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Basketball MBB Top 25 Polls & NET (1/19)

Indiana deserved doubt last year. They got dominated by the two legit teams they played. We do NOT deserve same doubt
I think if we knock off both MU and PU, or even go 1-1. The polls will reflect that with a top 4 ranking. I say if we beat them both and AU stays undefeated we are #2 with no questions asked or gnashing of teeth by the media.

Again. We could be ranked 20th, and I wouldn't give a shit. As long as we keep playing well and win. Nothing else matters!
 
I think if we knock off both MU and PU, or even go 1-1. The polls will reflect that with a top 4 ranking. I say if we beat them both and AU stays undefeated we are #2 with no questions asked or gnashing of teeth by the media.

Again. We could be ranked 20th, and I wouldn't give a shit. As long as we keep playing well and win. Nothing else matters!
It does matter - higher seeds matter dude
 
It does matter - higher seeds matter dude
If we are who we think we are and continue to show it. We will win the BIG and find a top 3 seed. Im not worried about the rankings.

Great question — rankings matter far less than most fans think when it comes to NCAA Tournament seeding.
Here’s a clear, coach-level explanation of what actually determines seeds 👇

🏀 The Short Answer​

AP & Coaches Poll rankings do NOT directly determine NCAA Tournament seeding.
They influence perception, but the selection committee does not seed teams based on polls.

🧠 What the NCAA Selection Committee ACTUALLY Uses​

1️⃣ Team Résumé (Most Important)

The committee focuses on who you played and how you performed:
  • Quality wins (especially vs Top 1–2 Quadrants)
  • Losses (bad losses hurt more than good wins help)
  • Road & neutral-site wins
  • Consistency over the entire season

2️⃣ NET Rankings (Primary Tool)

The NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) is the backbone of seeding.
It includes:
  • Game results
  • Strength of schedule
  • Scoring margin (capped)
  • Efficiency metrics
🔹 Teams are grouped into Quadrants:
QuadrantOpponent Quality
Q1Elite teams
Q2Very good
Q3Average
Q4Poor
➡️ A team with lots of Q1 wins is rewarded heavily.

3️⃣ Strength of Schedule (SOS)

  • Non-conference SOS matters a lot
  • Committee likes teams that challenge themselves
A team ranked #10 but with a weak schedule can get a lower seed than expected.

4️⃣ Efficiency & Predictive Metrics

Used as secondary checks:
  • KenPom
  • BPI
  • Sagarin
These help the committee confirm that a team’s résumé “makes sense.”

5️⃣ Conference Performance

  • Conference champions get automatic bids
  • Regular-season success matters
  • Tournament performance matters, but it’s not everything

📊 Where Rankings DO Matter (Indirectly)​

Poll rankings:
  • Influence public narrative
  • Can affect media perception
  • Sometimes influence early season expectations
But the committee has repeatedly stated:
“We do not use polls in our evaluation process.”

🔍 Examples That Happen Every Year​

🔹 Highly ranked team → lower seed​

  • #8 AP team
  • Weak non-conference schedule
  • Few Q1 wins
    ➡️ Gets a #4 or #5 seed

🔹 Lower ranked team → higher seed​

  • Unranked or #25
  • Lots of Q1 wins
  • Strong road performance
    ➡️ Gets a #2 or #3 seed

🏆 Typical Seed Profiles (General Guide)​

SeedRésumé Snapshot
#1Elite NET + many Q1 wins
#2Strong NET, few bad losses
#3–4Good NET, mixed résumé
#5–6Solid but flawed
#7–10Bubble-adjacent résumés
#11–12Dangerous mid-majors
#13+Auto-bids / weak schedules

🎯 Bottom Line​

  • Rankings ≠ seeding
  • Résumés, NET, and Quadrant wins drive everything
  • Polls matter mostly for TV and fans, not the committee

 
If we are who we think we are and continue to show it. We will win the BIG and find a top 3 seed. Im not worried about the rankings.

Great question — rankings matter far less than most fans think when it comes to NCAA Tournament seeding.
Here’s a clear, coach-level explanation of what actually determines seeds 👇

🏀 The Short Answer​

AP & Coaches Poll rankings do NOT directly determine NCAA Tournament seeding.
They influence perception, but the selection committee does not seed teams based on polls.

🧠 What the NCAA Selection Committee ACTUALLY Uses​

1️⃣ Team Résumé (Most Important)

The committee focuses on who you played and how you performed:
  • Quality wins (especially vs Top 1–2 Quadrants)
  • Losses (bad losses hurt more than good wins help)
  • Road & neutral-site wins
  • Consistency over the entire season

2️⃣ NET Rankings (Primary Tool)

The NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) is the backbone of seeding.
It includes:
  • Game results
  • Strength of schedule
  • Scoring margin (capped)
  • Efficiency metrics
🔹 Teams are grouped into Quadrants:
QuadrantOpponent Quality
Q1Elite teams
Q2Very good
Q3Average
Q4Poor
➡️ A team with lots of Q1 wins is rewarded heavily.

3️⃣ Strength of Schedule (SOS)

  • Non-conference SOS matters a lot
  • Committee likes teams that challenge themselves
A team ranked #10 but with a weak schedule can get a lower seed than expected.

4️⃣ Efficiency & Predictive Metrics

Used as secondary checks:
  • KenPom
  • BPI
  • Sagarin
These help the committee confirm that a team’s résumé “makes sense.”

5️⃣ Conference Performance

  • Conference champions get automatic bids
  • Regular-season success matters
  • Tournament performance matters, but it’s not everything

📊 Where Rankings DO Matter (Indirectly)​

Poll rankings:
  • Influence public narrative
  • Can affect media perception
  • Sometimes influence early season expectations
But the committee has repeatedly stated:


🔍 Examples That Happen Every Year​

🔹 Highly ranked team → lower seed​

  • #8 AP team
  • Weak non-conference schedule
  • Few Q1 wins
    ➡️ Gets a #4 or #5 seed

🔹 Lower ranked team → higher seed​

  • Unranked or #25
  • Lots of Q1 wins
  • Strong road performance
    ➡️ Gets a #2 or #3 seed

🏆 Typical Seed Profiles (General Guide)​

SeedRésumé Snapshot
#1Elite NET + many Q1 wins
#2Strong NET, few bad losses
#3–4Good NET, mixed résumé
#5–6Solid but flawed
#7–10Bubble-adjacent résumés
#11–12Dangerous mid-majors
#13+Auto-bids / weak schedules

🎯 Bottom Line​

  • Rankings ≠ seeding
  • Résumés, NET, and Quadrant wins drive everything
  • Polls matter mostly for TV and fans, not the committee

SOR and WAB are the two stats that correlate most tightly with seeding the last couple of years.

We are 2 in SOR and 4 in WAB (a newer metric they now use).
 
To a degree some of this is a result of the failure to ever win a game in the NCAA tournament. I know that shouldn't matter but I think if you spend a few minutes talking to most people in private that subject will come up.
It has nothing at all to do with his year's team which is clearly a superior team .... but it is the shade thrown at Nebraska as a basketball school.
 
I can't think of a good reason not to.

I doubt Canada would want Minnesota. Ideally, we get Alberta, and Canada gives Minnesota to Russia as peace agreement/gift. Everyone wins, Alberta gets out of Canada, we get rid of Minnesota, Ukraine gets peace and sovereignty, Russia gets Minnesota and Canada gets to take credit for ending the Ukraine war.

Global geo-politics isn’t complicated folks…
 
I doubt Canada would want Minnesota. Ideally, we get Alberta, and Canada gives Minnesota to Russia as peace agreement/gift. Everyone wins, Alberta gets out of Canada, we get rid of Minnesota, Ukraine gets peace and sovereignty, Russia gets Minnesota and Canada gets to take credit for ending the Ukraine war.

Global geo-politics isn’t complicated folks…
Sound logic but I don't think we want Russia in the middle of the US.

Better scenario we give Minnesota to England in exchange for Alberta since the royal family owns Canada anyway.
 
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