Bracketology - Week 14

[Centerstream]

I respect Charlie for keeping us a 2 seed. I'm actually surprised.
And I realize that he could care less about my respect but I have never really showed him any on this forum, so...

 

[packwrap]

I respect Charlie for keeping us a 2 seed. I'm actually surprised.
And I realize that he could care less about my respect but I have never really showed him any on this forum, so...

Charlie and ESPN often misunderstood here.

In his personal column Charlie predicted UConn this year as a final 4 team.

In bracketology, that is not Charlie's bracket - it's his best estimate of what committee would do if they selected the bracket in current week based on their published criteria. Perfection is when the final bracketology matches up 100% with committee real bracket.

ESPN does not have anti-uconn bias. In fact with staff based in CT, they are privately UConn homers.

Sadly, as FOX has Big East games, at their JOB the ESPN staff have to promote teams and leagues that ESPN covers. Note due SEC tie with Tenn, UConn vs Tenn was an ESPN game, and received tons of pre game promotion and coverage.

Oddly for ESPN, the UConn loss is positive, as it now again becomes a true rivalry, meaning future games are now worth more.

 

[bballnut90]

Kansas State losing by 30 to Oklahoma State dampens their chances of getting a 2 seed. This likely pushes Kansas State down to a 3 seed below UCONN. Worth nothing, KState was without Ayoka Lee who is expected to return. It's always up in the air if the committee will punish a team for losing while a star player was out (Lee was also out during their loss to Colorado State).

Side note: Stailee Heard might be the best player in women's basketball who no one is talking about. Great showing for her today (21 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals).

 

[fomalhaut]

Charlie's latest bracket has UConn as the 2 seed in UCLA's region. In effect, he's thinking of UConn as #8 on the S-curve. This may be an optimistic position.

I'd love to be in that spot if UCLA is still undefeated coming into the tournament. It would be nice to have a chance to end their undefeated season.