NCAA Bids

[tribecalledquest]

I don't think the NCAA selection committee is analyzing any mid major's travel time scheduling issues or anything else in making selections. They will do that to justify including mediocre power 5 teams being included, but for mid majors they are looking for excuses to keep them out. I don't think anybody in the country probably played a more ridiculous schedule than Drake down the stretch (7 games in 15 days) and playing all of them without their leading scorer and a bunch without their leading scorer, second leading scorer, assist leader and second leading rebounder.

Bradley AD Chris Reynolds is on the selection committee. Do you think guys like him just bow down to the pressure and just let all BCS teams in?

[Blers42]

I don't think the NCAA selection committee is analyzing any mid major's travel time scheduling issues or anything else in making selections. They will do that to justify including mediocre power 5 teams being included, but for mid majors they are looking for excuses to keep them out. I don't think anybody in the country probably played a more ridiculous schedule than Drake down the stretch (7 games in 15 days) and playing all of them without their leading scorer and a bunch without their leading scorer, second leading scorer, assist leader and second leading rebounder.

Would they keep teams out because of key players that are injured? Drake is clearly hurting right now without Penn and Hemphill, I don’t see them having much of a chance at getting an at-large bid and arch madness is going to be a battle like always.

[Blers42]

Perhaps I'm missing something, but outside of Drake what good wins does Loyola have? I get they played Wisconsin and bubble team Richmond, but they lost both games. Then they also lost to Indiana State as well.

Loyola does have a great NET and their recent Final 4 I'm sure doesn't hurt anything. Just trying to figure out what makes Loyola a solid lock and top 25 team, while Drake is way outside the Top 25 and is probably out right now. They both have 1 good win, Drake has 2 bad losses, and Loyola has 1 questionable loss.

Loyola didn’t lose to Valpo by 17 points, Loyola also beat Drake by 27pts. Aside from that there isn’t much of a difference. Once Drake got blown out by Valpo the public image of Drake faded pretty badly, and Loyola replaced them in the AP top 25.

[Drakey]

I really wish Drake had played Loyola before the Covid break and before losing Hemphill. I think the results would have been drastically different.

[Birdfan2018]

I don't think the NCAA selection committee is analyzing any mid major's travel time scheduling issues or anything else in making selections. They will do that to justify including mediocre power 5 teams being included, but for mid majors they are looking for excuses to keep them out. I don't think anybody in the country probably played a more ridiculous schedule than Drake down the stretch (7 games in 15 days) and playing all of them without their leading scorer and a bunch without their leading scorer, second leading scorer, assist leader and second leading rebounder.

Would they keep teams out because of key players that are injured? Drake is clearly hurting right now without Penn and Hemphill, I don’t see them having much of a chance at getting an at-large bid and arch madness is going to be a battle like always.

I think that the NCAA selection committee should take into consideration how losing Hemphill and Penn affected Drakes Regular Season & Missouri Valley Tournament. But when it comes to an at-large bid, I think they should consider whether either/or both will be available to play in the tournament. If not, then are they worthy of being selected based on the players available. I think they will need to make it to Sunday.

[goramblers2011]

I really wish Drake had played Loyola before the Covid break and before losing Hemphill. I think the results would have been drastically different.

Still would have been a split, IMO. Hemphill alone would not have saved that 2nd half in game 1. With Hemphill though, Drake likely wins game 2 by 5-10 points in regulation.

Loyola's at-large chances are what they are for a few reasons--

1. Blowouts. Loyola handed a few MVC teams (UNI and Valpo) their worst EVER MVC losses this year. Blowouts help you in NET rankings. Loyola also had double digit Q2 wins (@MoSt) and a Q1 blowout win (@Drake).

2. Defense. KenPom has Loyola's defense as #1 in the country in terms of efficiency. NET takes into account efficiency. Loyola has the #1 scoring defense in the country--no team has scored 60+ points vs Loyola's defense since January 10. That is insane.

I also thing the losing to good teams (Wisconsin, Richmond) is much better for the resume than losing. Loyola's four losses are Q1 / Q2. Drake has two "ugly" Q3 losses. It's tough when to get in as a bubble squad with ugly losses. Unfortunately, playing the a mid-major conference leaves you open to bad losses--off nights, injuries, etc. can sink your at-large profile quickly.

[MSUDuo]

I really wish Drake had played Loyola before the Covid break and before losing Hemphill. I think the results would have been drastically different.

Still would have been a split, IMO. Hemphill alone would not have saved that 2nd half in game 1. With Hemphill though, Drake likely wins game 2 by 5-10 points in regulation.

Loyola's at-large chances are what they are for a few reasons--

1. Blowouts. Loyola handed a few MVC teams (UNI and Valpo) their worst EVER MVC losses this year. Blowouts help you in NET rankings. Loyola also had double digit Q2 wins (@MoSt) and a Q1 blowout win (@Drake).

2. Defense. KenPom has Loyola's defense as #1 in the country in terms of efficiency. NET takes into account efficiency. Loyola has the #1 scoring defense in the country--no team has scored 60+ points vs Loyola's defense since January 10. That is insane.

I also thing the losing to good teams (Wisconsin, Richmond) is much better for the resume than losing. Loyola's four losses are Q1 / Q2. Drake has two "ugly" Q3 losses. It's tough when to get in as a bubble squad with ugly losses. Unfortunately, playing the a mid-major conference leaves you open to bad losses--off nights, injuries, etc. can sink your at-large profile quickly.

Scoring margin in NET is capped at 10 points

[sivert]

MOV is capped, but Offensive Efficiency and Defensive Efficiency are not.

[ahunte1]

I really wish Drake had played Loyola before the Covid break and before losing Hemphill. I think the results would have been drastically different.

Still would have been a split, IMO. Hemphill alone would not have saved that 2nd half in game 1. With Hemphill though, Drake likely wins game 2 by 5-10 points in regulation.

Loyola's at-large chances are what they are for a few reasons--

1. Blowouts. Loyola handed a few MVC teams (UNI and Valpo) their worst EVER MVC losses this year. Blowouts help you in NET rankings. Loyola also had double digit Q2 wins (@MoSt) and a Q1 blowout win (@Drake).

2. Defense. KenPom has Loyola's defense as #1 in the country in terms of efficiency. NET takes into account efficiency. Loyola has the #1 scoring defense in the country--no team has scored 60+ points vs Loyola's defense since January 10. That is insane.

I also thing the losing to good teams (Wisconsin, Richmond) is much better for the resume than losing. Loyola's four losses are Q1 / Q2. Drake has two "ugly" Q3 losses. It's tough when to get in as a bubble squad with ugly losses. Unfortunately, playing the a mid-major conference leaves you open to bad losses--off nights, injuries, etc. can sink your at-large profile quickly.

Scoring margin in NET is capped at 10 points

I thought I read that that changed this year.

But regardless, yes, Loyola lacks a "signature" win, but the metrics are very strong, and we picked up SIX Q1 and Q2 games in conference. Isn't that what you want as a conference? Seems to me it works a lot better when we are helping each other rather than trying for random high-profile wins in November -- which, by the way, Loyola was likely out of the field in 2018 despite the win at #5 Florida.

[Red]

I don't think the NCAA selection committee is analyzing any mid major's travel time scheduling issues or anything else in making selections. They will do that to justify including mediocre power 5 teams being included, but for mid majors they are looking for excuses to keep them out. I don't think anybody in the country probably played a more ridiculous schedule than Drake down the stretch (7 games in 15 days) and playing all of them without their leading scorer and a bunch without their leading scorer, second leading scorer, assist leader and second leading rebounder.

Bradley AD Chris Reynolds is on the selection committee. Do you think guys like him just bow down to the pressure and just let all BCS teams in?

Is Reynolds going to Creighton? That's the rumor.