Latest Bracketology Has 5 SEC Teams

[The_Answer1313]

That's why the S Curve is no longer.

The strongest 1 doesn't play the weakest 2 always. There's no more balance.

Once the seed list is set, it's very easy to figure out where and why teams are going certain locations. All you have to do is take any tournament bracket from the past 5 years or so. Don't have to check all 68 but check out the first 16. Go one by one. There's certain rules on the number of teams per conference per bracket but for the most part it's location location location.

 

[Blueisbest]

Just glancing at that bracket and it is incredibly obvious that Duke has a cake walk to the Final Four. UK and Wisconsin have the hardest brackets. Lots of good teams in our bracket. Nobody we can't beat though.

 

[tbone.ky]

IMO, it's all about revenue and selling tickets for fans to travel and see their top 16 teams.

As noted, it's all about the $ because the committee is constructed of ADs or former ADs. College basketball is basically a non-revenue sport (with the exception of a handful of teams) outside of March. The NCAA TOURNAMENT IS COLLEGE BASKETBALL in terms of making revenue. There's just not enough interest, within a majority of the power conferences, to make it a profit-making venue when compared to football where they can pack in 50,0000+ for one game a week for fans to attend.

That's why the media slurps on BBN when it comes to traveling to watch college hoops. Again, not many programs can claim they have a devoted following where fans are willing to travel and pay big money to watch college basketball.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Another thing that plays into it is where UL will finish in their league.

More than likely I think UVA and Duke finish ahead of them.

Their natural regions would most likely be South and East.

Once you get to UL, the options might just be MW or W and as long as they aren't the last on their seed line, MW would seem the most likely spot.

 

[Vandalayindustries]

Natural region isn't relevant. The South regionals are in Houston - Any ACC team would go to the East (Syracuse) or Midwest (Cleveland) before going to Houston.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

The funny thing is the SEC will get more teams in this year, but has no shot at getting any to the Final Four except UK. People act like getting more teams in is some great sign, but it is always quality over quantity for me. Last year the league had great quality, but no quantity. This year quantity might go up 1 or 2, but no quality outside of UK most likely due to the seeds the other teams will get. I'd say 2 Sweet 16 team tops with just UK past that.

 

[wild mandu]

Originally posted by The_Answer1313:
That's why the S Curve is no longer.

The strongest 1 doesn't play the weakest 2 always. There's no more balance.

That, in a nutshell, is what's wrong with the selection process.

The regular season result is watered down too much. That's why you'll continue to get bullshit champions like Duke in 2010 and UConn playing the regional final in MSG as a 7 seed last year.

There's a reason so few overall #1 seeds have won the tournament.

 

[runt#69]

My bracket thoughts :

South
1. Wisconsin (look at this region - tough !)
2. Texas (going to be a tough out for anyone, even us, if they land a 2 seed, and would get a HUGE bonus/gift if they got the south as a 2 seed)
3. Louisville (I think this year UL finishes at best a 3 seed, and out of UK's region, but gets no favor flopping into a region like this))
4. West Virginia
5. Notre Dame

Midwest
1. Kentucky (8/9 seed opponent = Indiana!)
2. Virginia (tough #2 seed, good to put into UK's region in the eyes of the committee)
3. Utah (interesting team, interesting possibilities)
4. Wichita State (selection. committee would love to see an unbeaten UK vs. wichita State matchup, as a possible "revenge game" opportunity for them, at least that would be how it is billed, imo)
5. Oklahoma (a good B12 team to spice up this region, midwest region absolutely needs a Big12 team)

West
1. Arizona ( still think they end up top dogs - and top seed - out west)
2. Gonzaga (should run the table or lose - at worst - one more game all season long, thus, staying out west in a possible rematch game with Arizona)
3. Kansas (if they do not win the Big12 this year, look for them to get put out west as a 3 seed)
4. North Carolina (gets dumped out west from the ACC, but still dangerous for the teams out there in that region)
5. Baylor (strength of the Big12 apparent, I'm thinking they can squeeze into a 6 seed with a good showing in the Big12)

East
1. Duke (Duke vs Nova a universally recognized by everyone as an easy game must make matchup with the committee obliging - they don't even try togloss it over anymore, Dukies ALWAYS get an easy region, and everyone knows it)
2. Villanova (ight not make it out of the second round - again - to even setup an easy EE game for duke)
3. Maryland (would be the one team they could put in the Duke region to give them some concern/consternation being as how big a rivalry they have with the Blue Devils - but will they dare do it to Coach K?....)
4. Iowa State (not sure if ISU will finish with a 4 seed, but looks to be around 4-5 seed if they do well in the Big12)
5. VCU (Shaka Smart can get VCU to a 5 seed with a good conference showing, but will he? we shall see)

Midwest vs. South - winner in title game
East vs. West - winner in title game

UK overall #1 seed, Duke second #1 seed, Arizona third #1 seed, Wisconsin 4th #1 seed.


Not thinking this over hard, or looking to see if I have any errors in placing teams, just a feeling on how things will ultimately shake out as to who gets the top 5 seeds, and where they could get placed.


Biggest things to takeaway : Louisville finishes with a maximum 3 seed and finally (good for them?!?!? gets sent to a different region than UK. Duke gets an easy road (as usual) NCAAT selection committee hopes to get a UK - Duke matchup in the title game. I think the final #1 seed (should) get the most difficult region, as the last #1 seed and their possible #2 seed should be a very close matchup. Rest of that particular region could be very tough as well.


I think the SEC has a legit shot to get 5 teams in, but more likely 4. UK - definitely; Arkansas, LSU, USCjr most likely the other three. I don't think Florida will make it, Georgia might be one of the first four out (soooo close, but not quite, but they definitely have a shot with SEC play to get in).

 

[fuzz77]

Originally posted by wild mandu:

Originally posted by The_Answer1313:
That's why the S Curve is no longer.

The strongest 1 doesn't play the weakest 2 always. There's no more balance.

That, in a nutshell, is what's wrong with the selection process.

The regular season result is watered down too much. That's why you'll continue to get bullshit champions like Duke in 2010 and UConn playing the regional final in MSG as a 7 seed last year.

There's a reason so few overall #1 seeds have won the tournament.

If you have any intent in separating conference foes then can't do strict S-Curve scheduling.

And really... 1 week before the tourney was bracketed UCONN lost by 33 and lost again the day of the brackets were announced by 10. Who predicted that they would make it to the regional, much less the regional finals?

I challenge you when the 68 teams are announced to rearrange the teams into "balanced" regions in a way that a) doesn't group conference teams, and b) doesn't present scenarios where a lower seed could play a higher seed in a defacto home game regardless of game outcomes.

It ain't as easy as it may initially appear.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I'd give my left toe for that bracket.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Looking at that bracket again, the West Regional is an absolute mine field.


I hope Villanova severely fails the rest of the year so as to not justify them receiving a 2 seed. It's hilarious that everyone knows Duke will get the easiest 2 seed.

 

[Seth C]

Duke almost always gets that team that has everyone saying "oohhh, they could have been a one seed! Poor Duke!" But in reality it's some team that ran off a bunch of wins not actually playing anyone, and probably should have been a 3 or 4 in reality.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Originally posted by Son_Of_Saul:

Looking at that bracket again, the West Regional is an absolute mine field.


I hope Villanova severely fails the rest of the year so as to not justify them receiving a 2 seed. It's hilarious that everyone knows Duke will get the easiest 2 seed.

They play at St. John's tomorrow, in pretty much a must win for St. John's IMO. Look at their schedule, including an OOC game against Duke, and you will see it is pretty vicious. The Big East seems to be a bunch of above average teams that win at home and lose on the road...with the exception of St. John's choking at home against Butler (I was surprised by this, but with Butler I should not be by this point). In fact, home teams are 9-1 through 2 games played...early, but I think home court advantage will matter a lot in that conference.

I am just not sure Villanova will lose enough to drop off the 2 line, but I could be wrong. They probably win all their home games and surely they can win 5 of their 9 road games...that is 4 losses going into their tourney. They lose again, that is 5...maybe that is enough, idk.

 

[wild mandu]

If that were the actual bracket, I predict Iowa would knock out Villanova in the second round.

How nice that Duke is almost certain, barring a collapse, to play the regional final on a court they're familiar with? While UK might have to battle a team who's fan bases want to murder each other, yet AGAIN.

I understand there isn't a perfect way to seed the bracket, fizz, but surely there is a better way than this. First off, conference affiliation shouldn't play that much of a role in the seeding. Secondly, the 8/9 seeds (OSU, Cincinnati) shouldn't play close to home, that's a pretty low ass seed. But, of course, in Lunardi land, Duke plays Stanford, who has to travel all the way across the country.

I know this bracket is bologna because it's January, but I'm pissed.

 

[FishersBlue]

If my math is correct, Kentucky already has 6 wins over teams in that bracket: UL, Kansas, UNC, Texas, Providence, Buffalo.

 

[irishcat1965]

How is it that Duke and UNC are never put in the same region like UK and UL? Because two are protected by the committee that is why.

 

[BlueBlood66]

Originally posted by irishcat1965:
How is it that Duke and UNC are never put in the same region like UK and UL? Because two are protected by the committee that is why.

They're in the same conference. UK and UL are not. Also other than last year when was UL in UK's region?

 

[Gator Fever]

Don't count the Gators out of the tourney yet as we are starting to get our act together a little bit.

 

[caneintally]

Originally posted by Gator Fever:
Don't count the Gators out of the tourney yet as we are starting to get our act together a little bit.

I don't disagree with this but the Gators have had a really easy schedule in conference so far . That ends Saturday . If you can go 3-2 in the next 5 i do think you all will get in . Super tough next few weeks for you all. We will see .

 

[Gator Fever]

Originally posted by caneintally:

Originally posted by Gator Fever:
Don't count the Gators out of the tourney yet as we are starting to get our act together a little bit.

I don't disagree with this but the Gators have had a really easy schedule in conference so far . That ends Saturday . If you can go 3-2 in the next 5 i do think you all will get in . Super tough next few weeks for you all. We will see .

I think the @Georgia game Saturday will be real important to keep momentum going.

 

[anon_013cn8yrfncx2]

Originally posted by wildcatsboston1984:
Only thing Lunardi is good at is projecting who makes the field, which isn't exactly hard work, and to a lesser degree the seeds. He is annually horribly inaccurate as to which bracket which team is in, outside of the 1 seeds, and what the matchups will be.

Welcome to your world! (And everyone else's)

 

[anon_013cn8yrfncx2]

" It is UF who is the joke of the conference as they have shown . That is what happens when you decide to gety transfers instead of top 10 studs. "

I'm saying now, Florida will be in the tourney barring any injuries.

 

[docholiday51]

The next 4 or 5 games will tell us what we need to know about Fla and maybe Duke will be a 2 seed to Nova's 1 seed,works the same way.

 

[ubergator74]

Originally posted by docholiday51:

The next 4 or 5 games will tell us what we need to know about Fla and maybe Duke will be a 2 seed to Nova's 1 seed,works the same way.

Bingo. UF has looked good against bad SEC teams thus far. At the end of January we should know if the Gators get a tourney seed or not.

 

[BoulderCat]

I'm going with 5 at the moment as well though I still like 'Bama over UGa. I'm also one who thinks it's a bit early to write off the Gator's, especially since we and they are the only 3-0 teams in the SEC at this point. Granted there are 15 more games to play, but I do find that interesting.