MVSU in NIT; USM not so much.

[SoMissTV]

Does anyone else smile at the irony that James Green's MVSU team made it into the NIT, while Southern Miss sits at home? :)

[aaron]

Team synergy ftw.

[To The Topp]

Not at all, Green won cusa in 01 and couldnt get Southern Miss in. Has he gotten Valley sued yet?

[Tommy9854]

Does anyone else smile at the irony that James Green's MVSU team made it into the NIT, while Southern Miss sits at home? :)

If USM would have won the C-USA regular season, they would be in the NIT as well.

[webster]

Tommy has it right...the new rule is that if you win your Conference regular season title, then choke in the Conference Tournament and don't get an NCAA at-large bid, you automatically go to the NIT. I think this rule reeks...as teams like Valley, who have no real business going, get in. If you looked at Valley's RPI and overall talent, I think if USM played Valley ten times in Itta Bena, USM would still win nine out of ten. State will probably beat Valley by at least 25.

[JoeGarvin]

USM would beat Valley 10 out of 10 times, Web. What "did them in" was the pre-Conference schedule. Wins over NAIA and DII schools are not just a "non-factor." They are, in fact, a "negative." They are seen as "padding." Take those away and USM does not get in. I'm not being critical. USM played like a "post season" team the last two or three weeks. But to get a "step further" USM has got to do one of two things - win the C-USA (which will be hard as heck to do until Memphis moves out of it!) OR beat some DI teams in the non-conference schedule.

Tommy has it right...the new rule is that if you win your Conference regular season title, then choke in the Conference Tournament and don't get an NCAA at-large bid, you automatically go to the NIT. I think this rule reeks...as teams like Valley, who have no real business going, get in. If you looked at Valley's RPI and overall talent, I think if USM played Valley ten times in Itta Bena, USM would still win nine out of ten. State will probably beat Valley by at least 25.

[webster]

Joe, I'd generally agree...but I'd also add the loss to Savanah State and the home loss to Tulane probably did them in as well. I think Eustachy probably created the early cupcake schedule for the purpose of giving his young team a measure of confidence, not really understanding how quickly the team would develop.

I look for stronger opponents next season...and an NIT, if not NCAA, bid.

[jmack]

I agree that we did have a very weak schdule. I remember commenting on this early in the season when we had Georgia Southern or somebody like that schduled twice, and we lost one of the games. That school is smaller than William Carey and I'm sure somebody besides me noticed the loss to such a weak school.

[webster]

I agree: -- playing a "home" and "home" with Savannah State was ludicrous. Even worse was losiing one of them.

[aaron]

It's just too bad basketball doesn't have a bowl system. Eustachy would look a lot better when his team went to a bowl every year.

[CircusRide]

USM finished sixth in CUSA. Memphis is the only CUSA worth an NCAA bid. There were still four teams in conference better than USM. Their schedule was one of the weakest in America. Schedule and beat some decent teams. Plain and simple.

[To The Topp]

I agree the schedule was weak as cold dishwater, but could you blame him starting a year with that many freshmen? Those easy games helped them win probably another 4 maybe 5 games over the course of the season.

Next season there wont be all those naia games. Rumor is he and his old buddy Tim Floyd may hook up for a couple games.

[Tommy9854]

USM finished sixth in CUSA. Memphis is the only CUSA worth an NCAA bid. There were still four teams in conference better than USM. Their schedule was one of the weakest in America. Schedule and beat some decent teams. Plain and simple.

USM's schedule was in the 150's. There are 330+ teams in D1. Far from "one of the worst".

USM will be competing with Memphis in a couple years.

[SoMissTV]

USM will be competing with Memphis in a couple years.

They compete with Memphis right now. Both schools are affiliated with C-USA in NCAA Division I Basketball. They're both competing for (presumably) the NCAA championship.

Where have you been? These two teams have competed in the same league together for the past few decades.

[aaron]

They compete with Memphis right now. Both schools are affiliated with C-USA in NCAA Division I Basketball. They're both competing for (presumably) the NCAA championship.

Where have you been? These two teams have competed in the same league together for the past few decades.

Yeah, he must have been talking about strength of schedule.

[SoMissTV]

Yeah, he must have been talking about strength of schedule.

Well, then he should be more specific. Hyperbole doesn't help.

[cubby 1]

I still think next year will be fun to watch. Look for USM to play much better basketball next season. NIT would not surprise me. NCAA would be possible, but not probable.

c1

[CircusRide]

USM's schedule was in the 150's. There are 330+ teams in D1. Far from "one of the worst".

USM will be competing with Memphis in a couple years.

Memphis appears to be the most overrated team in America (we shall see). They have no quality wins. Where does USM's schedule rank amoung teams in major conferences? When the mid-majors are 100 spots ahead of you, you've got problems. Scheduling weak teams does not improve your team. Do you think they'll schedule DI, DII, or DIII teams to improve their schedule? There's absolutely no point in scheduling NAIA teams.

[Tommy9854]

Memphis appears to be the most overrated team in America (we shall see). They have no quality wins. Where does USM's schedule rank amoung teams in major conferences? When the mid-majors are 100 spots ahead of you, you've got problems. Scheduling weak teams does not improve your team. Do you think they'll schedule DI, DII, or DIII teams to improve their schedule? There's absolutely no point in scheduling NAIA teams.

Let me put it this way. I wouldn't be surprised to see USC or Indiana on a future (this year or next year) schedule.

Ole Miss will be on it for sure.