I hope this is our last home game this season

[UR80sfan]

The Spiders are going to be playing after the A10 tournament in either the NCAA Tournament or the NIT. Hopefully, we make it to the NCAAs. If we don't we are projected to be a 1st seed in the NIT, which could give us as many as 3 more home games. Let's keep winning and not play another game after tonight in the Robin Center!

 

[Eight Legger]

Agreed.

But just for the sake of discussion... What if I told you that we would make the NCAAs but lose by 25 in a play-in game to Rutgers OR that if we went to the NIT instead, we would host and defeat by 20+ points Purdue, Notre Dame and Texas and then beat UCLA in the semifinal at MSG by 25 and blow out VCU by 40 in the title game?

Which would everyone choose?

 

[plydogg]

Agreed.

But just for the sake of discussion... What if I told you that we would make the NCAAs but lose by 25 in a play-in game to Rutgers OR that if we went to the NIT instead, we would host and defeat by 20+ points Purdue, Notre Dame and Texas and then beat UCLA in the semifinal at MSG by 25 and blow out VCU by 40 in the title game?

Which would everyone choose?

Man you’re really trying to get us with blowing out vcu AND beating Shaka on the way there. Between those two options I’d rather go the NIT but not because of that. Next year is our “big year” and I think the committee will punish us if we get in and lose by 25 this year. I know that may sound crazy but it feels like something they would absolutely do

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

The Spiders are going to be playing after the A10 tournament in either the NCAA Tournament or the NIT. Hopefully, we make it to the NCAAs. If we don't we are projected to be a 1st seed in the NIT, which could give us as many as 3 more home games. Let's keep winning and not play another game after tonight in the Robin Center!

You've come a long way, 80s!

 

[urmite]

Man you’re really trying to get us with blowing out vcu AND beating Shaka on the way there. Between those two options I’d rather go the NIT but not because of that. Next year is our “big year” and I think the committee will punish us if we get in and lose by 25 this year. I know that may sound crazy but it feels like something they would absolutely do

Will they still punish us if we continue the same trend of reducing our losing percentage:
Last year 13-20 .606
Possibly 26-8 .235
Next year 31-3 .088

 

[spiderman]

Which would everyone choose?

NCAAs of course.

 

[97spiderfan]

NCAA, no question. You can't unhang an NCAA banner.

 

[fan2011]

Agreed.

But just for the sake of discussion... What if I told you that we would make the NCAAs but lose by 25 in a play-in game to Rutgers OR that if we went to the NIT instead, we would host and defeat by 20+ points Purdue, Notre Dame and Texas and then beat UCLA in the semifinal at MSG by 25 and blow out VCU by 40 in the title game?

Which would everyone choose?

The 2nd for sure. Need gilyard to play as many games as possible to set the all time career steals record.

 

[plydogg]

NCAA, no question. You can't unhang an NCAA banner.

I can’t argue with this at all but personally, to me, losing in a play in game isn’t making the tournament. It’s losing at the chance to be in the tournament. I know that's not what it actually is but hanging a banner for that is not something I would refer to when discussing our history to a friend. Before all the arguments come at me I am aware this is an unpopular opinion and factually this game means making the tournament. Just stating to me personally it doesn’t mean that.

 

[spiderman]

"play in game" is a faulty title. it's not the 63rd-66th teams playing for the right to be in the 64 and play the #1s. I'd be excited to play that game as an 11 seed.

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

They no longer call them "play-in" games for that very reason. The field is 68.
With 32 AQ conferences, they could go back to 64 if they wanted to.

 

[plydogg]

They no longer call them "play-in" games for that very reason. The field is 68.
With 32 AQ conferences, they could go back to 64 if they wanted to.

In my heart they’re still play in games though. I’d absolutely love to make one and win one, but personally I wouldn’t take as much pride in losing in that game as in losing in the round of 64 (but hey I’d rather talk about winning!

 

[dobbiethespider]

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/richmond/2015-schedule.html funny to compare this team to the 2015 team.(NIT 1 seed).
Dance or bust
Rather lose in the 11 vs. 11 game than cut down the Not In Tournaments nets in MSG.

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

In my heart they’re still play in games though. I’d absolutely love to make one and win one, but personally I wouldn’t take as much pride in losing in that game as in losing in the round of 64 (but hey I’d rather talk about winning!

plydogg, for some reason I thought you were much younger then us old-timers who fondly remember the 64-team (and fewer!) bracket.

 

[Gospiders06]

NCAA bid brings recognition and money into the program.

 

[plydogg]

NCAA bid brings recognition and money into the program.

With what I paid for tuition and what the endowment is I think the university already has more than enough money that any tournament appearance dollars would be insignificant

 

[plydogg]

plydogg, for some reason I thought you were much younger then us old-timers who fondly remember the 64-team (and fewer!) bracket.

I think I may be a bit younger. 25 and soon to be 26. Graduated from UR in 2016 though, unfortunately that sweet 16 year was when I was a junior in college and before I even had the school on my radar

 

[fatherspider]

Man you’re really trying to get us with blowing out vcu AND beating Shaka on the way there. Between those two options I’d rather go the NIT but not because of that. Next year is our “big year” and I think the committee will punish us if we get in and lose by 25 this year. I know that may sound crazy but it feels like something they would absolutely do

That is crazy. And no way do we get in and lose by 25 to anyone. These 5-6 seeded teams are not impressive at all. I think we would win a game at least if we dance.

 

[fatherspider]

plydogg, for some reason I thought you were much younger then us old-timers who fondly remember the 64-team (and fewer!) bracket.

I agree with this. Wake, St johns and iona (my other teams of interest) all were playin teams and lost and I didnt feel that they made the tournament afterward. But if you win?? Look at LaSalle a few years back.

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

I think I may be a bit younger. 25 and soon to be 26. Graduated from UR in 2016 though, unfortunately that sweet 16 year was when I was a junior in college and before I even had the school on my radar

Cool. I think you meant junior in high school, but when you're posting at 2:30 in the morning all is forgiven.
That's wild - I was a junior in HS for our first Sweet 16 trip. That's what put Richmond on my radar!

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

That is crazy. And no way do we get in and lose by 25 to anyone. These 5-6 seeded teams are not impressive at all. I think we would win a game at least if we dance.

Yeah, I think we've only been trucked once in our first game - 1990 vs Duke.

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

I agree with this. Wake, St johns and iona (my other teams of interest) all were playin teams and lost and I didnt feel that they made the tournament afterward. But if you win?? Look at LaSalle a few years back.

Or VCU, the first year of the field of 68.
I'm pretty sure last year was the only time in the 9 years since the expansion that a First Four winner did not advance beyond the next round. At least four of those teams have gotten to the Sweet Sixteen, including La Salle.

 

[urmite]

Yeah, I think we've only been trucked once in our first game - 1990 vs Duke. We were a 16 seed.

Actually we were a 14 seed. Surprisingly this roster was a 3 seed


Player Class Pos Height Summary
▲
Clay Buckley JR C 1.8 Pts, 1.2 Reb, 0.1 Ast
Joe Cook G 6-2 1.9 Pts, 0.3 Reb, 0.6 Ast
Crawford Palmer C 1.5 Pts, 2.2 Reb, 0.0 Ast
Robert Brickey SR F 6-5 11.7 Pts, 5.4 Reb, 2.0 Ast
Thomas Hill G 6-5 3.4 Pts, 2.2 Reb, 0.7 Ast
Greg Koubek JR F 5.3 Pts, 2.7 Reb, 0.5 Ast
Brian Davis SO F 6-7 5.0 Pts, 2.2 Reb, 0.8 Ast
Phil Henderson SR G 6-4 18.5 Pts, 3.8 Reb, 2.3 Ast
Bill McCaffrey G 6-4 6.6 Pts, 0.7 Reb, 0.9 Ast
Bobby Hurley G 6-0 8.8 Pts, 1.8 Reb, 7.6 Ast
Alaa Abdelnaby SR F 6-10 15.1 Pts, 6.6 Reb, 0.7 Ast
Christian Laettner SO C 6-11 16.3 Pts, 9.6 Reb, 2.2 Ast

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

Wow, you're right. I drank a lot that day, forgive me.
It's still the only first-round laugher we've had, unless I've blacked out another.

 

[VT4700]

Agreed.

But just for the sake of discussion... What if I told you that we would make the NCAAs but lose by 25 in a play-in game to Rutgers OR that if we went to the NIT instead, we would host and defeat by 20+ points Purdue, Notre Dame and Texas and then beat UCLA in the semifinal at MSG by 25 and blow out VCU by 40 in the title game?

Which would everyone choose?

NIT title. The way you described the games, this is an easy answer. What good does it do to make the dance if you lose to Rutgers by 25? That would be a disaster. Everyone in the country would say we did not belong. All next year, after win after win, all we would hear is how overrated we are, and how we do not deserve a bid. And, with the whole team coming back, why not enjoy an NIT title this year, especially the way you described it happening, and then make some noise in the dance next year, when everyone will be calling us NIT champs who got screwed by the committee instead of an overrated mid major who did not deserve a bid.

 

[I-M-UR]

If the team would lose to Rutgers by 25 why do yo think we’d win the NIT? You’ve offered a false choice. How about knocking off a Mediocre P6 team in our opening game vs coming in 3rd place in NIT

 

[plydogg]

That is crazy. And no way do we get in and lose by 25 to anyone. These 5-6 seeded teams are not impressive at all. I think we would win a game at least if we dance.

That wasn’t the hypothetical. I answered the hypothetical question which what I would prefer given the two hypothetical options. You can’t just change them that’s not how a hypothetical question work

 

[plydogg]

If the team would lose to Rutgers by 25 why do yo think we’d win the NIT? You’ve offered a false choice. How about knocking off a Mediocre P6 team in our opening game vs coming in 3rd place in NIT

There were two options in the hypothetical! Getting blown out by Rutgers or winning the NIT! You guys can be critical but when he’s answering a question you can’t criticize him for being unrealistic when he chooses one of the two options!