If we finish 9-7 or 10-6

[OU_Sooners75]

in conference play, is that good enough to get a bid in the Big Dance?

[Collier11]

Depends on who those wins are against. I still think we need to beat ut or kansas atleast once and probably win 1 or 2 in the conf tourney

[Boomer.....]

I would think so. This is a very strong conference and should take quite a few teams into the dance.

I don't see us getting that many conference wins but we are starting to play much better.

[soonervegas]

Yes.....let's say we go 0-3 against Texas and KU...that is 9-4 or 10-3 in a very tough league. In.

We need a road victory this week to on the plus side of 8-8.

[Rock Hard Corn Frog]

10-6 isn't even a consideration as far as making the tourney. That's a lock with the strength of the league and probably a decent seed. Even at 9-7 I think our chances are pretty good because even if you say we are 0-3 again Texas and KU we can't get there without getting a couple more quality wins. A road win in Colo isn't going to mave waves but combine with a road win anywere else and that is good. We would probably have to beat A&M and KSU at home to get to 7 wins as well. I wouldn't want to be 9-7 and lose in the 1st round of the Big 12 tourney. We would be sweating then. I like our chances IF we get to 9-7.

If we had won a couple more non-conf games then 8-8 might have been possible. I think that won't do it.


Problem is I still think we look like somewhere between 6-10 and 8-8. Finishing 7-1 at home in conference is going to be tough enough and the only road game I think we go into thinking we "should" win is Colo. I know other teams are beatable but I've yet to see anything that shows me that we can step up on the road.

[badger]

We need to finish strong like the Pokes did last year. I was fairly certain they were headed to the NIT, till the Big 12 tourney, when they made the championship game... at our expense... argh....

I think a similar strong finish would get us a bid. A signature win over a highly ranked team (which was what we were when Pokie beat us, if I recall correctly) would be a bonus.

[John Kochtoston]

OU needs 11-5, minimum, with a quality road win to get in. Unfortunately, our only quality road games remaining are at Texas and at Kansas. Right now, our best wins are against a likely 7-8 seed (Missouri) and a borderline NCAA team (the Pokes). Counter that with some really bad losses in non-con play, and OU has got to be a top 4-5 team in the Big 12 to get in.

[Sooner04]

OU needs 11-5, minimum, with a quality road win to get in.
I disagree strongly here. The committee has shown time and time again that they reward your play in January-March infinitely more than what you show in November and December. 9-7 gets you on the bubble, 10-6 gets you in when the Big 12 is as good as it is.

[tommieharris91]

I disagree strongly here. The committee has shown time and time again that they reward your play in January-March infinitely more than what you show in November and December. 9-7 gets you on the bubble, 10-6 gets you in when the Big 12 is as good as it is.

The committee took out the L10 component this season. I will disagree with him on "there are only 2 quality road teams" though. @ATM would be a good win. @OSU might be a good win.

[Eielson]

If we went 10-6 and won a conference tournament game we are basically a lock to get into the tourney. I'm not sure how realistic that is, though.

[Eielson]

OU has got to be a top 4-5 team in the Big 12 to get in.

We don't need 11 wins to be top 4 or 5. Looking back at the conference standings back the 01 season, there has never been a 10-6 team lower than 4. Each of the last two seasons a 9-7 team was our #4. Seeing how Texas and Kansas could easily have 14 or 15 win seasons, I highly doubt this year will be an exception.

[Ardmore_Sooner]

We need to finish strong like the Pokes did last year. I was fairly certain they were headed to the NIT, till the Big 12 tourney, when they made the championship game... at our expense... argh....

I think a similar strong finish would get us a bid. A signature win over a highly ranked team (which was what we were when Pokie beat us, if I recall correctly) would be a bonus.

Mizzou beat the pokes the next night. Baylor and Mizzou played in the championship game.

[John Kochtoston]

First off, I'll stand corrected on two points: A&M would be a good road win, and 10-6 would likely get us a 4 seed in the conference.

However, K-State was a 4 seed last season and got passed over by teams with the same record for precisely the same reason OU will get passed over: no good wins. Right now, OSU is our best win RPI-wise, and the Pokes are a borderline NCAA team. Mizzou is probably a better overall win, but their RPI is, for the moment, just OK.

10-6 means, most likely, we sweep at home, including Texas, and steal roadies at Nebraska and Colorado. Or, we sweep at home and get a better road win, but drop one at Nebraska or Colorado. The first scenario gives us no good road or neutral court wins, which is something the committee looks at closely. The second adds a fourth loss to a sub-100 RPI team. In either instance, OU'd have to get a big win in Kansas City to have a shot.

So, I still think 11-5 in conference is the key. Not out out of the realm of possibility, but still a tough row to hoe.

[Eielson]

K-State was in a three or four way tie at 9-7, though, correct?

[Collier11]

alot of the mid majors are struggling this yr though, as long as we dont have any low seeds winning the small conf tourneys 10-6 would be a lock I would think. 19-11, a 20th win in the conf tourney would be huge

[badger]

Mizzou beat the pokes the next night. Baylor and Mizzou played in the championship game.

Good call. My bad. Stupid pokes :mad:

[Sooner04]

Big 12 is much better this year and there are a few more at-large bids up for grabs when you consider the SEC isn't very good and the Pac-10 is downright horrendous.

[tommieharris91]

Big 12 is much better this year and there are a few more at-large bids up for grabs when you consider the SEC isn't very good and the Pac-10 is downright horrendous.

Heh, Palm's bracket today had only 1 Pac-10 team in it.

[Collier11]

well thatll help...we just need to somehow make it out of these two road games at 1-1, if we can do that we might be alright

[Sooner04]

The way it's looking right now, the Pac-10 representative will be the team that wins the conference tournament. I'm not sure I've ever seen that from one of the "power" conferences.

There may be more at-large teams out of the WCC than the Pac-10.

[IronHorseSooner]

People comparing last year's Big East and this year's Big XII are spot-on. If that is the case, then I think we will have a good shot. Last year, the Big East had three dominant teams throughout the year (Pitt, UCONN, and L'Ville), and this year the same is with the Big XII (*, KU, and KSU). I think the comparison between both years for us is with Syracuse. Last year, as an SU grad, if you would have told me that they would've got to the Big East finals and the Sweet 16 after their start, I would have told you that you had drank too much OVJ! Their start last year is VERY similar to OUrs this year, and personnel wise they are very similar. It wasn't until Coach Boehiem did some psychological things to them, much like what Coach Capel is doing, did they change. Both teams just needed some confidence, and the two wins over Mizzou and the Pokes are going to go a long way.

[tommieharris91]

well thatll help...we just need to somehow make it out of these two road games at 1-1, if we can do that we might be alright

There were 5 SEC teams in that same bracket. His Big XII reps were Texas, Kansas, Baylor, Texas A&M, Kansas State and Missouri. The pokes were one of his last teams out.

[badger]

Big 12 is much better this year and there are a few more at-large bids up for grabs when you consider the SEC isn't very good and the Pac-10 is downright horrendous.

Is it true that Kansas is the only Big 12 team to win a national championship, and that they only did it a few years ago?

(this of course does not include the Big 8, the Big 6, the SWC or any other incarnations of the current Big 12)

If so, it's time for the Big 12 to get another title this year, with all the hype we're receiving.

[Collier11]

Is it true that Kansas is the only Big 12 team to win a national championship, and that they only did it a few years ago?

(this of course does not include the Big 8, the Big 6, the SWC or any other incarnations of the current Big 12)

If so, it's time for the Big 12 to get another title this year, with all the hype we're receiving.

The Big 12 has had the following Final 4 teams since its inception

02- Kansas and OU
03- Kansas and tex
04-puke state
08- Kansas-natl champs

[Sooner04]

If so, it's time for the Big 12 to get another title this year, with all the hype we're receiving.
Unless we're the ones cutting down the nets I don't give a **** if anybody in the Big 12 wins another title.

I rooted like crazy for Memphis in 2008.

[Collier11]

See thats where im different, in football I wont root for another Big 12 team to ever win a natl title or bcs game, in bball I dont mind the Big 12 doing well unless its tex or osu :D

[badger]

Unless we're the ones cutting down the nets I don't give a **** if anybody in the Big 12 wins another title.

I rooted like crazy for Memphis in 2008.

I know you hate Kansas mens basketball, so that's understandable. I don't know why, I just don't hate certain schools as much during basketball season. Is it just me? Is the hate still there for all of you that giggled as Bammer defeated the whorns in football?

[Sooner04]

You guys have got to go to a Big 12 Tournament one of these days. Then you'll understand.

[stoopified]

This week is muy critical for OU.To this point we have only one credible but unremarkable road win vs. Utah.In all other road games we have folded wqhen adversity struck.aTm and TT IMHO are winnable road games.To have any shot at an upper division finish and a shot at the NCAAs we MUST win at least one and be competitive in the other game.Winning both would be HUGE.

Unlike some on this board I don't see OUr big losses hurting us much in noncon(provided we are at least 9-7 in conf.) because two of those losses were in THE GAS by a rebuilding OU team and another was to a VCU team that NNOBODY wnts to play on the road.Losses to Gonzaga and UTEP simply count as losses(to my knoledge there is no margin of loss or victory factor)

The key is finish at least 9-7 and don't get blown out by anyone else(UT,KU as possible exceptions).Wiining at home and getting at least a couple of wins on the road get is there.That is another reason this week is critical,as it will set the tone for our mentality on the road.Win both and any other road wins are gravy.

I say first things first,get off on the right foot this week and we are on track,on the other hand two losses,especially blowouts and this team becomes a complete trainwreck.

[tommieharris91]

Losing to teams with losing records is never good. If we go 9-7 and don't get in, that loss to San Diego will be the reason why. UTEP currently sports a triple-digit RPI too. Losing @VCU is excusable, though. That team is pretty good.

[OU_Sooners75]

People comparing last year's Big East and this year's Big XII are spot-on. If that is the case, then I think we will have a good shot. Last year, the Big East had three dominant teams throughout the year (Pitt, UCONN, and L'Ville), and this year the same is with the Big XII (*, KU, and KSU). I think the comparison between both years for us is with Syracuse. Last year, as an SU grad, if you would have told me that they would've got to the Big East finals and the Sweet 16 after their start, I would have told you that you had drank too much OVJ! Their start last year is VERY similar to OUrs this year, and personnel wise they are very similar. It wasn't until Coach Boehiem did some psychological things to them, much like what Coach Capel is doing, did they change. Both teams just needed some confidence, and the two wins over Mizzou and the Pokes are going to go a long way.

You are forgetting the major difference between the two teams.

Syracuse had some Senior Leadership...OU doesnt.

[Rock Hard Corn Frog]

I'm still more worried about getting to 9-7 then I am about what it does to us once we get there.

Looking at the most likely way to get to 9-7 I come up with this.

Home 7-1

Texas L
KSU W
A&M W
MU W
OSU W
Bay W
TT W
ISU W

Road 2-6


Tex L
KU L
A&M L
OSU L
Bay L
tt L
Neb W
Colo W

Under that scenario I think none of our losses woul be considered bad. In fact we would have probably already had our worst loss @ Baylor because of the margin. At the same time home wins over KSU and A&M would be considered good wins, probably better than over OSU and MU. KSU even if swept by KU will probably be a top 15 team.

We would then probably be a 5 or 6 seed in the Big 12 tourney and have a winnable first round game. WIn that and that is 19 wins. 19 wins and a winning record in the toughest conference in the country should equal NCAA bid.

Again my problem is I think where we are right now winning 9 games is a stretch. Unless we step things up on the road we are probably more like 6-10 or 7-9 and hosting an NIT game.

[OUmillenium]

A winning record in the Big 12 is a lock.

8-8 means on the bubble.