Getting hot at the right time is always a plus during March Madness. Winning your conference tournament can help a team carry momentum into the first couple of games in the NCAA Tournament. Cutting down those nets is a nice image for everyone involved to prepare for opponents who may be unfamiliar to teams during the past season. We have all seen what getting hot and winning a conference tournament can do for a team’s confidence heading into March Madness.
But what about for teams who are ousted earlier in their conference tournaments than expected? Does that spell doom for the NCAA Tournament, provided the team is still going to see their ticket punched during Selection Sunday?
Not at all.
Think about it. Yes, winning is always a good thing. Losing is rarely seen as a positive. But, for teams who have to play three or four games in four or five days, it can take a lot out of them. Dropping a game early in a conference tournament can give a team time to rest and heal and prepare for what is to come. It is not always the worst thing in the world.
Take a look at this postseason’s examples. The Villanova Wildcats were upset by the Seton Hall Pirates. Does that mean that the ‘Cats are going to lose in their first NCAA Tournament game? It is highly unlikely. They had a bad game. Period. That is not to say that they cannot have another one next week, but they have the time to rest up and get better by the time of their next contest.
The Kansas Jayhawks also did not make it to the weekend. They also could use the rest. If Joel Embiid can come back for the next weekend, provided the Jayhawks can make it to that point, this is still a dangerous team.
Losing early in the conference tournament will impact a team’s seeding. Teams such as the North Carolina Tar Heels, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Syracuse Orange, Oklahoma Sooners and others could have improved their NCAA Tournament stock and seed entering Selection Sunday by at least playing into this weekend. Unfortunately for all of them, it did not happen.
But that does not mean that they should be written off for one loss. After all, this is March Madness. Anything can happen.
Even to teams who are cutting down the nets today and tomorrow.
One and done, people. One and done.
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