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November 27, 2007
Games To Watch - 11/27/07
With the release of the new basketball MRI rankings, it is also time to start the MRI's picking of games for the season. It is quite a record to stand up to. The MRI has over the course of time, predicted 71.77% of games. That isn't just in 100 games. That is over 16000 games that the MRI has looked at.
Now, there is a line of accuracy, and I can tell you that when teams are evenly matched (by the MRI of course), it gets it right about 51% of the time. As the teams are further apart, the MRI does better and better. In all the years, there has only been one super upset.
Fittingly, that was Clemson losing at home to Elon.
What should we be looking for tonight? Why, the major kickoff of the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. I wouldn't expect things to change much this year. The ACC should still easily win the event, now bloated to 11 games. They got off to a good start with middle of the pack Wake Forest easily taking down Iowa. There are a few very interesting games left in the tournament. Let's see what the MRI says about the projected winners tonight.
Georgia Tech at Indiana: Let's see what Indiana's Eric Gordon can do tonight against a real defense (no slight to Xavier). Indiana needs to bounce back from the loss to the A-10's likely champion and grab what could be a "good" win come tournament time. It is also likely one of the few wins that the Big Ten can get in the conference contest.
MRI Predicts: Indiana Confidence Factor: 82.67%
Minnesota at Florida State: Tubby Smith is winning with less than the best talent since moving North. However, the best win was against an Iowa State team which was only possibly a sleeper in the Big XII. They don't really have anything to write home about yet. Florida State is expected to actually be in the top half of the ACC again this year, and back to the NCAA tournament. A win over Florida, even if Florida isn't Florida is a big step. Losses to Cleveland State and South Florida are not. Time to get back in the hunt by beating another team they are expected to beat.
MRI Predicts: Florida State Confidence Factor: 50.89%
Wisconsin at Duke: Biggest thing to watch tonight is how Duke deals with the first real big man that they have seen. It is seen as their only weakness, and something that will hold them back against bigger teams like North Carolina or even Maryland. The MRI thinks it is even going to hold them back against Wisconsin. I am not too sure, but we will see tonight. I will be watching.
MRI Predicts: Wisconsin Confidence Factor: 50.89%
Purdue at Clemson: Clemson... ah, Clemson. You know we love you here at the MRI. We even named the season collapse after you. Good thing you are at home here, or you would not be the MRI's pick.
MRI Predicts: Clemson Confidence Factor: 70.67%
Northwestern at Virginia: OK, this is Northwestern and Virginia looks good as I mentioned in the first MRI rankings of the season. This one shouldn't even be close.
MRI Predicts: Clemson Confidence Factor: 93.95%
One more game to watch tonight. Oral Roberts is stepping up to play Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane play in the Memphis+11 conference, but this could still be a very good win for an Oral Roberts team contending for the Summit conference title (formerly the Mid-Con). Tulsa won't be contending for anything, but an Oral Roberts win here would give them a nice victory that could control some of the seeding decisions come NCAA tournament time. And this is just a start. ORU also has Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma State still on their schedule. Starting small but getting bigger, a few wins now could go a long way in March.
MRI Predicts: Oral Roberts Confidence Factor: 50.89%
MRI Stats:
Yesterday: 19 - 3
This Season: 19 - 3, 86.36%
All Time: 11706 - 4605, 71.77%
The MRI is a computer basketball ranking system. It has been picking games since 2003. Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at November 27, 2007 12:50 PM
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