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Big Ten Questions on D1Baseball Weekly Chat (5/13)

Alum-Ni

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Aug 29, 2004
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Link: D1Baseball.com

Some B1G postseason Q&A from D1Baseball.com's weekly chat:

Q: Illinois started the conference slate slow with a 1-5 record, but since then they have gone 12-3. What are their chances of hosting a regional?

Kendall Rogers:
Illinois is squarely in the hosting picture. The fact they are not top two in the league could be a turn off to the committee, but the Illini are #21 in the RPI with an 11-5 mark vs. RPI Top 50 along with a solid conference record. Those are all quality marks. I would say Illinois is just shy of a Top 16, but we will see how the deliberations go tomorrow night.

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Q: A serious question this time. In the past few years, the committee seems to like to award at least one "non-traditional" host, whether a "Northern team" or a team from outside the usual suspects. Are there any teams out there that might fit this bill?

Kendall Rogers: Illinois or Creighton would fit this mold, but honestly, the committee, with the new format of seeding 1-16, is supposed to ignore geography when it comes to selecting those Top 16 seeds. That doesn't mean manipulation can't happen in the committee room, but it's not supposed to happen.

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Q: Where do you see Nebraska at? Will they get in?

Kendall Rogers:
With a 13-8 league record, #38 RPI and a series win over Arizona State, I like where NU sits right now. I don't want to speak for Aaron and Mark, but I'd have them in as of right now. We'll see how that Michigan series goes. Win that series and I think it's a slam dunk barring a shocking meltdown in the conference tournament.

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Q: With five teams within 2.5 games in the Big Ten race, who do you see coming out on top with one weekend left?

Aaron Fitt:
I think Michigan's 1.5-game edge over Indiana will be too much to overcome, particularly because I still believe the Wolverines can go to Nebraska and win that final series. Though that's obviously no gimme, especially after the Huskers showed some real character by fighting back to win that Arizona State series after losing the opener.

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Q: Are Iowa's at-large chances shot at this point, even with a 4-0 week and some work in Omaha? Or would that be enough to get the RPI back to a reasonable number?

Kendall Rogers:
Yeah, losing that Michigan State series at home as an absolute killer. Iowa will now have to win the Maryland series on the road and also do some serious damage in the conference tournament to get into the field. Iowa's RPI is down to #79 this week. Absolutely brutal.
 
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