charcoal
Junior
Posts: 243
Loc: Dallas
Reg: 11-21-04
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02-11-08 02:39 PM - Post#43419
Brown still has a lot to play for, including the championship. If the Bruins can beat Cornell and otherwise run the table, they are not league champions if that's Cornell's only loss, but do have a shot at a top 100 RPI along with the Red as long as earlier Brown opponents play reasonably well (it would be nice if Northwestern could pick up a Big 10 win or two.) 20-8/12-2 still would not qualify for a second Ivy NCAA bid but some scattered talk of being on the bubble with 20 wins would be great. Two top 100 RPI's would be excellent for the league, especially as four teams may end up in or near the 300's.
And if Cornell slips against Yale as well....playoff time.
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boco357
Freshman
Posts: 11
Reg: 01-28-05
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02-11-08 03:53 PM - Post#43426
In response to charcoal
I think even with a loss to Cornell at 19-9, they may be going to the NIT.
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Old Bear
Postdoc
Posts: 3998
Reg: 11-23-04
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02-11-08 06:16 PM - Post#43442
In response to boco357
I think we are getting a little ahead of ourselves here. Let's just take it a game at a time for a few weeks.
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stump
Sophomore
Posts: 187
Reg: 01-23-05
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02-11-08 07:45 PM - Post#43448
In response to Old Bear
You're right, but Brown is a very good team. You can't look past the P's. Princeton has a good 5 but their bench is vulnerable. Penn is good. They have good young players and Grandieri, who has seen it all. Their backcourt defense is weak and I don't think Brown's good guards should have trouble abusing them in some way. Still, Penn never gave up in the Cornell game and was one possession from taking the lead with 4 minutes to go. That being said, Brown can sweep this weekend and should have plenty of motivation to do so. The time is now for Brown.
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CUJacob
Senior
Posts: 353
Reg: 12-05-04
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02-11-08 08:44 PM - Post#43452
In response to stump
I have to say that Brown still scares me. I hope they drop a game this weekend (perhaps they get caught up in the Palestra mystique and forget they are better than Penn this year?) and I also would appreciate it if the Penn/Princeton loser fall to Yale.
The P's play what is effectively an elimination game tomorrow but the winner will join Brown as teams that are very much alive for the title.
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Brian Martin
Masters Student
Posts: 963
Loc: Washington, DC
Reg: 11-21-04
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02-12-08 01:34 AM - Post#43471
In response to CUJacob
Brown really has to win out or have at least two other teams beat Cornell. I like Brown but a team that dependent on three point shooting is bound to have a bad night somewhere.
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Old Bear
Postdoc
Posts: 3998
Reg: 11-23-04
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02-12-08 10:17 AM - Post#43484
In response to Brian Martin
Brian, you're right to a degree, however earlier in the year they were dependant on good 3 pt. shooting from McAndrew and Huffman. Now those two are scoring inside as well while Sullivan and Williams are scoring with some consistancy. They are are now much more balanced on offense.
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Bruno
PhD Student
Posts: 1421
Loc: Brooklyn, NY
Reg: 11-21-04
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02-12-08 02:23 PM - Post#43510
In response to Old Bear
Agreed. There's something to be said for pounding two teams when your best shooter scores single digits in both games. Other guys stepped up this weekend.
I do think Brown would be in the mix for an NIT bid if they win out or finish 11-3. But, would that really move them into the top 100, given the RPIs of the rest of the league? (Brown did make the NIT in 2002-03 with an RPI in the 120's, but they were the lowest RPI in the tournament that year by a margin.)
| LET'S go BRU-no (duh. nuh. nuh-nuh-nuh) |
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IvyAlumni
Freshman
Posts: 71
Reg: 11-29-05
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02-15-08 11:00 PM - Post#43865
In response to Bruno
The offense should get a little more fluid with MacDonald's return, taking the pressure off of Huffman and McAndrew. I am looking forward to a great race down the stretch, between C & B, to see is A #1.
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charcoal
Junior
Posts: 243
Loc: Dallas
Reg: 11-21-04
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02-20-08 06:11 PM - Post#44347
In response to IvyAlumni
earlier season idle thoughts still alive---I know it's still premature, but if Cornell runs the table and Brown only loses to Cornell, this may well be the first time we have two top 100 RPI teams in recent memory--Jake (or anyone), when was the last time this happened? I presume it was both P's? and also when (if ever) did two Ivies go to NCAA's?
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Chip Bayers
Professor
Posts: 7001
Loc: New York
Reg: 11-21-04
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02-20-08 06:47 PM - Post#44356
In response to charcoal
Penn and Princeton were both Top 100 in '99 and '00.
An Ivy at-large bid?
Ha, ha-ha-ha HA!
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Stuart Suss
PhD Student
Posts: 1439
Loc: Chester County, Pennsylva...
Reg: 11-21-04
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02-21-08 12:26 AM - Post#44374
In response to Chip Bayers
In 1999, Penn was 52 and Princeton was 91. Princeton went to the NIT.
In 2000, Penn was 74 and Princeton was 93. Princeton went to the NIT.
In 2002, Penn was 41, Princeton was 72 and Yale was 102. Princeton and Yale went to the NIT.
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charcoal
Junior
Posts: 243
Loc: Dallas
Reg: 11-21-04
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02-21-08 12:35 AM - Post#44375
In response to Stuart Suss
Thanks, Stuart.
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Bruno
PhD Student
Posts: 1421
Loc: Brooklyn, NY
Reg: 11-21-04
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02-21-08 11:41 AM - Post#44384
In response to charcoal
I'm not sure Brown could sneak into the top 100 even if they lose only to Cornell from here on out. Question may be if an NIT bid could go to a team in the 110-120s at 19-9. (Brown made it in 02-03 in the 120s at 17-11, as previously discussed.)
Am still holding out hope that it will be a moot point, and that the P's muscle up at home in a few weekends.
| LET'S go BRU-no (duh. nuh. nuh-nuh-nuh) |
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charcoal
Junior
Posts: 243
Loc: Dallas
Reg: 11-21-04
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02-25-08 07:34 PM - Post#44740
In response to Bruno
Idle thoughts still looking good. Brown and Cornell win out and both should be in rpi top 100 even with low rpi's of opponents. Brown would be a lock, I expect, for NIT.
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Bruno
PhD Student
Posts: 1421
Loc: Brooklyn, NY
Reg: 11-21-04
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Not so.
02-25-08 09:25 PM - Post#44750
In response to charcoal
After further research, I think Brown's probably unlikely for the NIT. Top 100 is a possibility - they're 108 now - which actually jumped 20 places after losing to Cornell. Huh?
Glockner reminded me that only the NIT is now only 32 teams (down from 40 when they made it in 2002-2003), and thinks Brown has no shot given who was left out last year.
He did point out, however, that there's now a brand new postseason tournament that takes another 16 teams who are on the bubble for the NIT but don't make it in. It's called the College Basketball Invitational, and I would think that Brown would be a strong candidate for that one.
There's something cool about playing in the first ever for a postseason tournament. Then again, there's also something kind of lame about playing in a tournament that isn't even the NIT.
Still, I'd take it, and it would be a nice way to cap off and acknowledge the careers of McAndrew and Huffman (and MacDonald, if he ever plays again).
| LET'S go BRU-no (duh. nuh. nuh-nuh-nuh) |
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Jeff2sf
Postdoc
Posts: 4466
Reg: 11-22-04
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02-25-08 10:06 PM - Post#44761
In response to Bruno
Ok, first, it's more basketball, and more basketball is always better than less basketball. It can be used to get Brown underclassmen further battle tested against good competition. I'd love to be in Brown's shoes this year and play in that tournament.
That said, the creation or the tourney is incredibly lame. I guess it is kind of like creating the Motor City Bowl or the San Francisco bowl or something - it is postseason competition, but has NOTHING to do with the national relevance.
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Bruno
PhD Student
Posts: 1421
Loc: Brooklyn, NY
Reg: 11-21-04
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02-27-08 10:15 AM - Post#44823
In response to Jeff2sf
Yes, I'd definitely take some more basketball for these guys. Any chance to see these guys in a post-season atmosphere is one I'd be glad for.
Also, it helps provide meaning for the rest of the season. Without a tournament, six teams are now effectively playing for pride and to give the seniors something to go out on. Cornell is playing for their seeding. And Brown is playing for the chance to play after the season. So, that's good stuff.
| LET'S go BRU-no (duh. nuh. nuh-nuh-nuh) |
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charcoal
Junior
Posts: 243
Loc: Dallas
Reg: 11-21-04
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03-13-08 11:05 AM - Post#46523
In response to Bruno
I claim relative prescience for a post just halfway through season...go
Bears and post-season (hopefully NIT!)
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Old Bear
Postdoc
Posts: 3998
Reg: 11-23-04
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03-13-08 12:26 PM - Post#46526
In response to charcoal
charcoal's post was precient, WTG. I'm affraid the NIT is a streach, but a win in the CBI would give us our first 20 win season. I don't care how others may catagorize the CBI, I'll be dissapointed if we don't get in.
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