bukie

I don't get the Beasley fascination, and I bet he starts at least vs HON.

#26: Cubs' Defense Finishes off the Dodgers Why on the list? - 27 up, 27 down. Puig may have been safe at first there, but the Dodgers didn't challenge (and man, wouldn't that have ruined that moment?), the fans went nuts, Wrigley went nuts, and the party went on all night long. This was a game the Cubs dominated every facet, and the Dodgers never had a chance to get into it. Every runner they had on the basepaths was immediately eliminated, and they trailed from the second hitter on. The fans were still nervous because it was something nobody had seen for 71 years, so even the most minor thing like Hendricks allowing a second hit in the 8th inning, and then Maddon pulling him for Chapman, had the crowd on edge. But after that last out, the party was on, and everyone at that stadium stayed for hours (mostly because there was no real way to get out, thanks to the party outside and the police working to get the Dodgers safely out of the stadium area). I was there that night, too, and have a bunch of shaky cell phone videos of history in the making there. I didn't get that last DP, though, since it all happened so quick after the previous batter walked.

Illinois with their largest margin of victory of the season...so at least they're playing like they want to be playing, finally.

Ross's Game 7 home run and Russell's Game 6 grand slam are the only others that come close for me, aside from the big 2 you mentioned. Things should be clearer once I get to 25.

Everybody's a critic.

#27: Montero and Fowler Restart the Party Why on the list? - The Dodgers had just rallied to tie game 1 in the 8th on a bases-loaded single by Adrian Gonzalez after the Cubs had basically been in control for the entirety of the game to that point. However, right away in the bottom frame, Zobrist his a clutch double (again) to start things off. After a groundout by Russell, the Dodgers intentionally walked Heyward. Then, when Baez flew out, the Dodgers intentionally walked Coghlan because they preferred Blanton pitch to Montero. Blanton threw a hanging slider on 0-1 which Montero missed, so apparently he thought that was the right out pitch to get him, so he threw another, and Montero put it about eight rows up, sending the Wrigley crowd back into party mode. Before the celebration even settled down, Fowler followed with a carbon copy HR that seemed anticlimactic in retrospect, the playoffs' quietest home run, as by then the party had already started up again.

#28: Russell Breaks the Tie Why on the list? - Game 5 was a tight affair going into the 6th, as the Dodgers didn't really trust any pitcher for too long, pulling Maeda in the 4th after having given up the one run, and then just scrambling with the bullpen to try to get the game to Jansen while it was still a game. Joe Blanton was the choice for the 6th, and it turns out that didn't work out, as Russell broke the tie, and the series, on one hanging slider.

NIT is going to experiment with the rules:

Is Syracuse missing that big of a surprise? Their resume isn't great Do you even read, bro?

Once Wichita State got a 10 there was no way Illinois State was getting in. Syracuse somehow just missed, along with Iowa, Illinois State, and Cal.

LOL, Wichita State is a 10. It's just silly.

Time to see if Sunday games do matter. I have a feeling Michigan still gets a disappointing 7 seed I mean...we had them pegged as a 7.

Troy wins the Sun Belt. Michigan and SMU comfortably ahead at the half of their games

In auto bid news, Troy leads Texas State by 6 at the half. Kentucky is about to wrap up the SEC auto bid, which could bump their profile to the top line, potentially. Only problem is they didn't have to beat anybody decent to win the tourney.

If this somehow ends with Illinois making the tournament, it will be the most hilarious year ever. I know USC is the consensus, but I am not too fond of their 2 top 50 wins or 5 top 100 wins.

Rhode Island wins the A-10. Updated the bracket, VCU is in the first four.

Rhode Island up 5 with 30 seconds to play.

There's growing speculation in the analytical community that Illinois and Illinois State would be the last 2 teams left out, and that one could get in if Rhode Island loses.

"David Ross is meaningless and probably a terrible person and nobody will like him in a few years" is a weird hill to die on.

Princeton wins the Ivy. VCU coming back in the second half against Rhode Island.

Princeton starting to pull away late in the second half, so that spot looks stable. Rhode Island leads VCU by 13 at the half. If VCU loses, do they stay in?

Venezuela won yesterday, not eliminated.

Our 12 considerations that got left out: Syracuse, USC, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, TCU, Cal, Clemson, Houston, Utah, Texas A&M Just for kicks, here's the first four, VCU, and the 12 misses nitty gritty: Team AdjEM 1-25 26-50 51-100 101-200 200+ R/N Conf California +12.69 0-7 2-1 4-3 8-1 7-0 6-9 +9.93 Clemson +15.88 0-7 3-5 6-3 5-0 3-0 6-10 +17.26 Georgia +12.80 0-6 1-5 9-2 7-1 1-0 7-9 +12.39 Houston +14.47 0-4 1-1 5-3 7-2 8-0 9-6 +6.15 Illinois +10.50 1-6 4-4 4-2 5-2 3-0 6-9 +13.71 Illinois State +14.34 1-2 0-1 2-0 17-3 6-0 12-6 +2.12 Indiana +15.17 2-8 2-4 5-1 1-2 8-0 4-11 +13.71 Iowa +10.62 4-3 2-5 2-4 5-2 5-0 4-10 +13.71 Marquette +17.58 1-3 5-2 5-7 3-0 5-0 5-9 +14.82 Providence +12.92 0-3 5-4 7-3 3-2 5-0 5-9 +14.82 Seton Hall +13.97 0-4 6-4 6-2 3-1 6-0 9-9 +14.82 Syracuse +14.35 3-5 3-3 3-5 4-1 5-0 2-11 +17.27 TCU +15.28 1-11 2-2 5-2 5-0 4-0 6-9 +19.31 Texas A&M +11.00 0-6 1-6 4-3 5-0 6-0 5-10 +12.39 USC +12.29 2-6 0-1 3-1 13-1 5-0 10-6 +9.93 Utah +14.72 0-4 0-2 4-2 7-2 7-1 6-8 +9.93 VCU (A-10 Bid) +14.54 0-1 2-1 6-4 11-0 6-1 10-6 +4.33 ...and now I will go back to wondering what happens if Illinois beats Rutgers.

I'm curious if Dayton gets slid into the First Four, which is in Dayton. I'm really skeptical that any of the near-miss decent conference regular season champs (Illinois State, Akron, UT Arlington, maybe Princeton) would sneak into the first four, like Middle Tennessee did a couple years back, but considering how poorly that ended up I don't think they'd do it without a deserving profile (which I think Illinois State has). IF Illinois State makes it, that would make a total of 2 at-large teams from conferences outside the top 8, and if both Rhode Island and VCU make it, that's just 5 at-large teams from outside the top 6 conferences.