Official Bracket Thread
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Plebe
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Her Q1 record isn't technically better than UCLA's. 13-2 is a better percentage than 16-3. They were bound to look at other factors. The decision really could have gone either way. It was a very close call.
Plebe
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Holly specifically asked the committee chair about this decision between UCLA and SC for overall #1, and she said the criteria that carried the day for UCLA were “head-to-head” and “competitive in losses” and she specifically mentioned the 29-point loss to UConn.
bballnut90
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Juju/Kiki are a tougher matchup than Booker/Jones would’ve been IMO. If Iriafen has a big night and Juju’s shot is falling, USC becomes very difficult to beat. They’re far more than a 1 woman team
oldude
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Yes, but before we all think that a team’s Q1 record is the sole criteria for seeding, keep in mind that “head to head” is also a critical factor. SC lost head to head against UCLA, the team seeded ahead of them. Dawn ignored that fact. In addition, Dawn did not mention the bad loss at home to the Huskies just a few weeks back, which is also part of the seeding criteria.
oldude
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Add Lindsay Gottlieb to the coaches who are complaining about their team’s (USC) seeding, indicating that she felt “disrespected” by the committee. As I indicated in another post, whichever #1 seed drew UConn were not going to be happy about it.
Geno has complained about a lot of things over the years. But I have never heard him complain about a selection committee decision relative to the Huskies, including last season when UConn was a #3 seed and had to go all the way to the PNW to play in the Regionals, rather than the friendly confines of Albany, NY.
Geno always says, “We go wherever they send us and play whoever they tell us to play.” Some of these other coaches could learn a thing or two from the GOAT.
While a coach might think that a team feeling “disrespected” creates extra motivation, I think it has the opposite effect, by becoming a needless distraction. If a team needs extra motivation to play in the Big Dance, they probably shouldn’t be in the tournament to begin with.
Geno has complained about a lot of things over the years. But I have never heard him complain about a selection committee decision relative to the Huskies, including last season when UConn was a #3 seed and had to go all the way to the PNW to play in the Regionals, rather than the friendly confines of Albany, NY.
Geno always says, “We go wherever they send us and play whoever they tell us to play.” Some of these other coaches could learn a thing or two from the GOAT.
While a coach might think that a team feeling “disrespected” creates extra motivation, I think it has the opposite effect, by becoming a needless distraction. If a team needs extra motivation to play in the Big Dance, they probably shouldn’t be in the tournament to begin with.
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I thought the same thing. Where was everyone?
UConn has a choice against USC- either double-up on JuJu to try limiting her scoring, or take chance with regular switching man-to-man and limiting rest of team. I think they should just play their regular switching defense. Hopefully, UConn’s offense will be shooting well & they will get their revenge against USC.
I have Creighton upsetting Texas... they're scary if you don't know them well.
They were rewarded by getting the most difficult path to the championship.
That would be something. I personally don't think Creighton is that good and Texas will put them away quickly.
That was my thought until I saw their bracket compared to UCLA. Now I am betting UCLA and USC will both be home by the FF.
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Duke was gifted a #2 seed, how is that "fixed"? They don't have to face the top seed UCLA until the FF if they reach it. If you want to win it all you need to beat everyone. I don't understand?
They beat SC by 30 so I would say that was a good matchup, if they play ND again it won't be close and USC is extremely beatable. UCLA is the one team they don't match up very good with but that works both ways and UConn has more talent across the board so I think those are all good for UConn. The one team I though I would bet big money on would be UConn beating Texas. To me Texas is the one team that really didn't deserve a 1 seed yet they were 3 overall.
It is clear the SEC is the media darling. I hope they end up with ZERO in the FF.
RockyMTblue2
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Well Geno usually says he doesn't care where they get sent. I haven't listened to him this year yet, but I'd be surprised if he has a different take this year. I'm with him, but mostly because I'm not smart enough to know better.
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It's amazing how the media focus on the conference that was the strongest this year.
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@triaddukefan meant he’d “fixed” his earlier post. And by the way, my crystal ball has Duke going to the final four this time. And no, @triaddukefan has not sent me any care packages… yet. My crystal ball just likes the look of the team Kara has put together this season.
oldude
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Just watched Geno’s post selection show discussion with the press and he said exactly what he’s said for many years. “We go where they tell us to go and we play whoever they tell us to play.”
The reality is you might have 5-6 teams who have any chance of winning the NC. Every bracket has a couple that could make a run in a game and get a big win but not enough talent to make it further than one upset. Then you have a handful of teams that aren't going to be upset by a lesser team and a couple that are likely to win it all. To me USC and UConn would have played no matter where they were initally, now it will just be way sooner.
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And this is Geno’s motivational strategy. Instead of pretending UConn has been disrespected, he simply reminds his team that he expects them to be ready for anyone anywhere. It’s the same message he sends them all season long. Personally I prefer the blunt honesty of Geno’s motivational speeches.
PacoSwede
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ain't about paige v. juju (if the teams meet). u know better.
btw, p is much the better player, regardless, at this point.
bballnut90
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It’s a much tougher path to the Final Four than it would’ve been if they were a 3 seed in Texas’s bracket
Texas been on an off streak for a while. Barely won against an injured LSU which was missing 2 key players.
But I also just needed an upset in my bracket so...
southie
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Texas was missing their starting power forward due to an injury and surgery in late January. And, projected starter Laila Phelia has had an eye issue that has kept her out since early December. Injuries are part of the game.