Is a 4 seed likely if we win the BTT?

[CatManTrue]

This team is peaking at the right time. If we win two more over Wisconsin and Minnesota / Michigan to win the tournament, we'd finish 25-10 with a power tournament championship, a number of quality wins, and no bad losses.

Is there any chance we'd land a 4 seed, or is that out of reach given our double-digit losses and the general anti-Big Ten sentiment this year? And now that we're locks: How much cooler would it be to earn a 4 seed in our first trip, rather than a 7-10 slot and a second round matchup against a 1 / 2 seed?

 

[Kelly_32]

I think we might have a 7 seed locked up right now.

 

[hollandnucat]

I think the very best we could hope for would be a 6 seed.

 

[Wrestlerneverdiesasacatfan]

Five seed may work! If Benson was a sophomore, four or three seed!

 

[olshin]

Not sure Benson's age matters.

No chance at a 5.

6 would be a stretch even if we win. I think we're an 8 at this point unless we get to the final.

 

[GABoilermakers]

I think 6 or 7 seed are possibilities if we beat Wisconsin ... probably depends on if it's Michigan or Minnesota on Sunday.

Loss to Wisconsin probably cements the Cats on the 8/9 line.

looking and playing like a 4 or 5 seed right now

 

[hdhntr1]

If we win two more over Wisconsin and Minnesota / Michigan to win the tournament, we'd finish 25-10 with a power tournament championship, a number of quality wins, and no bad losses.

Is there any chance we'd land a 4 seed, or is that out of reach given our double-digit losses and the general anti-Big Ten sentiment this year? And now that we're locks: How much cooler would it be to earn a 4 seed in our first trip, rather than a 7-10 slot and a second round matchup against a 1 / 2 seed?

no

 

[chicagocatfan24]

Watch us get a 5 seed and lose to a 12 seed that goes on to the elite 8, because northwestern

 

[CatManTrue]

Watch us get a 5 seed and lose to a 12 seed that goes on to the elite 8, because northwestern

Excuse me sir: Northwestern beats quality BB opponents on the regular and is in the BTT semis, and our football team wins bowl games (plural). That was the old "because northwestern", before the Cubs and Cavs won championships. 2017 is the start of a new generation.

I think a 5 is very possible if we win the BTT, although I haven't been tracking other ranked teams in their conference tournaments to see who's fallen early (other than Purdue). I was hoping for a 4 to avoid the popular 12-over-5 upsets, but will be happy wherever they place us.

If we beat Wiscy and lose a close one in the finals, a 6 is possible but a 7 is more likely.

If we lose to Wiscy, I agree that we're locked in as a 8/9 thanks to the win over Maryland.

 

[FeliSilvestris]

I think a 5 is very possible if we win the BTT, although I haven't been tracking other ranked teams in their conference tournaments to see who's fallen early (other than Purdue). I was hoping for a 4 to avoid the popular 12-over-5 upsets, but will be happy wherever they place us.

If we beat Wiscy and lose a close one in the finals, a 6 is possible but a 7 is more likely.

If we lose to Wiscy, I agree that we're locked in as a 8/9 thanks to the win over Maryland.

Wiscy and Mary were ranked about #24 each. If NU beats Wiscy it would have beaten both in succession. A strong case can be made NU should then take their spot as roughly #24 in the country. This means a #6 seed. A #5 seed would mean NU is top 20. That case is harder to make because NU would NOT have beat the only top 20 team that the B1G has, wich is Purdue.

 

[olshin]

Feli is right, although the NCAA committee does not give THAT much credence to the conference tournament to move NU all the way up to the 6 seed. Just historically it does not. They've played like an 8/9 seed all year, but I could see up to a 7 possibly with a win today. Still not enough wins over top teams to get above that. Maryland was a 7 seed in most brackets. Wisconsin maybe is a 6. The best "rated" teams in the B1G were on the other side of the bracket. And the best "rated" team lost yesterday.

Not sure that if you look at our ENTIRE season, as the committee does, we're a Top 24 team. So I don't see us getting into the Top 6. I do see us as a Top 32, so a 7 or 8 seems right, depending how the next 2 days go.

 

[D_C_B]

I think the very best we could hope for would be a 6 seed.

A six seed means 21st to 24th in the nation. We win this tournament and we are certainly better than that.

 

[FeliSilvestris]

A six seed means 21st to 24th in the nation. We win this tournament and we are certainly better than that.

If NU wins the BTT a top 24 ranking is defendible. The thing is that the B1G is very lightly regarded this season, as indicated by the fact that the conference has no one in the top 10, its ONLY top 20 team lost early in the BTT, and one of its remaining 2 top 25 is no longer so, thanks to NU's win. If NU beat Wiscy they'll be out of the top 25 also (they are barely in). But if NU then loses in the final, it may fail to crack the top 24. It also depends on how others top-30 teams do elsewhere, obviously.
Bottom line, a #6 seed is the best case scenario for NU, requiring minimum reaching the finals.

 

[Eurocat]

I find it hard to believe that the winner of the Big ten tournament (and we have won nothing yet except some well fought games, so let's not get ahead of ourselves), would not be ranked higher than 6. I mean, hello, we would have won the Big Ten tournament! Power conference champs!

 

[willycat]

Watch us get a 5 seed and lose to a 12 seed that goes on to the elite 8, because northwestern

Hey it's ok to be happy. NU is IN the "Tournament"! Two wins away from becoming the BTT Champs. Also they are on a roll. Bring on seed #12 or #1!

 

[D_C_B]

If NU wins the BTT a top 24 ranking is defendible. The thing is that the B1G is very lightly regarded this season, as indicated by the fact that the conference has no one in the top 10, its ONLY top 20 team lost early in the BTT, and one of its remaining 2 top 25 is no longer so, thanks to NU's win. If NU beat Wiscy they'll be out of the top 25 also (they are barely in). But if NU then loses in the final, it may fail to crack the top 24. It also depends on how others top-30 teams do elsewhere, obviously.
Bottom line, a #6 seed is the best case scenario for NU, requiring minimum reaching the finals.

Just so sick of this crap. Nothing but constant negativity. You guaranteeing nothing better than a 6 seed if we win guarantees one thing: We will get something better than a 6 seed if we win!!

You are ALWAYS wrong. Always.

You're the same mope who was saying a few games ago that the odds of winning a game on an offensive putback on a shot that hits the rim with 2 seconds left in the game are worse than the odds of a Hail Mary pass success. What a joke.

Just go away.

 

[olshin]

Just so sick of this crap. Nothing but constant negativity. You guaranteeing nothing better than a 6 seed if we win guarantees one thing: We will get something better than a 6 seed if we win!!

You are ALWAYS wrong. Always.

You're the same mope who was saying a few games ago that the odds of winning a game on an offensive putback on a shot that hits the rim with 2 seconds left in the game are worse than the odds of a Hail Mary pass success. What a joke.

Just go away.

Sorry man ... I agree with most of your piling on of Feli ...... but he's 1,000 percent right here. They look at the whole season, they DONT overvalue the conference tournaments and never have. We just don't have a Top 20 resume because we have one great weekend. It isn't negative to say we're not a Top 20 team for the entire season. It's accurate.

There's TONS of reasons to pick on Feli -- but this isn't one of them.

 

[CatManTrue]

They look at the whole season, they DONT overvalue the conference tournaments and never have. We just don't have a Top 20 resume because we have one great weekend. It isn't negative to say we're not a Top 20 team for the entire season. It's accurate.

As a poster on another thread said, several of our losses came when Scotty was hurt. Supposedly the committee takes key injuries into consideration.

Two losses were last second ones to Notre Dame and Butler, both likely to be at least 4/5 seeds.

If you consider those two points, a potential 25-10 record looks a lot better when it comes to seeding.

We've gotta beat Wisconsin first!

 

[olshin]

A six seed means 21st to 24th in the nation. We win this tournament and we are certainly better than that.

THIS WEEKEND, maybe. The entire season, no. We WERENT the best team in the B1G over 18 games, that's going to be more important to the committee. Rightly or wrongly, that's what they consider.

Do we deserve a Top 20 spot based on how we're playing now. You could make an argument.

But is that going to be our seed for the entire year? N

As a poster on another thread said, several of our losses came when Scotty was hurt. Supposedly the committee takes key injuries into consideration.

Two losses were last second ones to Notre Dame and Butler, both likely to be at least 4/5 seeds.

If you consider those two points, a potential 25-10 record looks a lot better when it comes to seeding.

We've gotta beat Wisconsin first!

I think I said that. I know I said that to someone else, anyway.

I believe the committee only takes key injuries into consideration for qualification, not seeding. Sounds silly right? But I believe I've heard that before from people who know more than I do.

Anyway, I think we're quibbling about minor details here, at least in my opinion. I'm enjoying this for what it is -- and what it hopefully will be.

 

[rwhitney014]

A 4/5 seed is not going to happen. The argument, if there is one, for a 6 seed requires winning the BTT and then having the committee work back to 2/1, when we were 25th, on a long winning streak, and suddenly without Lindsey (and Tap that night too, but that won't move the needle). As we know, we hit the skids for a while and lost some games. But now Lindsey's back and, more importantly, playing at the level he was at before the illness. They do take into account injuries to key players and convalescence periods even when they're back, just so long as the team rises back to the standard it was at prior to the absence.

So, if we were 25th in the country, then get back to full health and win the BTT, that would be enough wins in number and quality to move us up to the 21-24 line, which is a 6. Either way, winning the BTT should bag us a 7 and a chance at Indy (PLEASE!!!). Winning today might even do it because we'd have taken out the 2 and 3 seeds in the tournament.

As an aside, it'd be better if Minnesota could come back on Michigan here, since we're fairly even with the Wolverines. But I don't know that Minnesota, minus Springs, is going to be able to do it. They're really thin without him, only playing 6 guys so far today, and he was their best 3-point shooter. Tough injury for them going into the Tournament.

tl;dr: Just win, baby.

Edit/update: Nice run, Gophs. To quote Rachel Green in the apartment bet challenge, this just got interesting.

 

[SmellyCat]

I think fans need to be prepared for the fact that the final seed might be disappointing. I could even still see a 10th seed at this point if the committee both discounts the Big 10 and discounts NU in general, as unlikely as that is. Keep in mind that there could be other Big 10 teams in the 8-9 slot and it'll be a bit crowded there. I think that's all stupid, and think the team is closer to a 7 than a 10, but the committee has been known for some head-scratchers over the years.

 

[olshin]

Let's hope they were too busy deliberating to watch the first half.

I still see an 8-9 game. I still see us being ranked between 29-36, which is completely fair.

 

[willycat]

A 4/5 seed is not going to happen. The argument, if there is one, for a 6 seed requires winning the BTT and then having the committee work back to 2/1, when we were 25th, on a long winning streak, and suddenly without Lindsey (and Tap that night too, but that won't move the needle). As we know, we hit the skids for a while and lost some games. But now Lindsey's back and, more importantly, playing at the level he was at before the illness. They do take into account injuries to key players and convalescence periods even when they're back, just so long as the team rises back to the standard it was at prior to the absence.

So, if we were 25th in the country, then get back to full health and win the BTT, that would be enough wins in number and quality to move us up to the 21-24 line, which is a 6. Either way, winning the BTT should bag us a 7 and a chance at Indy (PLEASE!!!). Winning today might even do it because we'd have taken out the 2 and 3 seeds in the tournament.

As an aside, it'd be better if Minnesota could come back on Michigan here, since we're fairly even with the Wolverines. But I don't know that Minnesota, minus Springs, is going to be able to do it. They're really thin without him, only playing 6 guys so far today, and he was their best 3-point shooter. Tough injury for them going into the Tournament.

tl;dr: Just win, baby

Edit/update: Nice run, Gophs. To quote Rachel Green in the apartment bet challenge, this just got interesting.

OK if the conference games are more important, then why play 3 or 4 needless games? Answer, MONEY and none of it goes to the kids.

 

[phatcat]

Moot point. We got clobbered today. Oh well, rest guys.

 

[CatManTrue]

Let's hope they were too busy deliberating to watch the first half.

I still see an 8-9 game. I still see us being ranked between 29-36, which is completely fair.

Yep, that was a fun day dream while it lasted. Following a big loss to Wisconsin, an 8/9 seed looks more likely. And I wouldn't be shocked if we get jobbed with a 10 (or 11).

 

[olshin]

Yep, that was a fun day dream while it lasted. Following a big loss to Wisconsin, an 8/9 seed looks more likely. And I wouldn't be shocked if we get jobbed with a 10 (or 11).

An 11 would be a TOTAL job. A 10 would be a bit low, but not the most surprising. It felt like a 10 seed most of February, then the Michigan, Purdue, MD games convinced me otherwise. I feel like the 8/9 game just feels right.

And feels damn good TBH