If I ruled the world, they’re like 40/41 and would get in. I struggle with the case for State over Clemson. But I don’t rule the world, so who knows…
The bad losses are one thing. Having a non-conference SOS in the 300s, if you’re a veteran squad expecting to be a tournament team, is just…exasperating. What are you doing? Have you learned literally nothing. And I blame them for that piece.
Pomeroy says Clemson's Noncon SOS is #316, NC State is #306, Pitt is #261. I don't see any real daylight especially compared with NC State's.
Regarding Clemson's SOS, clearly they could have scheduled better. They also had some bad luck:
South Carolina is a rivalry game. They have been in KP's top 100 7 of the last 9 years, top 125 the other two years - #220 this year. WTF.
Richmond is not a terrible game to schedule. Top 100 KP 10 of the last 13 years, beat Iowa in the NCAAT last year - #155 this year. WTF.
Loyola, Chicago - again not a terrible game. I think Clemson thought they were gaming the system here. KP Top 100 4 of last 6 years, Sweet 16, Final Four - #253 this year. WTF.
Clemson's tournament - they played the same 4-team tournament WF did last year. Lost to Iowa by 3. Had they won, they would have played TCU - a Q1 opportunity. Instead they got Cal, a low Q4. WTF.
Of course Clemson compounded the issue by losing two of those games.
Highlights that when WF plays its tournament in Grand Cayman next year, it needs to win the first two games (and hope a decent team wins two on the other side of the bracket)