Per ESPN's Lundardi

http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10525526/bracketology-brigham-young-cougars-teams-work-left-do" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



"Let's take a closer look at the best-case NCAA tournament scenarios for a double handful of bubble teams. What exactly do these programs need to do to earn a postseason bid?



Brigham Young Cougars



The Cougars (20-10, RPI 35, SOS 21) have hung around the bubble longer than expected thanks to their off-the-charts SOS rankings and a pair of very solid nonconference victories (at Stanford, neutral against Texas). Last week's home-court win over Gonzaga should keep them in the conversation.



What they need: A win in the regular-season finale at San Diego and nothing less than a run to the West Coast Conference tournament title game."



Okay--I agree exactly. They don't beat San Diego and make it to the WCC championship, then BYU is heading for the NIT. I don't believe many would argue with his comments.

I just can't see a 10 loss team from the WCC getting an at large bid. They have to win the conference tournament.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Agreed. But if any team in the WCC has a chance of getting an at large bid it's us.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Normally I'd agree with 10 losses being a nonstarter for any WCC team, however, there is a lot of respect for our preseason SOS and current RPI. Those things will be hard to ignore come selection Sunday. Win until the WCC finals then I think we're in win or lose the championship game

We don't have to win the WCC tourney he said they just need to make the title game

BYULV wrote:
Normally I'd agree with 10 losses being a nonstarter for any WCC team, however, there is a lot of respect for our preseason SOS and current RPI. Those things will be hard to ignore come selection Sunday. Win until the WCC finals then I think we're in win or lose the championship game

Exactly. It matters who you beat and it matters who you lose to - good or bad - and where - Home, Neutral, or Away.



BYU has already



Beaten

@Stanford

Texas - neutral court but closer to their home

Gonzaga

SMC Home and Away

USF Home and Away

Decent enough teams like USU



Lost

@UMass, @Witchita State, @Oregon OT, Iowa State, and @Gonzaga. The Gonzaga loss has been avenged in Provo. These 5 losses will not hurt us at all. All road losses except a narrow loss to ranked ISU and all Tournament or Bubble teams.



@U, @LMU, @Pepperdine, @Pacific, and @Portland Triple OT. Five road losses. These 5 hurt. But, all 4 of these conference losses have been avenged by even bigger wins in Provo.



A loss to Gonzaga in Las Vegas will not hurt us. Any other losses will.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

BYU actually has cachet this season. I think Lunardi is spot on.

How many times has BYU been projected as a 6 or 7 seed in the NCAA tourney and been actually seeded as a 12 or lower? If BYU is on the bubble on selection day, they don't get in. The NCAA tourney selection committee doesn't like BYU because of the no Sunday play thing so they have a hard time putting them in the tourney on a path that doesn't ever see them play on Sunday. The only at large team that would get in from the WCC is Gonzaga if BYU wins the Conference Tourney. BYU has to win the WCC tourney to get in IMO.

If we want to make sure we go dancing, we have to win the WCC tournament. No ifs ands or buts about it. We have to win out.



I suspect, if we win Sat and make it to the Conference championship game and lose to Gonzaga (can't lose to SMC or USF or any other WCC team), we'll probably get it but it will be one of the play-in games.

Gunk wrote:
If we want to make sure we go dancing, we have to win the WCC tournament. No ifs ands or buts about it. We have to win out.



I suspect, if we win Sat and make it to the Conference championship game and lose to Gonzaga (can't lose to SMC or USF or any other WCC team), we'll probably get it but it will be one of the play-in games.

AGreed. BYU had a shot to make some real noise this year but had some BAD conference losses and lost a few close ones on the road they should have won (oregon, Wich state would be nice right now too).



Just win out.

Gunk wrote:
If we want to make sure we go dancing, we have to win the WCC tournament. No ifs ands or buts about it. We have to win out.



I suspect, if we win Sat and make it to the Conference championship game and lose to Gonzaga (can't lose to SMC or USF or any other WCC team), we'll probably get it but it will be one of the play-in games.

This is what I think too. Only two teams max are going to the dance and one of them is Gonzaga. Lose to GU in championship we are probably in the play in game. Lose to anyone else in the champ game (or earlier) and I think it is NIT.



To answer the seeding differences, the committee has stated that sometimes they have to move BYU down a seed or two (or move to a "less" friendly location giving the lower seed to them a semi home court advantage) because of the no Sunday play. They stated they will move them down but they will not move them up in seeding to accomodate it.

imuakahuku wrote:

If we want to make sure we go dancing, we have to win the WCC tournament. No ifs ands or buts about it. We have to win out.



I suspect, if we win Sat and make it to the Conference championship game and lose to Gonzaga (can't lose to SMC or USF or any other WCC team), we'll probably get it but it will be one of the play-in games.

This is what I think too. Only two teams max are going to the dance and one of them is Gonzaga. Lose to GU in championship we are probably in the play in game. Lose to anyone else in the champ game (or earlier) and I think it is NIT.



To answer the seeding differences, the committee has stated that sometimes they have to move BYU down a seed or two (or move to a "less" friendly location giving the lower seed to them a semi home court advantage) because of the no Sunday play. They stated they will move them down but they will not move them up in seeding to accomodate it.

I think this is the well established, but unwritten BYU rule we have discussed in the past. Take Whichever seed we merit, add 2 and that's our seed. then move us as far from home as possible, while assuring our opponent is within a comfortable driving distance to the venue. It's the passive-aggressive NCAA Committee.

LV is spot on.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Yep, and when asked about the atrocity, bemoan at great lengths how because of BYU's special no Sunday rule the committee did all it could to accommodate BYU.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

The best way to accommodate BYU's no sunday rule is to leave them out. That is why I think with the really bad conference losses BYU has had, the only way they get in is by winning the WCC tourney. I could be wrong but I think they are not an at large team this year because of those bad losses.

GU is not a lock. They did themselves a huge favor by winning the WCC, BUT, they have a lot of criticism for a weak OOC schedule. If they bow out early in the tournament, they could be NIT bound. If season ended tonight, I'm more comfortable with BYU getting at large than GU.

There are a lot of bad losses from teams that get into the tournament, even some of the top teams have some head scratching losses. Our OOC SOS is great this year and I believe we get rewarded for it so long as we don't Lose to any Non-Gonzaga team. However, I'm calling it now, BYU will win the WCC tourney this year!

BYULV wrote:
There are a lot of bad losses from teams that get into the tournament, even some of the top teams have some head scratching losses. Our OOC SOS is great this year and I believe we get rewarded for it so long as we don't Lose to any Non-Gonzaga team. However, I'm calling it now, BYU will win the WCC tourney this year!

I think they win it too. I've had a feeling since the St. Mary's road win that the team was finally coming together and their perimeter defense is starting to cause problems for other teams. I think they get it done in the tourney this year even if they meet Gonzaga in the final.

frdbtr wrote:

There are a lot of bad losses from teams that get into the tournament, even some of the top teams have some head scratching losses. Our OOC SOS is great this year and I believe we get rewarded for it so long as we don't Lose to any Non-Gonzaga team. However, I'm calling it now, BYU will win the WCC tourney this year!

I think they win it too. I've had a feeling since the St. Mary's road win that the team was finally coming together and their perimeter defense is starting to cause problems for other teams. I think they get it done in the tourney this year even if they meet Gonzaga in the final.

I will reserve judgment until I see if this improved play continues in San Diego or we get another stinker like we got against Pacific. Home Court has been a huge advantage for BYU this year - probably will average over 15 points per WCC opponent. I do not think this is totally unique to this season. It makes BYU look better than they are and thusly they frequently disappoint away from Provo including conference playoff games and The NCAA Tournament.



Gonzaga is beatable this year away from Home. It could happen. But, keep in mind that they beat us more soundly at their place than we prevailed in Provo. At least we know who to foul.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">