Postseason Chances?

[orientalnc]

The talk of Clemson even being on the bubble is silly at this point. They are getting a lot of mileage out of those close losses. At some point, you have to WIN games to get in to the Big Dance.

Whoever likes Clemson for the dance is drinking a lot of Koolaid. Their RPI is 56 with a 13-11 record. They have road games at Miami (that the Canes desperately have to win) and VT. The host FSU who is trying to get a double bye in the ACC tournament. I really think they need to win four of their remaining games and three might be a stretch.

Although, the Dance Card guys have us out and Clemson in. Neither is close on their list. They like Clemson better than Wake or Syracuse.

 

[sidewalkGTfan]

Whoever likes Clemson for the dance is drinking a lot of Koolaid. Their RPI is 56 with a 13-11 record. They have road games at Miami (that the Canes desperately have to win) and VT. The host FSU who is trying to get a double bye in the ACC tournament. I really think they need to win four of their remaining games and three might be a stretch.

Although, the Dance Card guys have us out and Clemson in. Neither is close on their list. They like Clemson better than Wake or Syracuse.

Even if they win 4 of the remaining games, they'd be sitting at 7-11 in conference. I can't wrap my mind around a team with that conference record getting an at-large bid to the dance. If they did, so should every team above them in the conference standings.

 

[jeffgt14]

Clemson is better than the Pitt projection I saw earlier. I’d be shocked if Pitt gets 3 more wins with their remaining schedule. The already screwed up their easy part. 11 teams for the ACC is absurd. Barring craziness in the ACCT, 8 teams are almost a lock at this point. Us, Wake, and Cuse are fighting to get in.

Cuse is almost a lock but with 2 games against Louisville, Duke, and 2 against us it’s not gonna be easy. They need to win at least 2 of those which isn’t a gimme. Us and Wake need to win at least 3 more and our schedule is friendlier than Wake’s. Wake is essentially done if they don’t win @Clemson tomorrow night. I only see Wake winning 2 more games tops. If I were a betting man, I’d say Cuse does enough and gets in and Wake doesn’t putting the ACC at 9 berths and possibly us if we win out at home and 1 more game either in the ACCT or before. Of course if Wake, Clemson or Pitt make a run in the ACCT everything gets thrown out of wack.

Clemson does have a fairly favorable schedule going forward.

 

[gtbync]

It's amazing that some fans in here are talking about post season play, but the beginning of the year didn't want to give the team or coach a chance. I think we are way over, the over/under that some projected.

 

[CuseJacket]

Syracuse's non-conference performance was worse than ours. They earned no quality wins and got curb stomped at home by St John's to top it off. They lost to BC and Pitt in conference (road games). 8-5 in conference doesn't yet offset the aforementioned factors. They need to perform these next 2-3 weeks to get in. So do we. And it's we (GT) are approaching a zero sum game given our home-and-home with them and there aren't many games left.

 

[RamblinRed]

I agree about GT and Syracuse. Given they have 2 games against each other, that could have a huge impact on both teams chances. Cuse also has a harder schedule outside those 2 games than GT does.

One last bracket for today. SI has GT last 4 in.

http://www.si.com/college-basketbal...bracket-watch-villanova-kansas-baylor-gonzaga

So many bubble teams lost last week that I think it was a slight net positive just getting the 2 home wins (only one counts). GT still simply needs wins wherever it can get them. 4-2 to me is the finishing kick GT would need.

 

[bke1984]

I think if we go 4-2 we are a lock. 3-3 maybe...anything worse and we are headed to the NIT unless we do something crazy in Brooklyn

 

[RamblinRed]

ACC is starting to work itself out a little.
UNC, L'ville, Duke, UVA, FSU, ND are all locks at this point
VT is getting close to a lock. They have 5 left, 3 at home. 1 to 2 more home wins should lock them in.
Miami is on the right side of the bubble but not out of the woods. Have 5 left, 3 on the road and their final five are all against teams either in the field or on the bubble. Probably needs to go 2-3 to firm up a bid.

That leaves 4 teams really in bubble play - Syracuse, Clemson, GT and Wake
GT has to go 4-1.
Syracuse probably has to go 3-1 with 2 against GT, Duke at home, L'ville on road.
Wake probably needs to go 3-1 against @Duke, Pitt and L'ville at home and @VT. i don't see a path for them without winning at least 1 road game, they have 0 Top 50 wins. Have to beat L'ville at home.
Clemson also likely needs to go 4-1 (they might survive 3-2 but I wouldn't bet on it) - they have @Miami, @VT, FSU, NCST, VT. They will know their fate in the next week.

Syracuse and GT playing twice is in interesting dynamic.
ACC is likely to get 9 or 10 eventually. Bubble is really soft. Rhode Island likely took themselves off it yesterday losing at home to Fordham. Wichita St has 1 Top 100 win (over Ill St at home) so they are not likely to get the benefit of the doubt this year.

I think 1 or 2 of these teams will earn a bid, just which ones. At the end of the day 68 teams have to be seeded. it really feels like this year there are going to be a fair number of 18-19 win teams getting bids.

 

[cincyjacket]

Let's be honest here. We're not going dancing this year. We might get an NIT bid, for what that's worth. Despite this, by any objective measure, this has been a HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL season. CJP has revived the program and the Thrillerdome from the dead.

Everyone needs to remember that his first few years were a rebuilding job and he pretty much had a pass. No one expected us to be competitive at this stage.

 

[BigDaddyBuzz]

To say we aren't getting a bid is crap. We still have a chance. 4-1 is possible. 3-2 with a win in acc is very possible. Either scenario could get us in.
For Saturday we need Miami to beat Clemson and Duke to beat Wake. Of course Sunday at home is a MUST win!

 

[Ramblingon]

I'm wondering if the NIT isn't the best finish for this team this season. Of course I want to see us make it to the dance, maybe more than anything since we haven't been there in so long. But our NIT chances of advancing are better and more post season play would help these guys down the road. Either way this is an accomplishment no one expected and I hope CJP gets ACC coach of the year.

 

[Peacone36]

We are about the biggest darlings in CBB right now. If we get to 18 wins with a W in Brooklyn I think we are in really good shape. Our tournament starts Sunday. Survive and advance. We lose Sunday I think we are done barring a deep run in the tourney.

 

[orientalnc]

We are about the biggest darlings in CBB right now. If we get to 18 wins with a W in Brooklyn I think we are in really good shape. Our tournament starts Sunday. Survive and advance. We lose Sunday I think we are done barring a deep run in the tourney.

Winning at home is a must right now.

 

[RamblinCharger]

I'm wondering if the NIT isn't the best finish for this team this season. Of course I want to see us make it to the dance, maybe more than anything since we haven't been there in so long. But our NIT chances of advancing are better and more post season play would help these guys down the road. Either way this is an accomplishment no one expected and I hope CJP gets ACC coach of the year.

Would you rather play and lose in the college football playoff or win the Russell Athletic bowl. That's about the difference in quality. The NIT sucks. Let's go dance. Probably have to go 4-1 from here on out to get in, but 3-2 and we have a shot if we win 2 in the ACCT.

 

[jeffgt14]

Funny how we go from saying we think we can get in after a win to we’re just an NIT team after a loss. Were some of you that confident we were going to beat Miami? I’m actually shocked we held them to only 70. I just didn’t see another road win coming but I think we can make the tourney if we can stay where we’re at. Win out at home and keep the #10 seed. Don’t go forward or backward because getting a bye in the 1st round will only hurt us. We get a very winnable tourney game against BC, and likely a 2nd round matchup against a beatable VT team. That should guarantee us in. We may even make it with just the first round win.

 

[RamblinRed]

I've felt like this team was likely to come up short of an NCAA bid - heck the NIT is no lock at all, but I am enjoying the ride and the door isn't quite shut yet.

But I would love to see it happen and think it can, it's just not likely. All you can do is keep playing hard, execute to the best of your ability and let the chips fall.

But no one should be disappointed with the season as a whole. It has given life and hope for the future and that is an important outcome all its own.

 

[Techster]

I want the Dance...BAD. The Tourney is much more fun when GT is on the brackets. NIT is still a good season for us.

That said, no matter how things end up, we're still in "house money" territory.

Let's go Dancing!

 

[RyanS12]

Funny how we go from saying we think we can get in after a win to we’re just an NIT team after a loss. Were some of you that confident we were going to beat Miami? I’m actually shocked we held them to only 70. I just didn’t see another road win coming but I think we can make the tourney if we can stay where we’re at. Win out at home and keep the #10 seed. Don’t go forward or backward because getting a bye in the 1st round will only hurt us. We get a very winnable tourney game against BC, and likely a 2nd round matchup against a beatable VT team. That should guarantee us in. We may even make it with just the first round win.

Thats the best scenario I think. If we finish 9-9 and get the 10 seed that sets up as the easiest way to get 2 wins in Brooklyn. 9-9 and 2 wins in the conference tourney would be to much to keep us out. If that's the way it plays out I think we land in Dayton playing for an 11 seed.

 

[BigDaddyBuzz]

Can't stress how important Sunday is. Glad it's sold out and should be a big GT crowd. A win there could give us the confidence needed to try and steal a road win.

 

[mstranahan]

ACC is starting to work itself out a little.
Syracuse probably has to go 3-1 with 2 against GT, Duke at home, L'ville on road.
Wake probably needs to go 3-1 against @Duke, Pitt and L'ville at home and @VT.
Clemson also likely needs to go 4-1 (they might survive 3-2 but I wouldn't bet on it) - they have @Miami, @VT, FSU, NCST, VT.

Based solely on schedule, I think Syracuse and Wake are in trouble. Barring a couple of big upsets and/or a run in the ACCT, I think they're both in NIT. Cuse may get a nod based on brand name alone, but the NCAA is still mad at them about the scandal and may keep them out of the tourney to spite them

Clemson has a rough road but they could win 4 of their last 5. FSU is their toughest game, but it's in Littlejohn and FSU has been fading