Miami of Ohio does NOT deserve a tournament bid

Hawksfor3 · Mar 7, 2026

HawkBall23 said:
I see that argument, but if that is what happens - they lose in the MACT final - they will be 32 or 33-1.

I personally don't see a team with 32+ wins (& 1 loss) getting left out.

But, that said, I have been wrong a lot in my life so its definitely not any kind of guarantee.

I guess my reasoning is that the NET was established to reward teams who play tougher opponents and consider their opponents' records as well, and penalize teams for scheduling weak competition, thereby increasing the chances for success. It's only one tool in the toolbox, but I believe that the NET carries considerable weight.

HawkBall23 · Mar 7, 2026

Hawksfor3 said:
I guess my reasoning is that the NET was established to reward teams who play tougher opponents and consider their opponents' records as well, and penalize teams for scheduling weak competition, thereby increasing the chances for success. It's only one tool in the toolbox, but I believe that the NET carries considerable weight.

Understandable. And I agree.

..... but if they are left out, it would be pretty crappy for the squad of kids who worked hard and poured their hearts out into making their record what it was. Its not their fault the school AD and coach gave them the OOC schedule they played. Or that they play in a conference full of shid teams (at least in terms of metrics).

Hawksfor3 · Mar 7, 2026

HawkBall23 said:
Understandable. And I agree.

..... but if they are left out, it would be pretty crappy for the squad of kids who worked hard and poured their hearts out into making their record what it was. Its not their fault the school AD and coach gave them the OOC schedule they played. Or that they play in a conference full of shid teams (at least in terms of metrics).

With you on this.

Pharcyded · Mar 7, 2026

oops.

HawkFan10 · Mar 8, 2026

MeetTheFerentzes said:
You really dug into their metrics? The information you gave I found in about 30 seconds, Genius.

Their NET ranking is in the 50s. If they don't win the MAC Tourney, they will not get an NCAA bid. Plain and simple.

They are not going to leave out a 30 something and 1 team get used to it

KyleHuesmann · Mar 8, 2026

HawkeyeGenius said:
It absolutely is their fault when it comes to scheduling.

Reporters have shared FOIA requests that show Miami trying to schedule many NCAA Tournament teams that either said no or didn’t respond.

Absolutely zero reason to have a 33-1 team out, but 17-14 type team in.

OnlyTheObscure · Mar 8, 2026

HawkeyeGenius said:
It absolutely is their fault when it comes to scheduling.

I think there is an article documenting their efforts in regards to scheduling. I didn’t read it but saw the headline.

Nothing will scream “get the government involved in college athletics” if they get left out.

Guessing the government’s solution will not be to bend over backwards so fans of the big 10 and SEC will have “good TV”.

MeetTheFerentzes · Mar 8, 2026

HawkFan10 said:
They are not going to leave out a 30 something and 1 team get used to it

I don’t know where you got the idea that that would bother me. I’ve already stated that I would prefer that.

QChawks · Mar 12, 2026

this certainly doesn;t help their case

JayDeeSC · Mar 12, 2026

They absolutely deserve to be in the tournament.

Hawksfor3 · Mar 12, 2026

Net ranked #204 UMASS who went 0-2 in Quad 1 games, beat Miami (OH) with 0 Quad 1 teams scheduled. Net ranked #54. Will the committee take this Quad 4 loss into account despite their record going into the conference tourney?

ComradeKirk · Mar 12, 2026

I’d rather see them in than any sub 20 win power conference team. I don’t care who your competition is, not losing a regular season game is damn hard to do.

JayDeeSC · Mar 12, 2026

Hawksfor3 said:
Net ranked #204 UMASS who went 0-2 in Quad 1 games, beat Miami (OH) with 0 Quad 1 teams scheduled. Net ranked #54. Will the committee take this Quad 4 loss into account despite their record going into the conference tourney?

Well, if Miami sucks so bad, then it is even MORE impressive that they ran the table.

Hawksfor3 · Mar 12, 2026

JayDeeSC said:
Well, if Miami sucks so bad, then it is even MORE impressive that they ran the table.

That's one angle to consider.

TailgateTom · Mar 12, 2026

Leave them out. You don't get to use a different grading scale to pass a class, why should they get one here?

Sett1997 · Mar 12, 2026

Watch the committee give them to us first round and they beat us by 20.

HawkeyeGenius · Mar 12, 2026

You knew Miami was going to lose in their conference tournament. You just knew it.

Roncuba65 · Mar 12, 2026

Auburn at 17-16 should be on the NIT bubble, not the NCAA bubble. No reason a team 1 game over .500 should get in over a 1 loss team. I don't care what conference you are in. St. Joseph's and Wichita State were #1 seeds with almost the same record and in mid major conferences. The West Coast conference is a 3 bid league now... If Iowa would have lost to Maryland, I would not have been offended if Miami (OH) got in over us to be honest.

DukeSlater · Mar 13, 2026

Not their fault. What they’ve done is impressive.

Hawksfor3 said:
They have a NET of 53. That may, and I emphasize "may", persuade the committee to not consider them if they lose the Championship game in tourney. Who knows for sure?

Miami lost in the quarterfinals. And they should safely be in the NCAA tourney at 31-1. If 17-16 Auburn is even under consideration, that's just plain bullshitt. Bruce Pearl ain't exactly a model of objectivity.

DukeSlater · Mar 13, 2026

OnlyTheObscure said:
I think there is an article documenting their efforts in regards to scheduling. I didn’t read it but saw the headline.

Nothing will scream “get the government involved in college athletics” if they get left out.

Guessing the government’s solution will not be to bend over backwards so fans of the big 10 and SEC will have “good TV”.

The government? LOL

Hell, the government--this dictatorship--has a few other details it should handle before using its genius on college sports, you know, like spending money to feed children and provide people with affordable health care instead of murdering people in the streets and starting unnecessary, illegal, unconstitutional wars that cost at least a billion dollars a day and that not only kill US service members but innocent civilians, including children. The dictator-felon-sex offender-draft dodger-pathological liar-psychopath-con man-egomaniac-greedy-lunatic . . . sure, his genius shouldn't be limited to destroying democracy and the world as we know it. OMG . . .

QChawks · Mar 13, 2026

ya'll know what is going to happen

#8 Iowa is going to lose to #9 Miami-OH

PeteJox · Mar 13, 2026

Give them a play in

83Hawk · Mar 13, 2026

PeteJox said:
Give them a play in

There are no play in games.

QChawks · Mar 13, 2026

83Hawk said:
There are no play in games.

technically you are correct

although the 4 Tuesday/Wednesday games are basically play-in games for most people

ComradeKirk · Mar 13, 2026

83Hawk said:
There are no play in games.

Thanks, Semantics Sam. Incredible insight.

MeetTheFerentzes · Mar 13, 2026

Miami (OH) would have about the same chance of making noise in the Big Dance as the 9th/10th place team from the Big 4. Obviously no way of proving it, but I doubt that any of those such teams (including Iowa) would have gone 34-0 with Miami's schedule; going undefeated is hard. Although I have doubts that they will do it, I hope the Committee rewards the 30-win team.

83Hawk · Mar 13, 2026

ComradeKirk said:
Thanks, Semantics Sam. Incredible insight.

How is it semantics? The First Four teams are in the tournament. That’s a fact. At least 2 of the teams are automatic qualifiers because they won their conference tournament. Please explain how a team has to “play in” to a tournament they already qualified for.

Also, explain how a team can be seeded for a tournament they are not in. Not to mention 2 of the teams are seeded higher than almost 1/3 of the entire field.

herkhatescy2 · Mar 13, 2026

KyleHuesmann said:
Reporters have shared FOIA requests that show Miami trying to schedule many NCAA Tournament teams that either said no or didn’t respond.

Absolutely zero reason to have a 33-1 team out, but 17-14 type team in.

Put them in a play in game with that 17-14 team and if they win then they deserve to be in the tournament.

ComradeKirk · Mar 13, 2026

83Hawk said:
How is it semantics? The First Four teams are in the tournament. That’s a fact. At least 2 of the teams are automatic qualifiers because they won their conference tournament. Please explain how a team has to “play in” to a tournament they already qualified for.

Also, explain how a team can be seeded for a tournament they are not in. Not to mention 2 of the teams are seeded higher than almost 1/3 of the entire field.

The 'First Four' are commonly referred to as 'play-in' games. As in they are playing into the Round of 64. Nobody is arguing if they are or are not in the tournament, but you wanted to prove a point and gate-keep linguistics.

Jonesy5960 · Mar 13, 2026

QChawks said:
ya'll know what is going to happen

#8 Iowa is going to lose to #9 Miami-OH

Possibly.

KyleHuesmann · Mar 13, 2026

herkhatescy2 said:
Put them in a play in game with that 17-14 team and if they win then they deserve to be in the tournament.

Miami should not have to prove their tournament worth against a 17-16 team.

83Hawk · Mar 13, 2026

ComradeKirk said:
The 'First Four' are commonly referred to as 'play-in' games. As in they are playing into the Round of 64. Nobody is arguing if they are or are not in the tournament, but you wanted to prove a point and gate-keep linguistics.

So the Round of 64 games are play in games too, then. As they are playing into the Round of 32.

herkhatescy2 · Mar 13, 2026

KyleHuesmann said:
Miami should not have to prove their tournament worth against a 17-16 team.

Then they should schedule better non con. Or the NCAA Tournament could add a few more teams.

KyleHuesmann · Mar 13, 2026

herkhatescy2 said:
Then they should schedule better non con. Or the NCAA Tournament could add a few more teams.

They tried to schedule better teams and they all said no. You don’t just call up a random top 25 team and play them.

ComradeKirk · Mar 13, 2026

83Hawk said:
So the Round of 64 games are play in games too, then. As they are playing into the Round of 32.

You can keep moving the goalposts, but it won't change the fact you were wrong.

83Hawk · Mar 13, 2026

ComradeKirk said:
You can keep moving the goalposts, but it won't change the fact you were wrong.

I am not wrong. Just because some ignorant people incorrectly refer to the First Four games as play in games doesn’t make it so.

There are no play in games in the ncaa tournament. Period. End of story.

ComradeKirk · Mar 13, 2026

83Hawk said:
I am not wrong. Just because some ignorant people incorrectly refer to the First Four games as play in games doesn’t make it so.

There are no play in games in the ncaa tournament. Period. End of story.

Tracking the teams that have never made the men's NCAA tournament

In the long history of the men's NCAA tournament, a field that has now grown to 68 teams, there are still a number of programs waiting to participate in their first March Madness.

www.ncaa.com

They are in the tournament and the one play-in was expanded to four play-ins. Giving us the First Four. Tell me more about how you aren't wrong.

Hawkfan_08* · Mar 13, 2026

I'll play Miami of Ohio first round.

Hawksfor3 · Mar 13, 2026

Lunardi has Miami (OH) playing Wisky.

83Hawk · Mar 13, 2026

ComradeKirk said:
Tracking the teams that have never made the men's NCAA tournament

In the long history of the men's NCAA tournament, a field that has now grown to 68 teams, there are still a number of programs waiting to participate in their first March Madness.

www.ncaa.com

View attachment 1217280

They are in the tournament and the one play-in was expanded to four play-ins. Giving us the First Four. Tell me more about how you aren't wrong.

https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketbal...-16/first-four-ncaa-tournament-ultimate-guide

I’m not wrong.

You already admitted the First Four teams are “in the tournament”, so I’m not sure what you are arguing about. The NCAA says they are in the tournament. The games count record-wise as NCAA tournament games.

The NCAA tournament consists of 68 teams. 4 of the First Four teams won their conference tournament and are automatic qualifiers.

Explain again how you “play in” to a tournament you are already in.

The ncaa does NOT consider first Four games as play in games. Just because some ignorant people continue to call them that doesn’t make it so.

If you want to call them play in games, more power to you.

Miami of Ohio does NOT deserve a tournament bid

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