OPEN BASKETBALL GAME THREAD: Cougar off-night edition
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 5, 2009 5:00 PM PST
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PrintThe Cougs are off tonight, but that certainly doesn't mean tonight is without interest for Coug fans -- as we established after last weekend, a lot of what happens tonight will affect where WSU is seeded in the Pac-10 Tournament. And I don't have to tell you that how we perform in that tournament will ultimately decide whether we play in the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year.
Here's a quick look at each game, and how you ought to root for maximum benefit for the Cougs. (By the way, I only marginally understand all the tiebreaking scenarios, so if you think I've got my info wrong below, let me know.)
Stanford at No. 21 Arizona State, 5:30 p.m. PST -- Go Devils! This one is pretty cut and dried. While ASU and Stanford won't factor into our seeding chances, we want ASU to win. Every win the Sun Devils pile up between now and the end of the season makes us look better and helps our RPI.
Where you can find the game: FSN AZ, Justin.tv
Cal at Arizona, 7:30 p.m. PST -- Go ... um ... not sure. If you think Pac-10 Tournament seeding is most important, then you root for Cal, given that we're neck-and-neck with the Wildcats in the standings. If you think improving our RPI is most important to boost our overall resume, then you root for Arizona, over whom we actually possess a win.
Where you can find the game: FSN, Justin.tv
Oregon at USC, 7:30 p.m. PST -- Go Oregon! Never thought I'd say that in my lifetime, but the Trojans are the one team we're battling with that holds the clear tiebreaker edge over us. A win by either the Ducks or Beavers over the Trojans would guarantee us a higher finish than USC. Additionally, a win by Oregon does help the RPI, however marginally.
Where you can find the game: Channelsurfing.net (just scroll down to find the game)
Oregon State at No. 20 UCLA, 7:30 p.m. PST -- Go Bruins! Not only does a win over Oregon State help our seeding chances, a win by UCLA helps the old RPI.
Where you can find the game: FCS (Comcast channel 415), DirecTV channel 694, Dish Network channel 408
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I'll be paying attention
I’ll be watching the 7:30 FSN game…but keeping track of the others. I was hoping we could do a board for the games tonight.
Well, happy to be at your service
Unfortunately, I can’t get the game to load up over the network here at work as I finish up. I’ll try to catch it when I get home.
ASU offense looking awful so far
0-4 from 3, 1-7 overall. They’re even only 2-4 from the line. Ouch.
Are the AZ schools wilting?
We’ll see if ASU lost their steam when they visited Washington or they are just gearing up for a monster second half. All I know is that Goods doesn’t seem to know how to miss a 3.
Came back a little at the half
But geez … ASU still only played six guys in the first half. What in the world is Sendek trying to do?
ASU is starting to remind me of the poor man's USC right now
It just seems like Sendak is riding Harden like USC always does with their high end guard recruits (Mayo, DeRozan, etc.) and then relying on one forward (Pendergraph = Taj Gibson). But it is just not working for ASU.
It's time to start wondering if ASU might not be finished
Normally, they’re so tough at home. But they just look gassed all around. They really need contributions from Kuksiks to be effective — they can’t just win with Harden and Pendergraph and no one else.
I don't want to say this is over. . .
but it sure looks that way. Oh well, I guess it sucks more to be an ASU fan than us on this one.
This one would have been nice...
But I feel that the other games tonight are more important. Let’s go Oregon, keep winning for the Cougs.
Well. . .I really wanted to catch the USC v. UO game, but the channelsurfing link ain't working.
So I am stuck with the UA v. Cal game. If people are watching either the USC or UCLA game, keep me posted.
Works perfectly on my Mac.
Actually, my buddy next to me with the Sony Vaio is the one having problems.
Oregon looks like their in it
Anyone watching the game? How does Oregon look?
Checking the score again...
And USC looks to be running away from Oregon a bit.
That's just so not good for the Cougs
Half of our tournament argument comes from sweeping the Devils.
UA looks to be in control
They are a different team at home.
This Lute Olsen tribute is somewhat strange
Hope our tribute to Tony after 25 years is better put together then this.
You know, every time I watch Cal all I can think
Is how they would have run away with the Pac-10 title if they still had Ryan Anderson. That team might have been a No. 1 seed.
nah
what we really need is a center. but i think we win the Pac-10 with Anderson, at the very least.
So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!
Are you kidding?
The only team in the nation that would be able to match your offensive firepower would be North Carolina.
I didn't know our game
on sat. was picked up by CBS. thats sweet!
it says that on ESPN's scoreboard
on WSU’s website it says just FSN, but im going to belive ESPN on this one
Every pac-10 game on sat
is on CBS or ABC, thats good exposure.
Oh yeah...i forgot that was CBS.
Guess it was too early in the morning for me.
The CBS Sports website says they have a national game (Texas @ Kansas) at 1...
Meaning they don’t have this game… I saw it advertised on FSN earlier too. It’s still on FSN, but it’s in HD.
He's got to be the most underrated player in the country
If he played in the SEC or Big East they’d be talking about him as a second or third team all-American.
He truly has unlimited range
And it forces defenses way outside on him. Wise can’t stay with him if he has to cover him 30 feet from the basket and deal with the quickness.
I guess after 14 strait losses
we couldn’t expect oregon to win 3 in a row
This USC/UO game is pretty much over.
If Cal can hang on we would be 2-2 on the night, that’s not bad
Buddinger plays out of control and always gets calls
I really don’t like that guy.
RANDLE!!!
I do not want to face him in the Pac 10 tourney. He can lead Cal all the way through the gauntlet by himself if he shoots like this.
If this holds...
I believe all we need is a USC loss and a WSU win to get the #5…
OSU over USC....?
Maybe, but I think it’s a bit of a stretch. Unless USC is counting on the Pac 10 tournament to get a bid, maybe overlooking OSU or resting some players. But still, we’re in decent position.
Tony Bennett for Heisman!
It's a stretch
But USC has overplayed their horses and could be tired. And we would have said us going on a three game streak would be a stretch. Crazier things have happened.
oh man
If we get the 5 seed we will play ASU. That’s a chance too good to pass up!
Tony Bennett for Heisman!
I was holding out hope that we might get some help
But everything that might’ve helped our RPI didn’t happen tonight.
At least now is becomes simple
We win, and a USC or AZ loss means we get a bye, or we win the tiebreaker over AZ. Who would have thought that 2 weeks ago?
It is an amazing run we're on
And being locked as a lowest possible 7th…and a shot at 6th even if we don’t pull it out Saturday. Amazing turn of events.
I'm wrong anyway
USC has to win, and Arizona has to lose, which would give the tiebreaker to WSU over UA.
also I think you are right
We lose tiebreakers with USC, we’d lose if we ended up tied with Arizona and USC, and we would lose tiebreakers with Arizona. 7th I suppose isn’t so bad, especially considering we’d get UCLA who we’ve already beat already, if we beat Oregon.
Tony Bennett for Heisman!
by johnnycougar on Mar 5, 2009 10:00 PM PST up reply actions
No, peaty was right
USC beats OSU, and Stanford beats Arizona and UW beats WSU:
5th: USC (9-9)
6th: WSU (8-10)
7th: Zona (8-10)
8th: OSU (7-11)
Can’t get the 5th seed without a win though, which is where you want to be, cuz that would probably give you a first round game against Arizona State.
doesn't Arizona have the tiebreaker?
If we have the same record doesn’t the tiebreaker start with head to head (we split), then go with record against top teams (We would have lost twice to UW while Arizona won once).
Tony Bennett for Heisman!
by johnnycougar on Mar 5, 2009 10:13 PM PST up reply actions
Here's a quirk.
If we beat UW, we have to root FOR Oregon State. If UW wins, we have to root AGAINST Oregon State. That’s because if we win and OSU loses, we’re #5 outright, and the Committee would have to reach down below us to pick Arizona, hopefully scooping us up as well. If we lose and OSU wins, we’re the #8 seed no matter what.
Assuming OSU over USC, UA over Stanford, and UW over WSU: UA is 9-9 and takes #5 outright. The 3-way tie for 6th would be resolved as follows:
#6: OSU: 3-1 (sweep USC, split with WSU)
#7: USC: 2-2 (swept by OSU, swept WSU)
#8: WSU: 1-3 (split with OSU, swept by USC)
Assuming OSU over USC, Stanford over UA, and UW over WSU: 4-way tie for #5, all at 8-10. That tie would be resolved like this:
#5: UA: 4-2 (swept OSU, split with USC, split with WSU)
#6: OSU: 3-3 (sweep USC, split with WSU, swept by UA)
#7: USC: 3-3 (swept by OSU, swept WSU, split with UA);
#8: WSU: 2-4 (split with OSU, swept by USC, split with UA)
I thought today's games would clear things up
but they didn’t really…
The only thing I know for sure is that Cal is now locked into the #3 seed.
Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"
OK, one more fact of interest:
I’ve just figured out that if UCLA and Washington tie, UCLA will win on the third (!) tiebreaker by having an 11-2 to 9-3 advantage in nonconference record. If Washington had scheduled a D-I opponent instead of Seattle and beaten Portland in their first game of the season, they’d have gone to a coin toss.
Far out.
Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"
Actually, the third tiebreaker bit only applies if Cal loses to ASU
If Cal beats ASU, UCLA wins by the much simpler expedient of having swept Cal.
Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"
Yeah
You’re right on the tiebreaker. I was thinking they would have the same records against UW, but clearly that would not be the case.
It’s all pretty exhausting.
Even though the Pac-10 does not have the same talent it had last year. . .
this year sure has been exciting to watch. Even Oregon (the Oregon State of last year) pulled off a few key wins.
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