2021-22 Other Games

Dean Murdoch wrote:I'm guessing if the NCAA NET rankings came out tomorrow, they'd have Portland in the 175 to 225 range.

Dean Murdoch wrote:UP opponent rankings:
Cal Poly 321
Oregon 153
SJSU 194
Montana St still 142
UC Davis 214

DoubleDipper wrote:San Jose St. was 4-25 (16%) from behind the arc at home against Santa Clara.  SCU won, 79-57. Perhaps it was UP's defense that allowed the Spartans to go 17-33 (51.5%) in their 90-78 defeat of the Pilots.

up7587 wrote:GU taking advantage of the 16 game WCC schedule and testing themselves with tough homes games to prepare for conference.  They played No. Arizona on Monday (NET 303) and squeaked by 95-49.  They take a step up in challenge next Monday with No. Alabama (NET 240).

Maybe if we said we were No. Portland they'd play us twice.  But then I guess they'd have to come here, and not thrill their home fans with those exciting non-conf games.  So probably not.

lomiton wrote:Of all the BS that Gonzaga was selling in it's shake down if the WCC a few years ago, the whole story about the conference membership forcing low caliber competition on them was the biggest joke of all.

Zag's non conference schedule has gotten softer but the number of home games has grown larger.

At this point, the league needs to focus on making sure that the most important games get played. That needs to be the top priority. Absolutely no time or energy should be spent trying to figure out when Gonzaga can make up its game at San Diego, or when Saint Mary’s can fit in a make up with Pacific, or when BYU can get that trip to Portland, until the most important games have been dealt with first.

The entire rescheduling effort going forward should be focused on one specific goal: getting four teams into the NCAA Tournament.

Shoving a trip to Stockton on a random Tuesday does not help Saint Mary’s at-large resume. The same can be said about forcing BYU to make up its game at Portland or Gonzaga finding time to head to San Diego.

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It would be really crappy for BYU to make up its game at Portland, catch a few cases on the trip, and then have to postpone other games. No disrespect to Portland (great rebuild so far!), but almost every other game in league play is more important to BYU’s at-large profile than a tilt with the Pilots. This scenario, should it play out, could be devastating for a team on the bubble.

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Back to my BYU at Portland example. Let’s say they reschedule the trip to Portland for BYU’s bye on Feb. 17 (Portland plays San Diego that day, but forget that for a moment). Someone rolls an ankle. Could happen to anybody, in any game, right? It’s an unfortunate reality of the sport. But someone rolls an ankle in a game against Portland, that was rescheduled, two days before they play at Saint Mary’s. Conference tournament is two weeks away. Maybe they’re not back. BYU gets bounced in its first game. The Cougars end up in the NIT, but hey they got that trip to Portland.

And that’s where I’ll transition to why the league needs to focus first, and perhaps only, on the games that matter.

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As of its most recent update (January 12) Bracket Matrix has four WCC teams in the field: Gonzaga’s a 1, BYU’s an 8, San Francisco’s a 9 and Saint Mary’s is an 11. It’s looking more and more likely that the WCC will get those four bids. But also, that the WCC will have at least two, and maybe three teams on the bubble.

Rescheduling Saint Mary’s versus Pacific doesn’t help in any way. As I mentioned above, they could catch covid from it. Someone could get injured. Or, God forbid, they could just flat out lose, which would be the worst case scenario. Of the 10 currently postponed games among the league’s four contenders, five are in the bottom two quadrants. For the three contenders not named Gonzaga, those could easily be bubble-popping losses. For Gonzaga, a loss in one of its three Q3/Q4 postponed games, should they be rescheduled, would almost certainly knock them off the 1 seed line.

There is almost nothing to gain from playing those games. But there’s $1.68 million, or more, to lose.

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The league has a shot at sending four teams to the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever. That alone is worth pursuing with maximum effort. Especially since one of those four, BYU, is bolting to the Big 12. Without the Cougars, going forward, three teams to the dance will be the new four team goal. Even that might not be possible without the Cougars. Which is why this year, when it is possible, is of the utmost importance for the league and its member institutions.

More important than trying to squeeze in Gonzaga at Pacific or BYU at Portland. More important for Pacific and Portland, too. They’ll get to reap the rewards of a four-bid WCC, should it happen. So, for all involved, maybe it’s best to not let those teams present roadblocks on the path to that goal.

But someone rolls an ankle in a game against Portland, that was rescheduled, two days before they play at Saint Mary’s. Conference tournament is two weeks away. Maybe they’re not back. BYU gets bounced in its first game. The Cougars end up in the NIT, but hey they got that trip to Portland.

up7587 wrote:Don't play Portland, you might get hurt.  Save yourself for important games.  Like my team.