What final reg. season standings should we root for that would give USM the most favorable pairing/bracket/match-ups in the tourney? Will the bracket still be the same as year's past? 1v8 & 4v5 on one side and 3v6 & 2v7 on the other side?

What's the latest w/ Powers?

Powers should be back next week.

I want Rice as the #8. I don’t trust LaTech or FAU to put them out. We just need to do it and get it over with.

Forgive me - super slow day at work. But after analyzing the final reg. season games this weekend and trying to predict the final 8 standings, this is what I've got. Not only is this the most preferable but also the most likely final reg. season standings:

1. USM (Reg. Season Champs)
2. FAU 20-8-1
3. LT 20-10
4. UNCC 18-12
5. UTSA 15-14 (holds head to head tie-breaker over FIU)
6. FIU 15-14
7. Rice 13-5-2
8. UAB 13-7

I'll have to re-visit this to see how accurate I was. These likely standings would keep LT, FAU, and Rice out of our side in the tourney bracket if it's the same format as year's past: 1v8/4v5 & 3v6/2v7. The brackets would then be:

1. USM vs. 8. UAB
4. UNCC vs. 5. UTSA

3. LT vs. 6. FIU
2. FAU vs. 7. Rice

I think we're all in agreement that we would rather not have LT/FAU/Rice on our side of the bracket...so I'm pretty sure we don't have to worry about LT/FAU...they are for sure going to be in the 3v6/2v7 side....but we now just need to root for Rice win 2/3 @ FIU so they can solify the #7 spot in the tourney.

I watched a little of the Charlotte at UTSA game last night and both team's starter looked solid. If they do end up the 4/5 makes you wonder if they'll go with their 1's against each other or hold them until game 2 knowing in all likelihood we're throwing Sandlin in game 1. Doubt Berry would go Powers in game 1 so Sandlin could get that extra day of rest.

No, we’re not in agreement about Rice being on our side of the bracket. I want them as the 8.

(05-18-2018 11:21 AM)BeagleUSM Wrote:  No, we’re not in agreement about Rice being on our side of the bracket. I want them as the 8.

Why?

(05-18-2018 11:46 AM)TTT Wrote:  

(05-18-2018 11:21 AM)BeagleUSM Wrote:  No, we’re not in agreement about Rice being on our side of the bracket. I want them as the 8.

Why?

Look at my earlier post.

(05-18-2018 11:46 AM)BeagleUSM Wrote:  

(05-18-2018 11:46 AM)TTT Wrote:  

(05-18-2018 11:21 AM)BeagleUSM Wrote:  No, we’re not in agreement about Rice being on our side of the bracket. I want them as the 8.

Why?

Look at my earlier post.

You don't trust LT/FAU to put Rice out...so you want us to do it, rather than them? Still don't understand why? If we play Rice/LT/FAU...I want their pitching staffs to be as depleted as possible. They've all got talent.

(05-18-2018 11:06 AM)usm99 Wrote:  I watched a little of the Charlotte at UTSA game last night.

Good God

(05-18-2018 11:53 AM)Black Diamond Reb Wrote:  

(05-18-2018 11:06 AM)usm99 Wrote:  I watched a little of the Charlotte at UTSA game last night.

Good God

Nothing like a little sunwacusa.tv on the tube...

Standings after Friday games:

USM (22-6) at Marshall (7-21) - USM up 2-0
WKU (11-18) at FAU (19-8-1) - FAU up 2-0
Rice (12-15-2) at FIU (15-13) - series tied
MT (11-17-1) at UAB (13-16) - series tied
ODU (7-21) at LT (20-9) - LT up 2-0
Charlotte (17-12) at UTSA (15-13) - series tied

1 - USM 22-6
2 - FAU 19-8-1------2.5 games back (percentage points ahead of LT)
3 - LT 20-9------2.5 games back
4 - Charlotte 17-12——-5.5 games back
5 - UTSA 15-13-----7 games back (won 2/3 from FIU)
6 - FIU 15-13----7 games back
7 - Rice 12-15-2----9.5 games back (won 2/3 from UAB)
8 - UAB 13-16-----9.5 games back
——teams below eliminated from making CUSA-T
MT 11-17-1-----11 games back
WKU 11-18———-11.5 games back
Marshall 7-21----15 games back
ODU 7-21---15 games back

USM locked as 1 seed
FAU and LT will be 2/3 seeds but won’t know until Saturday
Charlotte locked as 4 seed
UTSA and FIU will be 5/6 seeds but won’t know until Saturday
Rice and UAB will be 7/8 seeds but won’t know until Saturday

————————————

Based off last year Wednesday lineup will look like this:
9:00 am - 3 vs 6
12:30 pm - 2 vs 7
4:00 pm - USM vs 8
7:30 pm - Charlotte vs 5

LT beats ODU. The top 6 is set:

1. USM
2. LT
3. FAU
4. UNCC
5. UTSA
6. FIU
7. UAB or Rice
8. UAB or Rice

If UAB loses (currently losing 11-4 to MTSU in the b7) then Rice will be 7 and UAB 8.

Opening day lineup now set

9:00 am - FAU vs FIU
12:30 pm - LT vs Rice
4:00 pm - USM vs UAB
7:30 pm - Charlotte vs UTSA

So is CUSA a 1 bid league this year?

Tech may be able to grab a bid if they get to the Championship. Would need other bids to not be stolen.

(05-19-2018 05:12 PM)TTT Wrote:  So is CUSA a 1 bid league this year?

not if somebody else wins the tourney....

And the weather for Biloxi next week: Thunderstorms wed through Sunday. Geeez.

Start Sandlin game 1 no matter the opponent.

Ticket site now offering single game tickets at $15 per game or $165 for all games. Seating is general admission (1st come) and not reserved seating like last year where you picked your seats. Not sure if the $15 though is per game or per session as it’ll be difficult to clear the stadium before our games and then let fans in before 1st pitch.

https://www.ticketfly.com/venue/21961-mgm-park/

CUSA Tournament tidbits:

- USM is first team to win 23 or more conference games in back to back seasons
- Rice in 2014 was last team to win regular season and tournament championship in same season
- 2nd straight year UTSA meets the same team in round 1 that they played to end the regular season
- the only change from teams last year and this year is UAB made it while ODU didn’t
- USM, Charlotte and UTSA are in same bracket back to back years as is FAU, FIU and Rice.
- Marshall, MTSU and WKU all 3 missed the tourney for a 2nd straight year
- MTSU and WKU have missed the tourney 3 straight years
- WKU has never made the tournament in its 4 years in CUSA