With the sweep of Florida, I now believe an NCAA bid is possible. If we can get to 18 regular season wins and then win two in the SEC tourney, we could be dancing.
Every time someone starts talking about this, we lose a game we shouldn't. But yeah, finish 5-1 and we'll talk.
After crunching numbers with the SOS and RPI, the only way I can see UT dancing WITHOUT winning the SEC tourney is to win out, and win 2 games in the tourney, one of them being UK. But I would love to be wrong.
I don't think that has to happen, HWF. I think they have to get to 10-6 in the conference and win a game in the SEC Tourney. I think the committee will look favorably upon our end to the year, and they'll also take into account the addition of Stokes. Now, I don't really expect that to happen, so it's all just fantasy right now.
10-6 in the SEC is usually always good enough to get you in the tourney, if you have under 10 or fewer losses total. 12 losses with 3 being to AP, Charleston and Oakland, that's tough. Of course six of the losses were to ranked teams, although Memphis has dropped out. You have wins over ranked teams, but UConn is helping take a crap on that too. I dunno, I just don't see it. But WTH do I know, I thought VT would have made it in those few years that they were snubbed.
Before Saturday, our RPI was 134. That was a lot lower than I expected. Lot of ground to make up in not very much time.
I've heard (but haven't seen for myself) 108. I would imagine it would be somewhere around there anyway.
I didn't realize we were that bad off the RPI, either. Should take care of itself if we keep winning, though.
And, you have to keep in mind the impact that the addition of Stokes would make in the Committee's minds if we were to put ourselves in position to be considered.
10-6 would also put us somewhere around 4th (?) in the conference. The RPI will still be somewhat lousy, but I could make that argument. Realtime RPI has us at 110 as of this morning.
Look at the four at large teams that played in Dayton last year. The field isn't any better this season. That's the benchmark to make.
If, if, if.....(and did I say if?) We do the unthinkable and run the table and go 19-12, I have no doubt we're in. 5-1 and we'll need a win in New Orleans. Anything less than 5 wins and it'll pretty much take getting to Sunday to have a shot.