UCONN to No.1 ?

[Plebe]

Why are posters wanting so desperately for their team to b seeded one or four or 8 spots higher? It doesn’t matter much. Either way, you’ve still gotta win at least 7 games champs. At least 4 of those are gonna be against pretty doggone good teams no matter where you are seeded. I know a certain team that was a 3 seed last year but came within a ref’s blocking foul of going to the championship game,

But if we don't agitate around this issue, what will we do with our torches and pitchforks all week?

 

[JBK]

No, sorry, you’re trying to cherry pick one game at the expense of the rest of the season. It simply doesn’t work that way. The other games matter too. By your logic Notre Dame would be ahead of us.

Disagree on ND

ND did not blow us out at home by 30
The game was much earlier in the season -
We were not at full strength -
and
They have lost numerous times in the last 10 games —
I will give you USC.
They beat us at home in a close one
They have played well down the stretch.

I just think when they are seeding they are saying this team is believed to be better and their work proves it.
Coming off the beat down I am not sure how they can say that —
I know we both love UConn and thanks for the debate.

 

[jabstep]

Yes, because that win is probably what's keeping us from being a 3 seed.

Have to evaluate the resumes as a whole. Texas has 14 wins in Quad 1, UConn has 5. Also, UConn lost to a team that probably won't even be in the top 16. Texas's only losses are to teams in the top 8.

If an underdog beats a higher rated team by 35 points on their home court where they have a 71 game winning streak and to have that team seeded higher is a travesty. We lost to Tennessee on their home court by a couple of points. We are now healthier then we have been and that is a factor as well to be considered. Just my opinion.

 

[Skeets]

Yes, because that win is probably what's keeping us from being a 3 seed.

Have to evaluate the resumes as a whole. Texas has 14 wins in Quad 1, UConn has 5. Also, UConn lost to a team that probably won't even be in the top 16. Texas's only losses are to teams in the top 8.

OK, a couple of things and the intention here is not to offend, but to pleasantly comment. You yourself have posted that you can't cherry pick games, I suppose referring to the win over SCar. "Resumes as a whole." Then you go on to cherry pick 1 UConn loss. You can't cherry pick a win, but you can cherry pick a loss?

Another pet peeve, UConn is not responsible for the low number of Quad 1 wins. Isn't that the responsibility of the rest of the BE to improve? What exactly does the low number of quad 1 wins say about the quality of UConn? Are you saying Texas is almost 3 times better than UConn because of their quad 1 wins? If not, then what are you trying to say? Seriously, what is the relationship between 14 quad 1 wins versus 5?

 

[HuskyNan]

Do not squabble on the board - take it to Private Message.

 

[DefenseBB]

The problem as I see it is the fact there is a “seeding protocol” that the committee uses and far too many posters either refuse to read it, understand how it works in total (it is not just NET) or just want to ignore it altogether to allow their misguided narrative to argue their fandom.

There are 6 really good teams and my own order of best to less is
1. SC
2.UConn
3. UCLA
4. USC
5. Texas
6.ND

LSU, NC Stete and Duke round out my top 9.

SC has responded very well since the loss to us and have significant deeper front court depth and a coach who can perform well in March.
UConn for all its improvement and streak since Tennessee still needs to shoot the 3 well to take the pressure off Jana and Ice.
I think there is a drop off to 3/4 as I find both those coaches X’s and O’s challenged despite the unbelievable depth of talent on both rosters.
Texas is just lacking offense and struggles to outscore good offensive teams.
ND has slipped mightily but if they can refund their mojo, they are dangerous.

 

[Drumguy]

Why are posters wanting so desperately for their team to b seeded one or four or 8 spots higher? It doesn’t matter much. Either way, you’ve still gotta win at least 7 games champs. At least 4 of those are gonna be against pretty doggone good teams no matter where you are seeded. I know a certain team that was a 3 seed last year but came within a ref’s blocking foul of going to the championship game,

People seem to want the pride of “accomplishing” a top 4 seed. It is not an accomplishment. It’s a mere estimate for organizing that which is really important - the tournament.

Two years from now, nobody will care where your. Team was seeded. Only where they end up

This should not involve pride. It’s meaningless

It's not just about "pride". There is now a bias against non-P3 teams so it's harder for non-P3 teams to be rated higher. We lost to USC by 2 on their court , got creamed by ND and TN and beat the stuffing out of SC but were never really in contention for a 1 seed, even though the 2 earlier losses were with a somewhat depleted, young team and now we have a full, healthy team (fingers crossed we stay that way) and wiped our way thorugh our tournament including the number 23 team. P3 trumps all right now.

And this is a UConn Board so it'd be silly not to expect homerism here.

 

[visitingcock]

It's not just about "pride". There is now a bias against non-P3 teams so it's harder for non-P3 teams to be rated higher. We lost to USC by 2 on their court , got creamed by ND and TN and beat the stuffing out of SC but were never really in contention for a 1 seed, even though the 2 earlier losses were with a somewhat depleted, young team and now we have a full, healthy team (fingers crossed we stay that way) and wiped our way thorugh our tournament including the number 23 team. P3 trumps all right now.

And this is a UConn Board so it'd be silly not to expect homerism here.

I expect homerism on every home board. And I expect bias by every poster. However, I respect those posters the most who attempt to eliminate their bias ( or at least temper it with reason) and open their minds to see both sides of an issue. And their are MANY such logical UConn fans on this board.

I do understand your concerns about the rise of the Power Conferences from realignment ( though I don’t get the P-3. to me it’s p-2 (money)or p-4). Being in the Big East has hampered UConn’s scheduling. Thus, you have much fewer Quad One opportunities. You have a much weaker overall SOS than in the past when UConn was always among the SOS leaders!

Time to rethink scheduling to include more second and third tier teams from the P conferences.

 

[Plebe]

I do understand your concerns about the rise of the Power Conferences from realignment ( though I don’t get the P-3. to me it’s p-2 (money)or p-4). Being in the Big East has hampered UConn’s scheduling. Thus, you have much fewer Quad One opportunities. You have a much weaker overall SOS than in the past when UConn was always among the SOS leaders!

Time to rethink scheduling to include more second and third tier teams from the P conferences.

I don't see how playing more 2nd or 3rd tier teams from the p4 would help that much. And certainly not if we lose to them, as we did to a team that finished 9th in their conference.

All in all, #5 is the correct overall seed for this team IMO. The fact that we played so well against SC is encouraging and I'm looking forward to an exciting tournament.

 

[Dugway]

That is right; the color of the uniform that the #4 gets to wear in the Elite 8 game! I am still counting all of the huge advantages that the fourth ranked team gets over the fifth ranked team when the final seeding of the bracket comes out.

So we have:

• Color of the uniform that the 'home' team would get to wear at a neutral venue game, assuming they each make it to the Elite 8,
• The locker rooms that each may be assigned at this neutral venue, which has the potential to produce how many extra points?
• And then finally, the 'home' team gets to sit on the right side of the scorer's table whereas that fifth ranked team is relegated to the chairs on the left side. Boogers!

Other than that, the one team in theory would have to play a team from a pool of 4-seeds while the other would have to play a team out of the pool of 3-seeds in the Sweet 16. Is there really going to be that much more competition, by having to beat a North Carolina team as opposed to having to beat a Kentucky team to get to the Elite 8? They are both good teams, but in both situations those are teams that either the fourth or fifth ranked teams on the bracket should beat by double figures. So, what are we really talking about here?

 

[VaConnFan11]

The 4 Quad-4 games against OOC opponents (BU, FDU, Holy Cross & Oregon St) really hurt the SOS this year. With the weak BE, UConn should never play an OOC Quad-4 team.

 

[Jmsdawg]

My take: I believe I am an SEC homie so I am biased toward SEC teams but the beat down UConn gave South Carolina at home was impressive. I believe many experts have South Carolina as the top seed. Surely if South Carolina is a number one seed UConn deserves a strong look at being a number 1 seed. In my mind UConn is not the same team that lost to ND, UConn is a strong contender for the National Championship in MHO.

 

[packwrap]

The 4 Quad-4 games against OOC opponents (BU, FDU, Holy Cross & Oregon St) really hurt the SOS this year. With the weak BE, UConn should never play an OOC Quad-4 team.

Geno trys to schedule the toughest possible OOC exactly because he knows that is needed to offset the old aac/current big east league weakness. He also believes in playing 'anybody anywhere' and understands the value of big games in growing the sport.

The schedule is normally a mix of:

1 - NE regional schools: your BU, FDU, HC above.

2 - Homecoming games for his players.

3 - Top teams for SOS: NC, Miss, ND, USC, Iowa St, Oregon St, Tenn, Louisville, SC

That's 9 Power 4 teams plus Creighton to simulate a strong league schedule.

4 - plus Big East.

2025 ended up being an odd year however, where Iowa St, Oregon St, Louisville and even Ole Miss got off to terrible starts. Iowa St pre season #9 went 1-8 against good teams, OSU lost whole team via transfer with collapse of PAC12, Louisville got off to a poor start.

These anomalies weakened the UConn SOS this year vs the plan. Amazingly, all 9 opponents plus Creighton eventually did improve over the course of the season, and all will make the tournament. ( This improvement in SOS over the year, plus strong MOV on average keep UConn at #1 in NET.)

Still the schedule will not be as competitive as a top P4 school that has both tough league and a strong OOC schedule. (Ex: SC, TX, ND)

If UConn, however, manages 0-2 losses, we are a #1 seed, 3-4 losses a #2, 5+ a #3 etc. If we end up as forecast at #2 seed, that's about right, and we can win the ncaa tourney from there.

With the move next year to 20 Big East games, we may indeed need to be even more selective with the OOC schedule.