ADVERTISEMENT

Chase for Double Bye and NCAA Bid - Rooting Interests

G

GeorgiaCat

Well-Known Member
Sep 23, 2001
346
181
43
Goes without saying... Keep winning and the following is mostly irrelevant. Beat Illinois.

However, regarding NU's resume (and chase for double bye) we need to root for Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin.

1) OSU's NET ranking is 68 and likely to drop further. My projection is they will only win one more game in regular season. If they drop below 75 we will have a Quad 3 loss. And lose a Quad 1 win. Also, OSU plays Illinois, Maryland and Michigan State, which could help with chase for double bye.

2) Next in line is rooting for Michigan. They are at 65. My projection is they will only win one more game. That could drop them below 75 as well, which would be another Quad 3 loss. Also, Michigan plays Rutgers, Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, which could help with chase for double bye.

3) Finally, Wisconsin is 76. Moving to 75 or above shifts current Q2 and Q3 wins to Q1 and Q2 wins. Also, Wisconsin plays Iowa, Michigan and Purdue, which could help with chase for double bye.
 
  • Like
Reactions: loyolacat, Hungry Jack and ricko654321
I think this thread will be really interesting to keep going in the next couple of weeks. Thanks for starting it.

Your reasons are sound, but I want to Michigan to lose at least one more, only because they have the tiebreaker over NU and could catch us if we don't look out. If they go 3-1 with a loss to Wisconsin, that may help NU for all the other reasons you mention, but NU would need to go at least 2-2 to stay ahead of them. The way NU is playing right now, I think they can go 4-0, but to be reasonable, some of those road games will be tough. Beat Illinois and I'll change my tune!

Also, last I heard the Michigan State-Minnesota rescheduled game might get thrown in during the last week of the season, forcing Rutgers-Minnesota to be moved and for MSU and Rutgers to both play three games in five days (with NU being the last game in that run for Rutgers), so I kinda like that.
 
The game I am looking at is Purdue vs. Indiana this weekend. If we beat Illinois, then I will root for Indiana because we have a chance at catching Purdue, but if we lose to Illinois that kind of goes out the window, so I will cheer for Purdue to help keep us ahead of IU.
I hate that we have to root for OSU, not just because it sucks to root for OSU, but also because they are the one team in the conference that really seems to have given up on the season.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Eurocat, Sec.112, No Chores and 1 other person
SmellyCat said:
I think this thread will be really interesting to keep going in the next couple of weeks. Thanks for starting it.

Your reasons are sound, but I want to Michigan to lose at least one more, only because they have the tiebreaker over NU and could catch us if we don't look out. If they go 3-1 with a loss to Wisconsin, that may help NU for all the other reasons you mention, but NU would need to go at least 2-2 to stay ahead of them. The way NU is playing right now, I think they can go 4-0, but to be reasonable, some of those road games will be tough. Beat Illinois and I'll change my tune!

Also, last I heard the Michigan State-Minnesota rescheduled game might get thrown in during the last week of the season, forcing Rutgers-Minnesota to be moved and for MSU and Rutgers to both play three games in five days (with NU being the last game in that run for Rutgers), so I kinda like that.
Click to expand...
I don’t follow how moving the Rutgers game to accommodate MSU/Minnesota creates the 3 games in 5 days scenario to our benefit. From what I have read, Rutgers/Minnesota would move forward two days. Rutgers would have three game in six days (Michigan, Penn State and then Minnesota). Then extra time before finishing with NU. As is, Rutgers has two days off before playing us. If Minnesota game got moved forward then Rutgers has four days off.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Styre
GeorgiaCat said:
I don’t follow how moving the Rutgers game to accommodate MSU/Minnesota creates the 3 games in 5 days scenario to our benefit. From what I have read, Rutgers/Minnesota would move forward two days. Rutgers would have three game in six days (Michigan, Penn State and then Minnesota). Then extra time before finishing with NU. As is, Rutgers has two days off before playing us. If Minnesota game got moved forward then Rutgers has four days off.
Click to expand...
You may be right - I might have misread it. I thought Rutgers had to move their game with into a small window before the NU game, but like I said, I probably misread it.
 
I prefer to root against the teams these guys are playing. I can't root for OSU, it's just not happening. But I was pretty happy that Illinois and Maryland lost over the weekend.
 
  • Like
Reactions: No Chores
Omar never rooted for nobody. He just came at you.

As I don't think I am physically able to root for IU, I just hope we continue to be Omar.

The Wire Omar GIF
 
  • Like
Reactions: Purple Pile Driver and drewjin
This season is absolutely crazy.
After the Michigan loss, it would have surprised nobody here to see the losing streak get to nine.

L at Iowa
L v Mich
At Wisco
At OSU
v Purdue
v IU
v Iowa
at Illinois
at Maryland
v PSU (expected W)
At Rutgers

That instead NU has done the opposite, and reeled off five wins in a row, remains shocking.

I’m cheering for whatever it takes to win the conference outright, and I’m assuming NU won’t lose again.

My goal is a banner earned the first week of March, and another the second weekend of March. Bring it on.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Eurocat, Alaskawildkat, PURPLECAT88 and 1 other person
GatoLouco said:
IU is 2.5 pts underdog tonight. Yet, 52.2% chance of winning.

As of now we are given a 22.2% of winning @ IL. Keep doubting us suckers.

The Wire Omar GIF
Click to expand...
It's all in the game.

Funny you mention Omar, because for a long time when I looked at Chase Audige, I felt he looked very familiar, and I couldn't place it. Then I realized, he looks a lot like Kenard, who (no spoilers for the best show of all time) had a specific relationship with Omar.

The funny thing is Kenard will always be a little kid to me, but I guess the actor who played him (Thuliso Dingwall) is OLDER than Chase Audige now.
 
NUCat320 said:
This season is absolutely crazy.
After the Michigan loss, it would have surprised nobody here to see the losing streak get to eight.

L at Iowa
L v Mich
At Wisco
At OSU
v Purdue
v IU
v Iowa
at Illinois
at Maryland
v PSU (expected W)
At Rutgers

That instead NU has done the opposite, and reeled off five wins in a row, remains shocking.

I’m cheering for whatever it takes to win the conference outright, and I’m assuming NU won’t lose again.

My goal is a banner earned the first week of March, and another the second weekend of March. Bring it on.
Click to expand...
A 9 game losing streak almost look guaranteed after that Michigan loss. This really has been amazing.
 
TheC said:
A 9 game losing streak almost look guaranteed after that Michigan loss. This really has been amazing.
Click to expand...
Really? "9 game losing streak" was not on my radar. We are better than Wisconsin and had already beaten both Indiana and illinois like a drum. Ohio State was playing like crap.

Your scars must be a lot deeper than mine!
 
SmellyCat said:
It's all in the game.

Funny you mention Omar, because for a long time when I looked at Chase Audige, I felt he looked very familiar, and I couldn't place it. Then I realized, he looks a lot like Kenard, who (no spoilers for the best show of all time) had a specific relationship with Omar.

The funny thing is Kenard will always be a little kid to me, but I guess the actor who played him (Thuliso Dingwall) is OLDER than Chase Audige now.
Click to expand...
Ok - what show are y’all referring to?
 
GeorgiaCat said:
Goes without saying... Keep winning and the following is mostly irrelevant. Beat Illinois.

However, regarding NU's resume (and chase for double bye) we need to root for Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin.

1) OSU's NET ranking is 68 and likely to drop further. My projection is they will only win one more game in regular season. If they drop below 75 we will have a Quad 3 loss. And lose a Quad 1 win. Also, OSU plays Illinois, Maryland and Michigan State, which could help with chase for double bye.

2) Next in line is rooting for Michigan. They are at 65. My projection is they will only win one more game. That could drop them below 75 as well, which would be another Quad 3 loss. Also, Michigan plays Rutgers, Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, which could help with chase for double bye.

3) Finally, Wisconsin is 76. Moving to 75 or above shifts current Q2 and Q3 wins to Q1 and Q2 wins. Also, Wisconsin plays Iowa, Michigan and Purdue, which could help with chase for double bye.
Click to expand...
Agreed with all those three. Illinois is up there in the top teams we want to cheer for also - they are 31 in the NET right now so our home W has fallen just outside a quad 1 win, and very soon we will have played them twice (as we have for the other 3 you flag above also). Illinois (31) and Wisconsin (78) are the most cuspy right now for our quad win categorizations, it's less likely Mich and OSU (predictive metrics are finally falling but still like them for whatever reason) fall although OSU I'd caveat that bc they are in a tailspin right now. I would say IL, Wisconsin, OSU (64), Mich (62) in that order are the teams we want to cheer for most down the stretch. Then Liberty (46) to stay inside top 50 as a neutral site win. After that comes the other B1G teams that we have or will play twice - Indiana (18), Rutgers (28, but we didn't beat them at home and road W would be Q1 regardless), Iowa (41). And then Purdue (5) just so that stays as a landmark victory... though that's dubious depending on if you care more about B1G conference standings / BTT seeding outcomes vs NCAA Tournament resume outcomes.

PS- While I put them atop the list, keep in mind that we don't want to cheer for Illinois this Thursday night, just the rest of the way after that. Go Cats!
 
phatcat said:
Doesn't it feel like each time the Cats win a big game, the next game looms as the most important game of the season? Gotta beat ILL.
Click to expand...
I dunno, I actually feel like there is less pressure on the team now after the 5 game win streak and with us going on the road to be underdogs @IL and @MD the next two. We aren't expected to win these (granted we were underdogs each of the last 4, but I felt there was more pressure on those games than these. That's not to say that the stakes are lower though - this is our in-state rival and every game the rest of the way is huge for seeding and conference standing. Along with the increasing attention. Just that expectations for these two are a bit lower than the last few IMO. Hope that means the boys play free, fly around, and have fun rather than come out with less energy.

The higher up the flagpole, the windier it gets.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IGNORE2 and NUCats
ricko654321 said:
I dunno, I actually feel like there is less pressure on the team now after the 5 game win streak and with us going on the road to be underdogs @IL and @MD the next two. We aren't expected to win these (granted we were underdogs each of the last 4, but I felt there was more pressure on those games than these. That's not to say that the stakes are lower though - this is our in-state rival and every game the rest of the way is huge for seeding and conference standing. Along with the increasing attention. Just that expectations for these two are a bit lower than the last few IMO. Hope that means the boys play free, fly around, and have fun rather than come out with less energy.

The higher up the flagpole, the windier it gets.
Click to expand...
I think that, with their success, they've set expectations (of others) higher. I thought they'd have a losing season. Now they are trying to win the conference, which is like 1995 unbelievable. Especially after losing Nance and Young. Who would have expected this?
 
  • Like
Reactions: NUCats, Hungry Jack and ubercat
Collins was quoted as saying the ‘Cats are now “playing with house money” during a recent game. At this point, I’d be surprised if they are feeling a ton of pressure. I’m not saying they’ll win, but playing loose and With the intensity they’ve shown recently is a very good thing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IGNORE2
The more you win the more expectations rise! Wouldn't want it any other way. Every game NU wins the next win means that much more as they are improving seeds in BIG tournament and more importantly NCAA. We need to reach Sweet 16 or more. Every win is a step closer.
 
ricko654321 said:
I dunno, I actually feel like there is less pressure on the team now after the 5 game win streak and with us going on the road to be underdogs @IL and @MD the next two. We aren't expected to win these (granted we were underdogs each of the last 4, but I felt there was more pressure on those games than these. That's not to say that the stakes are lower though - this is our in-state rival and every game the rest of the way is huge for seeding and conference standing. Along with the increasing attention. Just that expectations for these two are a bit lower than the last few IMO. Hope that means the boys play free, fly around, and have fun rather than come out with less energy.

The higher up the flagpole, the windier it gets.
Click to expand...
We have played well on the road all year. We have had 3 days between games so practice and rest not an issue. Really depends if uber talented IL of disfunctional IL shows up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M

Northwestern prepares for Big Ten Tournament with double-bye in hand

Replies
2
Views
246
Wildcat Basketball Board
Figrating
F
SmellyCat

Separation Saturday

Replies
38
Views
1K
Wildcat Basketball Board
CappyNU
C
C

How we make the double bye

Replies
5
Views
842
Wildcat Basketball Board
SmellyCat
SmellyCat
M

Game Thread: Northwestern vs. Iowa (Billy McKinney Night)

Replies
123
Views
2K
Wildcat Basketball Board
Hungry Jack
Hungry Jack
SmellyCat

How big is the bubble? Or: Why we are safe (2024 version)

Replies
16
Views
1K
Wildcat Basketball Board
Purple Pile Driver
Purple Pile Driver
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT
Top Bottom
Back