Selection Sunday is Here!

[griz37]

Today is like Christmas for me! Ever since I was little my dream job has been to be a member of the selection committee! It will be a long day waiting for 4pm to get here & see where my Griz will be seeded & which teams will be sent to Salt Lake where I will be attending the 1st & 2nd rounds!

[blackfordpu]

When do they break down the NIT? Is that on tonight as well, I heard something about it being on at 8pm tonight.

[Coastal89]

3/9/06 ~ Postseason NIT
NIT Selections to be Announced on ESPNU

The NIT, which for the first time will be selected by an at-large committee, will be comprised of a 40-team field from across the country.The bracket will be released live simultaneously on ESPNU, ESPNNews, NIT.org and NCAAsports.com at approximately 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 12, 2006.

[blukeys]

Today is like Christmas for me! Ever since I was little my dream job has been to be a member of the selection committee!

My dream job was to be a photo assistant for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. :D :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :D :)

[DuckDuckGriz]

Montana gets the 12th seed and will play 5th seed Nevada in Salt Lake City. That should be a good game! Surprised to see the Griz so high....Was hoping for a Gonzaga-UM matchup.

[griz37]

Get your butt to Salt Lake, Nick. Griz have a chance in this game if they play up to par! Griz Nation will be taking over SLC, myself included!

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Couple real big suprises to me
Tennessee a 2 seed-although i thought they were a potential final 4 team a month ago the fell apart at the end of the year, that 2 should have gone to Gonzaga, Iowa UNC or BC IMHO. Might be on of the worst #2's i've seen in a while.
Air Force IN- played a terrible OOC schedule, no way they should have gotten in over Cincy who had the #6 SOS and went 8-8 in the Big East.
A-10 disrespect- Granted their SOS was terrible but the A-10 deserves a little more respect then Xavier a #14 and GW a #8.
BC a #4 UNC a #3- BC beat UNC twice head to head and made it to the conferenace finals. Hard to explain the logic behind that.

[UNHWildCats]

Missouri State was robbed!

[Hansel]

Missouri State was robbed!
yup

[blackfordpu]

Northwestern St. got a 14 seed and will play Iowa (3 seed) in the first round. Tough draw but good luck Demons.

[Tod]

Montana gets the 12th seed and will play 5th seed Nevada in Salt Lake City. That should be a good game! Surprised to see the Griz so high....Was hoping for a Gonzaga-UM matchup.

Gonzaga would have been interesting, but 99% chance we lose. I give us a 25% chance (rectal extraction) of beating Nevada.

At least there's a reasonable chance.

[UNHWildCats]

Couple real big suprises to me
Tennessee a 2 seed-although i thought they were a potential final 4 team a month ago the fell apart at the end of the year, that 2 should have gone to Gonzaga, Iowa UNC or BC IMHO. Might be on of the worst #2's i've seen in a while.
Air Force IN- played a terrible OOC schedule, no way they should have gotten in over Cincy who had the #6 SOS and went 8-8 in the Big East.
A-10 disrespect- Granted their SOS was terrible but the A-10 deserves a little more respect then Xavier a #14 and GW a #8.
BC a #4 UNC a #3- BC beat UNC twice head to head and made it to the conferenace finals. Hard to explain the logic behind that.


Worse yet Tennessee and UCLA 14th and 13th in the AP 25 and 15th and 12th in the coaches polls took #2 seeds. Boston College got absoloutly robbed.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Worse yet Tennessee and UCLA 14th and 13th in the AP 25 and 15th and 12th in the coaches polls took #2 seeds. Boston College got absoloutly robbed.

I don't have a huge problem with UCLA, they won 7 straight to finish the year including their PAC-10 tourney win. Tennessee is terrible, one of the worst mis-seedings i've seen in a long time with teams like Gonzaga, Iowa, Boston College, UNC or even someone like Kansas or Florida out there.

[DuckDuckGriz]

Montana gets the 12th seed and will play 5th seed Nevada in Salt Lake City. That should be a good game! Surprised to see the Griz so high....Was hoping for a Gonzaga-UM matchup.

That will be tough to do -- I have two finals on Monday (we are on the quarter system). Maybe I'll make the Montana-BC game :smiley_wi :eek:

[dirtbag]

The two biggest problems with this whole selection process in all NCAA sports are subjectivity and reliance on a faulty ranking system (RPI). This year's committee took both of those to the extreme.

This year, the committee relied heavily on the RPI (21-7 #6 RPI Tennessee a 2-seed and 26-2 #36 RPI GWU an 8-seed), except when they didn't (#21 RPI Missouri State no-bidded, #57 RPI Cal a 7-seed).

But hey, they say, they look at things other than the RPI, such as record vs. Top 50 teams. Except that doesn't explain why Air Force (#51 RPI and 0-1 vs. Top 50) got in and Cincinnati didn't (#40 RPI and 4-8 vs. Top 50) didn't.

And that committee chair's "answers" to the questions posed by the CBS crew were embarrassing dodges.

It has reached the point where I wish they'd tell everyone at the start of the season that the seedings and at-larges will be based 100% on RPI just to remove all the mystery.

[Tribefan]

Cincinatti was jobbed, but there was no way the NCAA would let 9 teams from one conference in.

Boston Market may have gotten screwed, but karma is a bitch and those backstabbing whores have alot worse still headed their way.

[wannabegaucho]

That will be tough to do -- I have two finals on Monday (we are on the quarter system). Maybe I'll make the Montana-BC game :smiley_wi :eek:
You mean Montana-Pacific :)

[*****]

...It has reached the point where I wish they'd tell everyone at the start of the season that the seedings and at-larges will be based 100% on RPI just to remove all the mystery.Please don't base anything on the RPI... W/L? PULEEEEZE!

[TexasTerror]

Well, it's definitely not based on OOC strength of schedule...see Texas A&M anyone?

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Well, it's definitely not based on OOC strength of schedule...see Texas A&M anyone?

Yeah Texas A&M did not have a great OOC schedule but i think they're one of the top 65 teams in the country, especially the way they finished the season. I got to see them play a couple of times and they're athletic and well coached, a tough matchup for anyone. I always fill out two brackets, one with my head, one with my heart, i'm a huge Syracuse fan but i believe the Aggies will beat the 'Cuse. I then have them beating LSU in the second round, we'll see though, anyone who's seen them play the last 6 weeks should be relatively impressed.

[dirtbag]

Well, it's definitely not based on OOC strength of schedule...see Texas A&M anyone?

Excellent point. One of the committee head's "explanations" was that they didn't want to reward major conference schools that played no one out of conference. That describes A&M to a tee.

Seriously, Ralph, how could basing it 100% on RPI be any worse? I know that would be flawed, but what they did this year is flawed much worse, and at least you'd know why you did or didn't make it.

[DuckDuckGriz]

You mean Montana-Pacific :)

I know it's a different part of the season and Pacific could be a different team now, but I watched them play Oregon here this year and they were flat out DOMINATED from start to finish. I think the Ducks at one point were up by 40 points -- and I know UO had a talented team this year -- but they certainly didn't have that great of a season.

Who knows -- Pacific has proven it before but I just don't see it happening.

[Tod]

I know it's a different part of the season and Pacific could be a different team now, but I watched them play Oregon here this year and they were flat out DOMINATED from start to finish. I think the Ducks at one point were up by 40 points -- and I know UO had a talented team this year -- but they certainly didn't have that great of a season.

Who knows -- Pacific has proven it before but I just don't see it happening.

No, but think about it. Two big upsets, a Griz win over Pacific, and the Griz make the Sweet 16!

ok, ok...:o :p

[DuckDuckGriz]

Oh believe me I would NOT object to Pacific beating BC if the Griz beat Nevada. But realistically I think this is one of the easiest games to call in the tournement, especially after watching BC in the ACC tournament. If Pacific plays them really close or even beats them I will be the first one back here to eat my word (oh and of course the UM-UN game too).

[Tod]

Oh believe me I would NOT object to Pacific beating BC if the Griz beat Nevada. But realistically I think this is one of the easiest games to call in the tournement, especially after watching BC in the ACC tournament. If Pacific plays them really close or even beats them I will be the first one back here to eat my word (oh and of course the UM-UN game too).

Yeah, I know it's not going to happen. To me, the Griz beating Nevada IS the tournament. You like to see that happen every lifetime or so. :nod: xlolx

[wannabegaucho]

Well there are a lot of negatives against Pacific, but they have beaten the #1 team in scoring (Long Beach State, who has averaged over 80 points this season, and more than Duke) three times as well as beating Texas A&M.

[Go...gate]

Happy to see Seton Hall in the NCAA but Hofstra got screwed. Also, Holy Cross should have been selected for the NIT.

[DuckDuckGriz]

Well there are a lot of negatives against Pacific, but they have beaten the #1 team in scoring (Long Beach State, who has averaged over 80 points this season, and more than Duke) three times as well as beating Texas A&M.

Thank god we don't have a BCS in college basketball

[Pard4Life]

Happy to see Seton Hall in the NCAA but Hofstra got screwed. Also, Holy Cross should have been selected for the NIT.

No disrespect to the Crusaders, but seriously, I dont think their non-conf. schedule/results warrented selection to the NIT... win three of the the four bolded games and they are in.

High Point W, 85-73
William & Mary W, 67-55
Harvard L, 70-55
Cincinnati L, 77-55
Vermont L, 68-64
Siena L, 68-63
Fordham W, 71-63 (2OT)
Brown W, 64-41
Tennessee-Chattanooga W, 82-65
Clemson L, 71-48
Mississippi State L, 76-75
George Mason L, 71-38
Northeastern W, 59-44
Boston University W, 57-55
Boston College L, 63-53

[Pard4Life]

Not to disrespect the Griz, but how are they a 12-seed?

To me, that was one of the more shocking things in the bracket... that and Northwestern St. a 14; Air Force and Utah St. getting in; and Tennessee a #2.

[DuckDuckGriz]

Not to disrespect the Griz, but how are they a 12-seed?

To me, that was one of the more shocking things in the bracket... that and Northwestern St. a 14; Air Force and Utah St. getting in; and Tennessee a #2.

I think I can speak for most Griz fans when I say that we were even a little suprised to get a 12 seed. I was thinking 13th at best, but probably the number 14. I think we are getting alot of respect for our regular season play and alot of respect for Coach Krystowiak, since this is our second straight year in the tourney (and we did play well last year against top seed Washington I might add).

Notable out of conference games are a win over Stanford (80-69), a close loss to UW-Milwaukee at home, a sweep of LMU (which beat Gonzaga and almost beat them in the WCC tourney), and other close losses to 4 Big Sky opponents. The only really glaring loss is the first game of the season at Boise State, as well as on the road at Idaho State. They also won their bracket buster game against Oral Roberts who won their conference as well.

Montana is 4th in assists in the country and 5th in field goal percentage. I think the performance they had against NAU in the conference title game (a 74-60 win that was never that close) might have had something to do with it as well. That was their second game with NAU in two weeks -- and they had beat them by a pretty big margin in Missoula to close out the regular season. NAU was the regular season champ if you didn't already know

I think the 12th seed just comes down to the respect they are gaining on a natonal level -- and the fact that late in the season they have really started to turn it on (except their one point loss at Portland State). I don't know if I would have placed them that high, but I think a Nevada-Montana matchup is a good one, especially since they are old Big Sky Conference rivals.

Anyone else -- please add your feedback if you follow Montana.

GO GRIZ!

[griz37]

I think most Griz fans were expecting a 14, but were hopeful for a 13. The 12 seed is a total shock, but hey we will take it!

[Tod]

I think I can speak for most Griz fans when I say that we were even a little suprised to get a 12 seed. I was thinking 13th at best, but probably the number 14. I think we are getting alot of respect for our regular season play and alot of respect for Coach Krystowiak, since this is our second straight year in the tourney (and we did play well last year against top seed Washington I might add).

Notable out of conference games are a win over Stanford (80-69), a close loss to UW-Milwaukee at home, a sweep of LMU (which beat Gonzaga and almost beat them in the WCC tourney), and other close losses to 4 Big Sky opponents. The only really glaring loss is the first game of the season at Boise State, as well as on the road at Idaho State. They also won their bracket buster game against Oral Roberts who won their conference as well.

Montana is 4th in assists in the country and 5th in field goal percentage. I think the performance they had against NAU in the conference title game (a 74-60 win that was never that close) might have had something to do with it as well. That was their second game with NAU in two weeks -- and they had beat them by a pretty big margin in Missoula to close out the regular season. NAU was the regular season champ if you didn't already know

I think the 12th seed just comes down to the respect they are gaining on a natonal level -- and the fact that late in the season they have really started to turn it on (except their one point loss at Portland State). I don't know if I would have placed them that high, but I think a Nevada-Montana matchup is a good one, especially since they are old Big Sky Conference rivals.

Anyone else -- please add your feedback if you follow Montana.

GO GRIZ!

I agree with DDG and with Griz 37. I did keep in mind that they said that for the first and second round they try to keep teams as close to home as possible, so maybe that bought us a 12 rather than a 13 (but I'm not looking at the region so I may be dead wrong on this).

Montana played #1 seed Washington last year and it was still a game into the fourth quarter. It was, they said, the closest 16 vs 1 seed game in the last 11 years.

Still we lost our star player in Kamarr Davis and improved our record (under the second year of Coach K) from 18-11 to 23-6.

I think these things provided just enough respect to the program. That, combined with a little luck, gave us our 12 seed.

Watching on CBS, I had a great feeling when they showed the #5 seed as Nevada (and knowing by this point the Griz were in the region, since it was the last shown). I pumped my fist and whistled when they showed "Montana" underneath. Gotta love the chance for an upset. Even if we don't win, we at least have a chance this year.