Except it COULD have implications in terms of RPI and the team's seeding come tournament time. If we end up seeded a #2 because of this loss are you going to be okay with that?
Well, if we end up a #2 seed because of a loss in the second game in November, on the road, that means that three other teams besides Stanford had extraordinary seasons, or, we take another loss or two along the way.
Even if that happens, being a #2 seed means that we still host first and second round games, and that, at a neutral site regional, we'd be the #2 seed. If "S" curve seeding holds - and, I know too well that there are other considerations that take precedence - likely,, we'd be dealing with the weaker #1 seed, which, ideally we wouldn't face until the "Final Four" first-round game .., but, a team we'd have to face sooner or later, anyway.
In short, Pap, I don't think being a #2 seed makes a whole heckuva lot of difference, if the regionals are at neutral sites, much less the Final Four. You're playing the team, or the equivalent team, that you'd have to beat anyway at this point in the season. Just gotta wear the darker shirts.
Much, much more important than a loss in November, and the resultant seeding, is how the team is playing in March. If they're playing the way that they seem capable of, #1 vs. #2 seeding doesn't matter. If they're playing with the same flaws exposed last night, the seeding won't matter much either.
