C-USA Standings (as of 2/14)

[sportdawg]

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1		Old Dominion	10-3	0.769	-	20-6	0.769	86	1-0	9-1	4 Wins
2		Western Kentucky	9-4	0.692	1	16-10	0.615	121	2-3	8-2	5 Wins
2		UTSA	9-4	0.692	1	12-10	0.545	136	0-0	6-4	1 Loss
4		North Texas	8-5	0.615	2	17-6	0.739	120	0-1	5-5	2 Losses
4		Southern Miss	8-5	0.615	2	13-8	0.619	117	0-1	8-2	5 Wins
6		UAB	7-6	0.538	3	13-11	0.542	158	0-3	5-5	1 Win
7		Louisiana Tech	6-7	0.462	4	14-10	0.583	119	0-1	5-5	1 Win
7		FAU	6-7	0.462	4	12-11	0.522	155	1-0	4-6	1 Win
7		Marshall	6-7	0.462	4	13-13	0.500	165	0-2	3-7	4 Losses
7		FIU	6-7	0.462	4	11-11	0.500	212	0-1	4-6	1 Win
11		Rice	5-8	0.385	5	8-16	0.333	192	0-1	3-7	1 Loss
11		Middle Tennessee	5-8	0.385	5	6-18	0.250	262	0-4	5-5	2 Losses
13		UTEP	3-10	0.231	7	6-16	0.273	248	0-2	3-7	1 Loss
13		Charlotte	3-10	0.231	7	6-18	0.250	258	0-2	3-7	1 Win

Saturday, February 16
TIME (ET)	MATCHUP
2:00 PM	Charlotte at Old Dominion
2:00 PM	Rice at Florida Atlantic
2:00 PM	North Texas at Florida International
2:00 PM	Middle Tennessee at Marshall
3:00 PM	UTSA at Louisiana Tech
3:00 PM	UAB at Western Kentucky
3:00 PM	UTEP at Southern Miss

[Dawg-n-Pony]

Is this the new schedule? So the top 4 play each other? How does the new scheduling system work?

[Tech52]

Top 5 play. Thats just the remaining games before the flex scheduling occurs.

[sportdawg]

Is this the new schedule? So the top 4 play each other? How does the new scheduling system work?

1-5 & 6-10 will play round robin, 11-14 will play four games (I guess you'll play someone twice). For tournament purposes - the seeding is locked after 14 games.

[Dawg Fan]

1-5 & 6-10 will play round robin, 11-14 will play four games (I guess you'll play someone twice). For tournament purposes - the seeding is locked after 14 games.

As I understand it, the pods will be locked after 14 games, but it is still possible for the seeds within the pods to change. For example, a team in the 1 to 5 pod will enter the conference tournament no lower than the #5 seed, but it is possible for the #5 team in the pod to enter the conference tournament with a seed higher than #5 depending on how they do with the flex scheduling games. The #1 team in the 1 to 5 pod could lose its remaining games but it would not enter the tournament lower than the #5 seed. If Tech can make it into the 1 to 5 pod, I think they have a good chance at a top 4 seed and (first round bye) in the conference tournament. http://www.conferenceusa.com/news/20...x?path=general

[sportdawg]

As I understand it, the pods will be locked after 14 games, but it is still possible for the seeds within the pods to change. For example, a team in the 1 to 5 pod will enter the conference tournament no lower than the #5 seed, but it is possible for the #5 team in the pod to enter the conference tournament with a seed higher than #5 depending on how they do with the flex scheduling games. The #1 team in the 1 to 5 pod could lose its remaining games but it would not enter the tournament lower than the #5 seed. If Tech can make it into the 1 to 5 pod, I think they have a good chance at a top 4 seed and (first round bye) in the conference tournament. http://www.conferenceusa.com/news/20...x?path=general

I meant to edit my previous post - you can move within your pod, you just can't fall out (or move up pods).

[Dawg Fan]

I meant to edit my previous post - you can move within your pod, you just can't fall out (or move up pods).

No worries. Crazy things can happen, but as long as Tech can win out for the remainder of the 14 games section, I feel good about the chances of being in the 1 to 5 pod. The current teams ahead of Tech will be beating up on each other (Marshall has to play North Texas, UAB, and UTSA. Old Dominion has to play North Texas and UAB) which hopefully will move one or two of them below Tech. Tech has to play UTSA, but there are scenarios where Tech is in the top 5 even with a loss to them.

[boxerdog]

I don't see us, or anyone else, winning out.

[tenacious_dog]

We can move into the top pod if (A) we put on a run and (B) one or two of the current top 4 (ODU in particular) drop enough games.

Then again, maybe we just want to be the top team in the middle pod. We're slow out of the chute at the conference tournament so maybe we'd do better to play the weakest qualifier from the bottom pod in the 1st round and hopefully pull out a win. Then be ready to play in the 2nd round.

No doubt someone will correct me if I've got this figured wrong.

[Dawg Fan]

We can move into the top pod if (A) we put on a run and (B) one or two of the current top 4 (ODU in particular) drop enough games.

Then again, maybe we just want to be the top team in the middle pod. We're slow out of the chute at the conference tournament so maybe we'd do better to play the weakest qualifier from the bottom pod in the 1st round and hopefully pull out a win. Then be ready to play in the 2nd round.

No doubt someone will correct me if I've got this figured wrong.

Here is a link to last year's bracket. I am using it because it shows the seeds for the teams. http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/conferenceusa.com/documents/2018/3/10/MBB_Bracket_FINAL.pdf

Believe it or not, it is still possible for Tech to be the #1 seed come tournament time, although a lot of crazy things would have to happen in order for it to work out that way. The only way it would happen is if Tech is in the top pod (Teams 1 through 5). Four of the five teams in the top pod will get a first round bye (Seeds 1 thru 4). Seed #5 will have to play a first round game just like seeds 6 thru 12. Since the #6 seed would not play the #1 seed until the championship game (assuming both made it that far), in some ways it might be an easier route to the title game. I certainly agree with the "slow out the chute" comment, but based on Tech's lack of depth, I'd rather be in the top pod and come out with a top 4 seed so the road to the championship only requires winning three games instead of having to win four.

[tenacious_dog]

I keep forgetting there are 5 teams in the top & middle pods.

Yeah, it's possible we could end up the number one seed but the odds are ridiculously long. Then again, we're overdue for a run of the breaks going our way and not the other way around.

[Dawg Fan]

And MTSU knocks off UAB. It ain't over till it's over. Tech is still in this thing. I know making it to the NCAA Tournament is the ultimate goal, but I'd love for Tech to go into the C-USA Tournament with the regular season title and an automatic NIT bid in their back pocket should they stumble and not win the C-USA Tournament.

[touchdown123]

I keep forgetting there are 5 teams in the top & middle pods.

Yeah, it's possible we could end up the number one seed but the odds are ridiculously long. Then again, we're overdue for a run of the breaks going our way and not the other way around.

Somebody help me out. Is it possible to get above a 6 seed if you get into the second pod? Like say you win all your games in the second POD, do you leap frog anybody in the first pod? I am thinking no.

[tenacious_dog]

No, you can't move out of your pod once they are set. You can be the top seed in your pod but you can't move up. It's protection for the teams that played well enough to earn a spot in a pod. If you're in the bottom pod, at least you qualify for the tournament.

On a positive note, both UAB and Old Dominion have lost games in the last few days. If we can hold serve at home and pick up some road wins, moving into the top pod is possible. We need to beat FAU on the road tonight.

[Dawg Fan]

If you're in the bottom pod, at least you qualify for the tournament.
.

If by "qualify" you mean you have an opportunity to be in the tournament, then okay. Only 2 of the 4 teams in the 11 to 14 pod will be in the tournament so the teams will literally be fighting it out for a chance to be in the C-USA tournament. The teams in the top and middle pods (teams 1 thru 10) are assured of being in the C-USA Tournament.