Video: ESPN Slams NCAA Selection Committee for Choosing UAB
by Adrian Mac on Mar 14, 2011 1:48 PM MDT
in UTEP Miners Basketball
Email
Print
There's no doubt that the UAB Blazers deserved to be on the bubble. Their selection by the NCAA Selection Committee was hardly an easy one, but was it really the end of the world that UAB was selected? UAB won a conference widely considered to be the 8th best in the nation. Conference USA had 8 teams in the RPI Top 100. While the RPI is hardly the most accurate measure of the quality of a ball club, that doesn't stop ESPN's own Bracketologists from using it in their decision making.
Some of the panelists even believe Virginia Commonwealth was more deserving than UAB. Keep in mind that UAB beat VCU head to head. VCU finished 4th in the Colonial Athletic Association. They had 7 conference losses in a league with 6 RPI Top 100 teams. I won't go too far into the bubble comparison, Asalom has already done a great job of doing that here.
What changed besides UAB beating UTEP and winning the regular season outright? Not sure, but I know the C-USA/ESPN Television Contract is a little different now:
The good news is that nobody remembers who the "experts" thought should have been in the NCAA Tournament last year. Now, its time for UAB to do something they couldn't do in El Paso. ECU outplayed UAB in every facet of the game. Despite a nice game from Aaron Johnson, ECU dominated the Blazers in the post. Jamarr Sanders was a non-factor, and Darrius Morrow simply dominated every big man UAB threw at him. Hopefully videos like the one above, and rants from Dick Vitale and others from the World Wide Leader, will motivate UAB. Because the worst thing that could happen for this league is if UAB doesn't show up, and proves the "experts" right.
13 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Its amazing
I’ll be the first to say that you could make a strong case against UAB or VCU, but I will also say you can make just as good a case for them to be in. St. Mary’s beat 1 top 50 opponent. St John’s back in november when even st bonaventure and fordham beat them. They didn’t have a resume at all, but yet nobody admits that. Virginia Tech has two top 50 wins. Great. They also got swept by Virginia, and lost by 15 at Georgia Tech, but no one mentions that right? Alabama had a horrible non-conference schedule, and even though they had 4 top 50 wins, they only had 5 total top 100 wins, and also lost to Arkansas, Iowa, and Providence. Boston College is 1-5 vs the top 50, and 7-11 vs the top 100. Also lost to Yale.
Here are some quick resumes
UAB – RPI 31, SOS 75, 1-4 VS TOP 50, 10-7 VS TOP 100. Bad loss at Arizona St by 3.
VCU – RPI 50, SOS 84, 3-6 VS TOP 50, 8-8 VS TOP 100. 3 BAD LOSSES.
St Mary’s – RPI 46, SOS 105, 1-4 VS TOP 50, 3-6 VS TOP 100. 2 BAD LOSSES.
Alabama – RPI 80, SOS 138, 4-4 VS TOP 50, 5-8 VS TOP 100. 3 BAD LOSSES.
Colorado – RPI 66, SOS 69, 6-7 VS TOP 50, 8-10 VS TOP 100. 3 BAD LOSSES
Virginia Tech – RPI 61, SOS 88, 2-5 VS TOP 50, 8-8 VS TOP 100. 3 BAD LOSSES.
Honestly, what also needs to be said for UAB is that they were the regular season champions of the 8th best conference in the nation. All these major teams finished middle of the pack in their conference. You can say try to discredit C-USA, but there were 8 top 100 teams in that league, and no matter what UAB took care of who was in front of them.
I think Colorado has the best case here. I thought they were squarely on the bubble, and if Iowa St would’ve taken them out in the Big 12 tourney they were done. They escaped and moved on to play K State. Once they beat K State, I was pretty sure they were a lock. Apparently, I was wrong.
I think people just feel sorry for Virginia Tech more than anything. When you really look at it they don’t have a very good resume. 2-5 and 8-8 is no better than 1-4 and 10-7. Period. People, like me, just assumed they would be in after being snubbed last year.
I don’t even know what to say about Alabama. I don’t think they’re resume looks like a tournament resume, and that’s why they got held out. They did have a couple of good wins, but its about a body of work, not 3 or 4 games.
The first thing that is really wrong with these selections is Georgia being in. If Alabama isn’t good enough, then how is Georgia after losing to them twice in the last week of the season?? Georgia should’ve been out. Colorado in.
That takes out the strongest at large contender that was snubbed. If you think Alabama is deserving it should’ve been Alabama over Georgia.
Next, I think VCU is less deserving than UAB. Yes, they have the 3 good wins, but they finished 3rd in a conference not as strong as C-USA. So if any of the two should have been taken out, it’d be VCU.
So, Georgia and VCU out, then Colorado should’ve been in, and Alabama or Virginia Tech. I guarantee you wouldn’t hear nearly as many people crying.
by asalom on Mar 14, 2011 5:02 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs
Nice Summation!....
There are just as many pros as there are cons for each of these teams above. When you squarely break it all down the best resume of those listed is UAB. If you simply look at the numbers and don’t look at the names associated with the resume Colorado is my second choice.
Awesome job here!
Seriously and I agree- UAB was on the bubble, there shouldn’t be outrage, especially after ou look at all of their resumes like this- side by side. Doesn’t it matter that Va Tech was 2-5 against the Top 50? Alabama won’t schedule UAB? And I agree, if there is room for outrage, let’s look at VCU- but even then, when 31 of 38 at larges go to the Big 6, I just don’t feel that sorry for CU or Bama. You had 31 chances to get in there- plus the AQ- and you didn’t do it.
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
Very nice...again like I posted on the other thread
I dont see why UAB is such a surprise here. They won the league outright and avoided any really bad losses. Colo went through a stretch where they lost 7 of 9 including losses to Okla and Iowa State. But again I do think the buffs should have gotten in over teams like USC and Penn State and even VCU. Those are the teams BSPN’s talking heads should have gone after.
Extra ticket
I have an extra ticket if anyone wants to tag along for the game tomorrow!
by cybarra2 on Mar 14, 2011 8:37 PM MDT via mobile reply actions
Thanks for the offer
I was considering going, but ended up making plans here. Plus I’m barely getting my voice back after saturday (literally). Be loud though.
That's awesome!
Plus I’m barely getting my voice back after saturday (literally).
Way to put your all into it!
ESPN at their finest. Quite comical
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6217521&status=ok
"BCS does not apply to basketball. It's football. You can't tell me Memphis is a mid-major. You can't tell me UTEP, with its history of players, crowd attendance and NCAA Tournament berths, is a mid-major. Same for Gonzaga and St. Mary's - it doesn't apply. These are high-major programs that can play. All we can do is win games and hope others recognize. … We should pass the eye test - if anybody ever watches us." - Tim Floyd
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Miner Rush
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
