Selection Monday

[ConnecticutBB]

Tennessee could loss the game just on turn over points.

 

[Plebe]

Washington State, why. 500 team.

Because body of work.
W-L percentage is not deciding factor.

 

[SECbbfan24]

No love for SEC hopefuls Ole Miss and Mississippi State

Neither deserved it to be honest.

Ole Miss though might be one of the most improved teams in the country when you look at where they were a year ago. It was pretty fun to watch them come into their own in the SECT. Ole Miss really hurt themselves in the beginning of SEC play choking away a few wins (2 possible wins vs LSU actually). They did play extremely well down the stretch this year. Should be a team to watch next year.

Miss St talent wise is probably one of the biggest underachievers this year. Maybe it was for the best, the players looked like they quit and McCray seemed bored on the sidelines half the year and seemed like she never wanted to stand up to coach in most games.

 

[ConnecticutBB]

Just wondering if the selection is in this order...or does ND cut ahead of the other teams.

 

[jaydee602]

High Point Stats: Nickname Panthers Early Line: UCONN (-43)

Ranking:	236	Record	22-6
Schedule:	366	PF-PA:	2035-1724
Offense:	158	Per Game:	72.7-61.6
Defense:	303

 

[Heytherego]

Just wondering if the selection is in this order...or does ND cut ahead of the other teams.

This is in order I believe

 

[Plebe]

Cuse jackrabbits

Rematch of a 2nd round game from two years ago, where SDSU upset Syracuse in the Carrier Dome.

But Myah Selland -- who as a freshman was the star of that upset two years ago, IIRC -- is out for the season with an injury. As long as Syracuse has Mangakahia available (?) they will be the favorites for sure.

 

[Plebe]

Just wondering if the selection is in this order...or does ND cut ahead of the other teams.

It's in that order:
1. Houston
2. DePaul
3. Notre Dame

Definitely in order from likable to hate-able.

 

[triaddukefan]

I assume they are gonna show this on re-run later at some point. I'm hungry.... and need to go take out some of my anger on some Arby's or Moe's.

 

[bantamlaker]

So obvious that the NCAA is trying to screw us yet again! All of the other top seeds have a walk in the park by comparison.

Just think that if they weren’t trying to screw us every year we’d have at least 20 championships by now!

 

[bballnut90]

Pretty weak analysis/explanations by ESPN. My immediate takeaways are:
1. I misinterpreted UCONN's path.... i think they lucked out massively avoiding SC/Maryland at the Final Four. They'll only face one of Stanford, SC and Maryland who I think are the three toughest foes for UCONN. NC State and A&M aren't chopped liver but they're far less imposing IMO. Maryland is playing at a ridiculous level offensively and SC is improved and would have revenge on their mind if they played UCONN again after the OT loss.

I will say their regional is dangerous with Baylor/Tennessee as a potential Elite 8 match up, as neither team presents a great situation for UCONN. Baylor is very athletic and stellar defensively, it'd be a great battle between Richards and Bueckers to see who can get the better of each other. Tennessee wouldn't be a cake walk either...their length really frustrated UCONN earlier and Davis is playing at an AA level. Also going far back, Tennessee beat #1 UCONN in the 1997 Elite 8 as a 3 seed, led by Kellie Jolly who lit up UCONN for 20 points. Im sure that'll be brought up in the broadcast booth if that ends up being the Elite 8 matchup.

Iowa too is dangerous if they can stop Kentucky since they spread the floor so well offensively and are loaded with shooters. UCONN will slaughter Kentucky if they meet, but I dont expect they'll beat Iowa.

Teams that beat UCONN this decade have historically won with great ball movement and offensive sets. Iowa fit the bill but can't defend a chair. Luckily for UCONN, both Maryland and Stanford are on the opposite side of the bracket.

2. The SC region is loaded. Very compelling potential Sweet 16 match up between Maryland and UCLA. Maryland should be the heavy favorite but if Osborne gets hot, UCLA could pull the upset. SC vs Maryland is the most intriguing Elite 8 match up IMO. Maryland makes a living at spreading the floor and finding lanes to the basket, but they havent gone up against anyone like Boston before.

3. Glad to see Mississippi State and DePaul didn't sneak in like how Creme projected they might. Neither team deserves it this year. Very happy for BYU after that painful loss to Gonzaga. They'll do more damage the other bubble teams that just missed the cut.

4. Lots of potentially great match ups in the tournament:

-Tennessee/MTSU, Hayes playing her old team
-Kentucky/Iowa in round 2 with two of the best scorers in the country
-Stanford/Arkansas in the Sweet 16 is a dangerous game for the Cardinal.
-UCONN/Iowa to watch the freshman go head to head
-Maryland/SC
-NC State/A&M is another interesting one


The field is wide open for the first time in quite a while, plus we have neutral games the entire way that will likely shake things up a big. Should be fun to watch.

 

[Lorcan]

Pretty weak analysis/explanations. My immediate takeaways are:
1. UCONN has a tough path to a title, likely having to face Baylor or Tennessee again, SC or Maryland, and then potentially #1 overall Stanford for the title. Iowa too is dangerous if they can stop Kentucky since they spread the floor so well offensively and are loaded with shooters. Teams that beat UCONN this decade have historically won with great ball movement and offensive sets. Iowa/Maryland/Stanford fit the bill.

2. The SC region is loaded. Very compelling potential elite 8 match up between Maryland and UCLA. Maryland should be the heavy favorite but if Osborne gets hot, UCLA could pull the upset. SC vs Maryland is the most intriguing Elite 8 match up IMO.

3. Glad to see Mississippi State and DePaul didn't sneak in like how Creme projected they might. Neither team deserves it this year. Very happy for BYU after that painful loss to Gonzaga. They'll do more damage the other bubble teams that just missed the cut.

4. Lots of potentially great match ups in the tournament:

-Tennessee/MTSU, Hayes playing her old team
-Kentucky/Iowa in round 2 with two of the best scorers in the country
-Stanford/Arkansas in the Sweet 16 is a dangerous game for the Cardinal.
-UCONN/Iowa to watch the freshman go head to head
-Maryland/SC
-NC State/A&M is another interesting one


The field is wide open for the first time in quite a while, plus we have neutral games the entire way that will likely shake things up a big. Should be fun to watch.

You have the Final Four backwards. UConn would go through Baylor or TN, then NC State or TAMU in the FF, then Stanford, Maryland, or South Carolina in the title.

 

[Plebe]

 

[bballnut90]

I was too. They finished really strong. Just lost one too many. The LSU losses and 1 point loss to Tennessee really hurt them. They'll be a handful next season.

 

[npignatjr]

Because body of work.
W-L percentage is not deciding factor.

What body of work played 0 old games, finished less than 500 in conference including games below them in conference standings.

 

[bballnut90]

You have the Final Four backwards. UConn would go through Baylor or TN, then NC State or TAMU in the FF, then Stanford, Maryland, or South Carolina in the title.

Oh wow....I misinterpreted that. That's huge. Only having to face one of those squads instead of 2 makes the path far less treacherous.

 

[npignatjr]

Washington State before them!!!

 

[SimpleDawg]

In the last Top 10 years, Preseason Top 10 teams have made the tournament 99 out of 100 times. (Covid cancelled last year, but all 10 made it by the time tournament was cancelled)

The only 1 that didn't make it is the 2020-2021 Mississippi State Bulldogs led by Nikki McCray Penson.

 

[Vowelguy]

Creme got 63 of 64 teams.

 

[bballnut90]

Sorry but Tennessee turns the ball over too much. They have the talent and size to match up with Baylor but the way Baylor plays defense it will be tough for Tennessee.

They did fine the first time vs SC who is comparable defensively. Davis and Burrell are excellent bail out players and I could see Egbo getting into quick foul trouble. It should be a competitive game.

 

[UcMiami]

One of the interesting issues for DePaul and Marquette, and used to be for USF and UCF: they have two/three losses on their resume this year that last year likely would have been wins because of Uconn - Marquette at 19-6 looks different from them at 22-3, DePaul at 14-8 vs 16-6. There is a cost to having Uconn in your conference.

And Houston wouldn't even been in a bubble position if they were the 4th ranked team in the AAC with 14-9 overall record. UCF would have been the bubble team.

 

[Vowelguy]

Hey I picked the top 5 fully correct in Stanford's bracket, and got 4 of 5 in UConn's bracket!

 

[LoTrader]

A lot of people leaping ahead in forecasting high seed match-ups. This year, I think that there will be many "upsets". That will make this a fun tournament.

 

[Lorcan]

Washington State before them!!!

Wazzu had better wins than any of those teams -- with the exception maybe being North Carolina's win over NC State that likely sealed their bid.

 

[Plebe]

What body of work played 0 old games, finished less than 500 in conference including games below them in conference standings.

I repeat: W-L record is not the deciding factor, and the fact that you keep harping on it shows that you don't get how this works.

Every year there are teams with sub-.500 conference records that get at-large bids. That's not a disqualification. Don't know why people get so superstitious and triggered about that.

Wazzu beat UCLA and Arizona. I challenge you to name a "snubbed" team with two better wins than that. Plus 2 wins over Oregon State, another tournament team. Who would you have put in the field ahead of them?