Rankings

[Vowelguy]

Rankings for the tourney teams.

Top ranks not to make tourney:

Mich 23 / 38 / 46
Indi 32 / 44 /
Virg 34 / 41 /
Iowa 40 / .. /
SDkSt . / .. / 38​

​

 

[DefenseBB]

Well this certainly points out how much harder the Bridgeport Region is vs. all others. Maybe Charlie Creme could do a similar analysis to "call out" the committee that they can and should do a better job. Solely focusing on quality wins vs. a broader approach is myopic in my view. Tennessee at #5 is grossly egregious and I am looking forward to Dayton beating them! That is just one of many, Auburn (losers of 9/12?) California? All PAC12 teams being seeded higher than warranted. Sure top to bottom they rank #1 in RPI but their top teams have LOST to all other top teams. Gawlik thinks she did a good job with a "soft" interview on Monday's selection show, but I found it rather fluff than substance with no pushback on the committees inconsistency.

 

[Orangutan]

Solely focusing on quality wins vs. a broader approach is myopic in my view. Tennessee at #5 is grossly egregious .

A five-seed implies a ranking of 17-20. Two of three rankings presented in VG's post (#19 rpi, #20 sagarin) put them squarely in that range.

 

[UcMiami]

I actually think that makes it look pretty evenly set -
Bridgeport is supposed to get the easiest 2 and Duke is pretty clearly that based on the various numbers, and the toughest 3 and Maryland qualifies, and then the easiest 4 and while the committee was really handcuffed by the 4 seeds, UCLA is clearly the easiest of the Pac12 top 16 teams.

This 'hardest region' stuff gets old to me - FF aspirant teams, and especially top 4 seeded teams really should be able to handle any teams thrown at them up until the elite eight game and if they can't then they were not good enough to win the elite eight game anyway. So as long as they aren't putting a top 8 team into a four seed line whatever happens with those 4-16 seeds is meaningless to me. So it comes down to the 2 and 3 seeds, and I am much happier having Duke as our 2 seed than Stanford, MissSt, or OSUw and while I would have preferred to see FSU or UW as our three, I am glad that TX isn't our 3 and we knew from pretty much the first reveal, and certainly when MD lost to OSUe that Maryland was locked into our region as either the last 2 or first 3.

 

[CBear01]

I have no problem with some of the best teams this year making the Bridgeport regional. And I don't think the committee has a problem with it either.

Firstly, if there is any team with an unfair advantage this year (besides the whole Baylor staying home for the "better for basketball" explanation) it really has to be Connecticut. We have 4 home games (should we continue to win) and no other team can really claim that. We are put into a position to get to the final four down the easiest path, IMO.

Secondly, putting Maryland, Duke, WV, and Oregon among others in our bracket only heightens my excitement...great games heading into the final four no matter who we play. We have already been tested and are prepared for the staunch competition.

15 other teams have to be on our side of the bracket no matter what. Those may think they have been "shafted" by being placed here with the thoughts they can never win the game (ahem, Albany) but then again they have already lost with those thoughts. My only hope is teams come in and play with heart and believe they can win...you can always see it on the court and it makes for an amazing matchup....regardless of the other teams rank and seed.

On another note....I am thoroughly upset we will not see Alaina Coates in this tournament. I am not a SC fan nor a huge fan of any of their players...but it sadness me when one of the nation's top performers cannot play. I felt similar about the loss of Achonwa few years back....I'd rather see us play teams at full strength and these teams have worked very hard to be here. Especially as a senior it breaks my heart. She is a special player. I do not think this hurts her WNBA future.

 

[huskyd]

Every year there are those who hope for "great" games. Not me. I hope for blow-outs. Never a fan of horror movies (except for the cute co-eds), I don't find being scared particularly edifying. I DO like action movies in which the hero cannot lose, though he/she may take a fearful beating (they recover so quickly). Happy endings with a smooth journey along the way are my cuppa. Hope UConn decimates its competition and never has a bad moment. My motto: Make Lou Smile.

 

[oldude]

Having looked at vowelguy's ranking spreadsheet, I'm not sure what anyone has to complain about. The regions look pretty well balanced to me.

On a side note, I watched the MD game again today. Outside of the 3rd qtr, the Huskies were fairly mediocre. Despite their play, UConn was generally in control of the game. If the Turtles make it to the Elite 8 against the Huskies, UConn wins by 20+ this time.

 

[UcMiami]

Firstly, if there is any team with an unfair advantage this year (besides the whole Baylor staying home for the "better for basketball" explanation) it really has to be Connecticut. We have 4 home games (should we continue to win) and no other team can really claim that. We are put into a position to get to the final four down the easiest path, IMO.

Actually - KY can claim they have four home games should they win, and theirs really are home games in everything but name since the regional is their men's team's home court. And they are a four seed.

 

[CBear01]

Actually - KY can claim they have four home games should they win, and theirs really are home games in everything but name since the regional is their men's team's home court. And they are a four seed.

Yes, indeed. Good catch...seems they can play at home 1st two rounds and still stay at home for the rest of the regionals. Won't even have to get on a bus!

I guess no matter what they do the committee can't please everyone so there's always going to be some kind of advantage/disadvantage in regards to location, bracket, or seeding.

 

[UcMiami]

Yes, indeed. Good catch...seems they can play at home 1st two rounds and still stay at home for the rest of the regionals. Won't even have to get on a bus!

I guess no matter what they do the committee can't please everyone so there's always going to be some kind of advantage/disadvantage in regards to location, bracket, or seeding.

Yeah - I think the choice of the KY site as a regional was questionable, just because it is the school's home court but not the women's home court - letter of the rule, but not the spirit of the rule.

 

[Vowelguy]

Yeah - I think the choice of the KY site as a regional was questionable, just because it is the school's home court but not the women's home court - letter of the rule, but not the spirit of the rule.

One could say the same about Bridgeport and basically OKC.

There are no sites in WCBB that can simultaneously be neutral and attract a decent crowd. Witness attendance at the West regionals, which has typically been disastrous except when they were in Spokane and Gonzaga made it.