3 seed

[CTBasketball]

I agree. When it comes to support that the venue provides vs. the increased pressure and distraction that exists it is a net negative imo.

I believe JC stated something similar which is why he preferred going to the west regionals.

Well I’ll be clear and elaborate a little. This team specifically I don’t think can handle that increased pressure.

Most other UConn teams would and could. Starts with a team that doesn’t give into emotions, makes incredible decisions on the court, and has a killer instinct. We’re a very good team, but we fall short in those categories. We played our best basketball in front of 30 fans in an empty arena.

 

[Hi-Low]

I’ll say it again send us away from MSG.

If Marquette is the East Region 2 seed & UConn is a 3 seed you'll have your wish....they won't have 2 BE teams as 2 & 3 seeds in same region.

 

[ctchamps]

I agree. When it comes to support that the venue provides vs. the increased pressure and distraction that exists it is a net negative imo.

I believe JC stated something similar which is why he preferred going to the west regionals.

This group of players already is putting so much pressure on themselves an environment like MSG will magnify that pressure.

Additionally two of our best players want to perform perfectly and when they don’t they get down on themselves. Seeing their fans reactions to that performance only makes them more upset.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

I think we really lucked out with the way Xavier lost.

Teams definitely ahead of us:

Alabama
Houston
Kansas
Purdue
---
Texas
Arizona
UCLA
Marquette
---
Gonzaga

I think those are 9 teams ahead of us without a doubt. Now it matters if we the committee thinks our resume is one of the three best among:

Baylor
Kansas St
Xavier
Tennessee
Duke
Indiana

Honestly, I didn't think it would be the case after the Marquette loss, but it seems like it should be. But is the committee going to have the best ACC team get a 4 seed? seems unlikely. And they seem to love the B12. And Xavier did beat us twice...

So I think it's probably 60/40 we get the last or second to last 3-seed.

Baylor - we were neck and neck here and they finished on a 2 game skid to ISU, who we smoked...I think we jump them
KSU - was already behind us in the AP and they finished on a 2 game skid
Xavier - they're probably a toss up w us, not sure if injuries get taken into acct but that may be gives us the edge in coin flip
Tenn - behind us in basically all polls and metrics, don't see that changing
Indiana - same as Tenn... honestly UVA is prolly above both of them on the 4/5 line
Duke - I think they did enough to get the ol name brand bump to the 3 line

So zags, duke, UConn, X is my guess on the 3 line

 

[auror]

Have you looked at UVA's resume? They haven't been ahead of us since they lost to Boston College.

Duke on the other hand looks good and has been playing well and may well have jumped up to the 3-line.

Duke is playing well but they really don't have a three seed resume, like at all. The conference is bad, which makes Duke look better. 4 is even pushing it.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Let me be the first to say it. We'll end up with a 4 because of anti BE bias in the selection committee.

To add salt in the wound, they won't put us in the east either.

This would not surprise me in the least, but I would be much more incensed to not get Albany in the first weekend than to not get MSG.

 

[HobokenHusky]

Being put in the east vs Colgate terrifies me. Home game for them and they haven’t lost in like 2 months.

 

[ctchamps]

Well I’ll be clear and elaborate a little. This team specifically I don’t think can handle that increased pressure.

Most other UConn teams would and could. Starts with a team that doesn’t give into emotions, makes incredible decisions on the court, and has a killer instinct. We’re a very good team, but we fall short in those categories. We played our best basketball in front of 30 fans in an empty arena.

We’re definitely in agreement understanding this teams emotional state.

This forum going after the players and coaches when there is loss or ugly win also does not help. The players most likely don’t come here but their friends, people who run into them, and even members of the press do.

It’s likely someone(s) relays our sentiments to them. They may look like they shrug it off but they are highly sensitive so they might internalize it, putting more pressure on themselves which does nothing to help their performance.

If there is a time for fans to sublimate their own needs of public venting this group could surely use it.

 

[Kemba Time]

I looked this up recently to get an idea of just how big the difference getting a 3 vs. 14 game and a 4 vs. 13 game is in Round 1.

Last year’s tournament:

4-13 games
Arkansas won by 4
UCLA won by 4
Illinois won by 1
Providence won by 9

3-14 games
Texas Tech won by 35
Purdue won by 22
Tenn won by 32
Wisc won by 7

 

[UConnSwag11]

Being put in the east vs Colgate terrifies me. Home game for them and they haven’t lost in like 2 months.

Is this a sarcasm?

 

[Vuce]

I’ve seen a list of team we don’t want to see as a 13 or 14 seed - Iona, Oral Roberts, Colgate, Vermont among them. Who do we WANT to see in that bracket because we are running out of teams LOL

 

[aburks41]

Duke is absolutely not getting a 3 seed. They are firmly on the 4/5 line and not moving any higher than that. Their resume is on par with Xavier’s, not UConn’s

 

[DW1361]

We deserve a 3, but I worry politics will say we are a 4. A three would be great because we likely go West. If they make us a 4 we likely stay in the East, which I don’t mind but some here think it isn’t in our best interest to do so. The thing I like best about the West bracket is that those teams will likely have never experienced a D like ours.

 

[HooperScooper]

Let me be the first to say it. We'll end up with a 4 because of anti BE bias in the selection committee.

To add salt in the wound, they won't put us in the east either.

I'm fine with them not being in the east. Yeah sure it would be great for us to go to the game if they get to the Sweet 16. But I'm not convinced it's best for the team. They don't need the ghosts of MSG pasts hanging over them.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I'm fine with them not being in the east. Yeah sure it would be great for us to go to the game if they get to the Sweet 16. But I'm not convinced it's best for the team. They don't need the ghosts of MSG pasts hanging over them.

Disagree slightly. I was thinking the same but I think they would handle playing the S16 in MSG better than playing essentially a road S16 and E8 like UCONN '11 did.

They should take pride in knowing what came before and wanting to be the next group to own MSG. You go to the big schools for that reason.

 

[YearoftheHusky]

The thing I like best about the West bracket is that those teams will likely have never experienced a D like ours.

Giggle.

 

[HobokenHusky]

Is this a sarcasm?

Not at all. I didn’t realize it was 2 hours away, but that’s as much a home game for them as it is for us. They are 26-8 and lead the country in 3s.

That is the type of team that can put us in the same situation as the providence game - big lead that evaporates within a few minutes and then the team becomes the tight version that we all know and love.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Not at all. I didn’t realize it was 2 hours away, but that’s as much a home game for them as it is for us. They are 26-8 and lead the country in 3s.

That is the type of team that can put us in the same situation as the providence game - big lead that evaporates within a few minutes and then the team becomes the tight version that we all know and love.

I agree with the tight version comment.

It’s March. Anything can happen. I’ll be a bit anxious until the game is over and we move on, but we cannot be afraid of them if we truly believe we’re the team that was ranked #2 at one point.

We shouldn’t be worried about who we’re playing the first game

 

[August_West]

I may be in the minority, but I think the 3 seed over the 4 is more important than the region.

Totally agree

 

[YoungFree]

I’d love to be the 3 to UCLA’s 2.

Not me. I want to avoid the Angry Leprechaun

 

[navery12]

I’ve seen a list of team we don’t want to see as a 13 or 14 seed - Iona, Oral Roberts, Colgate, Vermont among them. Who do we WANT to see in that bracket because we are running out of teams LOL

I think someone has posted about being scared of every team that'll be seeded between 10 and 15 so all bases are covered

 

[Umami Zen]

33 of the last 37 NCAA Tournament champs were either a 1-2-3 seed.. If we can lock up a three seed.. And have to play somewhere other than East Regional.. I'll go with the odds.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Totally agree

Are people forgetting the Pods? Albany matters and since no other top 16 seed would want to be there, we likely will be. As for the regionals, I don’t care. KC would be cool, I’d consider going if friends have tickets, but KU will be in that region. Louisville isn’t far. Vegas is worst because I hate late games.

 

[CTBasketball]

Are people forgetting the Pods? Albany matters and since no other top 16 seed would want to be there, we likely will be. As for the regionals, I don’t care. KC would be cool, I’d consider going if friends have tickets, but KU will be in that region. Louisville isn’t far. Vegas is worst because I hate late games.

I have 5 free nights at the Resorts World in Vegas, wouldn’t hate that!

 

[August_West]

Are people forgetting the Pods? Albany matters and since no other top 16 seed would want to be there, we likely will be. As for the regionals, I don’t care. KC would be cool, I’d consider going if friends have tickets, but KU will be in that region. Louisville isn’t far. Vegas is worst because I hate late games.

Don’t really care what pod we are in. We may be in Albany pod we may not be. I think we are better off in any region but the East this year. Especially if we get a higher seed line out of it.