'll buy it. Compelling argument. That would be awesome to see an Akron run like that sometime in March.

We can't win a home CBI game against Wisconsin Green Bay. We have a long way to go.

Yes, but W-GB was only six RPI slots worse than us. If you take our RPI and divide by the conference standard deviation and multiply by the cross-coefficient constant of statistical relevancy we actually did beat them. Sorry Dave. I'd be quite happy to be in a middling conference and playing for the National Championship. It obviously can be done. I wonder what that ratio of people rooting for Butler vs. Duke is? 5-1/10-1/100-1? Go Jimmy Chitwood!

Maybe they'll run the ol' picket fence!

[Dr Z]

I'll buy it. Compelling argument. That would be awesome to see an Akron run like that sometime in March.

We can't win a home CBI game against Wisconsin Green Bay. We have a long way to go.

Yes, but W-GB was only six RPI slots worse than us. If you take our RPI and divide by the conference standard deviation and multiply by the cross-coefficient constant of statistical relevancy we actually did beat them.

I knew we were doomed when Statorious D.I.G posted his prediction.

[Dave in Green]

I knew we were doomed when Statorious D.I.G posted his prediction.

"His prediction" being Pomeroy's computer program, not mine. Hey, every time you flip a coin, there's a 50% chance it will be heads and 50% chance of tails. Don't blame me if you get tails 10 times in a row.

[akronzips71]

Speaking of Butler, what a shame what happened to Butler of West Va. Looks to me like ACL. That could be a career ender.

As I sit here recovering from knee surgery two weeks ago.

Believe me, I felt his pain.

looked like a knee-on-knee hit. Terrible pain at first, but usually goes away...Although sometimes (see: Sergei Gonchar getting hit by Ovechkin in the NHL playoffs last year for the hockey fans out there) those hits end up in torn ligaments too. Hopefully it isn't as bad as it looked.

It WAS an ACL. Too bad, that can be a career ender, the surgery is not always successful (in regards to a high level athlete, it works OK for common folks doing common tasks).

Bone bruises too. I had that too. Man, that hurts. As soon as I saw the way he reacted, I knew it was an ACL. It hurts that much. Probably a torn meniscus too (they seem to go together) , but that they can fix pretty easy.

[Dave in Green]

Nav, just to make sure that others get it, the part that didn't come through on that screen capture of the conference comparison from statsheet.com is the following:

RPI and strength of schedule (SOS) stats are based on averages since the 1998-1999 season. All other stats go back to the 1980-1981 season.

[jaycevs]

These guys with no shot tonight are down by 1 at the half, after playing without their center for a stretch.

[Dave in Green]

Heck of a game.

[Dave in Green]

OK, no more offense-defense BS. That was just the greatest all-around national championship game. Either team could have easily won. No shame, no blame.

[bUAkronG]

Consider me waiting for the "Duke had the easiest run to the title game because they have the best turnout" bandwagon, because I want to hop on.

[Quickzips]

Heck of a game. Butler had a couple shots to win it at the end, which is more than most people expected from them. Gotta hand it to them, they weren't intimidated by Duke from the start. Didn't worry about a couple of big shot blocks or a few calls going against them. Duke probably had the more talented team, but you wouldn't know it by watching the attitude of the Butler players. Nothing for the Bulldogs to be ashamed of, they showed they belonged on the biggest stage of all. Most of that team should be back next year. Should be interesting to see if they can make it back again.

[meatwad]

Consider me waiting for the "Duke had the easiest run to the title game because they have the best turnout" bandwagon, because I want to hop on.

Huh?

Easier than Butler's I suppose, but Duke was a 1 and Butler was a 5. You would expect that Duke would have an easier run.

Or are you referring to all of the 1 seeds?

[meatwad]

OK, no more offense-defense BS. That was just the greatest all-around national championship game. Either team could have easily won. No shame, no blame.

+1

Hell of a game. That last shot was sooo close.

[ZachTheZip]

Midmajors lose in National Championships. in epic ways..like not giving up a goal and losing in PKs....or giving up 2 goals in the final minute. My prediction-they are up by 10 with a minute left and lose.

In epic ways. We know the empty feeling that comes from being so close and not making it. Hard to say whose game was closer. Either way, mid-majors need to take a stand against the ACC.

[Zip Watcher]

GREAT game. Butler was able to dictate tempo much of the game, and Stevens made all the right adjustments. Difference in the game might have been all those missed bunnies in the first 10 minutes or so.

It can be done. Might as well be UA.

It's also nice to not know the ref names. Means they got out of the way and let a great game flow develop.

[Blue & Gold]

Mark Few says he wants to make Gonzaga "the Butler of the west."

[bUAkronG]

Consider me waiting for the "Duke had the easiest run to the title game because they have the best turnout" bandwagon, because I want to hop on.

Huh?

Easier than Butler's I suppose, but Duke was a 1 and Butler was a 5. You would expect that Duke would have an easier run.

Or are you referring to all of the 1 seeds?

of all the one seeds, yes. Duke has been known to bring in the most viewers so the selection committee put them in the easiest side of the bracket so as to keep them in the Tourney as long as possible.

[ZippyforPresident]

Hats off to Butler. Thanks for making a statement for all the mid majors out there and keeping that hope alive. Not a thing to be ashamed of in that performance last night.

That was a great game with great defense, heart, hustle, and intensity. The final outcome really came down to nothing more than pure dumb luck. For as big of a "mid major" advocate as I am I can't stand it that a number 1 seed who was given a region that was a cake walk to the tournament (or as some have referred to this tournament as the "Duke Invitiational") ended up with the hardware, but that game was one of those situations where nobody really won, time just ran out with one team in the lead.

All the other things aside, this was just an absolutely sensational tournament and yet another reason why the excitement of march madness completely dwarfs the outdated, pre-calculated bureaucracy of dinosaurs that is the bowl championship series of college football. Although to be honest, I watched twice as many NIT games as I did bowl games this winter.