I’m glad the Cats are seeded second, but I hate the B1G tournament

[eastbaycat99]

I really hope the Cats win the conference tournament this year. Having said that, I hate the conference tournament. The regular season is grueling, and being the top team in the conference means something. The players should have a chance to rest and regroup before the NCAA’s. Instead, they have to work their asses off in a 3 to 5 day exhibition that is basically made for TV revenue. The winner (awarded the conference’s automatic NCAA berth) is for all practical purposes a team that would have already gotten invited. Personally, I lose track after the Cats are eliminated, and often don’t know who won until the selection show on Sunday, and then only because I look up the results during the commercials.
A long time ago, before the extension of multiple bids to the tournament, the ACC tournament was a real event (one I viewed as insane but entertaining). When networks and smaller conferences realized the ACC was getting all the final week of the season viewership, every conference began to launch its own, and eventually the B1G wanted a piece of the pie and started one. To me it is pretty much meaningless. This year is different for NU since the Cats are the 2 seed, but even if they win the tournament, which I would enjoy, the accomplishment of finishing 2nd in the real season, and however they do in the NCAA’s is what I will remember from this year. I would rather they played two more regular conference games, balancing the schedule a little more, rather than this.

Go Cats, but wow, the conference tournament to me is a meaningless waste of energy.

 

[SmellyCat]

Counterpoint: No.

Yes, it's true, we don't usually remember these tournaments, most likely because our team never goes very far. I know NU blew out somebody (Rutgers?) in 2017, but I don't remember the details. Other than that, my only memory of the tourney is the 2020 tourney getting called off right after NU embarrassed itself.

I for one want to watch every game in the tourney this year. I can't get enough of the Big Ten this season. Maybe if NU loses Friday night I won't be as interested, but so many of the regular-season games have been so fun, that I want MOAR.

 

[EagerFan]

Yeah I dunno, I kinda like the tournament thingy. It's a last chance for a team that's had a rough year to make a big push and maybe get into the Madness. For some reason, I tend to root for underdog teams and cinderella stories and stuff.

 

[Fighter of the Nightman]

The BTT is tactically pointless and dumb … but that doesn’t change the fact it’s a lot of fun for us fans!

 

[NUCat320]

I’m more excited for the BTT than for the NCAA. The opportunity to hang a banner is super, super cool. (This will change after this weekend.)
ACC started in the 50s. SEC in the 30s, and continuously since 79. Big East continuously since 1980. Southwest Conference started in 1976, and Big Eight in 1977 (prior to Big 12).

Big Ten and PAC 10 were the no-fun holdouts. What’s wrong with more fun?

 

[Sec.112]

I really hope the Cats win the conference tournament this year. Having said that, I hate the conference tournament. The regular season is grueling, and being the top team in the conference means something. The players should have a chance to rest and regroup before the NCAA’s. Instead, they have to work their asses off in a 3 to 5 day exhibition that is basically made for TV revenue. The winner (awarded the conference’s automatic NCAA berth) is for all practical purposes a team that would have already gotten invited. Personally, I lose track after the Cats are eliminated, and often don’t know who won until the selection show on Sunday, and then only because I look up the results during the commercials.
A long time ago, before the extension of multiple bids to the tournament, the ACC tournament was a real event (one I viewed as insane but entertaining). When networks and smaller conferences realized the ACC was getting all the final week of the season viewership, every conference began to launch its own, and eventually the B1G wanted a piece of the pie and started one. To me it is pretty much meaningless. This year is different for NU since the Cats are the 2 seed, but even if they win the tournament, which I would enjoy, the accomplishment of finishing 2nd in the real season, and however they do in the NCAA’s is what I will remember from this year. I would rather they played two more regular conference games, balancing the schedule a little more, rather than this.

Go Cats, but wow, the conference tournament to me is a meaningless waste of energy.

I'm somewhat in the ballpark with you, EBC.

From the standpoint of an NCAA tourney bracket, I'm not a huge fan of middle-of-the-road teams who pull an upset, win their tourney on Sunday, then need to play in the NCAAs on Thursday. Yes, there's obviously examples of teams who haven't had a problem with it. It's just a personal thing when looking for upsets.

With that in mind, my preference is to watch the Cats win on Friday, lose in a close one on Saturday and go home and get ready on Sunday

 

[freewillie07]

I'm somewhat in the ballpark with you, EBC.

From the standpoint of an NCAA tourney bracket, I'm not a huge fan of middle-of-the-road teams who pull an upset, win their tourney on Sunday, then need to play in the NCAAs on Thursday. Yes, there's obviously examples of teams who haven't had a problem with it. It's just a personal thing when looking for upsets.

With that in mind, my preference is to watch the Cats win on Friday, lose in a close one on Saturday and go home and get ready on Sunday

I'm sorry, your preference is for NU to NOT win the Big Ten Tournament??? Don't you think that would, um, be a really awesome accomplishment that by the way has never been done before in program history???

 

[Deeringfish]

I really hope the Cats win the conference tournament this year. Having said that, I hate the conference tournament. The regular season is grueling, and being the top team in the conference means something. The players should have a chance to rest and regroup before the NCAA’s. Instead, they have to work their asses off in a 3 to 5 day exhibition that is basically made for TV revenue. The winner (awarded the conference’s automatic NCAA berth) is for all practical purposes a team that would have already gotten invited. Personally, I lose track after the Cats are eliminated, and often don’t know who won until the selection show on Sunday, and then only because I look up the results during the commercials.
A long time ago, before the extension of multiple bids to the tournament, the ACC tournament was a real event (one I viewed as insane but entertaining). When networks and smaller conferences realized the ACC was getting all the final week of the season viewership, every conference began to launch its own, and eventually the B1G wanted a piece of the pie and started one. To me it is pretty much meaningless. This year is different for NU since the Cats are the 2 seed, but even if they win the tournament, which I would enjoy, the accomplishment of finishing 2nd in the real season, and however they do in the NCAA’s is what I will remember from this year. I would rather they played two more regular conference games, balancing the schedule a little more, rather than this.

Go Cats, but wow, the conference tournament to me is a meaningless waste of energy.

The players should have a chance to rest and regroup before the NCAA’s. Instead, they have to work their asses off in a 3 to 5 day exhibition that is basically made for TV revenue.
This sums it up. It adds to TV revenue but wears the kids down before the tournament. It seems like all the conferences are doing it so Guess all the kids are evenly worn down.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

It’s a money grab. At least now it’s not with unpaid labor.

 

[Catreporter]

Even the Ivy League has finally caved to the season ending tournament. They were the last holdouts. Now they do a Final Four of their own, rotating the sites, which are on campus.

 

[phatcat]

I really hope the Cats win the conference tournament this year. Having said that, I hate the conference tournament. The regular season is grueling, and being the top team in the conference means something. The players should have a chance to rest and regroup before the NCAA’s. Instead, they have to work their asses off in a 3 to 5 day exhibition that is basically made for TV revenue. The winner (awarded the conference’s automatic NCAA berth) is for all practical purposes a team that would have already gotten invited. Personally, I lose track after the Cats are eliminated, and often don’t know who won until the selection show on Sunday, and then only because I look up the results during the commercials.
A long time ago, before the extension of multiple bids to the tournament, the ACC tournament was a real event (one I viewed as insane but entertaining). When networks and smaller conferences realized the ACC was getting all the final week of the season viewership, every conference began to launch its own, and eventually the B1G wanted a piece of the pie and started one. To me it is pretty much meaningless. This year is different for NU since the Cats are the 2 seed, but even if they win the tournament, which I would enjoy, the accomplishment of finishing 2nd in the real season, and however they do in the NCAA’s is what I will remember from this year. I would rather they played two more regular conference games, balancing the schedule a little more, rather than this.

Go Cats, but wow, the conference tournament to me is a meaningless waste of energy.

Thanks for the opportunity to rant. I am biased because the two teams that I follow, NU and Toledo, historically SUCK in their conference tourneys. Anyway, one one hand, P6 tourneys, at best, reshuffle seeds for NCAA. Maybe. At worst, they render the regular season meaningless.

For single bid conferences like the MAC. Toledo has won 15 games in a row and won the league league outright. Their reward? Three games in three days. Win all or stay home. For any team, winning three games in three days against the top half of your conference is, at best, a coin flip. I reckon they have about a 33% chance of winning all 3.

Conference tournaments are, and always have been, a money grab. They prove nothing. Why have the regular season?

 

[SmellyCat]

Thanks for the opportunity to rant. I am biased because the two teams that I follow, NU and Toledo, historically SUCK in their conference tourneys. Anyway, one one hand, P6 tourneys, at best, reshuffle seeds for NCAA. Maybe. At worst, they render the regular season meaningless.

For single bid conferences like the MAC. Toledo has won 15 games in a row and won the league league outright. Their reward? Three games in three days. Win all or stay home. For any team, winning three games in three days against the top half of your conference is, at best, a coin flip. I reckon they have about a 33% chance of winning all 3.

Conference tournaments are, and always have been, a money grab. They prove nothing. Why have the regular season?

I understand the pain. The way I envision it is the MAC tournament (and other one-bid-league tourneys) are just earlier rounds of the big tournament. I know Toledo would rather not see it that way, as if they lose the MAC tournament they don't get to play in the BIG DANCE. But if you took the 68-team bracket and pulled back a little bit, there is a mini-play-in for the 13th seed that includes all the MAC teams. All of them fighting for one 13th seed is kind of fun if you're just a hoops fan but don't really care about the MAC. If you care about the MAC or Toledo in particular, it can be excruciating (not to mention unfair).

So, yeah, money grab. And to benefit a larger fan base too I guess. I don't care about today's Miami-Toledo game unless I realize the stakes are huge, so maybe now I'll watch it.

 

[GatoLouco]

Thanks for the opportunity to rant. I am biased because the two teams that I follow, NU and Toledo, historically SUCK in their conference tourneys. Anyway, one one hand, P6 tourneys, at best, reshuffle seeds for NCAA. Maybe. At worst, they render the regular season meaningless.

For single bid conferences like the MAC. Toledo has won 15 games in a row and won the league league outright. Their reward? Three games in three days. Win all or stay home. For any team, winning three games in three days against the top half of your conference is, at best, a coin flip. I reckon they have about a 33% chance of winning all 3.

Conference tournaments are, and always have been, a money grab. They prove nothing. Why have the regular season?

What you are saying is 100% true. Could not agree more. And, yet, I love the conference tournaments. Because they are good games, condensed in a short period of time. Upsets, etc. It's a guilty pleasure that, at the end, leaves a bad taste in my mouth, because I don't think any conference winner should be left out.

 

[NUCat320]

What you are saying is 100% true. Could not agree more. And, yet, I love the conference tournaments. Because they are good games, condensed in a short period of time. Upsets, etc. It's a guilty pleasure that, at the end, leaves a bad taste in my mouth, because I don't think any conference winner should be left out.

The NIT rule was a nice change, though who knows how much consolation the ‘Not Invited Tournament’ is.

(NU hasn’t had to worry about the NIT between grown-up tournament visits.)

 

[Sec.112]

... Three games in three days. Win all or stay home ...

Poor Bradley.

I can understand you. It's one of many reasons I'd like to see just a bit less emphasis on big conference bids. Joe Lunardi has 17 teams dancing in the B10 and B12 alone. Recent performances by St. Peter's, Loyola and Oral Roberts demonstrate pretty clearly we don't have a clear understanding of the difference between big conference teams and the mid-majors ... not to mention the increasing, systematic disadvantages of mid-majors. Leave home Penn State, Oklahoma State and probably more. They had more than enough chances to make their case throughout the year, and they will be nowhere to be found on the second weekend.

 

[GatoLouco]

Poor Bradley.

I can understand you. It's one of many reasons I'd like to see just a bit less emphasis on big conference bids. Joe Lunardi has 17 teams dancing in the B10 and B12 alone. Recent performances by St. Peter's, Loyola and Oral Roberts demonstrate pretty clearly we don't have a clear understanding of the difference between big conference teams and the mid-majors ... not to mention the increasing, systematic disadvantages of mid-majors. Leave home Penn State, Oklahoma State and probably more. They had more than enough chances to make their case throughout the year, and they will be nowhere to be found on the second weekend.

What really should make us, fans, sad is that leaving out some of the best teams in the mid majors is bound to produce less shocking upsets. While at large fans love upsets, they don't generate as much revenue as West Virginia's fan base being engaged.

It ends up with situations like this year where teams like VCU or North Texas, might not make it. Those are not even just teams with upset potential. Those are 100% very good teams.

Edit: North Texas did not win C-USA

 

[NUCat320]

Poor Bradley.

I can understand you. It's one of many reasons I'd like to see just a bit less emphasis on big conference bids. Joe Lunardi has 17 teams dancing in the B10 and B12 alone. Recent performances by St. Peter's, Loyola and Oral Roberts demonstrate pretty clearly we don't have a clear understanding of the difference between big conference teams and the mid-majors ... not to mention the increasing, systematic disadvantages of mid-majors. Leave home Penn State, Oklahoma State and probably more. They had more than enough chances to make their case throughout the year, and they will be nowhere to be found on the second weekend.

I think so too. Until yesterdays loss, Wisconsin had been in every consensus bracket. They might still make it. Nobody wants to see Wisconsin.

I do think a *mandatory* .500 (above .500?) conference record is reasonable.

That would leave out Ok State. Above would leave out Penn State and Rutgers.

 

[PURPLECAT88]

Nobody wants to see Wisconsin.

Truer words have rarely been spoken on this message board.

 

[SmellyCat]

What really should make us, fans, sad is that leaving out some of the best teams in the mid majors is bound to produce less shocking upsets. While at large fans love upsets, they don't generate as much revenue as West Virginia's fan base being engaged.

It ends up with situations like this year where teams like VCU or North Texas, might not make it. Those are not even just teams with upset potential. Those are 100% very good teams.

Even worse, some years the VCU or North Texas that makes it by the skin of their teeth ends up playing a Mid-Major in the first round in a 7 vs. 10 game or something. The REAL law should be first-round games should always be between a large-conference team and a one that isn't so large, whenever possible.

I don't need to see Oklahoma State play Kentucky in the first round, but Kentucky against VCU would be tons of fun!

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

Conference tournaments are, and always have been, a money grab. They prove nothing. Why have the regular season?

One thing about the conference tournaments is that when you are 12-8 in your mid-major conference and obviously not going to win the championship, it keeps the fans and players more engaged, looking to improve and make a geat run into the NCAA field. Otherwise the season is over early.

I definitely support ideas like "must be above 500 in conference play to qualify for NCAA field." To me thats a no-brainer. It really cheapens conference games when two teams are 10-9 in their conference and both are "safely in the NCAA field." To me thats borderline ridiculous. I can tell you with 99.9% certainty that Penn State is not one of the best teams in the country. I can't say that about VCU (although I've seen them play and they're probably not).

I could support "all regular season conference champs get into the NCAA" but isn't it the individual conferences that determine who gets their NCAA bid? (reg season champ vs conference tournament winner)

 

[NUCat320]

I could support "all regular season conference champs get into the NCAA" but isn't it the individual conferences that determine who gets their NCAA bid? (reg season champ vs conference tournament winner)

I believe the conferences *technically* determine who gets in. However, ESPN won’t pay them for a 90-game regular season, but will pay them for an eight-team tournament.

 

[JournCat]

Ohio State-Wisconsin last night was very entertaining at the end. My wife was making fun of me for yelling at the TV even though NU wasn't in the game. (For the record, it was at Connor Essegian for not shooting an open three near the end and instead dribbling the ball off his legs.)

 

[hdhntr1]

Thanks for the opportunity to rant. I am biased because the two teams that I follow, NU and Toledo, historically SUCK in their conference tourneys. Anyway, one one hand, P6 tourneys, at best, reshuffle seeds for NCAA. Maybe. At worst, they render the regular season meaningless.

For single bid conferences like the MAC. Toledo has won 15 games in a row and won the league league outright. Their reward? Three games in three days. Win all or stay home. For any team, winning three games in three days against the top half of your conference is, at best, a coin flip. I reckon they have about a 33% chance of winning all 3.

Conference tournaments are, and always have been, a money grab. They prove nothing. Why have the regular season?

For another money grab

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

I believe the conferences *technically* determine who gets in. However, ESPN won’t pay them for a 90-game regular season, but will pay them for an eight-team tournament.

If I were making that decision, I think I'd just take the top 8 teams (depending on the number of teams in the conference) and have them play the conference tournament.
Lower and mid-level teams would have something to play for throughout the late part of the season and you'd deny the bad teams an opportunity to steal a bid from the conference champ in many conferences.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

College basketball is about fun. Tournaments are fun, and they've built the entire sport around them.

Purdue still gets to hang a banner either way and NU will be the #2 finisher forever regardless.

Just enjoy it.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

College basketball is about fun. Tournaments are fun, and they've built the entire sport around them.

Purdue still gets to hang a banner either way and NU will be the #2 finisher forever regardless.

Just enjoy it.

Technical question... Aren't we tied for 2nd. I'm assuming the tiebreakers only apply for seeding the conference tournament. (whats the point of tiebreakers for 2nd place?)

 

[AdamOnFirst]

Technical question... Aren't we tied for 2nd. I'm assuming the tiebreakers only apply for seeding the conference tournament. (whats the point of tiebreakers for 2nd place?)

As far as I'm concerned the tiebreakers are for the standings in general and the BTT just uses the final standings to seed itself. THis is how it would work in every other sport. We finished #2!

 

[SmellyCat]

Thanks for the opportunity to rant. I am biased because the two teams that I follow, NU and Toledo, historically SUCK in their conference tourneys. Anyway, one one hand, P6 tourneys, at best, reshuffle seeds for NCAA. Maybe. At worst, they render the regular season meaningless.

For single bid conferences like the MAC. Toledo has won 15 games in a row and won the league league outright. Their reward? Three games in three days. Win all or stay home. For any team, winning three games in three days against the top half of your conference is, at best, a coin flip. I reckon they have about a 33% chance of winning all 3.

Conference tournaments are, and always have been, a money grab. They prove nothing. Why have the regular season?

I'm sorry about Toledo. I was rooting for them because of this post.

 

[phatcat]

I'm sorry about Toledo. I was rooting for them because of this post.

Toledo is a solid program. All time .580 win percentage. Last tourney was 1980. Always one team better in the MAC, and thats that

 

[Catreporter]

Last tourney was 1980.

That's a long dry spell, but of course, the Cats lasted from 1939 to 2017 so they have a ways to go.