Forcing UConn to Portland WHY??????

[Argonaut]

South Dakota is better than UConn right now. Last loss was 12/22 at South Carolina by 13 points. UConn lost to SC by 18 points.

 

[Tonyc]

South Dakota is better than UConn right now. Last loss was 12/22 at South Carolina by 13 points. UConn lost to SC by 18 points.

Thats correct and that was then. UConn blew out SC a few years ago too but that was then. Right now UConn is a tuff out for anybody barring injuries or a complete collaspe. In any event Im excited to see UConn playing UConn ball and look forward to them facing one of the top 4 teams.

 

[Plebe]

Its the 350 Mile Rule. Louisville and NC State if they get #2 Seeds, they go to Ft Wayne and Greenville. That leaves Stanford and UConn for Dallas or Portland. There is an exception that if there are 5 teams from the same conference hosting then two teams from the same conference are in the same region. What I don't understand is why Stanford can't be sent to Portland. However that's what I've heard experts say. If that's accurate, then the only place for UConn is Portland and Dallas for Stanford. Now if Louisville is not a #2 Seed, then UConn would most likely be sent to Fort Wayne. The same would happen to UConn if they were a #3 seed.

Stanford can't be sent to Portland because the top 4 teams from a conference must be placed in different regions if they're on the top 4 seed lines.

That means Oregon, Stanford, UCLA and Arizona will each be in a separate region. Obviously, Oregon State and Arizona State will have to be placed in a region with another Pac-12 team.

 

[bballnut90]

I agree with this. Let's face it, right now UConn is clearly the forth of fifth best team in the country based on eye test if not hard stats. And the Ducks are no lower than number two. Given all the hype of Oregon and Sabrina as this year's anointed champions, I believe the committee will ultimately come to the realization that it would be deeply unfair to the Ducks and "bad for the game" to have to face the Huskies in Portland, given that the outcome would likely be no better than a coin toss.

So in the end I think they'll decide to move Uconn away from Portland more based on the negative impact it could have on the Ducks, versus say any desire to keep UConn out of another Final Four. We'll know in a week.

That's a nice thought but I dont think there's much merit in switching things around to avoid a UCONN/Oregon NCAA game. It's not a heavy weight battle everyone is dying to see. Neither is #1 and UCONN isnt even in consideration for a 1 seed with Maryland winning. When they did play, Oregon beat UCONN by 18 on the road earlier this year. Theyll be a heavy heavy favorite to win a game in Portland should they meet in the Elite 8. I'm not sure anyone but massive UCONN homers think it's a coin flip game. If UCONN beats Oregon in Portland, it'll be one of the only times I can remember where UCONN as an underdog pulled off a massive upset.

 

[bballnut90]

Thats correct and that was then. UConn blew out SC a few years ago too but that was then. Right now UConn is a tuff out for anybody barring injuries or a complete collaspe. In any event Im excited to see UConn playing UConn ball and look forward to them facing one of the top 4 teams.

2 years ago is a lot different than 1 month ago. UCONN is cruising through the AAC but South Carolina, Maryland and Oregon are all red hot right now too.

 

[Majic Hands]

I understand "why" our team is not getting to Indiana. Now I'm hoping for our team to be the 2 where ever Baylor is. My second wish would be to go the South Carolina bracket. My nightmare is being in the Oregon Ducks bracket. Because. . . When I fill out my brackets I'll have the Ducks as 2020 women's basketball national champions. I fill out my bracket's because of who I think will win not who I want to win.

 

[shiverz45]

I will bet you that Oregon would rather face MD then UConn right now. IMO UConn is playing better then MD LVille and Stanford right now. Better offense better defense and has had 4,5,6 scorers in double figures. If you want to bring up how tuff teams are fine but how many times has MD LVille and Stanford had 5-6 players in double figures in the past 2 weeks?

I would love for UConn to get sent to Greenville. We owe you'll for years of abuse.

 

[Tonyc]

2 years ago is a lot different than 1 month ago. UCONN is cruising through the AAC but South Carolina, Maryland and Oregon are all red hot right now too.

In sports one day can make a huge difference. In golf a pro shoots 63 and comes back the next day with 72. In basketball month to month teams are different. Right now IMO UConn is top 3 and if they continue to get better they could win it all. Ive played and watched alot of BB, this UConn team right now is playing at a NC level. Not saying they cant revert back to January but if they continue to improve like they are now they are a very difficult out. JMO Next year UConn should be back on top and with the verbals so far the next 3 recruiting classes will make UConn almost invicible.

 

[Alydar]

When has UCONN ever been screwed by seeding? Just last year yall got to play Louisville in front of a home crowd as a 2 seed. Same thing happened when they were 2 seeds in 2004 and 2006 when UCONN had homecourt through regionals and #1 seeds were burdened with playing in a road atmosphere. Almost every year the east regional site is within a 2 hour drive of Storrs. I get that people dont want to go to Portland and it may not work out in UCONN's favor this year but historically predetermined sites have helped the Huskies far more than it has hurt them.

2008. UConn was the overall 1 seed. There was a close battle between Rutgers and another school for the last 1 seed. The other school got it. Rutgers as the overall No 5 seed should have played the weakest 1 seed but instead the committee had them play in UConn's region. They claimed it was a geographical decision but they had no problem flying in teams from across the country. It just seems like geography is used when it suits the committee and ignored when it dosn't.
And it's revealing that you have to go back 15 years to find examples. Lots of teams back then hosted regionals. I remember that a Final Four was played in TBA. A little Tenn bias? UConn never got that privilege.

 

[ReadR00ster]

I feel like it's not necessarily a bad thing like in 2017. I felt it hurt Uconn in the final 4 to not leave the state for so long. And it helped SC to go out to Stockton where they could get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

 

[bballnut90]

It's hard to say if they're the same team or not. No one in the AAC remotely resembles the caliber of opponent of a top 10 team, let alone a ranked team at this point. Makurat is likely the biggest difference from a month ago til now, but can she bring the same firepower against good teams? We don't know. Williams is still a bit off and on, ONO hasn't proven she can score against a quality big, Walker is playing great but she has been great all season aside from games against ranked foes, etc. I think UCONN is the most dangerous 2 seed largely due to their roster talent and historical precedent, but based on quality of basketball played it's hard to say IMO.

 

[BostonCanuck]

That's a nice thought but I dont think there's much merit in switching things around to avoid a UCONN/Oregon NCAA game. It's not a heavy weight battle everyone is dying to see. Neither is #1 and UCONN isnt even in consideration for a 1 seed with Maryland winning. When they did play, Oregon beat UCONN by 18 on the road earlier this year. Theyll be a heavy heavy favorite to win a game in Portland should they meet in the Elite 8. I'm not sure anyone but massive UCONN homers think it's a coin flip game. If UCONN beats Oregon in Portland, it'll be one of the only times I can remember where UCONN as an underdog pulled off a massive upset.

Your post certainly does reflect the conventional wisdom out there, and I can't fault you for that. But do you really think UConn is the same tram that lost tone top three teams by double digits? I don't. Now have they improved enough to win the national championship this year? Possibly not. But they will be the toughest of any two seed by a long shot, and no team is going to want to face them in the Elite Eight. Now if that makes me a "massive UConn homer" then I'll wear that label with pride.

 

[Tonyc]

It's hard to say if they're the same team or not. No one in the AAC remotely resembles the caliber of opponent of a top 10 team, let alone a ranked team at this point. Makurat is likely the biggest difference from a month ago til now, but can she bring the same firepower against good teams? We don't know. Williams is still a bit off and on, ONO hasn't proven she can score against a quality big, Walker is playing great but she has been great all season aside from games against ranked foes, etc. I think UCONN is the most dangerous 2 seed largely due to their roster talent and historical precedent, but based on quality of basketball played it's hard to say IMO.

There are alot of teams in alot of conferences that are pretty good. There are some teams that are no better then the AAC teams thats why UConns OOC has been so tuff. This year unfortunately ND and some other teams werent that good and early on UConn wasnt very good. Right now UConn is playing like a NC team and they may revert back to playing like they did against SC Oregon and Baylor. One thing about those 3 games. UConn late in the game made a run and then collasped. Right now I dont see that. It could happen again however UConn is not dribbling the ball all over the court and theyve gotten back to passing and penetrating and ONO Griff and Anna have become scorers and not 0-14. Thats huge. If they had done that in those games UConn may have won but they didnt and thats why right now I like our chances against them alot. IF you continues like they are the could be a Miracle Year.

 

[bballnut90]

2008. UConn was the overall 1 seed. There was a close battle between Rutgers and another school for the last 1 seed. The other school got it. Rutgers as the overall No 5 seed should have played the weakest 1 seed but instead the committee had them play in UConn's region. They claimed it was a geographical decision but they had no problem flying in teams from across the country. It just seems like geography is used when it suits the committee and ignored when it dosn't.
And it's revealing that you have to go back 15 years to find examples. Lots of teams back then hosted regionals. I remember that a Final Four was played in TBA. A little Tenn bias? UConn never got that privilege.

So there is 1 example of where it has negatively affected the Huskies vs. 3 times where it has benefited them.

The last 5 straight years the NCAA has selected a regional site within 2 hours of UCONN's campus. In 8 of the last 9, there has been one within 4 hours. UCONN has (deservedly) hosted there all 8 times.

Compare that to Notre Dame who earned 8 straight #1 seeds from 2012 to 2019. The only times they got to play within 4 hours of home were in 2014 and 2019. Every other time, as a 1 seed, there was no home regional for them. During the same stretch, UCONN had the luxury of playing close to home for 7 of the 8 years. No one else has had the fortune of consistently being able to play in front of home crowds en route to a Final Four year after year like the Huskies have, so to play the 'victim of the NCAA' card just isn't accurate. At all.


And the TBA Final Four was literally 30 years ago when Final Fours were commonly played on home courts, and Tennessee didn't even make it to the Final Four that year. If you want to go the Tennessee route:

-Tennessee had to play USC in LA for a title in 84
-Tennessee didn't get the Chattanooga regional (2 hours from Knoxville) as a 1 seed in 2005, it went to LSU, who they just beat in the SEC Tournament and is 8 hours from Baton Rouge
-in 2006 UT arguably should've been the 4th #1 at at worst the top #2, but was put in #1 overall UNC's bracket, with regionals in North Carolina
-in 2007, as a 1 seed, Tennessee was forced to played at Pittsburgh in the 2nd round in 2007

 

[RogueDave]

It's the Pac-12's fault.

Yeah Thanks Bin Laden!

 

[Alydar]

So there is 1 example of where it has negatively affected the Huskies vs. 3 times where it has benefited them.

The last 5 straight years the NCAA has selected a regional site within 2 hours of UCONN's campus. In 8 of the last 9, there has been one within 4 hours. UCONN has (deservedly) hosted there all 8 times.

Compare that to Notre Dame who earned 8 straight #1 seeds from 2012 to 2019. The only times they got to play within 4 hours of home were in 2014 and 2019. Every other time, as a 1 seed, there was no home regional for them. During the same stretch, UCONN had the luxury of playing close to home for 7 of the 8 years. No one else has had the fortune of consistently being able to play in front of home crowds en route to a Final Four year after year like the Huskies have, so to play the 'victim of the NCAA' card just isn't accurate. At all.

Hey, I'm not claiming UConn is a victim. I'm claiming that UConn got to play close to home because they earned it by being the top team most of the last 12 years going into the tournament. You are the one who seems to think they have gotten favored treatment. And you had to go back 15 years to find it. I say you make your own bed. No one is complaining that S Car is playing in Greenville or that Baylor plays in Dallas or Oregon in Portland. They earned the 1 seed. And UConn won the right to play close for a lot of years. Unfair? Hey, that's the whole point of seeding, to not put the best teams against each other until the later rounds.
If UConn got nice sites in the past it was only because they earned those sites by both winning and by having supportive fans.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Yeah and sure UConn has gotten better since the games against Oregon and South Carolina, but those teams have improved too. I'd love to keep the final four streak intact, but if we have to beat Oregon or South Carolina to get there, I don't like our chances.

 

[Tonyc]

I agree both were pretty good teams who didnt play well yesterday and lost bad. IMO both lost because of too much dribbleing and panicing. Both SC and Oregon kept their poise and both played good defense. Their opponents didnt. Oregon and SC both had great passing and looked fundementally sound. I watched all the games yesterday. It was a great day for WCBB.

 

[BostonBay]

Maryland doesnt deserve a #1 seed. Who have they beaten?? Would love to crush them as a 2-seed on their side of the bracket.

 

[Tonyc]

Maryland doesnt deserve a #1 seed. Who have they beaten?? Would love to crush them as a 2-seed on their side of the bracket.

If we face MD we will crush them. UCONN is Back

 

[bballnut90]

Hey, I'm not claiming UConn is a victim. I'm claiming that UConn got to play close to home because they earned it by being the top team most of the last 12 years going into the tournament. You are the one who seems to think they have gotten favored treatment. And you had to go back 15 years to find it. I say you make your own bed. No one is complaining that S Car is playing in Greenville or that Baylor plays in Dallas or Oregon in Portland. They earned the 1 seed. And UConn won the right to play close for a lot of years. Unfair? Hey, that's the whole point of seeding, to not put the best teams against each other until the later rounds.
If UConn got nice sites in the past it was only because they earned those sites by both winning and by having supportive fans.

They have had a notable advantage of having the NCAA pick regionals close to Storrs over the past decade. I dont doubt that UCONN likely advances each of those years (besides maybe last year) regardless of where they were sent, but people are quick to complain about likely being sent to Oregon this year and ignore how the regional set up typically benefits the Huskies on an annual basis. I'm sure Notre Dame or other programs wouldve loved to have regionals in their backyard 8 of the past 9 years. Honestly props to UCONN fans for showing up and incentivizing the NCAA to give them a close regional annually but there's no denying the current set up typically helps the Huskies rather than hurts them.

 

[reno tony]

Please correct me if I'm wrong. But UConn is the ONLY team to play all three top teams! ( Baylor, South Carolina, Oregon.) Now, they may be the only team that has to face all three in order to earn a National Championship.

Seems fair to me. NOT!

I like that UCONN might get a chance to revenge all their loses this season.... I wouldn't have it any other way. Final Four here they come.

 

[Tonyc]

The NCAA needs money and UConn is a huge draw. They sellout when near home at $37 a seat and $20 to park at Harbor Yard. If there were more seats they would sell more tickets. Being number 1 allows you to have the regional in your back yard. The next 2 years the East Regional is in Albany and then Bridgeport.

 

[bballnut90]

The NCAA needs money and UConn is a huge draw. They sellout when near home at $37 a seat and $20 to park at Harbor Yard. If there were more seats they would sell more tickets. Being number 1 allows you to have the regional in your back yard. The next 2 years the East Regional is in Albany and then Bridgeport.

Oregon/SC likely do the same this year. My guess is these regionals will be among the most attended ever since 4 hosts will be within driving distance and Oregon/SC have 2 of the strongest fan bases in WBB right now.