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How Nevada's non-conference schedule put it in the NCAA Tournament
During the NCAA selection committee’s hours-long discussions of at-large teams for this year’s NCAA Tournament, two schedules were discussed as much as any others.
One was Saint Mary’s, whose schedule was held up as an example of what mid-majors should avoid doing.
And the other was Nevada’s, whose schedule was pointed to as the model for mid-majors to follow.
So, while Saint Mary’s and Nevada had similar win totals – 28 for the Gaels; 27 for Nevada – and recorded similar league records – 16-2 for Saint Mary’s; 15-3 for Nevada – in similar conferences, the Wolf Pack earned a No. 7 seed as an NCAA Tournament at-large team while Saint Mary’s didn’t make the field at all.
The difference? Nevada challenged itself in the non-conference and Saint Mary’s didn’t, per the committee.
“We scheduled road games,” Wolf Pack coach Eric Musselman said of his team’s non-conference philosophy.
http://www.rgj.com/story/sports/coll...ent/421587002/
