Time to play "Who do we want to win"

[FrazierFanatic]

I submit that now that we have reached February, it is not too early to start this exercise - so who do we want in the WVA @ Pitt game Thursday? A Pitt loss gives us more breathing room in the Battle for the Bye, but a Pitt win leaves us only one game out of first place in the loss column. So - who do we want to win? I vote for WVA - (1) we have to keep focusing on one step at a time, and right now the bye is the first step for the BET;(2) it might be better to get WVa coming off a win in their big rivalry game, rather than a loss that will have them intensely focused on the Hoyas.

[hoyadrummer]

WVA, but then we want Pitt to win its next four, Cinn, Prov, Marq, & Prov, so they don't fall too far.

[ArtVandalay]

I definitely want a Pitt win. I am at the point where I believe the Hoyas are officially the real deal. A win against the Johnnies and a loss by WVU to Pitt and Sundays game turns into a battle for another rung on the Big East ladder. Considering Uconn and Nova still play twice, meaning someone has to lose, the chances of us climbing the standings are strong. Will we win out? probably not. Can we? hell yes! Lets make a late-season run for a BE reg. season championship and a top seed in the NCAA. Please don't make me get off this train to Megafanland.

[3GenerationHoya]

i suppose we could argue for WVa because we play them twice this season.

[HoyaDestroya]

i hate pitt. i respect wvu's style of play. i don't care about the difference between a 25 rpi and a 26 rpi. there were too many chevy troutman free throws made in the last 4 years for you to even pretend to root for pitt.

[Boz]

This is the first of two WVU-Pitt games, so I say we root for WVU to win this one, so we can be - hopefully - the first team to knock them off.

Then we can root for Pitt to win the rematch in late February.

[prhoya]

Pitt’s remaining tough games are two against WVU and one against Marquette.
WVU has a tougher schedule with the two Pitt games, our game at the Phone Booth, a hot Seton Hall at SH, a game against UCon, and one at Syracuse where anything can happen.
Villanova’s toughest challenges will be UCon twice, against us and Syracuse at Syracuse.
Our toughest remaining games are against WVU, at Marquette, at Villanova, and against Syracuse (while watching out for SJU and Rutgers).

Obviously, WVU will have a tough time going undefeated the rest of the way. They could have three losses by the end of the season.

To answer your question, I hope they split their home and home series, with WVU losing a tough game on Thursday.

[RBHoya]

Call me a pessimist, but I'd like to see WVU win. I'd rather have that breathing room. I remember last year around this time, when I first started to seriously follow these boards, there were conflicting opinions on these sorts of questions... People were trying to suggest we root against UConn, because that would enable us to tie or pass them in the standings. I mean, sometimes, you're not going to pass everybody. I would rather distance ourselves from the middle of the pack, and then fight it out with UConn, WVU, and Nova at MSG. That's when we'll decide who is better. It's more important to me that we remain entrenched in 4th place (or better) because that will really ensure that we go to the NCAA tournament, and that we have a nice seed in both the NCAA tournament and the Big East.

Plus, a WVU win is better for our RPI since we play twice. However, were we to beat WVU this weekend though, and also beat St. Johns, I'd probably root for Pitt over WVU in the rematch, because WVU wouldn't have a tiebreaker over us and Pitt wouldn't be so close behind us either.

[TBird41]

rbhoya said:

Call me a pessimist, but I'd like to see WVU win. I'd rather have that breathing room. I remember last year around this time, when I first started to seriously follow these boards, there were conflicting opinions on these sorts of questions... People were trying to suggest we root against UConn, because that would enable us to tie or pass them in the standings. I mean, sometimes, you're not going to pass everybody. I would rather distance ourselves from the middle of the pack, and then fight it out with UConn, WVU, and Nova at MSG. That's when we'll decide who is better. It's more important to me that we remain entrenched in 4th place (or better) because that will really ensure that we go to the NCAA tournament, and that we have a nice seed in both the NCAA tournament and the Big East.

Plus, a WVU win is better for our RPI since we play twice. However, were we to beat WVU this weekend though, and also beat St. Johns, I'd probably root for Pitt over WVU in the rematch, because WVU wouldn't have a tiebreaker over us and Pitt wouldn't be so close behind us either.

Bingo. I'm pulling for WVU as well.

[Coast2CoastHoya]

I agree with pr's analysis, disagree with the results. I also hope Pitt-WVU splits, but I hope WVU wins in triple overtime on Thurs.

[GIGAFAN99]

The major point here is "who cares?"

The Hoyas are effectively two up on Pitt with 4 home games and a USF away game to play. Win those and Pitt has to win out (no chance) to catch the Hoyas.

I want Pitt to win personally just because I hate seeing that "0" in WVU's loss column.

[prhoya]

tothebeach said:

I agree with pr's analysis, disagree with the results. I also hope Pitt-WVU splits, but I hope WVU wins in triple overtime on Thurs.

Nice and tired, eh, for Sunday?

[HoyaSinceBirth]

I also hope Pitt-WVU splits, but I hope WVU wins in triple overtime on Thurs.

I agree.

[RockawayHoya]

WVU. Nothing like ending another undefeated streak, not to mention RPI purposes. RB's reasoning is essentially what I would've said; no one cares who the road team is at MSG (i.e. 1v4 and 2v3 games).

[lichoya68]

yeah GEORGETOWN THATS WHO... but would like to see west va. beat em separate us from pitt a little more.. and then we beat west va on sunday ...... ok??? main thing is we need to beat st johns on thurs ........ ;D go hoyas

[bostonhoya05]

We want Pitt to win. Because we should be confident that our boys can beat WV too, and when we do, we'll be in 3rd place in the League and will control our own destiny for 2nd.

[MEGAFAN]

While I can't exactly decide who I would rather see win on Thursday between Pitt and WVU (there are good arguments for each scenario), I will say this:

WE ARE IN THE HUNT FOR THE BE TITLE!

While it may be a longshot, there's no reason to concede anything at this point. Obviously, considering UConn's talent and the way they are playing, coupled with the fact that they have won our only regular season matchup of the season, they will be particularly tough to catch.

But, with 7 W's and 2 L's a little past the half way point of this season, we should be thinking about BIG things. Obviously, we need to win the "easier" games against SJU and co., but unless we go through a spell of poor play or bad luck, I don't see why we shouldn't have our eye on the prize. Furthermore, if you factor in that most of our losses came earlier in the season, when we weren't playing the way we are now, the sky is the limit.

I want everyone to jump aboard the express train to MEGAFANLAND!!!

And not only when it comes to the BE season title, but also when it comes to cutting down the nets in MSG. I want us to bring home our first title in over 16 years, and I would love to do it over UConn in the Finals, to avenge that garbage shot Ray Allen hit in 1996!

Next, I want us to take a strong seed into the dance, and like I told most of the guys at Proof the other night...

THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING!

YOU GOTTA BELIEVE...

LET'S GO HOYAS!!! SERVE ST. JOHN'S!

[HoyaSinceBirth]

I totally agree with the high expectations Mega. National Championship here we come. (OK well maybe not that lofty, but hey a guy can dream can't he. also doesn't sound as crazy as it did at the beginning of the year does it.) (More anti jinx protection) ( knocks on wood for the next hour)

[shemshaun]

I'd like hoyas to get another shot at Uconn in the BET. Whatever needs to happen for a rematch, thats what I'm for: revenge.

[StPetersburgHoya (Inactive)]

In games like this I pull for the following in this order:

1. Meteorite Impact
2. Sportsmanship
3. Razzle-Dazzle
4. The American Way