Final road trip

Wingman

This week the Owls start a 3 game road trip at FIU, Liberty and Jax State. These games will decide the tournament seeding. The Owls can finish no lower than 8th, even if they lose all 3.

The goal is to finish in the top 6 and avoid a first round game. Beyond that, I don’t see much difference in being a 1 seed vs a 6 seed. The tournament will be at a neutral site at the teams are closely matched.

My guess is a win at FIU, a loss at Liberty and I have an odd feeling that we will take Jax State in our last regular season game.

Of course I am often wrong about such things and hoping that we got the really bad playing out of our system in that last home game against NMSU.

bb_fan

If you liked the last game -- NMSU shot 17.6% from 3 which actually beat KSUs 17.4% from 3 -- then you'll like this one too. KSU shoots 30.2% from 3 (338/355) which is actually better than than FIU at 29% (347/355). The difference between the teams is that KSU ignores the fact that they can't shoot 3s and chunks them up at a rate that places them 28/355 in the nation. FIU acknowledges the fact that they can't shoot straight and limits their attempts to 342/355. Advantage FIU.

I also expect KSU to win although I won't be surprised if FIU pulls off the upset (Massey has KSU as a 1 point favorite). KSU won the first game by 6, although they very well could have lost. FIU shot sub 50% from the line; if they had made their season average of 70% they would have scored 6 more points and we're in overtime. FIU also shot 20% from 3 (2/10) -- if they shot their season average of 30% they would have made 1 additional basket and they win in regulation.

Kmase14

3-6 doesn't really matter. We'd likely get MTSU or Liberty before the championship. So any avoiding a team we haven't beaten before the championship is likely out the window. I'd say going 1-2 should get KSU into a top 6 seed. Falling in the 4-6 seed is most likely. KSU could fall to the 7 seed even going 1-2 these last 3 games, however very unlikely. They could also win out and be the 1/2 seed and get the double bye, however EXTREMELY unlikely.

Needless to say, take care of business Thursday and its playing with house money the last 2 games to see how high a seed they could get.

Wingman

I said in my post above that I am often wrong. Well at least I was right about being wrong.

bb_fan

Well the girls were tied and scored the winning basket with 8 seconds left. I watched the wrong game.

bb_fan

Despite a solid 23% from 3 (that brings the Owls to sub 30% on the year) the rocking and rolling home crowd propelled the Panthers to an easy upset victory.

I'm not surprised.

Wingman

I was wrong again and I’m happy about it. If you told me the Owls would only win one of those 2 games … I would prefer the takedown of the first place team.

bb_fan

I missed the start; when I turned on the TV KSU trailed by 9. So I went to the stats to get caught up and the first thing I see is that KSU was 1/11 (9%!) from 3. "Here we go again" I thot as I settled in to watch. Obviously what I saw from that point on was a bit different than what I missed.

The production value of the CBS teleccast was so much better than what you get on ESPN+.

Kmase14

KSU gets their FIRST Quad 1 win of the season. And idk if I'm mistaken, but for at least the last 5 years, this would be their first ever quad 1 win!

Wingman

Well that’s an impressive way to end a regular season- knocking off the top 2 teams in the conference back to back.

If you’re a KSU fan, you gotta love the way this team can come from way behind to make a game competitive.

If you’re a KSU fan, you gotta hate the way this team can so quickly get way behind.

I think the tournament will be great TV.

Wingman

I am retracting my prior statement that Rongie should not shoot 3’s. What a monster game he had to lead us to the W.

bb_fan

Wingman What's the real Rongie? 8/40 20% season totals before the game or the 3/3 yesterday? I think I like your original opinion.

bb_fan

Should be a good ASun championship game today. Lipscomb and N. Alabama had the same conference record, same overall record, and split their 2 games with the home team winning each time. Game is at Lipscomb. Lipscomb has a NET ranking of 87 and N. Alabama of 111.

KSU has a NET of 140 so we escaped the ASun just in time

Owlref

I am happy to be in the CUSA for basketball, but I don’t see it as an escape. Liberty is ranked higher in Net than the Bisons (still can’t believe a higher ed institution is cool using improper English) and we would be 3rd in Net in the ASUN. We are 6th in Net in CUSA. However I truly believe we could hang with any team the way we are playing right now. I just don’t like how we have to spot everyone 10-15 points before we decide to play. It will be tough to win three in a row especially if Liberty gets a day rest before the Semi.

Kstater

Fun game to watch them claw back and then take it all the way to the finish line.

Taking down the top two teams before the tournament is nice. Maybe we can do it in the tournament too. But there’s a lot more pressure and those teams are out for revenge now.

We were so cold against NM State at home. Maybe our fortunes from 3 land are heading in the right direction.

bb_fan

Lipscomb wins 76-65. Really good game (only saw the 2nd half); closer than the score would imply, Lipscomb pulled away the last 3 minutes holding N Alabama to no field goals in what had been a 1 posession game.

KingOwl

The last regular season OCP podcast drops at midnight.

Kmase14

Is there ANYTHING we can do to keep Wooley for next year? . . . . .

Owlref

I don’t think there is enough Money to keep him! Even if we had an angel donor give us the money I think Wooley will want the chance to prove himself in the SEC.

bb_fan

No.