Gotta wonder if UConn is a 2 seed because

[Tonyc]

Gotta wonder if UConn is a 2 seed because they arent invincible this season and theyre not in a power 5 conference? Gotta wonder is that is why UConn is a 2 seed and ranked 2 in both polls????????? Which makes me think about the past 2 seasons FF and how UConn lost. My feeling on the Miss St game when Sainya drove the lane and was knocked down and no call and last season with ND living at the line and UConn in all kind of foul trouble (remember UConn doesnt foul) Im looking forward to this years tournament and seeing what happens to UConn. It would surprise me to see UConn go to the line 20 times more than anybody in the Regionals and FF. Ive read some posts about the power 5 conferences and Im just thinkin and it aint stickin thinkin either. One last point we heard the NCAA committee person say UConns SOS was to high but it wasnt as high as Miss St who is in a Power 5 conference.

 

[hoopsfan22]

The committee told us why we're a 2-seed. They said they considered our strength of schedule and strength of conference. I may not agree with them, but message received loud and clear.

 

[Drumguy]

They blamed the conference. The concept of Power 5 in basketball is ludicrous, its a football designation that isn't all that accurate, it just differentiates between highly paid conferences and us lowly conferences. In Basketball its generally high major or mid major. The NCAA basically said "you're conference sucks. so we're discounting your record."

 

[uconnfan68]

They blamed the conference. The concept of Power 5 in basketball is ludicrous, its a football designation that isn't all that accurate, it just differentiates between highly paid conferences and us lowly conferences. In Basketball its generally high major or mid major. The NCAA basically said "you're conference sucks. so we're discounting your record."

All about those $$$.

 

[SVCBeercats]

One last point we heard the NCAA committee person say UConns SOS was to high but it wasnt as high as Miss St who is in a Power 5 conference.

There is no mystery to UCONN women being the #2 seed in the region. It is RPI and SOS. It is that simple.
See Morning Coffee: Why the Louisville women earned a No. 1 seed over UConn
"So what gave Louisville the edge over the Huskies? It was thanks to three acronyms, RPI, SOS and H2H. That's according to Rhonda Lundin Bennett, chair of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship Sport Committee, who addressed the selections on a conference call Monday night. Bennett said Louisville's No. 3 ranking in the ratings percentage index and No. 6 ranking in strength of schedule was the deciding factor over Connecticut, which ranked No. 6 in RPI and 31st in strength of schedule."
End of story! Number one seeds aren't given out based reputation. They are earned based on what did you do for me lately. So yeah, UCONN has to win every game they play against a top ranked team because their AAC games drag down their RPI and SOS. It is a fact, Jack!

 

[HuskyBandDad]

Please explain how ND is a 1seed?

 

[buddy]

Please explain how ND is a 1seed?

It is written in their contract with ESPN and the NCAA that they must be a number one seed. Also they are allowed to foul at will with no calls and if anyone touches them it is a foul. But they have the best players and the nicest girls in the sport.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Please explain how ND is a 1seed?

#1 strength of schedule, and despite that only have one more loss than we do. They deserve their number one seed more than anyone in my opinion.

 

[Plebe]

One the one hand, I can to some extent swallow the strength-of-schedule argument against UConn, because outside of those 3 games against #1 seeds (two of which we lost), the schedule in fact wasn't as strong as in previous years. The likes of Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, St. Louis, Ole Miss, Seton Hall, St. John's and Ohio State just weren't the ingredients of an impressive resume, especially when you know you don't have a strong conference schedule to fall back on. (A few of these teams were down from last year, but that's irrelevant from the committee's standpoint.)

HOWEVER, I have a much harder time swallowing that argument when UConn was downgraded in favor of Mississippi State, a team that despite their allegedly "strong" conference, finished with both nonconference and overall SOS even lower than UConn's (by any measure). Rebecca Lobo very rightly pointed this out right after the brackets were revealed. The fact that Miss St was essentially rewarded for scheduling BY FAR the weakest nonconference schedule of the top 7 teams just sticks in my craw. Watching Vic Schaefer gloating about his #1 seed and grinning from ear to ear on the SEC Network afterward made me sick. So now he has absolutely no incentive to upgrade his scheduling because hey, why schedule up when you can just coast from November to March while beating no one better than a #4 seed.

Barf.

 

[bballnut90]

I understand fans are upset with a 2 seed ending a fantastic run of 12 straight #1 seeds, but honestly the draw for UCONN is fantastic. Who cares about what seed you are, it is all about match ups.

If they swap places with Louisville, look at the comparable paths to the Final Four :
First round vs. 15 seed compared to a 16 seed....SAME
2nd Round vs Rutgers (an injury riddled team without their coach) or Buffalo who wont pose a threat compared to playing Kansas State or Michigan....SAME
Sweet 16 vs Maryland or UCLA compared to playing Gonzaga or Oregon State....better to be a 2
Playing Louisville as a 1 seed or a 2....SAME

When looking at the matchups, overall being a 2 seed bodes better for UCONN to avoid a potentially dangerous Sweet 16 match up.

Furthermore, Louisville is a GREAT match up for UCONN in round 2. Look at these factors:
1. UCONN will have a home crowd
2. Louisville has 2 players coming off injuries (to be fair, UCONN has 1)
3. Louisville doesn't have immense size or physicality
4. Louisville is coming off a 20+ pt trouncing by ND
5. Motivation to get revenge on the Card should help fuel UCONN's fire.

It is MUCH better draw to face the Cards in the Elite 8 than:
Stanford-Smith would be a matchup problem and Tara is a better coach than Walz
Oregon-extremely dangerous offensively and has size
Mississippi State-no matching up with Big T
Baylor-no matching up with Twin Towers
Notre Dame-red hot and most experienced team in nation

UCONN doesn't have to face any of those teams until the Final Four/title game.

Now look what happens when you reach the Final Four:
Your likely opponent is Notre Dame or Stanford compared to likely facing Mississippi State, Oregon or Baylor.

Understandably so, the idea of facing Notre Dame in the Final Four is a bit terrifying, but UCONN matched up well against the Irish in round 1 and I think they're a better matchup for UCONN than Baylor or Mississippi State. UCONN will only face one of those 2 teams in the title game.

Honestly I'd be thrilled with this bracket if I'm a UCONN fan. Sure it may be upsetting that Mississippi State gets the prestige of being a 1 and you don't, but Mississippi State likely has to beat Oregon in Oregon to get to the Final Four where they'll then encounter the overall #1. The round before that they probably face another tall Miami team who is 2-0 against Louisville and ND this year.

 

[connie]

My feeling on the Miss St game when Sainya drove the lane and was knocked down and no call

Wow! Is it 2017 already?

 

[CocoHusky]

There is no mystery to UCONN women being the #2 seed in the region. It is RPI and SOS. It is that simple.
See Morning Coffee: Why the Louisville women earned a No. 1 seed over UConn
"So what gave Louisville the edge over the Huskies? It was thanks to three acronyms, RPI, SOS and H2H. That's according to Rhonda Lundin Bennett, chair of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship Sport Committee, who addressed the selections on a conference call Monday night. Bennett said Louisville's No. 3 ranking in the ratings percentage index and No. 6 ranking in strength of schedule was the deciding factor over Connecticut, which ranked No. 6 in RPI and 31st in strength of schedule."
End of story! Number one seeds aren't given out based reputation. They are earned based on what did you do for me lately. So yeah, UCONN has to win every game they play against a top ranked team because their AAC games drag down their RPI and SOS. It is a fact, Jack!

Rebecca Lobo: " Then How do you explain Mississippi State being a #1 with SOS ranked lower than UCONN?"

 

[SVCBeercats]

Rebecca Lobo: " Then How do you explain Mississippi State being a #1 with SOS ranked lower than UCONN?"

Probably a 6'7" center, regional dominance, and the SEC vs. the AAC. Oh! the NCAA committee says so. “We felt that it came down strength of schedule, strength of conference, as well as how they were playing down the stretch,” Ronda Lundin Bennett, chair of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Selection Committee, said in an interview with ESPN. She added that the committee members agreed other teams were playing better than the Huskies coming down the stretch of the season.
So blame Katie Lou for getting hurt. An injured Katie Lou must have influenced the committee. With her UCONN beat its AAC weak sisters by a greater margin then without her. So how could UCONN play well against the premier teams? Particularly against Louisville who already beat UCONN when Katie Lou was healthy. With an injured Katie Lou ...

 

[chrissaran]

#1 strength of schedule, and despite that only have one more loss than we do. They deserve their number one seed more than anyone in my opinion.

Didn't we beat ND at their place? Christyn embarrassed AO.

 

[Tonyc]

The evidence is in the polling. Both polls have UConn number 2 because they are the better team. More evidence is used SOS and RPI so Strongly as it helps the Power 5 who have the power conferences and that includes UNC and Tenn making the tourney as both were questionable. What does that mean to other conferences???? Whats that telling other conferences if teams on the bubble in Power 5 conferences make it and teams in lesser conference with better records dont???? I dont like it one bit. If UConn is a 2 seed with 2 losses how does a team in a lesser conference with 2 losses make the tourney. Chance are some wont but a power 5 team with a loosing conference record has a better chance and it will help their recruiting because of it.

 

[veryolddog]

I agree with you, TonyC. There is a big disparity between UConn being ranked #2 in the country by both polls, whomever those voters may be, and the NCAA selection committee. I see payback by the NCAA selection committee. Call it revenge, call it getting even, but it appears to be pounce on UConn now that that the dominance is not so apparent. That is my opinion even if you don't like it.

 

[huskeynut]

I agree with you, TonyC. There is a big disparity between UConn being ranked #2 in the country by both polls, whomever those voters may be, and the NCAA selection committee. I see payback by the NCAA selection committee. Call it revenge, call it getting even, but it appears to be pounce on UConn now that that the dominance is not so apparent. That is my opinion even if you don't like it.

veryolddog - I agree.

The chair of the selection committee conveniently forgot to mention that without Lou, we won the AAC tournament in fairly easy fashion. Just a lame excuse.

 

[hoopsfan22]

UConn will just have to show no mercy in this tourney. I think the P5 calls it style points?

 

[meyers7]

The committee told us why we're a 2-seed. They said they considered our strength of schedule and strength of conference. I may not agree with them, but message received loud and clear.

That was just BS though. The real reason we are a 2 seed, is attendance.

 

[hoopsfan22]

That was just BS though. The real reason we are a 2 seed, is attendance.

So why is it we couldn't be a 1-seed and still placed in Albany? Is there some rule?

 

[meyers7]

So why is it we couldn't be a 1-seed and still placed in Albany? Is there some rule?

As I explained in another thread. We were (most likely) considered the 4th #1. Baylor, ND, Louisville and then UCONN. Meaning we get the West Coast. But if they give Mississippi St. the 4th seed they can be shipped out West and UCONN can have the #2 in Albany.....attendance.

It can be argued (well) that Baylor/ND/Louisville have a better resume than us. Mississippi St, not so much. But attendance wins out.

Really comes down to would you rather have the #1 seed in the West or the #2 seed in Albany? I'll take Albany, especially since I already have tickets.

 

[cferraro04]

The committee has spoken...all I will say is the following: There is no way that Tennessee should be dancing they should have been NIT bound. It is getting old watching the committee bend over backwards to make sure that Tennessee gets into the Tournament. They did nothing to earn their spot this year and someone more deserving isn't dancing...unfair.

 

[Tex-Lager93]

I don't see Gonzaga being punished on the men's side, still a #1. Weak conference / strong out of conference schedule...but UConn Women's is even better. Seems a bit personal to me. Whatever - solve it on the court.

 

[inthisopinion]

What the committee failed to value or recognize is that playing vs UConn is every other team's super bowl. Which means unlike everyone else, that UConn gets every opponent's best shot in every game they play. This more than makes up for weakness in normal SOS evaluations. Plus they are ranked 2nd in the COACHES poll. I noticed the committee had no members from the northeast. After everything I stated, one can draw their own conclusion as to why UConn would not be a one seed.

 

[CocoHusky]

That was just BS though. The real reason we are a 2 seed, is attendance.

Attendance (or geography) is a very reasonable explanation. Strength of conference or strength of schedule is plain BS when you compare Mississippi State to UCONN.