Final Four - Is this fair?

[Aluminny69]

So Stanford and South Carolina get an extra day of rest before the Final Four. And they don't play each other. Is this fair? Is this the way it has worked in the past? Seems to me the two teams that won Sunday should play each other, and the two teams that win Monday should play each other. What do others think?

 

[nwhoopfan]

How much difference is one day of rest gonna make? I would think an extra day of prep time is more of an advantage, but even then everybody should have plenty of time to get ready.

 

[StanFan]

Also, if it was a significant advantage to have an extra day of rest, doesn’t it make a lot more sense to have that be before the final four than before the national championship (which I think is your suggestion but could be wrong)?

 

[jchusky]

well they were ranked the 1st and 2nd overall seed so that is the perks you get.

 

[blkkirk]

So Stanford and South Carolina get an extra day of rest before the Final Four. And they don't play each other. Is this fair? Is this the way it has worked in the past? Seems to me the two teams that won Sunday should play each other, and the two teams that win Monday should play each other. What do others think?

I have complained about this for a long time. At least this year the overall #1 gets the extra day. I think it is important. Many years we were on the down side of this. One extra day of rest and time to game plan is important and valuable in my opinion.

 

[Conndog]

Seems like it should be easy to fix, but then that's the NCAA we're talking about, so doubt it

 

[oldude]

One extra day of preparation does not make much difference. It’s been this way in college basketball for as long as I can remember. It is largely fueled by tv, which spreads out the games during March over 4 days each week to maximize viewership.

UConn has won championships with the extra day of preparation and without. Let’s all worry about just getting to the FF, and then we can worry about who the Huskies are going to play there and how well prepared they are.

 

[Stymie]

I have complained about this for a long time. At least this year the overall #1 gets the extra day. I think it is important. Many years we were on the down side of this. One extra day of rest and time to game plan is important and valuable in my opinion.

Cry me a River.
Just play.

 

[shiverz45]

One extra day of preparation does not make much difference. It’s been this way in college basketball for as long as I can remember. It is largely fueled by tv, which spreads out the games during March over 4 days each week to maximize viewership.

UConn has won championships with the extra day of preparation and without. Let’s all worry about just getting to the FF, and then we can worry about who the Huskies are going to play there and how well prepared they are.

You can't really game plan until you know who you are playing.

 

[oldhusky]

I think it is a minor advantage, mostly with an extra day of prep time not rest, but if two teams are going to get that advantage it is appropriate to give it to the number 1 & 2 overall seeds.

 

[schmendrick]

You can't really game plan until you know who you are playing.

Amen. And, more importantly, IF you're playing. One game at a time.

 

[Wbbfan1]

The Men's tournament is the same way. If I recall correctly its happened many times in the past for both tournaments as well. I don't understand why the NCAA doesn't fix it, as they control the schedule of the games Overall #1 Seed and #3 Seed brackets play on the same day and #2 and #4 seed brackets play on the same day. Easy to fix.

 

[oldude]

You can't really game plan until you know who you are playing.

Exactly. You do get an extra day of rest, which means something if you’re recovering from a football game, but not much for young, well-conditioned basketball players.

 

[ochoopsfan]

I would be really upset if Uconn had to play the late game today, giving them 2 hours less rest before the FF.

 

[eebmg]

I would be really upset if Uconn had to play the late game today, giving them 2 hours less rest before the FF.

I would refuse to go based on principle.

 

[GoUconn7961]

I don't think any of it matters. They set the bracket up that way because they assume that it'll be SC v. Stanford in the final.

 

[visitingcock]

I don't think any of it matters. They set the bracket up that way because they assume that it'll be SC v. Stanford in the final.

Nah, they set it up that way because they wanted 1 vs 2 in the final. Those teams just happened to be SCar and Stanford.

 

[jaydee602]

I always defended UCONN getting the extra day because their top ranking earned it. So it would be hypocritical to complain when other top ranked teams get the extra day.

 

[willtalk]

The fact that they are not playing till Friday makes that extra day mute. Now if they were playing Wednesday it might make a difference. Some times its an advantage not to have too much time between games. Three days between games is plenty of time.

 

[Monte]

Is it fair that some teams have to go out into COLD air after practice, while other teams are in a warmer climate zone?

 

[stamfordhusky]

Seems like it should be easy to fix, but then that's the NCAA we're talking about, so doubt it

There’s nothing that needs fixing.

 

[Stymie]

Throw that in with the different time zone in Minnesota, and we are facing insurmountable obstacles.
Why even get on the flight?

 

[GoUconn7961]

Nah, they set it up that way because they wanted 1 vs 2 in the final. Those teams just happened to be SCar and Stanford.

That's what I meant. Unfortunately it didn't read that way.

 

[ConwayGmck]

Unless they play all Elite Eight games at the same exact time - would fanbases be happy with this? - then they have to play one at a time. And if this is what has to happen, then it should go in order of 1) overall #1 or highest overall Seed, 2) next highest overall Seed, 3) next highest overall Seed, 4) lowest overall Seed left to play.

That appears to be exactly how they scheduled it:

1st Game: South Carolina (overall #1 Seed)
2nd Game: Stanford (overall #2 Seed)
3rd Game: NC State (overall #3 Seed)
4th Game: Louisville (overall #4 Seed).......