Tournament Selection Sunday always includes two elements: The selection of 65 teams for the tournament, and a bunch of whining by Dick Vitale about teams that got ‘snubbed’ (video below). This year it’s St. Mary’s, who Dick and a bunch of others say was wrongly left out. The complaint is that the “little guy” got left out to let Arizona in. But you know there are only two tournament teams that “little guy” beat: 15-seed Morgan State and 11-seed Utah State; Both home games. In the end, St. Mary’s didn’t even get a 1-seed in the NIT, where they’re a 2-seed.
The bitching and moaning comes because they say St. Mary’s can’t schedule tough games because teams are so scared of them. Instead, they loaded their nonconference schedule with Cal State-Fullerton, Cal State-Bakersfield and Pacific. Well Gonzaga is in their conference; this season they played Oklahoma State, Tennessee, Connecticut, Maryland and other top teams. They also lost to Arizona…and beat St. Mary’s three times.
on Mar 16th, 2009 at 1:46 PM
I don’t disagree with you that St. Mary’s nonconference schedule was less than stellar, but comparing their scheduling with Gonzaga is completely unfair. Let’s be honest: Gonzaga is a major team in a mid-major conference (and has a shiny new gym). Does that mean St. Mary’s shouldn’t work harder to schedule tougher teams? Of course not. But it’s absurd to fault St. Mary’s for not playing UConn simply because Gonzaga did.
Also, St. Mary’s scheduled away games at Oregon and Southern Illinois this year, two tournament teams last year that stunk this year. Of course that hurts the Gaels’ strength of schedule, but you can’t say the intent wasn’t to play tough teams.
on Mar 16th, 2009 at 2:28 PM
I apologize: SIU went to the tournament in 2002-2007 but not last year.
on Mar 16th, 2009 at 5:57 PM
It’s a fair comment, Jon, but it still doesn’t mean St. Mary’s should be out and Arizona should be in. Besides, SIU is hardly a powerhouse; They’re another mid-major team whose conference gets an automatic bid every year. They’re rarely in the top 50 RPI.
on Mar 16th, 2009 at 6:16 PM
Strange how St. Mary beat Arizona in RPI, record vs. top 50, won loss record, played better down the stretch and still gets passed over.
It really points to the trend of the power conferences hogging the at large bids. Three years ago the MVC put two teams in the Sweet 16 and George Mason made the Final 4. Instead of noticing how good the non power conference teams were and rewarding them, the NCAA has gone backwards and handed out more at large bids to the big schools.
I look at a school in my own back yard – Niagara. Record:26-8, RPI – 49andwon 15 games on the road. 15!!!! And lost its conference title game by 8 to Siena(#9 seed) on Siena’s home floor.
You would think this team would have at least been mentioned with the other bubble teams. Nope, barely a peep.
Five teams with RPI in the top 50 did not make the field. All were outside the major conferences…does that shock anyone? It shouldn’t. Yet at 62, Arizona gets a bid…laughable.
on Mar 17th, 2009 at 12:43 AM
Cyd – I’m not saying beating SIU should have put St. Mary’s into the field. The criticism is that mid-majors don’t schedule tougher games, and my argument was that 1) with the exception of teams like Gonzaga, most majors don’t even want to play mid-majors no matter how much the mid-majors want to play them (no upside for the majors if they win, too much downside if they lose), and 2) St. Mary’s did make an effort this year. SIU made six consecutive tournament appearances (five of them via at-large bids), including two Sweet Sixteens, so I think in recent years they’ve shown themselves generally to be a solid team and St. Mary’s should get credit at least for scheduling them.