BASKETBALL The case for Middle Tennessee as the next ***-major power
- Thread starter SpaceRaider
- Start date
Unless you are undefeated and the National Champion, one can easily argue that there continues to be room for improvement. A win in The Big Dance was awesome, and then it becomes just one win away from the Sweet Sixteen. Don't get me wrong, that would be an incredible goal or step for MT to take next, getting to that Sweet Sixteen. It's not just that one extra win, it's those days off to start the week before the next round tips off. At that point, it's a media frenzy for those 16 best teams in the country. One could see how folks would like that kind of media coverage of your program for almost a week.
I certainly hope for continued big goals, steps, achievements, and successes for MT basketball. Even at up to this point, I also have to say that I really am already enjoying the ride. For many (about 20) years sitting in The Murph through heartbreaking losses and disappointing seasons, this sort of success over the last 5-6 years were the things dreams were made of.
In addition to the given of wanting to continue to see MT take even higher steps, I'm also hoping that some fellow C-USA programs step up so that C-USA can become at least a 2-bid league again.
I certainly hope for continued big goals, steps, achievements, and successes for MT basketball. Even at up to this point, I also have to say that I really am already enjoying the ride. For many (about 20) years sitting in The Murph through heartbreaking losses and disappointing seasons, this sort of success over the last 5-6 years were the things dreams were made of.
In addition to the given of wanting to continue to see MT take even higher steps, I'm also hoping that some fellow C-USA programs step up so that C-USA can become at least a 2-bid league again.
I don't think we will see a 2 bid CUSA unless a team gets hot that was never gonna make the tourney.
I am also enjoying the ride, to me as a fan, a game in January is fun. While I want us to accomplish tourney dreams, I want to enjoy each regular season game.
I am also enjoying the ride, to me as a fan, a game in January is fun. While I want us to accomplish tourney dreams, I want to enjoy each regular season game.
CUSA hasn't been a two bid league since Louisville left. After that it was Memphis and the rest.
I'm concerned the fans, as usual, will not fill up the Murph. The BB program deserves a full house.
I'm concerned the fans, as usual, will not fill up the Murph. The BB program deserves a full house.
There is always the opportunity for CUSA to be a 2 bid league. We have seen flashes of greatness from UTEP, UAB, WKU, and LA TECH. The problem is a consistent program. People start having success and they jump ship. Kermit has been the exception. He has stayed with us. That is why we are consistently at the top of the league. In order to make a strong conference we need 2-3 others to mimick what we have done with our staff.
My cynicism of the NCAA tells me that we'll never be more than a 1 bid league. If we hadn't won the conference tourney last year, we wouldn't have received a bid. If that wasn't good enough, the NCAA just flat out doesn't want our kind at their party.
I'm not anticipating C-USA necessarily getting to 2-bids this season unless something incredibly strange happens. Certainly, it's an uphill battle, but hopefully C-USA can improve over the next couple of seasons to at least push for 2 bids. Impossible? No. Difficult? Yep.
I do agree that the P5 will in all likelihood continue to be happy with if only a couple or even no at-large bids go to non-P5 programs. With the size of the tourney and growth of Div1, at large spots are seeming to become even more scarce. Of course the selection committee doesn't help either. 15-20 years ago, what was it, maybe 320 Div1 teams? What's it pushing now? Almost 360?
I do agree that the P5 will in all likelihood continue to be happy with if only a couple or even no at-large bids go to non-P5 programs. With the size of the tourney and growth of Div1, at large spots are seeming to become even more scarce. Of course the selection committee doesn't help either. 15-20 years ago, what was it, maybe 320 Div1 teams? What's it pushing now? Almost 360?
