Selection Show thread (7 ET, ESPN)

[Plebe]

He said that if anyone had told him before hand that if 5 ACC teams were going to host, that the team that finished 7th in the standings would be one of them while the team that finished 4th would not be, he would be very surprised. So...he was surprised! The players seem excited and ready to play, though.

Yeah, Miami as a host is really the surprise.

However, conference standings with unbalanced scheduling are a particularly imperfect benchmark. Miami had to play Florida State twice in the regular season, while none of the other top teams had to play each other twice. Miami also did better in its OOC than NC State did.

I strongly suspect that they bumped Tennessee from a 6 to a 5 in order to send the Vols to Louisville, and NC State might well be the team that was displaced from the 5 line to make that happen.

 

[Plebe]

Basketball Committee head answers questions about the selection process

Committee chair Terry Gawlik answers specific questions about:

• Sending SC to Stockton instead of OKC
• The last 4 in and first 4 out, including specifically why Michigan was left out
• Why Maryland wasn't seeded any higher than a #3
• Selecting Kansas State as the destination for Stanford
• The relative seeding of Cal and Oregon, and of Drake and Northern Iowa

 

[LETTERL]

Basketball Committee head answers questions about the selection process

Committee chair Terry Gawlik answers specific questions about:

• Sending SC to Stockton instead of OKC
• The last 4 in and first 4 out, including specifically why Michigan was left out
• Why Maryland wasn't seeded any higher than a #3
• Selecting Kansas State as the destination for Stanford
• The relative seeding of Cal and Oregon, and of Drake and Northern Iowa

That little pic accompanying the column must be a Glamour Shot; she didn't look anything like that when interviewed by ESPN!

 

[Plebe]

I just googled Maria Taylor.... I had no idea she was 6'2" played basketball and volleyball at UGA. I know this has nothing to do with the bracket.

I remember Maria as a volleyball player. She was a great one. As a broadcaster I first heard her doing volleyball matches, and I thought to myself then: "She is gonna be a star." Soon after that they started doing basketball as well, and she's been taking on a larger and larger role each year. Smart, beautiful, great speaking voice.

 

[Plebe]

Syracuse got a raw deal

View attachment 20727

Yeah, I think Iowa State is a tough matchup for them.

 

[eebmg]

Basketball Committee head answers questions about the selection process

Committee chair Terry Gawlik answers specific questions about:

• Sending SC to Stockton instead of OKC
• The last 4 in and first 4 out, including specifically why Michigan was left out
• Why Maryland wasn't seeded any higher than a #3
• Selecting Kansas State as the destination for Stanford
• The relative seeding of Cal and Oregon, and of Drake and Northern Iowa

I like this response the best. Shows how broad the scope of discussions can be.

Q. The last two seasons Texas was eliminated by UConn. Do you consider this a reprieve for Texas, not to have been in the UConn bracket again this year, and give them perhaps a better chance to wind up in Dallas where their fan support might help the Final Four?

TERRY GAWLIK: First, before we start talking about that, hello. I’m so excited to be coming to Dallas for first-ever championship being held there. I’m a native Texan so it makes it all the better.

But to answer your question specifically, we do look at past competitions, and Texas had played UConn two times. So we did look at that and factor that in our decision-making when we were building the bracket.

 

[2Husky]

I like this response the best. Shows how broad the scope of discussions can be.

Q. The last two seasons Texas was eliminated by UConn. Do you consider this a reprieve for Texas, not to have been in the UConn bracket again this year, and give them perhaps a better chance to wind up in Dallas where their fan support might help the Final Four?

TERRY GAWLIK: First, before we start talking about that, hello. I’m so excited to be coming to Dallas for first-ever championship being held there. I’m a native Texan so it makes it all the better.

But to answer your question specifically, we do look at past competitions, and Texas had played UConn two times. So we did look at that and factor that in our decision-making when we were building the bracket.

thanks for pointing this out. it does seem like they are trying to specifically advantage schools from texas, and i guess at least they are being honest about it. impartiality would be better.

 

[Plebe]

thanks for pointing this out. it does seem like they are trying to specifically advantage schools from texas, and i guess at least they are being honest about it. impartiality would be better.

Where are you getting that? Because they didn't want to send Texas to Bridgeport for the third year in a row?

 

[2Husky]

Where are you getting that? Because they didn't want to send Texas to Bridgeport for the third year in a row?

yes, and they have no problem sending SC out west when arguably Baylor should have gone. In one case they gave preference to having a team avoid going somewhere based on placement in a past tournament, and in another they ignored that as a factor. in both cases it is about giving breaks to schools from texas who probably can't win without the special treatment.

 

[Plebe]

yes, and they have no problem sending SC out west when arguably Baylor should have gone. In one case they gave preference to having a team avoid going somewhere based on placement in a past tournament, and in another they ignored that as a factor. in both cases it is about giving breaks to schools from texas who probably can't win without the special treatment.

They put Texas in UConn's regional two years in a row. Doesn't look like special treatment to me.

This year will only be the second year in a row that South Carolina's regional site is the most distant. The previous year they were close by in Greensboro. So no, the two situations are not comparable. We'll see where they get sent next year if the circumstances are similar.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Dawn not happy...

Dawn does not happy better than most.

 

[stwainfan]

I wonder if there will be. As many upsets as last year.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

I think we beat MD by 20+ at any venue.

You got that right! Playing MD in CT is way better than at FF...and we only have to play them if the beat BOTH WVU and Duke... but even so, I believe we will win no matter where it is.

 

[eebmg]

Dawn does not happy better than most.

It is the coaches job when possible to amplify any examples of real or perceived disrespect. One of the most powerful weapons a coach can employ is to construct an "us against the world" mentality and play "angry".

 

[mbr33ct]

Never seen Temple play.. do they have a chance to beat Oregon?? A good chance?

There's always a bad chance they could beat them!

 

[mbr33ct]

Did you see Rebeccas reaction to Landers analysis on how L'ville is a potential FF team. She was doing all she could not to jsut burst out laughing at such a ridiculous analysis.

Rebecca loves to bust his chops.

 

[mbr33ct]

Geno's comments:

​

Would someone please hand Geno a toothpick, for gods sake!

 

[FASTEDDY]

Freese and Staley are none too pleased, that's for sure.

What the heck does Staley have to be displeased about?

They shouldn't be a #1, dont deserve it. Expecially since Coates is out and Staley knew it but kept it quiet for a chance to get #1 seed. Stupid Committee gave it to them.
South Carolina got the easiest draw when that privilege should have gone to UCONN which deserved it.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

What the heck does Staley have to be displeased about?

They shouldn't be a #1, dont deserve it. Expecially since Coates is out and Staley knew it but kept it quiet for a chance to get #1 seed. Stupid Committee gave it to them.
South Carolina got the easiest draw when that privilege should have gone to UCONN which deserved it.

The most significant thing Dawn said yesterday was that Coates isn't practicing. Personally I think the are a better club without her.

 

[JordyG]

Personally Id rather see Duke vs TAMU in the elite 8.... we owe them for 2008

Revenge is a dish....

 

[Bestiarius]

Regarding why South Carolina was sent to Stockton, it's simple. When you call yourself USC the Committee assumend they were dealing with a west coast team.

 

[SCspur]

What the heck does Staley have to be displeased about?

They shouldn't be a #1, dont deserve it. Expecially since Coates is out and Staley knew it but kept it quiet for a chance to get #1 seed. Stupid Committee gave it to them.
South Carolina got the easiest draw when that privilege should have gone to UCONN which deserved it.

What do you mean don't deserve it? We played the second hardest schedule in the nation and most top 25 games on the road. Your really on a message board whining about how UCONN should've got the easiest draw like they aren't he heavy favorites to win regardless. That's when you know your spoiled when you complain about the best team in WCBB history doesn't get an easy path to the final four. Smh

 

[southie]

Yeah, Miami as a host is really the surprise.

However, conference standings with unbalanced scheduling are a particularly imperfect benchmark. Miami had to play Florida State twice in the regular season, while none of the other top teams had to play each other twice. Miami also did better in its OOC than NC State did.

I strongly suspect that they bumped Tennessee from a 6 to a 5 in order to send the Vols to Louisville, and NC State might well be the team that was displaced from the 5 line to make that happen.

I also think that NC State was the victim of a downward procedural bump from #5 to #6.

Once you take into account that ACC teams, Louisville and Miami were both awarded #4 seeds, there was no way NCSU could be a #5 seed in those regionals (OKC & STOCK). That left them the chance to be a #5 seed in either CT or KY.

But, in CT, there were already 2 ACC teams seeded, with #2 Duke and #8 Syracuse; I think that's where the committee didn't want to place a third team from the same conference (maybe there's an unwritten rule?). Most folks had Texas A&M as a #6 seed paired with #3 Texas; would have made for a short bus trip from College Station to Austin. But, A&M ends up as the #5 seed in CT with NCSU as the #6 seed matched up with #3 seed Texas in the KY regional.

In KY, I think Ohio State as the #5 seed is right. Don't think they were gonna place NCSU above the Buckeyes.

 

[Plebe]

What do you mean don't deserve it? We played the second hardest schedule in the nation and most top 25 games on the road. Your really on a message board whining about how UCONN should've got the easiest draw like they aren't he heavy favorites to win regardless. That's when you know your spoiled when you complain about the best team in WCBB history doesn't get an easy path to the final four. Smh

Simply based on how good the teams have shown themselves to be, there's no doubt that Baylor is ahead of SC:

Odds of reaching the Final Four / championship game / winner's podium (according to 2017 March Madness Predictions):

• UConn: 90% / 63% / 52%
  
• Baylor: 73% / 31% / 23%
  
• Notre Dame: 60% / 38% / 10%
  
• South Carolina: 56% / 31% / 8%

 

[triaddukefan]

People are still whining about UCONN's "tough" bracket?