Bracketology (merged threads)

[MilfordHusky]

I agree with Eric--can Tenn get by GW? I think, though, that they are extremely talented for an 8 seed. Their chances of beating us in Storrs are 0, but they may play inspired ball.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

UCONN is #1 - #1 MD is #1 - #2
ND is #2 - #1 TX is #2 - #2
SoCar is #3 - #1 AZ ST is #3 - #2
Baylor is #4 - #1 OreSt is #4 - #2

so: 1-1 plays 4-2 UCONN vs OreSt
2-1 plays 3-2 ND vs AZSt
3-1 plays 2-2 SoCar vs TX
4-1 plays 1-2 Baylor vs MD

That is the way it SHOULD workout!?

ND & SoCar could reverse 2 & 3

The best #2/MD should not be in best #1's/UCONN's bracket

NCAA committee #'s 1 thru 64, best to worst & draws a line every 4 team

 

[Vowelguy]

UCONN is #1 - #1 MD is #1 - #2
ND is #2 - #1 TX is #2 - #2
SoCar is #3 - #1 AZ ST is #3 - #2
Baylor is #4 - #1 OreSt is #4 - #2

so: 1-1 plays 4-2 UCONN vs OreSt
2-1 plays 3-2 ND vs AZSt
3-1 plays 2-2 SoCar vs TX
4-1 plays 1-2 Baylor vs MD

That is the way it SHOULD workout!?
ND & SoCar could reverse 2 & 3
The best #2/MD should not be in best #1's/UCONN's bracket
NCAA committee #'s 1 thru 64, best to worst & draws a line every 4 team

You are using the wrong rankings. The committee's top 10 as of this past Monday was:

1. UConn
2. South Carolina
3. Notre Dame
4. Baylor
5. Texas
6. Oregon State
7. Arizona State
8. Maryland
9. Ohio State
10. UCLA

Thus Maryland is not the "best #2." They are in fact the weakest #2 in the committee's rankings.

 

[Jimbo]

I might be the only UConn fan actively rooting against this. For one thing, I don't particularly care whether UConn and Tennessee ever play again. But more important, I think the committee would do UConn no favors by placing Tennessee as an 8 or 9 seed in the same bracket. Sure, Tennessee has been a lousy team for most of this year, but still there's substantial individual talent on that roster (albeit less than we may have thought when the season began) and they've managed to play a lot of close games against ranked teams. A talented but underachieving team usually isn't an ideal opponent come March, and wouldn't this probably be the most talented 8/9 seed in the history of the tournament? Aside from wanting the UConn-Tennessee rivalry to be exhumed from the ground and raised from the dead, if that's your thing, I can't think of a single reason to hope to see Tennessee in the second round as opposed to a more typical 8 or 9 seed with a lot less talent and a lot less ability to cause trouble.

Don't get me wrong. Do I think Tennessee would actually defeat UConn? Of course not. But I do think Tennessee has the potential to be a bigger headache than any other team UConn might realistically face in the tournament's first weekend. I'd personally like to see UConn breeze through the first two rounds, rest players who may need it, and not have to play the starters any more than necessary. Potentially having to slog through a game against a talented but underachieving Tennessee team so early in the tournament is, in my opinion, a less ideal scenario and not one I'm inclined to hope for.

 

[Carnac]

Charlie seems wrong as often as he's right and committee seedlings can often surprise.

But the possibility of whacking the Lady Vols is a fun thing to contemplate. And then to listen to announcers explain Q's decision to refuse the "Stewie game" in order that they pack the Carrier Dome on that same night with a few hundred grateful fans (was it 300 ?), and then to have pre-game locker room video of Brenda explain that stopping "30, 4, 3, 33, 11, 15, 24, 12, 51, 22, 2, and 20" will be critical to playing "Maryland basketball"....Gosh, I hope Charlie is spot on.

Most fun in Bridgeport since P.T. Barnum was in town.

If we are going to dream, let's dream BIG. The only thing that would be sweeter than this scenario, would be for the selection committee to also put Stanford in our bracket also.

The thought of getting to play each one of these programs, and send all of them home is mindboggling. THAT would be a tournament to remember...........aside from the fact that it will be would be monumental, and one UConn Nation won't soon forget regardless of who they play enroute to the championship.

Three revenge games all in our wheelhouse at the same time. I recall that old adage once again: revenge is a dish best served chilled. If this were to happen, the media would have a field day with it.

Jimbo - I hear what you say. I can understand your logic. It's my take that if we can put the smack down on Tennessee one more time before the big 3 leaves, I say let's do it!!!

 

[Zorro]

As Li'l Abner would say; "Oh Happy Day"! Let it be so. The zone is not really our strong suit, but if we WERE to play the LV, we could slap a zone on them that would make them think the lights had gone out!!!! And I would love it almost as much as Meyers!

 

[baggerbob]

I might be the only UConn fan actively rooting against this. For one thing, I don't particularly care whether UConn and Tennessee ever play again. But more important, I think the committee would do UConn no favors by placing Tennessee as an 8 or 9 seed in the same bracket. Sure, Tennessee has been a lousy team for most of this year, but still there's substantial individual talent on that roster (albeit less than we may have thought when the season began) and they've managed to play a lot of close games against ranked teams. A talented but underachieving team usually isn't an ideal opponent come March, and wouldn't this probably be the most talented 8/9 seed in the history of the tournament? Aside from wanting the UConn-Tennessee rivalry to be exhumed from the ground and raised from the dead, if that's your thing, I can't think of a single reason to hope to see Tennessee in the second round as opposed to a more typical 8 or 9 seed with a lot less talent and a lot less ability to cause trouble.

Don't get me wrong. Do I think Tennessee would actually defeat UConn? Of course not. But I do think Tennessee has the potential to be a bigger headache than any other team UConn might realistically face in the tournament's first weekend. I'd personally like to see UConn breeze through the first two rounds, rest players who may need it, and not have to play the starters any more than necessary. Potentially having to slog through a game against a talented but underachieving Tennessee team so early in the tournament is, in my opinion, a less ideal scenario and not one I'm inclined to hope for.

Playing Uconn would be Holly's worst nightmare, Russell or Graves trying to guard Stewie, and Tuck would be insane. Thats not even considering finding someone whom Mo wouldn't smoke.

 

[Sonny44]

I agree with Eric--can Tenn get by GW? I think, though, that they are extremely talented for an 8 seed. Their chances of beating us in Storrs are 0, but they may play inspired ball.

The real question is: WOULD TENN WANT TO GET BY GW?

 

[ed4ourgirls]

. . . Thus Maryland is not the "best #2." They are in fact the weakest #2 in the committee's rankings.

ASU just suffered a double digit loss to lowly Cal today, so Maryland will be moving up.

 

[Nuyoika]

ASU just suffered a double digit loss to lowly Cal today, so Maryland will be moving up.

If i could like this more than once I would....

 

[Vowelguy]

ASU just suffered a double digit loss to lowly Cal today, so Maryland will be moving up.

Perhaps. Perhaps not.
Need to see what MD does in B10 tourney. If Ohio St wins out, they might just swap places with ASU, leaving MD at #8.

 

[toadfoot]

Maryland is by far the most dangerous #2 seed. I'm not sold at all on the Pac-12 teams. I think there's a fair chance that Maryland wins their conference tournament and either Oregon St. or Arizona St. (or both) fail to win the Pac-12 tourney, which should juggle the brackets.

I'm 1 for 1 as Arizona St. falls to Cal (gack!) Bad loss for ASU.

 

[EricLA]

I'm 1 for 1 as Arizona St. falls to Cal (gack!) Bad loss for ASU.

Stanford seems to have the best shot at this point to win the Pac 12...

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Thus Maryland is not the "best #2." They are in fact the weakest #2 in the committee's rankings.

The problem is the committee rankings are wrong. You can use the eye test to tell Maryland is the best of those #2's.

Sagarin has the Terps 3rd in the nation, Massey has them 5th.

 

[Vowelguy]

The problem is the committee rankings are wrong. You can use the eye test to tell Maryland is the best of those #2's.

Sagarin has the Terps 3rd in the nation, Massey has them 5th.

Weak non conference schedule.
0-3 against top 10.
Best wins are Syracuse and michigan st.
Not a single road win against a team likely to make the tournament.

 

[UcMiami]

Toad foot - not that much of a Nostradamus like achievement to predict one of two teams in a conference will not win the title! Now when Oregon State fails (and I think they will) you can take your bow!

Lots of shake up in both the top end of the brackets and in the teams hoping for the last few at large spots - not many stepping up to the plate to demand hosting rights for the first two rounds or to make their case for inclusion at the back end.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Weak non conference schedule.
0-3 against top 10.
Best wins are Syracuse and michigan st.
Not a single road win against a team likely to make the tournament.

You're certainly right on the resume part, and Maryland should be ashamed of playing such a pitiful non-conf schedule. That said, they are still the best of those teams. I mean, ASU just lost to Cal today. Anyone think Maryland loses to Cal?

 

[Vowelguy]

You're certainly right on the resume part, and Maryland should be ashamed of playing such a pitiful non-conf schedule. That said, they are still the best of those teams. I mean, ASU just lost to Cal today. Anyone think Maryland loses to Cal?

It's not based on 1 game. And scheduling DOES matter.
ASU has road wins over Stanford, Syracuse, and Washington.
Home wins over Stanford, UCLA, Florida St.

If Maryland wind the big 10, then that'll be something. But if not, they are even at best with ASU.

 

[Plebe]

Charlie seems wrong as often as he's right and committee seedlings can often surprise.

But the possibility of whacking the Lady Vols is a fun thing to contemplate. And then to listen to announcers explain Q's decision to refuse the "Stewie game" in order that they pack the Carrier Dome on that same night with a few hundred grateful fans (was it 300 ?), and then to have pre-game locker room video of Brenda explain that stopping "30, 4, 3, 33, 11, 15, 24, 12, 51, 22, 2, and 20" will be critical to playing "Maryland basketball"....Gosh, I hope Charlie is spot on.

Most fun in Bridgeport since P.T. Barnum was in town.

I was worried that I was the only one who found Brenda's pregame and halftime talks extremely facile and annoying. Just a bunch of empty platitudes. And it's like she feels like she has to repeat every single sentence.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

It's not based on 1 game. And scheduling DOES matter.
ASU has road wins over Stanford, Syracuse, and Washington.
Home wins over Stanford, UCLA, Florida St.

If Maryland wind the big 10, then that'll be something. But if not, they are even at best with ASU.

But none of that has anything to do with my original assertion that Maryland is the best of the #2 seeds. You can suggest they don't deserve to be put in a higher category but you're not going to convince me ASU, Oregon State, and Texas are better teams.

 

[Plebe]

It's not based on 1 game. And scheduling DOES matter.
ASU has road wins over Stanford, Syracuse, and Washington.
Home wins over Stanford, UCLA, Florida St.

If Maryland wind the big 10, then that'll be something. But if not, they are even at best with ASU.

I would suspect that after today's loss to Cal, ASU would likely fall to #8 or #9 overall, and Maryland would move up to #7.

 

[j66kicker]

I was worried that I was the only one who found Brenda's pregame and halftime talks extremely facile and annoying. Just a bunch of empty platitudes. And it's like she feels like she has to repeat every single sentence.

Ha ha! No worries - you are not alone. I wonder if there are members of her team who also roll their eyes (at least figuratively)....

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

You are using the wrong rankings. The committee's top 10 as of this past Monday was:

1. UConn
2. South Carolina
3. Notre Dame
4. Baylor
5. Texas
6. Oregon State
7. Arizona State
8. Maryland
9. Ohio State
10. UCLA

Thus Maryland is not the "best #2." They are in fact the weakest #2 in the committee's rankings.

vowelguy- - -MY BAD! Chalk it up to I'm 68 & I'm losing my mind!

 

[Alydar]

I was worried that I was the only one who found Brenda's pregame and halftime talks extremely facile and annoying. Just a bunch of empty platitudes. And it's like she feels like she has to repeat every single sentence.

Those 20 second blurbs that ESPN loves so much are staged for the cameras and the team knows it. It's a wonder they can keep a straight face during them. Anything of importance is said in private.

 

[UcMiami]

So through the first couple of days of tournament play teams in the current rankings at numbers: 10, 11, 14, and 15 have lost in ASU, Stanford, FSU, and TAMU. And only the FSU loss was to another though lesser ranked team in Miami. The ASU loss is the only one so far that will likely have an effect on the NCAA top 10 reveal as they were in the #7 spot and will likely lose some ground. But the others may well shake the tree in the area of 4 seeds who are the bubble teams to host the first weekend.
We don't have a lot of information on what the committee thinks are the next ten teams but it likely is a positive for Syracuse and DePaul.