2025-2026 B1G Basketball Thread

[medinabuckeye1]

I'm sorry, but I had to laugh at that. Again, the numbers don't lie. Undefeated regular seasons are rare. It's special to see one! Of course it is emotional. Sports are emotional. No one watches sports and because they need to put in numbers in a spreadsheet (except perhaps Purdue grads).

But again, the math is against you. To get around the FACT that NONE of the bubble teams would likely had the same regular season record against Miami's schedule, you have to cherry pick the games.

To get around the FACT that Miami's regular season was special, you have to pretend that it happens all the time.

The math here is one sided. How many teams have accomplished something that Miami did? I'm not going to do the equation, but less than .00001 percent? Compared to Auburn, which needed an overtime victory over #224th ranked Bethune-Cookman just to have a winning record. But I'm sure their NERD is better, so losing half their games is just fine.

If you are laughing it is only because you aren't smart enough to understand the difference between data and opinion.  

I just listed four bubble teams that went 54-0 against Q3/4 opponents and Miami FAILED to win all of their Q3/4 games.  Facts not opinions.  

You just said that "the bubble teams likely . . ."  Opinion not fact.  

You said I cherry picked.  Nope, I used the NCAA's NET categories.  Facts not opinions.  

Miami's undefeated regular season was special FOR THEM just like a High School team's undefeated regular season would be special FOR THEM.  Neither of those things justify inclusion in the NCAA DI Tournament.  

I'm not pretending that undefeated regular seasons happen all the time, I just don't care and I am also acknowledging the FACT that they did it against a bunch of crappy opponents.  Facts not opinions.  

Try using facts instead of opinions and you'll see that your argument falls short.  

[bayareabadger]

On this I completely agree and I even said upthread that:I think your statement about a real cruddy bottom of the bubble is functionally the same thing as mine that I'd vote to include them if it was close.  Yeah, if the bubble is so incredibly weak that there is a plausible data-driven argument for including Miami legitimately then I'd probably let the emotional argument carry the day and include them over a similarly bad team that didn't have that on their side. 

The problem for Miami is that it just isn't close.  The data unequivocally says no.  There is no plausible data-driven argument for including them so they are left with ONLY the emotional argument. 

They entered the day 21st in SOR, so we'll see if that holds. They are 35th in WAB. A bit low at 47th in KPI. 

So the resume metrics are helping them for the moment, providing a plausible data-driven argument. Who know if it'll hold, but turns out it's there. If they were just dead on those, there wouldn't be much of a discussion, but for now there is. Suppose we'll see.

[medinabuckeye1]

See, that's where I got that.

I said teams with a pulse, you adjusted that to:

Reached out to close to 20 power conference schools. 

Not all "teams with a pulse" are power conference schools.  I don't know (and see above, I don't really care) but did they reach out to decent mid-majors?  

Their OOC consisted of complete and total crap.  They played not one but two schools that are so insignificant that I've never heard of them and ESPN doesn't even have a link for them (Trinity Christian and Indiana University East).  There are plenty of "teams with a pulse" between Trinity Christian and the "power conference schools".  I'm not saying that I wouldn't include them unless they played Duke, just that being literally 0-fer the season in Q1 and only 2-0 in Q2 is a BIG problem for me when the math unequivocally says no.  

[MaximumSam]

You just said that "the bubble teams likely . . ."  Opinion not fact. 

No. This is false. It has nothing to do with opinion. Based on their fancystats you can calculate the chance each team would beat another team. You can then calculate how likely it is a team would go undefeated against any schedule, including Miami's. None of the bubble teams are likely to go undefeated against Miami's schedule.

[medinabuckeye1]

They entered the day 21st in SOR, so we'll see if that holds. They are 35th in WAB. A bit low at 47th in KPI.

So the resume metrics are helping them for the moment, providing a plausible data-driven argument. Who know if it'll hold, but turns out it's there. If they were just dead on those, there wouldn't be much of a discussion, but for now there is. Suppose we'll see.

I'm operating on the assumption that those, along with their NET, KenPom, and Torvik rankings will plummet on the basis of a neutral court loss to a 200+ ranked opponent.  

Honestly, do ANY of the bubble teams have a loss as bad as losing a neutral court game to UMASS?  I assume a few of them might but I'm not sure.  

[medinabuckeye1]

No. This is false. It has nothing to do with opinion. Based on their fancystats you can calculate the chance each team would beat another team. You can then calculate how likely it is a team would go undefeated against any schedule, including Miami's. None of the bubble teams are likely to go undefeated against Miami's schedule.

Neither did Miami which is why this is a discussion.  If they HAD gone undefeated then they'd get an auto-bid.  

[MaximumSam]

Neither did Miami which is why this is a discussion.  If they HAD gone undefeated then they'd get an auto-bid. 

Well they did go undefeated during the regular season, which is what I am talking about.