The 2011 Cinderella Thread

• ytownfootball

  

  So what teams going in to the tournament would you consider a Cinderella?
  
  I suppose it would be of benefit to establish what constitutes being a Cinderella. Would you consider a seeding of 6th or lower? A seed lower of 4 or whatever taking down a highly seeded team? Hard for me to pinpoint what one aspect personifies one, but I know one when I see one.
  
  What say you?
• Laley23

  

  Typically, a team that doesn't have the athletes or players...ie a mid-major. Even if a low seeded major conference team advances I don't count it because they almost always have the athletes and such to compete...just didn't for some reason.
  
  Of course, mid majors now have built up programs, X and Zags come to mind. But even if a team like BYU goes far, I would count it. Maybe more of a cinderella season than tourney, but still impressive given the lack of high major talentn the team out of HS
• september63

  

  This year again watch George Mason's run to the sweet 16.
• CinciX12

  

  Screw the delusional mormons. I hope they go out in the first round.
  
  Jimmer though is pretty freaking awesome.
• Tiger2003

  

  september63;683357 wrote:This year again watch George Mason's run to the sweet 16.

  
  I agree. Saw them play a couple of times while I was still living in DC.
• dave

  Not sure a team with an outside shot at a #1 seed could be a cinderella.
  
  Not sure I'd call these cinderella's either but I think St Johns, Xavier, and Baylor could win several games as 6+ seeds.
• Laley23

  

  dave;683415 wrote:Not sure a team with an outside shot at a #1 seed could be a cinderella.
  
  Not sure I'd call these cinderella's either but I think St Johns, Xavier, and Baylor could win several games as 6+ seeds.

  
  BYU doesnt have a shot in hell at a #1 seed. Id say they will get a 5.
  
  Dont let the rankings fool you, they arent even used.
  
  Gonzaga was #2 in the nation and had a 1st Team AA on their team and got a 6 seed. Good call since they lost to Montana in round 1 that year.
• dave

  5 seed? You don't think RPI is used by the committee? BYU isn't any mid-major, they have a ton of cash and a huge following. The NCAA would love for them to make a deep run.
  
  If they only lose at most 1 more game (assuming they play SDSU twice and lose once) they will have an outside shot at a 1. They would need the Big East to continue to beat each other up (Pitt/ND/Georgetown with multiple loses) and all they would need is Kansas or Texas to drop multiple games. Unlikely, yes. Impossible, no.
• FALLSGUY

  Not sure yet how good Texas is. They have been able to win playing defense in the Big-12. I want to see how they play Kansas again. I also want to see if K-State has it turned around. Baylor and A+M are very athletic and could drop some higher seeds.
• Azubuike24

  

  The "mid-majors" who could do damage.
  
  Virginia Commonwealth
  Vermont
  Oakland
  Belmont
  Fairfield
  
  The "power conference" teams who could surprise people (for some, they still have to get in)
  
  UCLA
  Alabama
  Georgia
  Dayton
  Kansas State
  Michigan State
  Virginia Tech
• Mulva

  

  I think Charleston, Belmont, and Morehead State/Murray State are all teams that could spring an upset given the right match up. Unfortunately I'm not sure any of them will land better than a 14 seed (13 at best), so it will be tough for them to do.
• september63

  

  I repeat, George Mason will win atleast one game in the tourney.
• dave

  well so much for st johns being an underdog. byu looking real good after some loses today. i could see butler making a run again, they are looking much better.
• Azubuike24

  

  Morehead and Murray definitely won't be, but Belmont and Charleston could sneak in on the 12 or 13 line. We'll see. However, given some of these possible 3-5 seeds, anything can clearly happen.
  
  Belmont lost to Tennessee by 9, Vanderbilt by 9 and Tennessee again by 1. Outside of a loss to Lipscomb, who is a decent conference team, they have rolled everyone.
  
  They crushed Jacksonville (beat Florida) by 38, Lipscomb by 36, Miami Ohio, East Tennessee State and Jacksonville all by double digits.
• ytownfootball

  

  OK going into the sweet 16 thought I better bring this turd back to life.
  
  VCU definitely qualifies, I might argue that BYU sans their missing big might also despite coming in highly seeded but I wouldn't fall on a sword for it.
• Laley23

  

  BYU cant qualify yet. They have beaten 2 mid-majors.
  
  VCU certainly qualifies, doubly since they were the play-in. Id say VCU is the biggest Cinderella on the year, with Butler being a close second. Richmond is third, but having Morehead in the second game makes their run less appealing to the public, imo.
  
  BTW, who else has a tough time putting the Cinderella label on a major team like Marquette, FSU, etc???
• Skyhook79

  

  Most people thought BYU and Jimmer would be shut down in the NCAA tourney. They beat Gonzaga with ease after Gonzaga beat St Johns with relative ease, add that to their big man missing, they qualify imo.
• ytownfootball

  

  Tough call on Marquette just because of where they finished in their conference. Butler is second but they're not sneaking up on anyone especially after last season, well coached and keep teams close every game, I'm less willing to tag them this season. FSU I couldn't put the label on for some reason.
  
  I waffle on BYU, agree about the mid major wins though
• Azubuike24

  

  The Mountain West is not mid-major. It has been ranked ahead of at least once BCS Conference in RPI and Sagarin for the last 3 years. Now, losing BYU will hurt them, but I have a hard time classifying them as a mid-major if we are going to call the Pac 10 a major conference (the MWC has been better for 2-3 straight years).
• Laley23

  

  Azubuike24;719481 wrote:The Mountain West is not mid-major. It has been ranked ahead of at least once BCS Conference in RPI and Sagarin for the last 3 years. Now, losing BYU will hurt them, but I have a hard time classifying them as a mid-major if we are going to call the Pac 10 a major conference (the MWC has been better for 2-3 straight years).

  
  no, Im saying they beat 2 mid-majors to get here, so as a 3 seed, they arent a Cinderella at this point.
• Azubuike24

  

  I was more commenting on how they were even mentioned in this thread as a Cinderella. They were ranked in the top 10 all year...that's not a Cinderella.
• Laley23

  

  Azubuike24;719502 wrote:I was more commenting on how they were even mentioned in this thread as a Cinderella. They were ranked in the top 10 all year...that's not a Cinderella.

  
  oh ok, I would agree with that. They have the NPOY on the team as well.