ASU Denied, UofA Allowed

When the ball dropped today, it was just out of reach for the DevilsAfter a tremendous start, a disappointing end, and a few questionable calls in more ways than one, ASU’s remarkable turnaround season ends short. To add insult to injury, their in-state rival and arch nemesis, Arizona, whom they defeated twice this season for the first time in over a decade, actually made it into the dance by the skin of their teeth.

Other teams who fell short were Syracuse, Dayton and Virginia Tech (to name a few) who all had seasons better than some of those who were admitted.

The fact that Arizona was granted a slot after getting hammered by Stanford in the Pac-10 tournament and 3-9 against top 25 teams last season, while finishing 7th overall in the Pac-10 with a pathetic 8-10 record is beyond even the best sports analyst.

The fact that ASU didn’t get a bid after finishing the season with a better overall record, a better Pac-10 record, and the two victories against UofA is plain robbery. Especially since they played better in the Pac-10 tournament.

The argument, however, is that Arizona had a tougher schedule, injuries and diversity (Olson leaving) to overcome, and a better RPI. Even though that may be true, it’s complete garbage.

Arizona finished their worst season in two decades, they did not have a single convincing win against top teams, they were incredibly inconsistent, and they embarrassed themselves by losing eight of their last 12 games, including the trouncing by Stanford in the Pac-10 tournament. Most of those games they were playing healthy.

ASU, on the other hand, finished 5th in the Pac-10, completed their best season in the 2000′s, and showed that they can compete with the best of them. It’s true that they had an easier schedule. It’s true that their destiny lied in their hands, and some could argue that they dropped the ball with a terrible 5-10 second half of the season.

But what’s disappointing is the lack of reasoning behind the madness of the selection.

With two wins against UofA, ASU can be proud. With an amazing turnaround, they should be. If anything, maybe being slighted will light a fire that will torch their competition next year. They can get a head start by doing well in the NIT.

Either way, there is no question that ASU got the short end of the stick.

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  • http://valleysports.blogspot.com/ Todd

    I’m waiting for the inevitable NCAA letdown and ASU losing in the first round of the NIT…

  • http://azsportshub.com Matt Blake

    ASU got hosed…but I can’t say I didn’t see it coming. But on the other hand, if UA was left out, everyone would be calling all up in arms over it as well. The Cats SOS and RPI was just too much to argue with. The bottom line is that it wasnt even ASU v. the Cats, it was ASU v. the rest of the Bubble and ASU should have been in….

  • http://azSportsHub.com Troy Mihalek

    If UofA was left out the only people who would cry about it are the die-hard idiotic fans who think UofA should go no matter what their record is. The tournament is not based on legacy. At least it shouldn’t be. THeir streak has got to end one day, and this season deserved to be the one that ended it. Their going to be the victim of first-round defeat at the hands of WVU.

    On the other side of the table, ASU has nothing to prove in the NIT. If they lose early, which could happen, no one will care and if they go all the way, no one will care. The NIT is a cop-out, and how they perform will not prove whether or not they should have made it to the only true tournament.

    hey really did get hosed and they know it. Everyone knows it and will admit it except for those die-hard idiotic UofA fans.

  • http://azsportshub.com Corey

    UA had 10 wins agains top-100 RPI teams. They deserved to be in. It’s the teams like South Alabama that robbed ASU. South Alabama has just 4 wins against the top-100 RPI, and and 4 losses to teams outside the top-100 RPI (ASU has 7 and 2 respectively).

  • http://azsportshub.com Matt Blake

    Well….I agree with Troy’s point about the NIT. It’s not a cop-out, but I really wonder most of the time what the whole point of it actually is…..

    However, Corey’s point hit it on the head. Like I said in my previous post. Everyone is looking at the head-to-head schedule, but it had nothing to do with ASU v. UA.

    And if for whatever reason the Cats hadn’t gotten in, it would have been more than just the Cats fan base that would be crying afoul.