ESPN Men's Basketball

It is still really early and all precincts have not reported on any team. This is for discussion only, to get us all thinking and having rational discussions about how we evaluate teams for selection into the postseason. After all, this is no BCS – we actually let our teams play it out at the end of the season.

How would you feel about a team in a major conference that, after eight games was 3-5? This team has beaten Yale, St. Francis and George Mason, but has lost to Albany, Penn State and St. Joseph's on the road, and to Wake Forest and Northern Iowa at home. I would think that the résumé, to date, is unimpressive, even though the team is capable of beating people. If the season ended today, it would have no shot of making the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team. Let's call this team "Team A."

What would you think of a team in a major conference that is 3-3 after six games, losing to Wichita State, Creighton and Bucknell, and beating only Florida International, Cleveland State and Hampton? Would you feel that it is a good team, worthy of consideration for inclusion in the field of the NCAA Tournament? Let's call this team "Team B."

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider