ADVERTISEMENT

RU still an 8 seed in latest (2/26) ESPN Bracketology

Outside of Baylor, that's not a bad bracket to be in...would be funny if Duke and Michigan St. played in the first four, as that would usually be a final four matchup...
 
  • Like
Reactions: RUfanSinceAnderson
Once you are in the tournament, anything can happen.
One team can get hot and another can get cold.
Rutgers has played a lot of tough teams in the BIG so I am not concerned with the seedings.
We have to beat the best teams sooner or later.
We have players who can get hot so we are going to be a tough out.
 
Call me crazy but I think we would have one advantage against Gonzaga. We face a tough assignment night in night out. They have it easy. They are better than us but we are more battle tested.
Either way, that would imply we are the last #9. Seems far off compared to most others that have us in the 7/8 range.
 
Call me crazy but I think we would have one advantage against Gonzaga. We face a tough assignment night in night out. They have it easy. They are better than us but we are more battle tested.
might come down t how refs call it.. we're used to contact.. this s not to say Gonzaga is not the better team... just to go with OP about a possible "advantage".
 
Call me crazy but I think we would have one advantage against Gonzaga. We face a tough assignment night in night out. They have it easy. They are better than us but we are more battle tested.
IMHO, Gonzaga is by far the best team in the nation. However, the Zags regularly blow out their opponents. In the Big Dance, they are going to play a few close games and may not know how to handle late-game pressure. I can't help but think of the fantastic 1991 UNLV team. The Runnin' Rebels were on their way to being labeled the best team in college basketball history. They became rattled in the final minutes vs. Duke in the Final Four. They wilted under the pressure of a close game.
 

I like this prognosticator--Hoops HD. He has us as a 7th seed playing San Diego St. and number 2 seed in the bracket is Villanova. I actually like this seeding. And in Bracket Project Jon Teitel is rated #7 while Joe Lunardi of ESPN is #55 and Decourcy is nowhere to be found, and Jerry Palm is #85.
 
I don’t think an 8/9 would be that bad. It’s fun to dream of a big time run, but a good showing to go out on a positive note is the most important thing. That makes round 1 a 50/50 game. Even if you lose, as long as you don’t get smoked you going out on a decent note - it was still a good season with great steps forward. And if you win, you get another game and a crack at one of the best 4 teams in the country.
 
According to the bracket in the OP, it looks like RU will have its game with Baylor after all.
 
We’re a funny team, when we are at our best, we can almost beat anyone. However, I do not want to see Baylor or Gonzaga until at least the Sweet Sixteen 😉
We play Baylor or Gonzaga in the second round, it will be a game. Most people will be surprised, but there is a shot we can beat them and send shockwaves around the country
 
IMHO, Gonzaga is by far the best team in the nation. However, the Zags regularly blow out their opponents. In the Big Dance, they are going to play a few close games and may not know how to handle late-game pressure. I can't help but think of the fantastic 1991 UNLV team. The Runnin' Rebels were on their way to being labeled the best team in college basketball history. They became rattled in the final minutes vs. Duke in the Final Four. They wilted under the pressure of a close game.
A lot of that wilting had to due with Greg Anthony fouling out on a BS charge call with around five minutes left. However, your overall point is 100% correct.
 
People are getting way too caught up in the seedings.....once you get from 7 to 10, it's not strictly based on what resumes are better or not or what order it actually should be.....it will be based on matchups that are potential 2nd round matches vs the actual true seeding.

I think RU fans are setting themselves up for some level of disappointment thinking this is a true ranking or rating system, it really is on seeds 1 through 6 and maybe the next couple of seeds for the 7 spots. After that, there is no committee that spends a ton of time arguing whether a 7 should be a 8 or 9 or a 8 should be a 10 or a 10 should be an 8.

The NCAA tournament is a made for TV event....once we see the matchups in the 1st rounds, those matchups aren't specifically designed on actual seeding, it's solely based on what does the 2nd round TV schedule likely look like.
 
IMHO, Gonzaga is by far the best team in the nation. However, the Zags regularly blow out their opponents. In the Big Dance, they are going to play a few close games and may not know how to handle late-game pressure. I can't help but think of the fantastic 1991 UNLV team. The Runnin' Rebels were on their way to being labeled the best team in college basketball history. They became rattled in the final minutes vs. Duke in the Final Four. They wilted under the pressure of a close game.
I remember when Temple was number one in the country and John Chaney was their coach. He would purposely schedule as tough an OOC schedule as he could because the Atlantic Ten was relatively weak. I remember when they played Villanova someone heard Rollie Massimino say I wish I had two breathers a week like he does.
 
Call me crazy but I think we would have one advantage against Gonzaga. We face a tough assignment night in night out. They have it easy. They are better than us but we are more battle tested.
I do agree with your battle tested statement, but I wouldn't underestimate Gonzaga because of it. They beat
Kansas by 13
Auburn by 23
West Virginia by 5
Iowa by 11
Virginia by 23
I think we can hang with anyone if we get some 3's to fall, but this Gonzaga team is very good
 
I do agree with your battle tested statement, but I wouldn't underestimate Gonzaga because of it. They beat
Kansas by 13
Auburn by 23
West Virginia by 5
Iowa by 11
Virginia by 23
I think we can hang with anyone if we get some 3's to fall, but this Gonzaga team is very good
To be fair Auburn stinks. The rest of them are impressive
 
  • Like
Reactions: cshelley
If you get an 8 or 9, there's always a chance you get that 4th 1-seed if you make it to the 2nd round. There are really only 3 clear 1-seeds right now and I think the 4th would be much more beatable.
 
unfortunately its hard to make a case for Villanova or Alabama as a one right now, the thinking was if not Ohio State then Illinois but how many losses can each sustain
 
If WVU beats Baylor Tuesday they would have pretty good case for a 1 seed if they do well in their conference tourney.
 
People are getting way too caught up in the seedings.....once you get from 7 to 10, it's not strictly based on what resumes are better or not or what order it actually should be.....it will be based on matchups that are potential 2nd round matches vs the actual true seeding.

I think RU fans are setting themselves up for some level of disappointment thinking this is a true ranking or rating system, it really is on seeds 1 through 6 and maybe the next couple of seeds for the 7 spots. After that, there is no committee that spends a ton of time arguing whether a 7 should be a 8 or 9 or a 8 should be a 10 or a 10 should be an 8.

The NCAA tournament is a made for TV event....once we see the matchups in the 1st rounds, those matchups aren't specifically designed on actual seeding, it's solely based on what does the 2nd round TV schedule likely look like.
I don't think anybody is getting caught up in the seeding and yes most of us know it has nothing to do with ranking. I would like a 7 seed only because if we win the first round we don't have to play a first seed in the second round. I would like to see Rutgers win at least two rounds. For me that would be a very successful season. Hell, I'll even take a 10th seed if it means staying away from the 8/9 game.
 
Last edited:
IMHO, Gonzaga is by far the best team in the nation. However, the Zags regularly blow out their opponents. In the Big Dance, they are going to play a few close games and may not know how to handle late-game pressure. I can't help but think of the fantastic 1991 UNLV team. The Runnin' Rebels were on their way to being labeled the best team in college basketball history. They became rattled in the final minutes vs. Duke in the Final Four. They wilted under the pressure of a close game.
Yes , but unlv turned out to be a very overconfident group. They had trounced the same duke team the year before . Duke still needed a bs call on greg Anthony to win that semifinal game.
And we don’t have Christian laettner , grant hill or Bobby Hurley .
Still it’s March madness and anything can happen.
 
7 in Jerry Palm vs Colorado State with Alabama as the 2..where is the pen?
Latest CBSSports (I assume that is Palm's bracket?) has us as a 7 against the Bonnies in the Mich Midwest bracket with the higher seeds Nova at 2, Houston 3, Ok State 4, Virginia 5, Florida 6.

That wouldhave to be 'best case scenario' for us no?
 
  • Like
Reactions: theRU and shields
We play Baylor or Gonzaga in the second round, it will be a game. Most people will be surprised, but there is a shot we can beat them and send shockwaves around the country

I think the Zags are just too good. IMO the only B1G teams that'd have a chance against them are UM and the Illini.
 
Either way, that would imply we are the last #9. Seems far off compared to most others that have us in the 7/8 range.

Would be the first #9. Using the S-curve Gonzaga is the best #1, their region gets the weakest #2 but the top #3, worst #4 but top #5, etc. Odd numbers are the top ones on their seedline.
 
ADVERTISEMENT