What does A&M have to do to make the tourney?

[indyfrisco]

I think we have to win out in conference first of all. That's a HUGE task. We have to beat Okie St. in Stoolwater. Baylor should be a gimmie (said that in football though). If we were to do that, and it is a big if, wed'd be 20-7 (9-7 conference). Would that alone be enough to get in?

I keep hearing on the radio Iowa St. and t.u. are the bubble teams. No speak of A&M. We took Kansas to the wire as well as Okie St. in the first game. We beat t.u. as well as Taco Tech (oh yeah, beat the shit out of bubble team Iowa St. this week).

If we go 1-1 in the last two games, which I expect, will a two game run in the conference tourney be enough to vault us into the tourney?

Shit...I'm just happy to think I am talking about us possibly making the tourney. Hope to GOD that A-Wright decides to stick around one more year.

[King Crimson]

OOC schedule is killing the Ags in the rpi.

CU missed the NCAA last year 10-6 in conference.

ISU losing at home to the Bugeaters is a killer for them.

[the_ouskull]

I really see them geting in... the Big 12 in general, and the South especially, is really tough and is getting some National love. I think that with the job Coach G's done down there, and with Wright on the squad, with the kind of year you've had, I'd say you're in now, but 20 wins would almost lock it.

the_ouskull

[TheJON]

Gotta win out and get 2 in the Big-12 tourney. RPI is just way too low due to the fact that A&M played one of the most embarrassing non-conference schedules since Tom Davis coached at Iowa.

Iowa State's bubble burst today with a horrible home loss to a horrible Nebraska team. ISU beats NU in football but not hoops? Never thought that would happen.

I think Taco Tech still has some work to do to get in, but they're probably in unless they have an epic meltdown to end the season.

[indyfrisco]

I agree our OOC schedule hinders us. Our best win OOC was against Houston, which beat Louisville, but other than that, we played no one until Kansas.

We are a lock for the NIT, but I really hope we play well these last two games and do well in the conf. tourney. No matter what, this was a successful year for the Ags. We have two frosh, two sofhs, and a junior as our starting 5. If Wright stays one more year, I think we will be a strong team next year.

Damn good to be talking Ag basketball and we aren't the butt of jokes.

[Shine]

but 20 wins would almost lock it.

C'mon Skull, have you been watching cbb the past few years??? The days of 20 wins being an auto invite are LONG over. It's quality man, not quantity.



A&M did what was best for their program for where they were at, loaded up on cupcakes early to build confidence. That doesn't get you invited to the dance though. They'll need a big win or 2 to finish up the season to get in, but I think they're NIT bound. You gotta start somewhere though, and like IF said, at least the fans have hope now about hoops.

[indyfrisco]

Shine,

One question...

If A&M were to load up OOC games against top 25 teams and lose ALL of them (like, say, IU did), then they should have a better chance to make the tourney?

I just do not see why IU is even being considered for the tourney. They have a 14-11 record. Their only wins against ranked teams are MSU and Wisconsin. I'm not sure if you are pimping them a lot, but folks here in Southern Indiana sure are. I think A&M has just as much of an argument as IU to be in the tourney, albeit, a small one.

[indyfrisco]

My heart is telling me we’ll give OSU the 3 game slide like KU had.

My head is telling me we’ll lose by 25.

If, and this is a BIG if, we stay out of foul trouble, we will make this a close game. We are snake bit when it comes to fouls.

[indyfrisco]

Wright Named National Player of the Week by The Sporting News

For Immediate Release
Monday, February 28, 2005

Toolbox
COLLEGE STATION, Texas- Texas A&M junior Antoine Wright has been named college basketball's national player of the week by The Sporting News, the magazine said Monday.

Wright scored 29 points in Saturday's win against No. 25-ranked Texas Tech, making 7-of-8 three-pointers. The performance tied the school record for single game percentage (.875) with Lynn Suber, who also made 7-of-8 against Connecticut in the 1989 Great Alaska Shootout.

Wright also led the Aggies' victory against Iowa State last week, scoring 21 points in helping A&M end the Cyclones' seven-game Big 12 winning streak.

In two games last week, Wright averaged 25.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists while making 19-of-28 (.679) from the field and 9-of-12 (.750) from three-point range.

In the last three games, Wright has averaged 27.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and made .683 from the field, .631 from three-point range and .875 from the free throw line.

With 1,227 career points, Wright ranks 13th on the A&M career list.

The Aggies play at No. 8 Oklahoma State on Wednesday night.

With Wright getting this kind of pub late in the season, I think we can kiss him goodbye.

[Shine]

Shine,

One question...

If A&M were to load up OOC games against top 25 teams and lose ALL of them (like, say, IU did), then they should have a better chance to make the tourney?

I just do not see why IU is even being considered for the tourney. They have a 14-11 record. Their only wins against ranked teams are MSU and Wisconsin. I'm not sure if you are pimping them a lot, but folks here in Southern Indiana sure are. I think A&M has just as much of an argument as IU to be in the tourney, albeit, a small one.

I think neither is the way to go, what ATM and IU did this year. The best way is to have a mix on your OOC schedule, but actually WIN some of the tough games.

As for my take on IU's chances, I think we'll need to either win tonight at Wisconsin or upset Illinois in the BTT to get in. We need another quality win. If we do as I expect, L at Wisconsin and W vs NW, we'll end up 15-12. Even a 1-1 BTT isn't NCAA worthy. At least in my view.

[Terry in Crapchester]

Right now, A&M is tied for 29th on the Dance Wishlist.

http://www.dwhoops.info

Imho, that's a more realistic assessment than RPI this year. Vermont is in what, top 15 RPI? If A&M can maintain that ranking, imho they're in. That could be a big if, though.

[King Crimson]

though the remaining schedule probably favors ISU....Mizzou in Ames and @"we've mailed it in, thank you" Colorado (both winnable) vs. OSU and Baylor (a split, most likely):

right now today:

the Ags have a better rpi:
the same conference record:
played in the tougher conference division:
and won the head to head matchup:

yet, ISU is pretty much in everyone's projected field and the Ags are on the bubble. Sure, ISU won at KU...but the lustre is off that one a little given KU lost the 3 in a row....as far as being the "signature" win to sign the dance card.

and since the Committee is going to give us "the year of the mid-majors" whether it makes any sense or not...they just made it "scientific" this year....that doesn't favor teams like aTm or Indiana, Minnesota, etc. from the big conferences.

[indyfrisco]

If, and this is a BIG if, we stay out of foul trouble, we will make this a close game. We are snake bit when it comes to fouls.

Once again, I am right. Those were some loose whistles against A&M last night. 25 fouls called against A&M, 15 against OSU. 15 FT to 27. The rest of the stats were pretty much a wash. The deciding factor in the game was the whistles and foul shots.

That was a total dissapointment last night. I didn't enjoy hearing the announcer constantly say that A-Wright would be a first round pick in the draft. We NEED him one more year. He might be a top 5 pick if he stays one more year.