Do we get 4?

[DoubleJayAlum]

I'm still proud of our OOC results though. For a very young team starting two true freshman, a 10-2 record heading into MVC play is not bad.

Agreed; UNI has certainly overachieved to this point.

[TylerDurden]

Guys, there are a lot of knee-jerk reactions going on here. In 2006, no one would have thought the MVC was getting four bids on December 21. Will four bids happen this year? I can't say at this point. Teams have nearly 20 games left in the regular season.

There is a lot of basketball to be played. Unless one of us can see the future, we have no idea how conference play will shake out or what will happen at Arch Madness.

Relax, enjoy the great non-conference results and get ready for a fabulous league season.

[BirdmanBB]

I really thought UNI would take care of Ohio at home. I am thinking three bids are more realistic at this point unless Missouri St. really steps it up in vegas to close out the non-con.

[unipanther99]

UNI really laid an egg, but the sky is not falling yet. I've seen UNI go from just hoping to get a home NIT game, to back on the bubble, to in the NCAA as an at large in the span of the week following the MVC tournament. A lot can and will happen between now and then.

[RoyalShock]

The only positive I see with UNI's non-con results are no bad losses (although the margins of those losses are problematic). The real issue is the lack of quality wins (RPI top-50) for the selection committee to justify an at-large.

There are three keys for UNI, as I see it:

1. Hope one or both of Iowa St and Colorado St can get their RPI into the top-50.
2. Nab one or two wins against CU/WSU/InSU.
3. Don't lose more than one game to any MVC team outside the RPI top-150.

Miss on any of those and the Panthers need to pray for another quality win opportunity in the BracketBuster.

[BirdmanBB]

The only positive I see with UNI's non-con results are no bad losses (although the margins of those losses are problematic). The real issue is the lack of quality wins (RPI top-50) for the selection committee to justify an at-large.

There are three keys for UNI, as I see it:

1. Hope one or both of Iowa St and Colorado St can get their RPI into the top-50.
2. Nab one or two wins against CU/WSU/InSU.
3. Don't lose more than one game to any MVC team outside the RPI top-150.

Miss on any of those and the Panthers need to pray for another quality win opportunity in the BracketBuster.

I was actually going to list out what you just said as a response.

The major difference as it stands between UNI and teams like CU, WSU and Insu is that they have the quality out of conference wins, where UNI might be a little more dependant on in conference wins at this point. So, for UNI to get a bid, it could come at the expense of one of those teams.

That being said, like you mentioned, you are at the mercy of a few teams to improve themselves so that they look better on your resume. The good news is that there are quite a few of them (Iowa St., Iowa, CSU, ODU, Providence, Rice, UW-MW) which i'm sure UNI fans will be intently following throughout the season. For the valley's sake, I hope and Iowa St. or a CSU can do well and maybe Providence upset some good teams in the big east. (I know we are hoping for a longshot that Rutgers can to improve our RPI at the least).

[Khan4Cats]

The only positive I see with UNI's non-con results are no bad losses (although the margins of those losses are problematic). The real issue is the lack of quality wins (RPI top-50) for the selection committee to justify an at-large.

There are three keys for UNI, as I see it:

1. Hope one or both of Iowa St and Colorado St can get their RPI into the top-50.
2. Nab one or two wins against CU/WSU/InSU.
3. Don't lose more than one game to any MVC team outside the RPI top-150.

Miss on any of those and the Panthers need to pray for another quality win opportunity in the BracketBuster.

I was actually going to list out what you just said as a response.

The major difference as it stands between UNI and teams like CU, WSU and Insu is that they have the quality out of conference wins, where UNI might be a little more dependant on in conference wins at this point. So, for UNI to get a bid, it could come at the expense of one of those teams.

That being said, like you mentioned, you are at the mercy of a few teams to improve themselves so that they look better on your resume. The good news is that there are quite a few of them (Iowa St., Iowa, CSU, ODU, Providence, Rice, UW-MW) which i'm sure UNI fans will be intently following throughout the season. For the valley's sake, I hope and Iowa St. or a CSU can so well and maybe Providence upset some good teams in the big east. (I know we are hoping for a longshot that Rutgers can to improve our RPI at the least).

I agree with pretty much all of what both of you said with one exception. Please tell me where Creighton's "signature" win is? They have, so far, only played two teams in the RPI top 100 and are 1-1. They have Northwestern, not exactly a basketball power, coming in with an RPI of 36. Not sure the Wildcats keep that top 50 RPI unless they do something really unusual, like finishing in the top half of the Big 10 for the first time in....

And I still see the Valley as a two-bid league with an outside shot at a third. Will all depend on how the conference season shakes out (if there is separation at the top), bracketbusters, and St. Louis.

[BirdmanBB]

The only positive I see with UNI's non-con results are no bad losses (although the margins of those losses are problematic). The real issue is the lack of quality wins (RPI top-50) for the selection committee to justify an at-large.

There are three keys for UNI, as I see it:

1. Hope one or both of Iowa St and Colorado St can get their RPI into the top-50.
2. Nab one or two wins against CU/WSU/InSU.
3. Don't lose more than one game to any MVC team outside the RPI top-150.

Miss on any of those and the Panthers need to pray for another quality win opportunity in the BracketBuster.

I was actually going to list out what you just said as a response.

The major difference as it stands between UNI and teams like CU, WSU and Insu is that they have the quality out of conference wins, where UNI might be a little more dependant on in conference wins at this point. So, for UNI to get a bid, it could come at the expense of one of those teams.

That being said, like you mentioned, you are at the mercy of a few teams to improve themselves so that they look better on your resume. The good news is that there are quite a few of them (Iowa St., Iowa, CSU, ODU, Providence, Rice, UW-MW) which i'm sure UNI fans will be intently following throughout the season. For the valley's sake, I hope and Iowa St. or a CSU can so well and maybe Providence upset some good teams in the big east. (I know we are hoping for a longshot that Rutgers can to improve our RPI at the least).

I agree with pretty much all of what both of you said with one exception. Please tell me where Creighton's "signature" win is? They have, so far, only played two teams in the RPI top 100 and are 1-1. They have Northwestern, not exactly a basketball power, coming in with an RPI of 36. Not sure the Wildcats keep that top 50 RPI unless they do something really unusual, like finishing in the top half of the Big 10 for the first time in....

And I still see the Valley as a two-bid league with an outside shot at a third. Will all depend on how the conference season shakes out (if there is separation at the top), bracketbusters, and St. Louis.

@SDSU was a huge win for them. They are about to and should find themselves back in the top 25 soon. Nebraska should turn out to be decent and a win over Northwestern this year should be quality as well.

[Jays26]

I would agree with most of what you said except for Nebraska, they are not good and will struggle in the Big 10.

[Jet915]

I would agree with most of what you said except for Nebraska, they are not good and will struggle in the Big 10.

Nebraska will be the bottom half of the Big Ten but I can see them upsetting a couple top Big Ten teams in Lincoln. They tend to play to their competition. Hopefully a top 100 RPI team when all is said and done.