The Bobcat Nation

Ok All: As of Today Montana State Men's team is currently 4th in the Big Sky with 4 games remaining...

Standings: MSU is 7-7.
They are 1/2 game ahead of Idaho State, Idaho, Eastern Washington.
They are 1 1/2 games behind #3 Portland State
All those teams play 2 this week

MSU remaining schedule
#1 UM (Home)
#3 Portland State (Away)
#10 Sacramento State (Away)
#6 Idaho (Home)

All Sorts of stuff could happen, but Cats should be in good shape for at least a Top 6 seed if they can go at minimum 2-2 (losses to PSU and Montana). If they can go 3-1, depending on who they lose that game to, they could move up as high as #3, I don't see them getting any higher than that.

I was going to make a post about this but thought it was too confusing when #4 through #8 in the standings are all separated by one game! Unless MSU goes 3-0 or 0-3 in the next three games I think it will likely come down to that last Monday night game against Idaho as to whether or not they finish Top 6.

MSU01 wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 17, 2025 3:28 pm

I was going to make a post about this but thought it was too confusing when #4 through #8 in the standings are all separated by one game! Unless MSU goes 3-0 or 0-3 in the next three games I think it will likely come down to that last Monday night game against Idaho as to whether or not they finish Top 6.

Yeah... I had about 4 different drafts and kept erasing them because even I was getting confused on my own writing.

It comes down to this... We are already ahead of these teams in the standings... We need have a better record than just one of these teams in our last 4 games. None of these teams are going to go undefeated in their remaining games. So that leaves at most 4 wins a piece for these teams.

Idaho State Games--
-PSU (Home)
-Sac State (Home)
-Idaho (Road)
-EWU (Road)
-NAU (Home)

My ISU thoughts-- They will lose 3 of these games

Idaho Final Games--
-NAU (Road)
-Northern Col (Road)
-ISU (Home)
-Weber State (Home)
-MSU (Road)

My Idaho Thoughts-- They will lose 2 of these games


EWU Final Games--
-Northern Col (Raod)
-NAU (Road)
Weber State (Home)
ISU (Home)
UM (Road)

My EWU Thoughts-- They will lose 2 of these games


Final Verdict--
MSU needs to win 2 games to stay ahead of at least 1 of these teams. If Cats go 3-1 They will be top 4. Let's start by beating the gris on Saturday, and everything else will fall into place.

SACCAT wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 17, 2025 5:05 pm

Final Verdict--
MSU needs to win 2 games to stay ahead of at least 1 of these teams. If Cats go 3-1 They will be top 4. Let's start by beating the gris on Saturday, and everything else will fall into place.

Agreed, I think if MSU ends up with a winning record there's no way they finish lower than in the 4 vs 5 game. If they go 2-2 and finish 9-9 then I think they probably end up 5th or 6th and avoid the first round game. If they go 1-3 and finish 8-10 then it's probably a first round game or they luck into the 6 seed on tiebreakers. Here's hoping they go 4-0 and catch Portland State for the 3 seed!

MSU01 wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 17, 2025 8:45 pm

SACCAT wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 17, 2025 5:05 pm

Final Verdict--
MSU needs to win 2 games to stay ahead of at least 1 of these teams. If Cats go 3-1 They will be top 4. Let's start by beating the gris on Saturday, and everything else will fall into place.

Agreed, I think if MSU ends up with a winning record there's no way they finish lower than in the 4 vs 5 game. If they go 2-2 and finish 9-9 then I think they probably end up 5th or 6th and avoid the first round game. If they go 1-3 and finish 8-10 then it's probably a first round game or they luck into the 6 seed on tiebreakers. Here's hoping they go 4-0 and catch Portland State for the 3 seed!

That would be AWESOME. I think we would beat UNC in a semi on a neutral court.

Everyone also needs to remember that last year both the #8 and #10 seeds made it to the Semifinals, and the #5 seed beat the #3 seed in the Championship... ANYTHING can happen at Starch Madness.

SACCAT wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 18, 2025 4:49 pm

Everyone also needs to remember that last year both the #8 and #10 seeds made it to the Semifinals, and the #5 seed beat the #3 seed in the Championship... ANYTHING can happen at Starch Madness.

Since they switched up the format prior to the 2023 tournament, the #1 and #2 seeds are a combined 1-3 in the Sunday quarterfinals. MSU as the #2 seed in 2023 was the only team to win that game. No easy games, you'd better show up ready to play no matter what number you've got next to you in the bracket.