Why is ESPNU showing the first round matchups?

[CL82]

Well Geno gets a bulletin board moment out of it. Hopefully it will resonate with the team.

 

[huskyd]

Is there something rotten here? I thought UConn was an assured #1seed, or am I just getting tangled up in Charlie's make-believe? According to the leak, the Huskies will have as company in Albany Louisville, MD, Ore. St., Gonzaga, UCLA, Rutgers, and Mich. (first 8 seeds) UConn will play its first game on Saturday v. Towson (MD school). Looking at the other brackets, Baylor has the easiest path to the finals IMO. And it appears that you know TN is in (Albany) along with UCF (not in Albany). As for those of you who are alarmed that you know something unexpected, I hope you can handle the "shock." Upside is that you won't have to wade through the commercials that are the only reason these reveals are on TV. Sigh.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Baylor with an absolute cakewalk to the Final Four. Outside of UConn, who did Baylor defeat this year? Texas--a #7 seed--twice?

 

[southie]

Baylor with an absolute cakewalk to the Final Four. Outside of UConn, who did Baylor defeat this year? Texas--a #7 seed--twice?

The #1 overall seed is supposed to have the easiest bracket.

But, I thought Notre Dame was more deserving of the overall #1 seed based on their tougher schedule and more Top 10 wins than Baylor.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

The #1 overall seed is supposed to have the easiest bracket.

Doesn't happen though. South Carolina had the easiest quarter of the #1 seeds two years ago.

 

[triaddukefan]

Dag... I just thought of Clemson. I bet they had a big party planned... since they havent been to the NCAAs in about 18 years. .... and those teams that are making it for the first time... like Bethune Cookman, ACU, and others.

 

[Vowelguy]

There's a fair amount of repetition in this bracket. Elite Eight same-season non-conference rematches for MSU-Oregon, Louisville-UConn, and this is the 5th time in 6 years ND is in line to face Stanford prior to the Final Four, etc.

"In line" is irrelevant. Why does it matter if they didn't actually play?

That's like all the folks around here who complained every time UConn got placed in the same region as USF. # of times they actually met = 0.

 

[Vowelguy]

Baylor with an absolute cakewalk to the Final Four. Outside of UConn, who did Baylor defeat this year? Texas--a #7 seed--twice?

3 seed Iowa St three times

Not sure playing So Car in Greensboro is the easiest of matchups. They should win, no doubt, but one of the tougher sweet 16 games.

 

[TheFarmFan]

"In line" is irrelevant. Why does it matter if they didn't actually play?

That's like all the folks around here who complained every time UConn got placed in the same region as USF. # of times they actually met = 0.

Uh, we have played them in the tournament 3 of the past 4 - just not last year. I said in line because this year is the unclear one. If the seeds fall as projected, it'll be 4 of 5.

 

[Plebe]

Baylor with an absolute cakewalk to the Final Four. Outside of UConn, who did Baylor defeat this year? Texas--a #7 seed--twice?

Baylor also beat Iowa State, a #3 seed, three times; South Carolina, a #4 seed; Arizona State, a #5 seed; and South Dakota State, a #6 seed.

 

[skilz]

 

[Orangutan]

"In line" is irrelevant. Why does it matter if they didn't actually play?

ND and Stanford did play in 2015, 2016, and 2017.

(I don't really care that they're in the same regional this year. I'm just noting this.)

 

[Sluconn Husky]

3 seed Iowa St three times

Well that's true. But then Iowa State didn't beat anyone all year except Texas either.

Maybe the Big12 should play someone out of conference.

 

[CocoHusky]

The frigging conference is killing UCONN WBB!
From the horses mouth-aka the Chairwoman of the selection of the committee.
Why is UCONN a #2 seed? "It came down to strength of schedule and strength of conference".

 

[MSUFan2003]

Well, that is interesting. . . . I guess. I'm not thrilled about Miami as the 4 seed in State's regional. Clemson is the 9 seed there also. Gonna be a bumpy ride after that first game.

 

[UConnCat]

The frigging conference is killing UCONN WBB!
From the horses mouth-aka the Chairwoman of the selection of the committee.
Why is UCONN a #2 seed? "It came down to strength of schedule and strength of conference".

It's the body of work. . . no it's the conference. That woman made Mary-Alice Jeremiah sound brilliant. And how 'bout the grilling by the espn talking heads.

If UConn goes undefeated it doesn't matter what conference they're in. That's a lot of pressure.

 

[Vowelguy]

One thing I will say is that because of (a) concentration of teams in a few conferences and (b) geography, placing the teams in the bracket is not easy.

Consider this year.
Once the committee had ranked the teams the way they did, for all intents and purposes, the starting point was gonna be:
Oregon as #2 in Portland, UConn as #2 in Albany, and ND #1 in Chicago.

With Baylor as overall #1, the desire is to give them the weakest #2, Iowa.

That guarantees that #2 Stanford is in Chicago.

 

[triaddukefan]

Well, that is interesting. . . . I guess. I'm not thrilled about Miami as the 4 seed in State's regional. Clemson is the 9 seed there also. Gonna be a bumpy ride after that first game.

Miami has never advanced past the second round.... despite some high seeds. If both teams make it that far....... Miami's twin towers vs McGowan and Howard will be must watch TV

 

[ochoopsfan]

ESPN just put up the final score of UConn 95 -- Towson State 44.
Hi-lights at 11pm on Sports Center

 

[Hayven]

I’m bummed about the #2 seed, but that Oregon State- Louisville matchup will probably be a good one

 

[Plebe]

Here’s how I look at it. The last two years we entered the tournament as the undisputed overall #1 and it didn’t go so well either time.

So let’s give the underdog thing a try. Maybe just maybe it’ll go better.

The #2 seed doesn’t harm UConn in any practical way. Still in Albany, that’s the most important thing. Many thought they’d be paired with Lousiville anyway.

 

[LoTrader]

It really makes zero difference if UCONN is a #1 or #2 seed, as long as UCONN is in Albany. And guess what? UCONN is in Albany bracket.

 

[Vowelguy]

I do like being the underdog.

 

[triaddukefan]

It really makes zero difference if UCONN is a #1 or #2 seed, as long as UCONN is in Albany. And guess what? UCONN is in Albany bracket.

A better potential matchup vs Maryland as opposed to Oregon State

 

[Plebe]

I do like being the underdog.

Yeah I mean I’m glad we are not the #2 in Chicago or Greensboro. But this is a nice change of pace.

Being a #1 seed is a status thing that fans get all worked up over but per se not important.