ND to Bridgeport?

[meyers7]

Well, I gotta tell ya, UConn plays the tuffest defense in WCBB and ND TN and Stanford are not going to beat a healthy uninjured CT team especially in CT. Not gonna happen. Right now it appears the two best teams in WCBB are UConn and Baylor. Barring injuries foul trouble or some crazy something UConn will not loose. Because of their defense they will win.

 

[reno tony]

TENN? Are people really worried about them? Oh yeah, they have DD, the most overrated SG in WCBB. If she duplicates the best game she has had in her college career.... so what. Watch a TENN game and someone please explain to me how they beat UCONN. I didn't see how they beat N.D. , but scoring 7 points in the fourth quarter probably had something to do with it. Maybe N.D. couldn't find the basket. I don't know. But does anyone on the BY think any team can shut down UCONN like that? Foul trouble aside, Baylor and S.C. are the only teams to worry about.

 

[msf22b]

In the unlikely event that Tennessee, Stanford and ND wind up in our regional, Tony will be able to re-sell his tix for 500-750 each, perhaps more and retire to some lovely tropical Isle.

Then our beloved Husky's playing against only two of the three above will certainly demonstrate their prowess by easily advancing to the final 4 having taken out most of the major opposition. With the possibility of an upset or two in other sectors, the final-4 may become a cakewalk.

No worries, piece of cake.

This team and its staff do not have a habit of complaining that the opposition is too stiff.
But I do recall such comments from folks having been sent to our regional in past seasons.

 

[Monte]

You think ND would draw more fans to to the championship game than Baylor would?? ...... in DALLAS TEXAS ??????

Of the billions of dollars the NCAA takes in each year, less than 1% of that is from ticket sales. What counts is MEDIA $$$$.

 

[Rixxx]

Yes, ND has had some success over the Huskies in the recent PAST. I believe the all time record is something like 35-11 Huskies, 76%.

 

[triaddukefan]

Of the billions of dollars the NCAA takes in each year, less than 1% of that is from ticket sales. What counts is MEDIA $$$$.

Dont think it really matters who UCONN plays in the final in terms of MEDIA $$$$

 

[DefenseBB]

No.
Its job is to,pair the 2 best teams. Nothing more,

The quotes might need to be parsed as the Tournament seeds in blocks of 4, 1-4; 5-8;9-12;13-16 and will place in geographical regions while keeping a strong eye towards interesting matchups. So yes, if ND is an 8, they could end up in the East Regional Final. All 3 offer uniqueness to be enthralling and attendance is critical to this tournament which is why they host in known hotbeds. The opposite bracket matchup is Baylor-UConn for the Dallas Final. Who could be the other two? FSU, SC, MD or a Louisville/MSU surprise.

 

[Vowelguy]

The quotes might need to be parsed as the Tournament seeds in blocks of 4, 1-4; 5-8;9-12;13-16 and will place in geographical regions while keeping a strong eye towards interesting matchups. So yes, if ND is an 8, they could end up in the East Regional Final. All 3 offer uniqueness to be enthralling and attendance is critical to this tournament which is why they host in known hotbeds. The opposite bracket matchup is Baylor-UConn for the Dallas Final. Who could be the other two? FSU, SC, MD or a Louisville/MSU surprise.

Yes, they place teams in regions with a slant towards geography. But there's NO evidence that they keep 2 teams apart just because they are both popular.

 

[DefenseBB]

Yes, they place teams in regions with a slant towards geography. But there's NO evidence that they keep 2 teams apart just because they are both popular.

Not popular in that we like them, top ranked in that Baylor is the #2 overall seed.

 

[DefenseBB]

And yes there is evidence in the committee putting us with Texas for 2 years as a recent example. Again it fit within the seeding so they did the matchup. They don't fudge the groupings of 4 too much.

 

[Vowelguy]

Not popular in that we like them, top ranked in that Baylor is the #2 overall seed.

Duh, yes I know that.
But a previous post alleged that the committee would not put ND and UConn in the same bracket because both are too popular. My response was that popularity was irrelevant.

 

[Plebe]

And yes there is evidence in the committee putting us with Texas for 2 years as a recent example. Again it fit within the seeding so they did the matchup. They don't fudge the groupings of 4 too much.

Texas WBB doesn't have a particularly large fan base within the context of other top programs.

 

[bballnut90]

Yes, ND has had some success over the Huskies in the recent PAST. I believe the all time record is something like 35-11 Huskies, 76%.

Considering UCONN's win rate has been 94% since 1995, almost 97% since 2008, and over 99% in the last four years, 76% is a scary number in comparison.

 

[mntncougar]

Obviously, this season our path to and through the FF is not quite so well defined as last year. But IF there are any teams we really have to fear I'd prefer to face them on our home turf. I know the down side, but chances are, a team that can beat us early can also beat us at the end of the line.

 

[oldude]

Like many other posters, I can not understand the fear of ND, Stanford or Tenn in the Bridgeport regionals. UConn has to play somebody. My one concern with this team is having to face a team with dominant BIGS, such as Baylor, MD or SC. If the Huskies beat the Gamecocks on Feb 13 they will earn the #1 overall seed, insuring the easiest path to the FF, whoever they end up playing.

Baylor & MD look like the #2 & #3 seeds right now, putting them on a collision course to play each other in the National semi-finals. If SC loses to UConn, but wins out in the SEC, they will be the #4 seed, which will put them in a bracket with a number of teams that can beat them. If SC gets knocked off in the regionals, UConn should be able to handle whoever they face in the national semifinals. While a rematch with either Baylor or MD would normally be a concern, we all know that Geno never loses in the NCAA championship game.

Finally, if last year's tournament proved anything, it is that any team is beatable, except the Huskies.

 

[Tonyc]

I read this stuff and I wonder. This is UConn. They are from another planet. Alot of great posts here but dont every think UConn will lose. In the last 139 games they lost once and this years team beat Murders Row and hasnt lost. Hey they may lose. But I will bet every game they play and make more money they you do betting they lose. This is a machine. This is a team. This is a well developed destroyer. The only team that could give them a game is Baylor. I dont wanna hear about MD either. We were up 19 pts then just like the ole days at Tenn the fouls piled up and we were defenseless and they caught up but didnt win on their home floor. I like our chance alot.

 

[Monte]

Dont think it really matters who UCONN plays in the final in terms of MEDIA $$$$

Tell that to ESPN!

 

[triaddukefan]

Tell that to ESPN!

Meh..... I got better things to do... like go to the Grocery Store and Pita Delite

 

[oldude]

Guys, as much as ESPN might want to manipulate the brackets for the sake of ratings, they really don't have that opportunity. The top 16 teams, which usually correspond with the poles, are seeded so that if all the favorites advance to the regionals the 1 plays 16, 2 plays 15 and so on to 8 plays 9. If all the favorites advance again, the 1 plays 8, 2 plays 7 and so on. I believe the only exception occurs with 2 seeds from the same conference. So for instance, with MS St currently ranked 4 & SC ranked 5, if that held, the committee would likely send MS St out West as the 1 seed and move SC to MD's bracket as the 2 seed.

 

[Woof 101]

As for my pedantry and empty rhetoric on this topic I am simply going to say I agree with Geno!

"We're in a good bracket with good teams like everybody else is. Say all you want about who's in a tough bracket, who's not? The bottom line is, starting this weekend everybody will get to a chance to prove whether they belong there or not."

 

[SCspur]

Like many other posters, I can not understand the fear of ND, Stanford or Tenn in the Bridgeport regionals. UConn has to play somebody. My one concern with this team is having to face a team with dominant BIGS, such as Baylor, MD or SC. If the Huskies beat the Gamecocks on Feb 13 they will earn the #1 overall seed, insuring the easiest path to the FF, whoever they end up playing.

Baylor & MD look like the #2 & #3 seeds right now, putting them on a collision course to play each other in the National semi-finals. If SC loses to UConn, but wins out in the SEC, they will be the #4 seed, which will put them in a bracket with a number of teams that can beat them. If SC gets knocked off in the regionals, UConn should be able to handle whoever they face in the national semifinals. While a rematch with either Baylor or MD would normally be a concern, we all know that Geno never loses in the NCAA championship game.

Finally, if last year's tournament proved anything, it is that any team is beatable, except the Huskies.

As good as you made that sound even if SC loses to UCONN and wins out in the SEC there is a good chance we beat MD out for the #3 overall seed due to our higher RPI. In Fact Maryland hasn't played a team to this point that has a top 25 RPI other then UCONN while SC has played 5 soon to be 7 counting Tenn and UCONN. SC's resume should looking significantly better then Maryland's by seasons end.

 

[SCspur]

I read this stuff and I wonder. This is UConn. They are from another planet. Alot of great posts here but dont every think UConn will lose. In the last 139 games they lost once and this years team beat Murders Row and hasnt lost. Hey they may lose. But I will bet every game they play and make more money they you do betting they lose. This is a machine. This is a team. This is a well developed destroyer. The only team that could give them a game is Baylor. I dont wanna hear about MD either. We were up 19 pts then just like the ole days at Tenn the fouls piled up and we were defenseless and they caught up but didnt win on their home floor. I like our chance alot.

No love for SC? Wow that really hurts.

 

[noirwestern]

No love for SC? Wow that really hurts.

and use it when you play Tennessee.....

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

You think ND would draw more fans to to the championship game than Baylor would?? ...... in DALLAS TEXAS ??????

Baylor doesn't even draw that well at home for football or basketball.

 

[oldude]

As good as you made that sound even if SC loses to UCONN and wins out in the SEC there is a good chance we beat MD out for the #3 overall seed due to our higher RPI. In Fact Maryland hasn't played a team to this point that has a top 25 RPI other then UCONN while SC has played 5 soon to be 7 counting Tenn and UCONN. SC's resume should looking significantly better then Maryland's by seasons end.

I agree with you on RPI as the SEC is much tougher than the BIG, but I think the only way that SC is 3 & MD is 4, is if MD loses another game, and I don't know that anyone in the BIG is capable of beating them this year.

 

[mhshuskies]

Will nd even be a 2 seed? After losing to two un-ranked teams and not showing much leadership on the floor, they should fall out of the top ten ranking as a 3 seed.

 

[DefenseBB]

Guys, as much as ESPN might want to manipulate the brackets for the sake of ratings, they really don't have that opportunity. The top 16 teams, which usually correspond with the poles, are seeded so that if all the favorites advance to the regionals the 1 plays 16, 2 plays 15 and so on to 8 plays 9. If all the favorites advance again, the 1 plays 8, 2 plays 7 and so on. I believe the only exception occurs with 2 seeds from the same conference. So for instance, with MS St currently ranked 4 & SC ranked 5, if that held, the committee would likely send MS St out West as the 1 seed and move SC to MD's bracket as the 2 seed.

I am surprised you don't know the principles the committee uses. #5 seed will stay with #4 regardless of conference affiliation as they would not meet until the regional final (Elite Eight). The committee uses multiple tools including RPI, Sagarin, polls and eye test as well as "trending". My point is the committee MAY slot a team up one or down one to create interesting games as they do need to draw interest. In my Texas reference it was to have a rematch of an up and coming program that had been throttled the previous year. The game was in CT and Texas by ranking alone would not have matched IN At that slot as they were the 7 seed which should have go against the overall #2 seed SC. They were moved to play CT (if they won) in the elite 8. The committee puts teams in groups of 16 for each region and may swap like seeds from on region to another for a few different reasons. Honestly, as one of the smartest if not the smartest forums, this can't be a new concept here.

 

[oldude]

I am surprised you don't know the principles the committee uses. #5 seed will stay with #4 regardless of conference affiliation as they would not meet until the regional final (Elite Eight). The committee uses multiple tools including RPI, Sagarin, polls and eye test as well as "trending". My point is the committee MAY slot a team up one or down one to create interesting games as they do need to draw interest. In my Texas reference it was to have a rematch of an up and coming program that had been throttled the previous year. The game was in CT and Texas by ranking alone would not have matched IN At that slot as they were the 7 seed which should have go against the overall #2 seed SC. They were moved to play CT (if they won) in the elite 8. The committee puts teams in groups of 16 for each region and may swap like seeds from on region to another for a few different reasons. Honestly, as one of the smartest if not the smartest forums, this can't be a new concept here.

DBB, you'll have to excuse my ignorance regarding the intricacies of the NCAA selection committee's process. Obviously, I have not devoted the attention to that process that you have. The essence of my comments, stated in the 1st line, is that ESPN does not make those selections, as some posters have suggested.

 

[HardHatGuy#2]

Two losses to SC - one in the regular season and one in the SECT.

That's quite a prediction. Strap those spurs on tight!

 

[SCspur]

That's quite a prediction. Strap those spurs on tight!

That won't happen can't see anyone beating us including Miss St. and the SEC tourney is in SC it would be a tough out for any SEC team to beat SC this year