I hate to say it but,

[Ralph]

there is not another team from the Northeast in the top 25 other than UConn. Do we run the risk of the eastern regional going away? Maybe a Southeast, a Midwest, a West and a Southwest? Or do they keep the East as long as we are a top draw, then drop it? We used to have teams like Syracuse, Rutgers, Penn State. Where have they all gone?

 

[Monte]

The NCAA has announced that 2022 will be the LAST year of having FOUR Regionals. They stated there will be just 2.
In 2023, the 2 sites will be Greenville, SC and Seattle.
In 2024, the 2 sites will be Albany and Portland.
2025, and 2026 will be far away from the east.

I don't like it. I would like them to keep the 4 Regionals as they have been for so many years.
You have to think that the changes are being made for $$$$, but maybe the Committee is just rearranging things to show that they are "busy at work."

 

[Plebe]

there is not another team from the Northeast in the top 25 other than UConn. Do we run the risk of the eastern regional going away? Maybe a Southeast, a Midwest, a West and a Southwest? Or do they keep the East as long as we are a top draw, then drop it? We used to have teams like Syracuse, Rutgers, Penn State. Where have they all gone?

The cardinal-directional regionals went away many years ago.

 

[Huskee11]

Good points above regarding the Regional Change format beginning in 2023 and the way in which the current system works.

As far as the broader issue regarding the strength of the Eastern teams, it is and has been UConn, period. Those other teams mentioned in some cases have moved to tougher conferences but I question the premise - they were never really a huge factor on the national level to begin with.

Rutgers admittedly had some fairly decent years and lost in the Finals in 2007. Rutgers and Penn State made the Final Four in 2000 but not to the title game. And Syracuse somehow made it to the title game in 2016 despite a low seeding. I seem to recall that they lost to a pretty decent team.

Other than Connecticut, that is it for Northeast schools in the Final Four. Not much to talk about.

The Power Five conferences are also stepping it up even more when it comes to WCBB, especially the PAC 12 and the SEC.

 

[Carnac]

there is not another team from the Northeast in the top 25 other than UConn. Do we run the risk of the eastern regional going away? Maybe a Southeast, a Midwest, a West and a Southwest? Or do they keep the East as long as we are a top draw, then drop it? We used to have teams like Syracuse, Rutgers, Penn State. Where have they all gone?

The elite players that made them great teams all graduated and were not replaced. Some of the successful programs from the past, and some even won championships, have fallen on hard times. Programs such as Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, Georgia, Texas Tech, Auburn, North Carolina, Virginia, Rutgers, Purdue, USC, Old Dominion, and Texas (BOLD = won national championship(s)) that use to be major players in WCBB, have fallen by the wayside. None of these programs have won a NC in the last 20 years.

More programs now are able to attract the few "super elite" players. Players ranked in the top 10 of their class. In years past, these players would only go to 4-5 programs i.e., UConn, Tennessee, Stanford, Notre Dame, Maryland and Baylor. Now NC State, Louisville Oregon, UCLA, Arizona, Mississippi St. Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Syracuse, Texas A&M and Ohio St. have jumped into the recruiting pool. THEY ALL RECRUIT THE SAME PLAYERS.

Look at the illustration below, and note the schools that signed the top 20 recruits in the next class. North Carolina and South Carolina each got 4 top 20 recruits. UConn was able to secure 3. Arkansas was able to get a good one in Jersey Wolfenbarger. Stanford, Texas and Notre Dame also got 2 each. Three programs took 11 of the top 20 recruits. If you look down the list, 90% of the top 50 recruits went to "MAJOR" programs. Hoopgurlz 2021 Recruiting Rankings

UConn just went through a recruiting slump two years ago. Why? because those recruits had options. Other programs (for what ever reason) appealed to them more than UConn. Promises made by coaches, campus aesthetics/ambience, featured curriculums, campus location, current players, outside influences (parents/AAU coaches) etc. are all factors in a recruit choosing where to go. UConn's location and Geno's style of coaching does appeal to every recruit.

 

[MooseJaw]

The NCAA has announced that 2022 will be the LAST year of having FOUR Regionals. They stated there will be just 2.
In 2023, the 2 sites will be Greenville, SC and Seattle.
In 2024, the 2 sites will be Albany and Portland.
2025, and 2026 will be far away from the east.

I don't like it. I would like them to keep the 4 Regionals as they have been for so many years.
You have to think that the changes are being made for $$$$, but maybe the Committee is just rearranging things to show that they are "busy at work."

Either of your choices are lame not on you , on the NCAA, how often have they ever done any thing that wasn't for the $ or just busy work fluffing their perceived self importance.

 

[cabbie191]

there is not another team from the Northeast in the top 25 other than UConn. Do we run the risk of the eastern regional going away? Maybe a Southeast, a Midwest, a West and a Southwest? Or do they keep the East as long as we are a top draw, then drop it? We used to have teams like Syracuse, Rutgers, Penn State. Where have they all gone?

This is a side comment to the question "where have they all gone" as it relates to MCBB rankings.

I read an article this morning (I think either on the New York Times or on CNN - can't find it now) which stated that in the men's game, none of the marque programs are ranked this year. In fact, if you look at the top 15 men's teams in terms of all time games won, as listed on Wikipedia, (List of teams with the most victories in NCAA Division I men's college basketball - Wikipedia), none of the first 15 programs listed are ranked this year.

My biggest surprise in the top 15 list - Utah. But then again, I don't follow MCBB that closely.

 

[Vowelguy]

The regionals were not based on having a lot of top teams.

First, you needed sites to bid.
The northeast regionals would always get strong attendance and revenue, thus allowing the sites to make solid bids.

The majority of teams are still in the East, which means travel costs are lower.

 

[Vowelguy]

You have to think that the changes are being made for $$$$, but maybe the Committee is just rearranging things to show that they are "busy at work."

No, not for money per se. You surely have a better shot at attendance with more sites.

1) There has been a push for more neutral regionals, with the UConn-Albany/Bridgeport regionals being seen as an advantage. Which they were to some extent. Not just for the team, but for fans, as they could buy tickets well in advance. Last year, fans of Oregon (Portland), Baylor (Dallas), SC (Greenville) knew where their team would be placed in the regionals (more or less). No other team did.

2) By and large NCAA attendance has been flat I believe. I think they're trying to change things up to see if they can re-invigorate the tourney.

 

[Bigboote]

The NCAA has announced that 2022 will be the LAST year of having FOUR Regionals. They stated there will be just 2.
In 2023, the 2 sites will be Greenville, SC and Seattle.
In 2024, the 2 sites will be Albany and Portland.
2025, and 2026 will be far away from the east.

I don't like it. I would like them to keep the 4 Regionals as they have been for so many years.
You have to think that the changes are being made for $$$$, but maybe the Committee is just rearranging things to show that they are "busy at work."

I guess I in principle knew this, but thanks for pointing it out again. I assume there will be more than one arena in each region? If not, that's 16 games in two days in one arena in each place. Where would the second arena in or around Albany be? Would they put it at the university, which holds like 4000?

 

[Vowelguy]

I guess I in principle knew this, but thanks for pointing it out again. I assume there will be more than one arena in each region? If not, that's 16 games in two days in one arena in each place. Where would the second arena in or around Albany be? Would they put it at the university, which holds like 4000?

Think you're confused. When there are 4 regionals, each one has 3 games (2 semis + final). This will mean 6 games per site. Easily accomplished in 2 days at a single site.

 

[WBBSUperFan]

The NCAA has announced that 2022 will be the LAST year of having FOUR Regionals. They stated there will be just 2.
In 2023, the 2 sites will be Greenville, SC and Seattle.
In 2024, the 2 sites will be Albany and Portland.
2025, and 2026 will be far away from the east.

I don't like it. I would like them to keep the 4 Regionals as they have been for so many years.
You have to think that the changes are being made for $$$$, but maybe the Committee is just rearranging things to show that they are "busy at work."

If you haven't heard Debbie Antonelli talk about this you should. She has been promoting a single site regional in Vegas for a few years. There is only upsides to her concept. All the coaches last year were asked to vote on the regional format. There was a very low turnout in responses, so this is what they settle on.

 

[Monte]

If you haven't heard Debbie Antonelli talk about this you should. She has been promoting a single site regional in Vegas for a few years. There is only upsides to her concept. All the coaches last year were asked to vote on the regional format. There was a very low turnout in responses, so this is what they settle on.

Yeah, I heard that....I still like the 4 regions, though.

 

[Monte]

Women’s Final Four: Future dates & sites

A complete listing of the future dates and sites for the women's DI college basketball championship.

www.ncaa.com

 

[Vowelguy]

IThere is only upsides to her concept.

Uhh I wouldn’t say Only upsides.

downsides:

• Vegas is far from most of country (so not an easy/cheap trip)
• local support in the west has generally been bad (see Fresno)
• WCBb fans within driving distance = tiny
• the women’s tournament has used early start times (eg noon) to avoid TV competition with the men

 

[Vowelguy]

That they are having one of the 2 regionals in the west EVERY SINGLE YEAR is horrific planning.
if a region were going to be included every year, it should be the south.

 

[chrissaran]

The elite players that made them great teams all graduated and were not replaced. Some of the successful programs from the past, and some even won championships, have fallen on hard times. Programs such as Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, Georgia, Texas Tech, Auburn, North Carolina, Virginia, Rutgers, Purdue, USC, Old Dominion, and Texas (BOLD = won national championship(s)) that use to be major players in WCBB, have fallen by the wayside. None of these programs have won a NC in the last 20 years.

More programs now are able to attract the few "super elite" players. Players ranked in the top 10 of their class. In years past, these players would only go to 4-5 programs i.e., UConn, Tennessee, Stanford, Notre Dame, Maryland and Baylor. Now NC State, Louisville Oregon, UCLA, Arizona, Mississippi St. Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Syracuse, Texas A&M and Ohio St. have jumped into the recruiting pool. THEY ALL RECRUIT THE SAME PLAYERS.

Look at the illustration below, and note the schools that signed the top 20 recruits in the next class. North Carolina and South Carolina each got 4 top 20 recruits. UConn was able to secure 3. Arkansas was able to get a good one in Jersey Wolfenbarger. Stanford, Texas and Notre Dame also got 2 each. Three programs took 11 of the top 20 recruits. If you look down the list, 90% of the top 50 recruits went to "MAJOR" programs. Hoopgurlz 2021 Recruiting Rankings

View attachment 64481

UConn just went through a recruiting slump two years ago. Why? because those recruits had options. Other programs (for what ever reason) appealed to them more than UConn. Promises made by coaches, campus aesthetics/ambience, featured curriculums, campus location, current players, outside influences (parents/AAU coaches) etc. are all factors in a recruit choosing where to go. UConn's location and Geno's style of coaching does appeal to every recruit.

Not if you want to be elite.

 

[fomalhaut]

I couldn't care less if Connecticut has to play its tournament games on the Moon.

 

[Monte]

2019: the last time the 4 Regionals were held: Attendance at the final game:

Albany-9,204
Chicago-5,555
Greensboro-4,164
Portland-11,538

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Just empirically - the northeast WBB world has been UConn only for years (at an elite level). Heck, teams that have - in the last 20 years or so - made the Dance "at large" from the Northeast multiple times has been mostly Rutgers and Syracuse (as others noted). No other region has such a paucity of teams.

That said, there are not a lot of candidates to be in that category in the Northeast. BC? UMass? Rhode Island or Providence? The schools just are not there, either.

 

[chrissaran]

Good points above regarding the Regional Change format beginning in 2023 and the way in which the current system works.

As far as the broader issue regarding the strength of the Eastern teams, it is and has been UConn, period. Those other teams mentioned in some cases have moved to tougher conferences but I question the premise - they were never really a huge factor on the national level to begin with.

Rutgers admittedly had some fairly decent years and lost in the Finals in 2007. Rutgers and Penn State made the Final Four in 2000 but not to the title game. And Syracuse somehow made it to the title game in 2016 despite a low seeding. I seem to recall that they lost to a pretty decent team.

Other than Connecticut, that is it for Northeast schools in the Final Four. Not much to talk about.

The Power Five conferences are also stepping it up even more when it comes to WCBB, especially the PAC 12 and the SEC.

Delaware, when Elena Delle Donne was there, was pretty tough.

 

[MSGRET]

Uhh I wouldn’t say Only upsides.

downsides:

• Vegas is far from most of country (so not an easy/cheap trip)
• local support in the west has generally been bad (see Fresno)
• WCBb fans within driving distance = tiny
• the women’s tournament has used early start times (eg noon) to avoid TV competition with the men

Currently there are 5 different Conferences that host both their Men's and Women's basketball tournaments in Las Vegas. All of them have a higher attendance rate then the did in their previous locations. They are the Mountain West, PAC 12, WCC, WAC, and Big West Conference. The cost for many of the fans is actually cheaper than ones at previous locations.

 

[Bigboote]

Think you're confused. When there are 4 regionals, each one has 3 games (2 semis + final). This will mean 6 games per site. Easily accomplished in 2 days at a single site.

Oops! Yeah, limited reading comprehension skills here.

 

[Urshurak]

I couldn't care less if Connecticut has to play its tournament games on the Moon.

But how would a Nike ball react on the moon versus a Wilson?

 

[triaddukefan]

2019: the last time the 4 Regionals were held: Attendance at the final game:

Albany-9,204
Chicago-5,555
Greensboro-4,164
Portland-11,538

Albany (Uconn vs Louisville)
Chicago (ND vs TAMU)
Portland (Oregon vs Miss State)\
Greensboro (Baylor vs Iowa)

Before anyone says something about the lowest attendance being in Greensboro, I aint here for that.