fans are not grasping for straws....its a NCAA selection committee criteria to look at road games, its not the end all be all that determines things but its one factor
You do realize that RU's profile is falling not just because of road wins but because they have only added one quality win in 8 games..thats an issue too...so good at home then they should have beat Michigan at home to build cushion or gasp on a neutral court in a game in nyc. Fact is other schools have caught up to RU profile wise by winning.
So here RU has at least 3 more chances....Maryland, at Purdue and in B10 tourney are you actually advocating them getting in at 17-14. RU needs to win games period. Its up to them to do it but its they not some boogeyman or fans that put them near the bubble as among the last 6 or 7 schools to get in right now
You are too emotionally tied into this and are setting an expectation for RU that is different that what the committee says. If road wins was a defined criteria, no expert would have RU in the field. Just accept that beating Maryland clinches the bid and move on. You have said for weeks that road wins are required....what's required involves 7 to 8 criteria, not just 1....play quality teams, win some of them...play quality teams, play well or competitively with a chance to win.
You keep apologizing for teams like West Virginia and Butler, saying they're guaranteed to be in and can lose out with no ramifications because they won a road game or two, 2 to 3 months ago....??
I don't make the rules or say RU doesn't have to win a game to make the NCAAs, obviously they do. But explain to fans how WVU can lose by 12 at home to Oklahoma, fall to under. 500 in their league and say "nothing to worry about"....
Won at Pitt by 15 in 2nd game of season....crowning achievement of course....
Loss at St Johns....by 2...not a good loss by any measure.
Neutral win vs Ohio State (huge but 2 months ago.
Won at Youngstown State by 11.....uh...OK...
Won at Oklahoma State by 14 (wow....!!)
Since then....
Loss at Kansas State by 16....hmm
Loss at Texas Tech by 8.....
Loss at Oklahoma by 10....
Loss at Baylor by 11......
Loss at TCU by 7, loss at Texas by 10, loss at home by 11 to Oklahoma....
Next is at Iowa State and home to Baylor....let me guess....they're a lock with 2 more additional losses, and a potential 6th straight loss in the B12 tournament??? Just because they won a road game 3 months ago, they can drop 6 straight with no repercussions??
At least be somewhat objective....if RU wins another game, they're in...if WVU doesn't, they're also in???