UWM knocks off UWGB in OT

[warriorfan4life]

Considering recent history, I think there is a decent chance they get in. The committee has always tried to get mid-major teams in the play-in games (VCU in 2011, Iona and BYU in 2012, Middle Tennessee and St. Mary's last year). The thing that is holding me back from saying they have an excellent chance is that their RPI is 60.

[mutpm]

I know they have the win over UVA, but they have 2 home losses to UWM. I find it very hard to believe GB gets an at-large bid. They are 61 in KenPom, 63 in Sagarin, and 61 on CBS RPI. Great season, but they are headed to the NIT.

[MUBB713]

NIT without question. I don't see an at large out of the horizon with butler now gone. It's more of a low major conference now. 7 losses? No way.

[TheSultan]

They aren't getting an at-large. Lunardi knows what he is talking about. He may get a couple wrong, but when he gets them wrong they are usually in his "first four out."

Bracket Matrix still has them on 80 brackets, but that's because they haven't adjusted yet to their loss. When it comes out, I doubt they will be listed on more than a dozen.

[MU/Panther]

NIT without question. I don't see an at large out of the horizon with butler now gone. It's more of a low major conference now. 7 losses? No way.

Low major, I hope you are joking. The HL ranks about 12 to 14 in most years. There are 32 conferences. GB has 6 loses not 7.

I hope you are not in the Mike Wickett camp calling the Big East a mid major. I hate labels on leagues!

[unclejohn]

I'd love to see GB in, and they are a good example of how hard it is for a non-major to make the tournament. It is hard for a team like that to get signature wins, as they play few games where they can. But regardless of how you describe it, the Horizon took a major hit with the loss of Butler, and GB benefited. I do not know if they would win the league if Butler were still in it. Nobody except Butler has earned an at-large bid from that conference for about fifteen years, and I do not see GB doing it, unfortunately. UWM did not manage to get one the year they beat out Butler for the league title and lost to them in the championship game. I think they beat Butler twice that year. With the loss of Butler and later Loyola, the conference has definitely declined. Replacing them with Oakland does not do much. Loyola supposedly got an invite to the Valley by demonstrating a commitment to upping their program. Perhaps that would have been enough to make them the new kings of the Horizon if they stayed. Perhaps GB can now take on that role. No doubt Brian has done a good job there. He got them into one post-season tournament already, which is an accomplishment. Now they have made two.

[TheSultan]

The MVC taking Loyola to me was a real head scratcher. "Commitment to upping their program?" They have to prove that first IMO. They haven't done anything remotely resembling making a commitment to their program in 30+ years. Every single member of the Horizon League has been in the NCAA tournament since Loyola was last there...with the exception of Youngstown State.

And this is where Milwaukee really screwed up. I think if they could have kept up their momentum, they are the ones that get that invite. As it stands, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Valpo were all better choices IMO.

[unclejohn]

Well the MVC did not share your opinion. The candidates reportedly were Loyola, UIC, UWM, and Missouri-Kansas City. Green Bay does not seem to have been considered. I suspect that the private status helped Loyola a bit, as they replaced Creighton, but the conference and Loyola both stressed Loyola's commitment to step up their program. They recently sunk some money into their on-campus arena. This year was not very successful, but it was widely reported in the local press that Loyola expected that and knew that they had to take steps to boost their program. I do not know exactly what those steps are, but they convinced the MVC that they are ready to take them. It was a lot more concrete than saying, "We are convinced we can get better." As for UWM, they moved their games back to their campus gym last year and although they keep talking about it, there are no current plans for an on-campus arena. And they have been through a procession of athletic directors, not the sort of thing that gives a conference confidence about the future.

Green Bay and Valpo are nice places, but really small. They are going to have a tough time in the long run competing with some good sized state universities like the ones in the MVC.

[TheSultan]

Didn't think about campus size. That's a good point. But I will believe it when I see it regarding Loyola.

[warriorfan4life]

The Valley should have taken Belmont. Sustained commitment to hoops, and nice market and support in Nashville.