shamelessly stolen from a non-farker friend

IT'S A TRAP!

So, opinions from people closer to CBB than I.... what is Murray State's "ceiling" in the polls if they stay undefeated? I mean, IMO, they should be ahead of any team with 3 losses, but, they are not, so, I'm wondering if they've just about gone as high as they can.... I know many will say they wouldn't be undefeated playing "X's" schedule, but, you can only play who is in front of you.

Of course, since they have a real post season tournament that Murray State will surely be in, it is pretty meaningless anyway wherever in the poll they end up, but, still just wondering.

dletter: So, opinions from people closer to CBB than I.... what is Murray State's "ceiling" in the polls if they stay undefeated? I mean, IMO, they should be ahead of any team with 3 losses, but, they are not, so, I'm wondering if they've just about gone as high as they can.... I know many will say they wouldn't be undefeated playing "X's" schedule, but, you can only play who is in front of you.

Of course, since they have a real post season tournament that Murray State will surely be in, it is pretty meaningless anyway wherever in the poll they end up, but, still just wondering.

I don't let them get any higher than 10 and likely would keep them around 15-20. Their SOS is awful and they're not exactly an offensive or defensive juggernaut. Right now your #10-20 teams according to Ken Pomeroy are

Indiana
Florida
St. Louis
Duke
Georgetown
Virgina
Kansas St.
UNLV
Florida State
Marquette

The only one of those teams who have a comparable SOS is Virginia (mid 200s) who is also the only team ranked in Pomeroy's top 25 with a SOS in the mid 200s.

If Murray State runs the table in the regular season and their conference tourney they can have a 4 seed in the NCAA tourney. I wouldn't put them any higher than that.

FWIW, they're ranked 40th in Ken Pomeroy's rankings.

I was nowhere near there, I swear, I was here the whole time!

More: Obvious, Stillwater, Oklahoma State, Tennessee Technological University, alley-oop, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Missouri, teacups

???

So, Missouri is now not allowed to play in the postseason, right? They will be relegated to the NIT and they should be happy to have gotten that far?

bighasbeen: dletter: So, opinions from people closer to CBB than I.... what is Murray State's "ceiling" in the polls if they stay undefeated? I mean, IMO, they should be ahead of any team with 3 losses, but, they are not, so, I'm wondering if they've just about gone as high as they can.... I know many will say they wouldn't be undefeated playing "X's" schedule, but, you can only play who is in front of you.

Of course, since they have a real post season tournament that Murray State will surely be in, it is pretty meaningless anyway wherever in the poll they end up, but, still just wondering.

I don't let them get any higher than 10 and likely would keep them around 15-20.

Well, they are already, right now 9 and 11 in the two main polls (ESPN & USA Today). So, I guess in your mind, they are at the ceiling already. Although, you wouldn't have even had them that high at all, so, obviously the voters are already being a bit more generous than you would be.

dletter: bighasbeen: dletter: So, opinions from people closer to CBB than I.... what is Murray State's "ceiling" in the polls if they stay undefeated? I mean, IMO, they should be ahead of any team with 3 losses, but, they are not, so, I'm wondering if they've just about gone as high as they can.... I know many will say they wouldn't be undefeated playing "X's" schedule, but, you can only play who is in front of you.

Of course, since they have a real post season tournament that Murray State will surely be in, it is pretty meaningless anyway wherever in the poll they end up, but, still just wondering.

I don't let them get any higher than 10 and likely would keep them around 15-20.

Well, they are already, right now 9 and 11 in the two main polls (ESPN & USA Today). So, I guess in your mind, they are at the ceiling already. Although, you wouldn't have even had them that high at all, so, obviously the voters are already being a bit more generous than you would be.

I don't give mid majors that kind of love unless they beat a legit, season long top 25 team. From what I can tell Murray State's best win is at Memphis, a team ranked 25th by Pomeroy who also lack a signature win and are outside of the polls top 25. This quote from Jay Bilas leads me towards my ranking philosophy:

"Murray State is 11th in this week's AP poll, its highest ranking ever. This team has talent, but there is no Jimmer or Dougie in sight. Instead, the Racers have ascended through old-school intangibles like maturity, poise, and most of all, trust."

Maturity, poise and trust are great things to have, but the NCAA tournament is won by big performances by individuals. The only way a team can win without a standout guy is if they are just incredibly physically gifted up and down the roster. Mid majors who have had success in the tournament have been teams who have that maturity, but also a Gordon Hayward or Steph Curry who can get his and score against the NBA talent you are going to see in every round starting at the round of 32. At the very least, a guy like that causes opponents to key in on them leaving those other guys with opportunities. A bunch of nice guys who know how to play together isn't going to do much for you if the other team has athletes who are getting to the spots first or can recover from a missed assignment by jumping over or running past you.