NCAA Bracketology

[CA Mustang]

We would face TCU for a trip to NY or in NY but not before then. SMU and TCU would both be 1 or 2 seeds in the NIT.

A lot of the "Experts" indicated that TCU cemented their tournament creds by beating Tech this past weekend - assuming they take care of WV in final game (this also assumes they lose both to Kansas).

As much as I hate to say it - Only way they end up in NIT is if they lose to WW or in first round of Conference tourney - or if a bunch of upsets in other conference tournaments.

SMU is still has a higher NET ranking than TCU (47 vs. 49), but five Quad 1 wins (plus 9-0 in Q3/4 games) definitely favors TCU. https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketbal ... t-rankings

[PonyEnergy]

If we win the next 4 games and then lose in the AAC ship, I will be at peace with our season regardless of the committee's decision. I would bet and hope that lands us as a 10 or 11 seed without a play-in game... But will we even win the next 4?! If we don't, Jank needs to go.

[Charleston Pony]

Win out in regular season, and win first round and then beat Memphis in tournament and we're in UNLESS, there are a ton of bracket buster upsets in conference tournaments. If that happens, then we have to win the tournament against Houston who has figured us out. Rain threes and hope they go in.

This SMU team will live and die by the three as we have all year. Love the way they pushed the ball against Houston but we forced way too many shots and did not share the ball well and of course shot horribly even when taking open looks. Another thing the 3 ball can do is to produce "long rebounds" which become "who wants it more" situations all too often. At this point, I just want our guys to go undefeated in Moody this season and then we'll see what happens in the tournament

[mustangxc]

I expect at minimum to be undefeated in Moody and to win at least 1 AAC tournament game. Anything less than that and it is time to move on. Win the AAC tournament or the next 4 and I think we need to run it back.

These are SMU's supposed minimum expectations, not mine. Obviously, KU, UK, Villanova, etc. were never out peers, but it's time to at least back it up by making the NCAA tournament.

[MrMoody]

We have a very good shot to win out the regular season and make it to the final vs houston in the conference tourney - though far from guaranteed I like our chances. I do wonder though beyond this season if it might be a grass is greener situation with Jank. This program was really revitalized by Larry but we could easily slip back into oblivion.

Playing meaningful games in late Feb/early March with a shot at cracking the tourney, where it's anyone's game, has been exciting and I think probably reasonable in terms of expectations for this team. We should remind ourselves we could do much, much worse than 20-7...

[Charleston Pony]

Can't be lulled to sleep by the 20 wins given the non-conference schedule

[indianmustang]

SMU still in projections
CBS
playing texas

https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... cketology/

[indianmustang]

currently we are in 50 brackets out of 119 brackets tracked
http://bracketmatrix.com/

[mustangxc]

We have a very good shot to win out the regular season and make it to the final vs houston in the conference tourney - though far from guaranteed I like our chances. I do wonder though beyond this season if it might be a grass is greener situation with Jank. This program was really revitalized by Larry but we could easily slip back into oblivion.

Playing meaningful games in late Feb/early March with a shot at cracking the tourney, where it's anyone's game, has been exciting and I think probably reasonable in terms of expectations for this team. We should remind ourselves we could do much, much worse than 20-7...

Dement gave us similar results with less. Dement had much more restrictive recruiting, an old Moody, no practice facility, far flung depleted WAC, less support, etc. and still managed winning records all but his last season and got us to the NIT. Hiring Tubbs was a huge mistake from the start that set us back immensely because he wasn't given a fair chance to succeed. All of DISD sided with Tubbs and turned their backs on SMU. Doherty wasn't the answer either. Brown got us to a level we hadn't seen in decades. Unfortunately he did come with the price of sanctions. I know sanctions are meant to cripple a program, bud Jankovich made it worse than it had to be due to really bad recruiting. We are finally starting to gain some traction once again and this time it would be more sustainable. The question if we make the NIT is, will SMU be ready to step up to the plate to pay $5 million plus per season to attract a top 25 coach? If not, then we are probably better off retaining Jankovich. If that is the course we do take, Hart should be fired immediately because we were never serious enough about basketball to compete with Kansas, Kentucky, Villanova etc. Those are our supposed peers. If you are going to use them as a comparison to raise ticket prices/donation requirements and alienate 99% of the fans then you damn sure better be ready to pony up for the coach that can get us back to winning 30 games a season. Whoever we did the re-seat for surely has $5 million per year to throw at a coach right? If not admit your mistake and resign. I'm so tired of that clown! Jankovich is pretty much who he is. I don't have as much of a problem with him as I do with the AD who created these false expectations.

[PonyTime]

We have a very good shot to win out the regular season and make it to the final vs houston in the conference tourney - though far from guaranteed I like our chances. I do wonder though beyond this season if it might be a grass is greener situation with Jank. This program was really revitalized by Larry but we could easily slip back into oblivion.

I am in same boat as you on this.

This is the best team outside of Larry's teams since the mid 80s (and for that reason, it would be a real shame to see them land in the NIT). Unless there was to be a superstar hire, I am not sure that they would bring in anyone better than Jank. And I don't trust current leadership to do that. I agree, it could be worse - far worse. See Doh, Tubbs, Shumate.

On Dement - I agree that he is the Jank of the 90s. But I think his best team (that included Sasser, Davis) would finish middle of the pack in this current AAC conference and not be competing for a conference title. This conference is far tougher than that WAC was.

That banner year team for Dement in 99-00 with all of those stars on it never beat a ranked team. Lost in first round of Wac tournament, lost to Missouri State in first round of NIT - a team that they beat earlier in the year by 10 on the road. They also choked royally in that key game vs Tulsa at Moody. They weren't that good - just better than what we had seen in the previous few years. It is telling that the family members of those late 90s teams who were even more talented than they were all chose to go to other schools to play ball (notably Houston and Gonzaga)

[indianmustang]

yahoo projections
https://autos.yahoo.com/autos/ncaa-tour ... 55992.html

[mustangxc]

We have a very good shot to win out the regular season and make it to the final vs houston in the conference tourney - though far from guaranteed I like our chances. I do wonder though beyond this season if it might be a grass is greener situation with Jank. This program was really revitalized by Larry but we could easily slip back into oblivion.

I am in same boat as you on this.

This is the best team outside of Larry's teams since the mid 80s (and for that reason, it would be a real shame to see them land in the NIT). Unless there was to be a superstar hire, I am not sure that they would bring in anyone better than Jank. And I don't trust current leadership to do that. I agree, it could be worse - far worse. See Doh, Tubbs, Shumate.

On Dement - I agree that he is the Jank of the 90s. But I think his best team (that included Sasser, Davis) would finish middle of the pack in this current AAC conference and not be competing for a conference title. This conference is far tougher than that WAC was.

That banner year team for Dement in 99-00 with all of those stars on it never beat a ranked team. Lost in first round of Wac tournament, lost to Missouri State in first round of NIT - a team that they beat earlier in the year by 10 on the road. They also choked royally in that key game vs Tulsa at Moody. They weren't that good - just better than what we had seen in the previous few years. It is telling that the family members of those late 90s teams who were even more talented than they were all chose to go to other schools to play ball (notably Houston and Gonzaga)

Sasser wanted to come here. That one is fully on Jankovich. I believe, Jankovich did not really make an effort to recruit Timme. Those are two of the biggest strikes against Jankovich. He has succeeded more than most coaches at SMU, but could easily have done much more.

[indianmustang]

Also it depends who he brings next year

[Charleston Pony]

If this SMU team can finish strong and make the NCAAs as a 12 seed, I would love to see them in one of the play-in games as it should be a very competitive matchup and our guys might have a better opportunity of winning a game or two. I've always liked the 12 vs 5 seeds for an early "upset"

I really think SMU has to win out and at least make the AAC Tourney finals whereas Memphis can win out in the regular season and by having beaten Houston twice, they could afford to lose a 3rd time to SMU and still get in. That's maybe the only way I can see the AAC getting 3 bids (assuming Houston becomes both the AAC regular season and tournament champion)

[redpony]

Unless there was to be a superstar hire, I am not sure that they would bring in anyone better than Jank. And I don't trust current leadership to do that.

I doubt they will get rid of jank. after all he fits their goal of total mediocrity perfectly. He has a good team this year but what about the last 3-4. Those were his teams. So you have a decent team every 3-5 years- is that what we want?