Final Week of Sun Belt Play

[Dad04]

So, we need to win the TX State game and the Appy game becomes our exhibition game?

[GoneGolfin]

It actually is really simple ... it is just that the goals of the conference were implemented in a non-optimal way with this format.

Stop thinking in terms of this being a pool play format, because it is not. The pool play itself is just window dressing. It is a single elimination tournament where 1/3 of the 12 pool play games do not count for anything (meaningless). All of the top four seeds (#1/#2 East and #1/#2 West) will have one of their two pool play games be meaningless (exhibition).

Which games are meaningless depends on the winners/losers on Tuesday. The losers in the Tuesday games are eliminated, even though they play one more pool game. The meaningful games for the top four seeds will always be the games played against the Tuesday winners. As such, if Texas State wins Tuesday, our meaningful game will be Wednesday vs. Texas State ... with the winner advancing to the semis Saturday. If App State wins Tuesday, our meaningful game will be Thursday vs. App State ... with the winner advancing to the semis Saturday.

IOW, the only pool game that concerns the Cajuns is the game vs. the winner of Texas State/App State on Tuesday. This is the game that determines if the Cajuns are in the semis Saturday ... or their season is over.

A better approach that meets the same goals?

1) You keep your Tuesday elimination games featuring the lower two seeds of each Pool
2) Each winner of the Tuesday elimination games advances to play the top seed in each Pool
3) The four winners of 2) above advance to the semis.

The above is the same single elimination tournament we have today, without the Tuesday losers playing in meaningless games vs. the top seeds in each pool (1/3 of the pool games).

Brian

[LaCajunsFan]

So, we need to win the TX State game and the Appy game becomes our exhibition game?

Well, not quite: if App beats TxSt Tuesday, then our exhibition game is against them on Wednesday, and the App game on Thursday is a must-win. I think that's correct, lol.
But yeah...just won both and we move on.

[Dad04]

Well, not quite: if App beats TxSt Tuesday, then our exhibition game is against them on Wednesday, and the App game on Thursday is a must-win. I think that's correct, lol.
But yeah...just won both and we move on.

Thanks. It seems by the time we play Wed. we will know which game is a must win.

[GoneGolfin]

Thanks. It seems by the time we play Wed. we will know which game is a must win.

Even better, we will know Tuesday night after the Texas State/App State game.

Brian

[CajunVic]

Thanks. It seems by the time we play Wed. we will know which game is a must win.

And which game we can pitch Carter - Carter Munchrath. Would be neat to see.

[Dad04]

Even better, we will know Tuesday night after the Texas State/App State game.

Brian

Most will. I'll still be trying to do the math.

[CajunVic]

Most will. I'll still be trying to do the math.

But, but, but, there is no math.

[GoneGolfin]

Most will. I'll still be trying to do the math.

I’ll text you. :-)

Brian

[LaCajunsFan]

Most will. I'll still be trying to do the math.

I actually think I get it now. Although this is the first time in my life that I have ever had to struggle this much to figure out a tournament bracket (of any kind.) Thanks Brian, and Jay.

[LaCajunsFan]

I’ll text you. :-)

Brian

So Brian, now that we have an understanding on how it works, who will you be pulling for Tuesday?

[no1cajunfan]

I actually think I get it now. Although this is the first time in my life that I have ever had to struggle this much to figure out a tournament bracket (of any kind.) Thanks Brian, and Jay.

So, if the Cajuns advance after their wed, and thurs game they are off Friday and will play Saturday?