OVC Tournament - Format Change

[OSRacer]

No byes in this years tourney. Ought to be interesting!

https://www.wpsdlocal6.com/sports/ovc-c ... e8245.html

http://ovcsports.com/documents/2021/2/1 ... f?id=12380

[smidge34]

Doesn’t look like another Murray/Belmont final will happen. We get the 5 IF we sweep and Peay sweeps. If I’ve got it right we get the 4 seed IF we sweep and Peay loses the last Saturday at Jax by virtue of Peay’s loss at UTM a couple Monday’s ago. Should Peay sweep as well we get the 5. Of course should UTM lose at EIU that would change EIU to the tie breaker, giving Peay the 4 in the event of a tie. Anyway, both the 4 and 5 are on the same side of the bracket as the 1.

[Tick21]

Right now, we’re sixth. We would have to pass either Peay or JSU to get 4th/5th, and be on the same side of the bracket as Belmont. Of course if we win out it means we beat JSU and they still have to play at Belmont, and I’m guessing we’d have the tiebreaker over them since we beat EKU. I’m not sure who gets the tiebreaker if we end up tied with Peay? But it looks like it most likely would be us. Whether EIU or UTM finishes higher could end up being deciding factor.

[RacerPreacher]

I consider this very good new for us this year. We have a team that is finally coming into their own at the end of the year. They are shooting a high percentage and playing much better defense while limiting turnovers. I feel much better playing Belmont, Morehead, or Peay knowing they will have played just as many games as we have going into they game. No fresh legs with us coming in with less than 24 hours rest. I really do like our chances with this traditional format. I feel we have a really good chance to knock off some good teams in March.

[atlantaracer]

First of all, I am shocked by this change. I know the OVC left it open to change at the beginning of the year, but unless their are additional cancellations, it looks like only the Siue vs Jax is the only make-up not being played. It does seem odd that, in the year that teams have played the most conference games ever, byes are eliminated.
We may benefit from this, but I don’t think I agree.

But for a 4 seed, it probably makes little difference. To win, you’ll still play 3 games, and likely vs 5, 1 and then championship. For a 5, it’s one less game, but also more games for the teams you play, so that’s a bigger deal late.

Does anyone know the tiebreaker. I know it’s head-to-head, followed by records vs highest seed and continuing until the tie is broken. But is record based on percentage or win/loss record? We are 0-2 vs Belmont and Head. Peay us 0-1 against those teams. By percentage, we win tiebreak vs Peay by our 1-0 vs EKU. By record, 0-2 is worse than 0-1.

A tiebreak is unlikely with Jax unless we have a game cancelled, since they are scheduled for 19 games. If Jax beats us, we are destined for a 5. However, Jax could conceivably win the remaining except losses to Belmont and us, and we tie in losses. If we have a game cancelled, it could leave us in a tie. I think we would win the tiebreak based on win vs EKU.

I couldn’t find whether it is based on record or percentage, but I think it’s percentage (so 0-1 is same as 0-2, and 2-0 same as 1-0).

[smidge34]

I forgot about EKU and that’s weird, our traveling partner Peay has played them twice (1-1) while we have only played them once (1-0). Peay played them Saturday January 2 and we didn’t play them that week. Weird.

BTW as already mentioned, 4 or 5 seed it’s all academic at this point. Peay will be our likely first round opponent barring something crazy.

[smidge34]

*It looks like Peay only played Head once.

[Tick21]

*It looks like Peay only played Head once.

Peay played/ plays Belmont and Morehead once. Good scheduling.

[smidge34]

Wow

[wkeown]

It would perhaps seem disingenuous of me to say that I don't want to see another Murray State/Belmont final. But to be honest I would rather play Belmont in the second round than in the final. I think that the fresher we are, the better our chances are. Who ever gets locked into slots 3-6 is in for war in round one.

Call me selfish, but I get absolutely NO pleasure seeing any another OVC team go to the tourney. Now I do understand that financially it would be beneficial for Murray and for the OVC to get two teams in. But about the only way that is going to happen this year with these brackets is for us to square off with Belmont in the second round and beat them.

If that does happen and Belmont doesn't get an at-large, I would probably get that same look on my face that Angela gets whenever Dwight Schrute is talked about for promotion at Dunder Mifflin. I can't help it. I'm petty that way. I would LOVE to suck the air out of Belmont's season with a second round loss.

[smidge34]

With Belmont’s crappy OOC schedule they aren’t getting an at-large, that’s crazy talk. Samford put the exclamation point on that.

[speck]

Playing the bottom feeders in the ovc not going to get you much respect either when selection time comes.

[runningracer]

Can't worry about who plays who. The only important game on our schedule right now is EIU.

[atlantaracer]

I don’t know if Belmont gets an at large or not with a second loss, but for the sake of the conference, I hope so.

We were all quite frustrated that we were sent to the NIT after an undefeated OVC regular season. That year, our OOC was worse than Belmont’s this year and we had no impressive wins. We should all hope that an undefeated regular season conference record and a misstep or two elsewhere that ends with a snub never happens in the OVC again.

[smidge34]

Peay may wind up 6th ha, just lost in OT to SEMO.

[atlantaracer]

Does anyone know whether the tiebreaker after head to head is based on percentages or records?

[JoeD]

I don’t know if Belmont gets an at large or not with a second loss, but for the sake of the conference, I hope so.

We were all quite frustrated that we were sent to the NIT after an undefeated OVC regular season. That year, our OOC was worse than Belmont’s this year and we had no impressive wins. We should all hope that an undefeated regular season conference record and a misstep or two elsewhere that ends with a snub never happens in the OVC again.

I get what you’re saying, but let’s be honest, their wins OOC are against the 9th place team in the A10, 3rd place team in the ASun, 5th place team in the MVC, 9th place team in the ASun, and a loss at home to the 9th place team in the SoCon.

[atlantaracer]

I don’t know if Belmont gets an at large or not with a second loss, but for the sake of the conference, I hope so.

We were all quite frustrated that we were sent to the NIT after an undefeated OVC regular season. That year, our OOC was worse than Belmont’s this year and we had no impressive wins. We should all hope that an undefeated regular season conference record and a misstep or two elsewhere that ends with a snub never happens in the OVC again.

I get what you’re saying, but let’s be honest, their wins OOC are against the 9th place team in the A10, 3rd place team in the ASun, 5th place team in the MVC, 9th place team in the ASun, and a loss at home to the 9th place team in the SoCon.

I get it joe. But our OOC included blowout losses to Xavier and Valpo, loss to 6th place WCC Portland, 10th place AC Houston, and the best win against 3rd place MVC Illinois state, followed by 4th place C USA Wasted KY. I think we should have gone that year.

Our argument was anyone who could go 16-0 in their league and win on the road should not be penalized for early OOC losses before we found our stride. If Belmont goes 20-0 with only 1 stumble early, I hope the OVC has enough respect to get an at large. Otherwise, we shouldn’t ever expect to get an at large-and you can bet it will be used against us when competing with power schools in recruiting.

[smidge34]

Nobody here is suggesting they shouldn’t get an at large or at least I’m not, just stating the obvious that the odds of them getting one with their OOC resume is slim to non-existent based on years of observing. Rick Byrd is why they got the last one imho.

[VUGrad1314]

Nobody here is suggesting they shouldn’t get an at large or at least I’m not, just stating the obvious that the odds of them getting one with their OOC resume is slim to non-existent based on years of observing. Rick Byrd is why they got the last one imho.

This. I think they knew he was retiring soon so they gave them that at large as sort of the Rick Byrd Lifetime Achievement Award. Fair play to them they made the most of it by winning their play in game and almost winning the first round game but I strongly felt that that was the case as well.