NIT Tournament

[BlueK]

I'm not scared of UT-Arlington having beaten SMC. Gonzaga doesn't frighten BYU and they own SMC like SMC owns us this year.

Just because UTA made for a bad matchup for SMC doesn't mean they'll make a bad matchup for us.

I don't know Scott. Looks like they have a standard good defense as they don't give up tons of points. SMC was definitely at the low end and therefore was probably just an off night by all, but there seems to be a pattern of some good defense in their track record.

vs TXSO W 89-82
@ MINN L 84-67
@ FGCU L 85-72
@ ARK L 71-67
vs SFIL W 88-67
vs MSM W 80-71
@ FOR W 67-63
@ TEX W 72-61
@ UNT W 77-61
vs TXDL W 99-49
@ 12 SMC W 65-51
@ BRAD W 56-51
@ LMU W 80-77
vs CCAR W 90-69
vs APP W 84-69
@ TXST L 81-73
@ TROY L 93-71
@ USA W 89-83
vs ULM W 71-55
vs ULL W 108-71
@ APP W 83-67
@ CCAR L 72-70
vs TXST W 76-61
vs ARST W 81-75
vs UALR W 71-55
@ GAST W 68-67
@ GASO W 81-71
vs USA W 86-75
vs TROY W 82-67
@ ULM W 72-57
@ ULL L 83-81
vs CCAR W 74-51
vs TXST L 83-62

Ken Pomeroy ranks defenses not on total number of points given up, because slowing the pace down isn't the same as playing good defense. He does it based on points allowed per possession. Also, he factors for SOS. Doing it that way, BYU's defense (74th) actually ranks higher than UTA's (89th).

http://www.kenpom.com

[BlueK]

Also, not that history determines things, but BYU hasn't lost a game in the NIT in Provo since 1982.

I always hate when someone does that.

I loved it, watching a BB game (non-BYU) this season where the foul shooter had not missed in like 40 some shots and the commentator waits until he's done shooting (and making the shots) before he states that fact. He said he just couldn't say it before or he'd jinx him. Funny how a lot of us feel that way. Greg Wrubell does it all the time and it drives me nuts. I 100% know in reality there is nothing about jinxing anything, but dang, I just can't go an do it.

It's just really hard to win on the road in college basketball, even more so when playing at a good team. In the NIT this has always been the case. I think there have been entire NITs played before with the road teams winning 3 or fewer games. For years the NIT used to basically handpick who they wanted to make it to NY by controlling the matchups and home teams round by round. That made it kind of a sham, IMO. Since the NCAA took it over about 10 or 11 years ago, the home team is now determined by the higher seeding, with seeding determined by the same types of factors the NCAA tournament committee looks at. At least that is more objective and fair. Since this switch happened BYU has done very well in the NIT.

[BYULV]

looks like besides SMC, coastal Carolina is a common opponent. We beat up on CCar early this year, they beat them pretty good at the end of the year, but lost to them earlier in the year.

[scott715]

I thought they also played LMU where we both beat them.

[EM_Puma]

Interesting tweet by Greg Wrubell about BYU's opponent, compared to the other 3 seeds in the NIT:

"Composite rank difference between NIT 3 seeds and 6 seeds:
Utah +23.2 v. BSU
Bama +25.2 v. Richmond
Indiana +39.6 v. Ga Tech
BYU -5.2 v. UTA"

He suggests that the loss of UTA's point guard, caused the major drop in their stock as their composite rank was higher than BYU's:
"Jones injury is expected to be a factor tomorrow night; point remains that by the numbers, BYU was assigned a tough test in a 3-6 matchup.

The single datapoint is that losing their PG helped cause them to lose by 21 to a 171st ranked team."

So, on paper, it appears BYU was given a raw deal as the only 3-seed whose opponent was ranked anywhere near them--and especially in our case where they were ranked above BYU. I guess we'll see if the 21 point loss was something that indicates UTA can not overcome the loss of their PG, or we'll be "whammied" as we always have in FB by the backup QB--in this case, the backup PG.

[hawkwing]

So without the injury UTA deserved a 2 seed or at least to be a higher 3 seed than BYU. Maybe BYU is overrated going into the NIT?

[BlueK]

So without the injury UTA deserved a 2 seed or at least to be a higher 3 seed than BYU. Maybe BYU is overrated going into the NIT?

One player being out isn't what dropped UTA from a 2 to a 6. That's too wide of a gap over one player. Computer ranking systems are only one of many criteria used, and they shouldn't necessarily be trusted on their own to be more correct than human judgment. Also keep in mind that UTA's only good (top 100) win all season was their win at St. Mary's.

[BroncoBot]

So without the injury UTA deserved a 2 seed or at least to be a higher 3 seed than BYU. Maybe BYU is overrated going into the NIT?

One player being out isn't what dropped UTA from a 2 to a 6. That's too wide of a gap over one player. Computer ranking systems are only one of many criteria used, and they shouldn't necessarily be trusted on their own to be more correct than human judgment. Also keep in mind that UTA's only good (top 100) win all season was their win at St. Mary's.

Did they play more than one top 100 team?
so they are batting 1000% vs top 100?
soon going to be 2-0 after this last 10 minutes is over for BYU.