#10 Northern Iowa at #11 Wichita State, WINNER TAKE ALL

[rlh04d]

Either that, or a first round loss. Take your pick.

I love sore losers.

[rlh04d]

See, for most teams that don't have a win over a tournament team, it's because they scheduled weak. But Wichita has a top 40 non-con SoS as a trump card. So I wouldn't be worried.

Also, the eye test will really help Wichita. As much as everyone hates it for how it helps the big boys...it's going to actually really help Wichita this year.

It's really disappointing how strongly WSU scheduled this year, and how so many of those teams bombed this year.

Does the NCAA selection committee actually use "wins over tournament teams" as a metric? SOS, noncon SOS, wins over teams in the top X of the RPI, sure, but wins over tourney teams? That sounds like an ESPN graphic and nothing more.

[unipanther99]

In the past, I've heard the committee chairman talk about teams at least making an attempt to schedule. I do think effort counts when it comes to scheduling, even if teams unexpectedly bomb.

[Wufan]

I'll start predictions---

I think Marshall will go at Tuttle similarly to the way he did in Cedar Falls, with the exception of being willing to leave Jeremy Morgan to dig or double in the post, I also think he'll flash Wessell on a big to big double some. The whole key for Wichita is keeping Carter on the floor, because if its Morris, UNI will stretch Tuttle to the top of the key again and more or less make Morris guard him one on one in space. Morris will get there eventually, but he's not there yet.

VanVleet will have a better game than he did in Cedar Falls, but it won't be quite up to the standards of his last couple of weeks, lets say 18, 5 boards, 5 dimes. Morgan does another nice job on Baker and holds him to a similar game as he had in CF, 13-15 points.

There's just something about this UNI team and breaking streaks and I think they do it again, barely.

UNI 59
WSU 55

No matter the outcome, what a great stage for the Valley. The Roundhouse will be absolutely electric on Saturday Afternoon!

I'm not worried about Shaq guarding Tuttle under the basket or away. He has the strength and foot speed to do both. I am worried about him getting frustrated by Tuttle's "veteran" play and getting silly fouls. Shaq and Darius will need their A game for sure.

[ACECARD]

Either that, or a first round loss. Take your pick.

I love sore losers.

Thanks, I need all the love I can get.

[ACECARD]

Either that, or a first round loss. Take your pick.

Just making sure I understood correctly. I assume you would also like to return any NCAA shares WSU gains for the conference as well. Not like your program needs it or anything.

I forgot, the whole MVC would fold if not for the the Shockers money.

[Championz]

Aces fan,

You're letting your jealousy get the best of you. It's best to just sit this one out and enjoy the comfy seats from the CBI sidelines once again.

[Cdizzle]

Either that, or a first round loss. Take your pick.

Just making sure I understood correctly. I assume you would also like to return any NCAA shares WSU gains for the conference as well. Not like your program needs it or anything.

I forgot, the whole MVC would fold if not for the the Shockers money.

Says the guy whose team is stuck in year 8 of crapsville under the same coach because they can't afford anything better.

[rlh04d]

Either that, or a first round loss. Take your pick.

Just making sure I understood correctly. I assume you would also like to return any NCAA shares WSU gains for the conference as well. Not like your program needs it or anything.

I forgot, the whole MVC would fold if not for the the Shockers money.

Oh it's not just the Shocker's money. It's the Shockers, the Panthers, Creighton. SIU's in the past. Bradley.

It's just never Evansville's. WSU isn't propping up the conference on its own ... quite a few teams have made major financial contributions to the conference's well-being. But, again, not Evansville, in 16 years and counting now.

From what I understand: WSU has contributed 12 NCAA tournament shares over the last decade (including this year's). At ~$1.6 million per share, that's $19.2 million total for the conference (not all paid out yet, less in past years, increasing in future years that haven't been paid yet), or (I believe) around $1.75 million per team (divided 11 ways, right?). That's enough money, from WSU alone, to pay right about 70% of Marty Simmons' salary. (If anyone sees a mistake there, feel free to correct it -- my knowledge of the tournament share process comes from random Forbes articles.)

So no, the MVC wouldn't fold if it wasn't for the Shocker's money, but Evansville sure would be broke as hell. You can't afford a coach without the contributions of the winning teams.

If you want to root against WSU in the tournament, you go right on ahead and knock yourself out. But you're actively rooting against your school's ability to fund a winning program. WSU's Final Four run single-handedly saved a school like Evansville from a significant funding hit as the 2006 financial windfall from the tournament finally came off the books. You do what you want, but a fan of a team contributing nothing to this conference actively rooting against one of the only two teams actually contributing to it makes you look like a child.

[Aargh]

After all the criticism of WSU's position in their bracket last year, I don't think the Selection Committee is going to job the Shox again.

It could happen. Maybe a so-called "mid-major" has to do more than make the Tourney 3 years in a row, make a F4, and get taken out by the pre-season #1 team who ended up #2 at the end of the year to get the type of treatment a mid-level P5 team regularly gets.

I find it humorous to see an Evansville fan talking trash in a WSU/UNI thread. Evansville has won some games against the top of the MVC when the top of the MVC has been very good.

That doesn't mean that Evansville can consistently beat very good teams. It's more likely that very good teams do not take Evansville seriously. How's it feel to pound your chest in victory because you're the most overlooked team in the league.

This thread is about 2 of the top 15 teams in the nation having a war. UE is more likely to be top-15 in the Valley than in the nation. UE fans should be doing the "I'm not worthy" bow in this thread.

When is the last time UE even got a vote in either poll? Let me make it easier. When is the last time UE got a vote in the Mid-Major top-25 poll?