not to mention our RPI was 66 on Selection Sunday 2011 (believe the lowest at-large bid ever awarded was 67, USC that same year)
I agree that there's reason to temper the optimism but here I dont really think it's warranted. Boyle teams have lost less than 8 home games in his 3 year tenure, and have not lost at home in march (Have lost @ISU in 11, and @OSU in 12). Aside from the kansas loss in 11, boyles teams have 4 losses in march, the two above, KU in 11 in the big 12 tourney, and to baylor last year in the pit.
This year the team hasnt been as reliable at home as I thought (though I think the UCLA game may have been influenced by the broncos debacle), but I really dont expect them to put the vehicle in reverse and stomp the gas this week. With the exception of Jelly and XJ that get regular minutes, this team knows what it takes to win in march and remembers how awesome it was to dance last year. that, and the fact that ski shoots better in the keg and artis is playing limited min (less than 15 last week, his first game back) I think the UO game could be close but we should win.
More worried about OSU because of matchups, but again, this is at home and we won at their place - they also seem to have trouble hanging on to a lead against teams not named washington state.
Our computer numbers are good - as I've mentioned before the lowest RPI to ever get left out of the tournament was 26 or right around there, and that was missouri state bears in 09. We should finish with about the same RPI but have the benefit of a few victories over ranked teams, and the fact that we are in a big-time conf as opposed to the MVC.
Clearly, dropping both of these games then getting bounced out of the tournament shouldnt be on the agenda, but even if it is, I think we could still sneak in because the bubble is so soft. I dont expect this to happen
at all.