Projecting Utes as Conference Champs
Another promising sign for the Utes comes from Jerry Palm, whose projection of the NCAA Tournament field also predicts the Utes will make it -- as regular-season champs from the Mountain West Conference.
"This projection is unique among those you'll see because it is based on what I think the final bracket will look like, not necessarily what it would look like if the tournament started today," Palm wrote on CBSSports.com.
"For each conference, the projected champion is the team I expect to win the conference's automatic bid. That is not necessarily the team I think will win the regular season title. UNLV is an example of this. I think Utah wins the Mountain West regular season title, but that UNLV will win the conference tournament, which the Rebels host."
Palm has the Utes as a No. 9 seed playing No. 8 Minnesota and coach Tubby Smith -- you don't think the Utes could reach the tournament without some connection to Kentucky, do you? -- with a potential rematch with Oklahoma looming in the second round in Kansas City.
Even if the Utes don't win the regular-season title -- and they can improve their chances with a win over New Mexico at the Huntsman Center on Saturday, in a game the Utes are saying is now even bigger than the one against Brigham Young -- they continue to get a lot of help building a brilliant RPI ranking.
The Utes are back up to 15th in the Ratings Percentage Index, according to RealTimeRPI.com, thanks in part to big recent victories by LSU at Tennessee, Gonzaga against St. Mary's, and Cal at Washington and against Arizona State. The wins by Utah opponents have helped the Utes' strength of schedule increase to 11th in the country.
"This projection is unique among those you'll see because it is based on what I think the final bracket will look like, not necessarily what it would look like if the tournament started today," Palm wrote on CBSSports.com.
"For each conference, the projected champion is the team I expect to win the conference's automatic bid. That is not necessarily the team I think will win the regular season title. UNLV is an example of this. I think Utah wins the Mountain West regular season title, but that UNLV will win the conference tournament, which the Rebels host."
Palm has the Utes as a No. 9 seed playing No. 8 Minnesota and coach Tubby Smith -- you don't think the Utes could reach the tournament without some connection to Kentucky, do you? -- with a potential rematch with Oklahoma looming in the second round in Kansas City.
Even if the Utes don't win the regular-season title -- and they can improve their chances with a win over New Mexico at the Huntsman Center on Saturday, in a game the Utes are saying is now even bigger than the one against Brigham Young -- they continue to get a lot of help building a brilliant RPI ranking.
The Utes are back up to 15th in the Ratings Percentage Index, according to RealTimeRPI.com, thanks in part to big recent victories by LSU at Tennessee, Gonzaga against St. Mary's, and Cal at Washington and against Arizona State. The wins by Utah opponents have helped the Utes' strength of schedule increase to 11th in the country.
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 6:46 AM |
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