100% agree with you. But the numbers guy says otherwise.
@RockMcD thank you for joining the board. Love your bubble previews!
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Thanks! I was nerding out on this stuff and figured I’d share my nerdery! 
It’s awesome that we are “in the conversation” for the first time in 30 years.
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Let’s just hope that this marks the beginning of something great, not just an anomaly.
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The deck gets totally reshuffled next year with the Zags gone. I think, for the better.
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In due time we’re going to find out if we become a more OR less desirable place to play without gonzaga
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I was at the game last night (I went to Loyola for a grad degree) and was just texting my buddy that Loyola was hanging tough when SLU went on a very quick 8-0 run to take a 10 point lead at half. Loyola shot so horribly, even at the free throw line where there is notably no defender. I try to tune in to most Loyola games and every time I do I am absolutely baffled SCU lost to them.
My study abroad semester was at LUC’s campus in Rome. I joked at the time that my 4-year alma mater lost to my 4-month alma mater. It will turn out to be a sick twist of fate if that winds up being the game that keeps us out of the Big Dance.
Torvik says we should root for Texas, but that doesn’t make sense to me. Texas is 38 NET, Missouri is 56 NET. He does have it indicated as “Conflicting Interests”, not sure why.
Some very good results for the NET 41 Broncos earlier today:
NET 52 Tulsa lost
NET 51 Virginia Tech lost
NET 46 Baylor lost
NET 45 UCF lost
NET 43 Texas A&M lost
NET 40 tOSU lost
NET 39 UCLA lost
NET 36 Georgia lost
NET 35 SMU lost to NET 68 Syracuse
NET 33 Clemson lost
NET 32 Auburn is about to lose
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Great day on the bubble watch. Unfortunately we couldn’t capitalize but also means we aren’t dead!
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Finish WCC play with 3 wins and SCU stands a fair chance of an at-large (no matter what happens in Vegas).
Grab those 3 remaining league games and a win over SMC or Gonzaga in Vegas and it should be a lock.
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I did see two Bracketology updates this morning.
CBS: Broncos are the first team out.
ON3: Broncos are “firmly” in as a #10 seed in the Midwest Region versus #7 seed Kentucky in St. Louis.
Busting Brackets: Last 4 In with Georgia, TCU, and Virginia Tech. SCU vs TCU in Dayton with winner playing #6 Louisville in Tampa.
UPDATE MON 2/16: Hoops HQ released their latest update. SCU is the very last team IN as an #11 seed playing Missouri in Dayton. The winner would get North Carolina in Tampa (South Regional).
Obviously, many more will be updated tomorrow and Tuesday. Personally, I’m more surprised with ON3 assessment of SCU after last night’s loss, but pleasantly so. Yesterday was not a good day for many bubble teams as a couple members have pointed out, and our inclusion in ON3 (for now) reflects such. Last night was NOT a damaging loss.
Mark Few’s post game comments when asked about Santa Clara is that not only are we a tournament team in his mind, but capable of making noise in the tournament.
Time will tell. We have a week to get this one out of our system to focus on USF. IMO, this week off to prepare and rest couldn’t come at a better time.
Go Broncos!!!
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From Five Star:
I feel for Santa Clara as I’m writing this, as they really did go blow for blow with Gonzaga on Saturday night, they just couldn’t get enough stops down the stretch to pull out a win. They were able to score with them for the most part, it was just the Zags’ athleticism was too much, as they lived in the paint, getting to the line and shooting 72% on two point shots. It was a valiant effort, that really had them pass the eye test for me in terms of being a tourney team, but we all know it doesn’t just come down to that on Selection Sunday. They now sit 1-4 in Q1 and 6-1 in Q2, which is pretty strong. The issue is the Q2 wins are on the weaker side, with the best really being the road win @ Xavier. The race for the last couple of spots is likely going to come down to mid-majors with clean resumés that lack top end wins vs power conference teams with a host of losses outside of Q1 but some big time Q1 wins they can hang their hat on. Generally I would lean toward the committee rewarding the big wins, especially Q1(A), but Santa Clara isn’t completely out of it right now as they still have another Q1 chance as they can sweep St. Mary’s next week. I’m sure the feeling is a bit deflated heading into this week but the reality is there’s still a path, it’s just likely going to take one more big win after what should be a win @ San Francisco this week.
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That write-up seems spot-on and accurately breaks down the reality of what happened in the GU game as well where SCU sits on the bubble, go/bad wins, etc.
Some additional Bracketology news that is favorable this morning. Rocco Miller, who attended SCU/GU game, has Santa Clara IN as an 11 seed and NOT part of the Last Four In group. His bracket was updated this morning and has our Broncos facing a familiar foe in #6 seed BYU in Portland, and part of the South Regional.
SCU holds serve as Last Team In in the latest Bauertology:
Clear enough to me that we need to put something else interesting on the resume, and avoid any blemish. The computers didn’t mind the home loss to Gonzaga, but humans will ultimately make the decision and I think they look deeper than the computer numbers, especially for a mid-major who hasn’t made it in a long time.
Winning in Moraga would be interesting, as would be beating SMC or Gonzaga in Vegas. The potential Q2 win in San Francisco will be lumped with the rest of the mediocre Q2 wins.
I don’t think 2-1 down the stretch with a semi-final loss gets us in at 24-8. Perhaps Dayton if we get extremely lucky.
Someone a ways back said we have to find our win to 25 wins to get in, with a couple possible permutations to do so while avoiding another bad loss, and I think it’s true. And may still require some sweating.
It’s becoming clear to me that without Gonzaga, the path to an at-large in years to come is going to be narrow indeed. We’re quite lucky to be in a position where we may make the tournament without winning the WCC tournament, conceivably while being 0-3 against Gonzaga.
One of my heroes, Charlie Munger, says “the best way to get what you want is to deserve what you want.”
Our resume is just a little short of deserving what we want. Beat the Gaels - Moraga or Vegas - again and I think we just might slide in.
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Just remember: 66 POINTS IN THE PAINT
Bennett’s not stupid. Nor are Gerlufsen and Tinkle.
The Zags just gave those three a roadmap to beating the Broncos.
I’ll be bluntly honest with you all: I’m sick to my stomach about the Gonzaga game.
Yes, I’m an amateur, but did anyone see any defensive adjustments made coming out of halftime? All I saw was a few more doubles that left Grant-Foster wide open.
EDIT TO ADD: Grant-Foster really should get an NIL deal for https://www.fostergrant.com. Added plus if he wears corrective lenses off the court.
Kinda like John Kruk’s agent should’ve secured a spokesman deal for uniball
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Randy isn’t stupid, but he also does have anywhere near the athleticism that Gonzaga and Mark Few has. It’s not close.
We’ve said all along that 4-1 in the final 5 should put us in a good spot. I think a win over SMC and a win in the WCC semi makes a lock.
I think win @ SMC and a semi loss gets dicey.
Focus though is on the Dons!
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