Bracketology

[HenryMuto]

UK was 23-9 going into Selection Sunday last year. Keep in my mind UK lost to a midmajor in the non conference, and the SEC, while still strong, was not nearly as strong as this year's version. UK was awarded a 3 seed.

My point being, UK is currently 13-3 with four big time wins. They will most likely have many other big time wins due to the strength of the SEC. UK could be at 9 or even 10 losses going into Selection Sunday, and be awarded a 3 seed at a minimum.

Last year we had some monster road wins at Tennessee, at Auburn and at Miss State.

We have 1 of those and the weakest of the 3 this year. Can we get 2 more monster road wins this year ?

We do have a couple sweet neutral wins Duke and Gonzaga this year so far but as always we have a stupid loss like we do every year this year it is Ohio State though at least that isn't as bad as some past year losses.

 

[ukcatz12]

If the NCAA sticks to their rules of inter-conference team placement, and the SEC putting 12 teams in, especially a lot of them in the higher seeds, this could get messy. Some teams are gonna be bumped in seed lines, more so then most years, just to make sure the paths and placement is right.

So for example and using this bracketology, the rule that states teams that have played twice can't meet until the sweet 16, means Ole Miss couldn't be our 6-seed if we play them in the SECT, and therefore, they might have to get bumped to a 5 or a 7, so they wouldn't be in our bracket (or a 6-seed elsewhere, IF that works). Same goes for Mizz as an 11-seed: if we play them again in the SECT, they also can't be our 11-seed. Now say UK falls to a 4-seed.. same problem will happen if MissSt/TAM were to be our 5 (or our 4, and we're a 5).

Kentucky will have played Tennessee, Alabama, and Vandy twice before SECT. If we play any of them in the SECT, then they won't be able to be in our Elite 8 "region"... so say Tennessee is a 2-seed and we're a 3-seed.. we would have to get moved around to be someone else's 3-seed, OR, if we're at the end of the 3-seed line, does the SC bump us back to a 4-seed to make this all easier.

I think that later point is what we might find come Selection Sunday. I think a few more teams than usually will be moved around a bit. Pretty fascinating to look at though.

I dont know how the committee can stick to these rules long term when conferences are so big. It made sense when conferences were 10 or 12 teams. But when conferences are 16 or 18 teams it makes it almost impossible for teams not to match up early unless you really alter seeds.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I dont know how the committee can stick to these rules long term when conferences are so big. It made sense when conferences were 10 or 12 teams. But when conferences are 16 or 18 teams it makes it almost impossible for teams not to match up early unless you really alter seeds.

You know, that's probably going to be an issue as they get bigger, youre right.

I personally don't love the idea of playing an SEC team early in the tournament... but I'd rather have that, then the alternative, which is being bumped down a seed line and/or shipped out of a preferred region.

 

[kennyskywalker34]

I highly doubt the SEC gets 12 teams in. More like 9 or 10. Which is still incredible.
With that many teams in. Some are bound to get bounced early.
I can hear people now declaring the SEC overrated when that happens.