Re: 2012 NCAA Tournament: Bracketology
Games that have meaning to pairwise this weekend:
#13 Denver at #30 Nebraska-Omaha: Denver sits on the bubble of making the tournament whereas UNO is on the bubble for being a TUC. Losing them as a TUC would be bad news for Minnesota (2-0) and Denver (currently 1-0-1 vs UNO). To remain a TUC through the weekend, UNO needs at least one tie. A sweep would boost Denver's RPI enough that even losing the Mavs as a TUC would bump them into the top 10 in the pairwise.
#15 Merrimack vs #32 UMass-Amherst: Merrimack is another team sitting on the bubble. UMass needs one win to remain a TUC. Their status is vital to Lowell (3-0) and Maine (2-1-1). On the other hand, BC and Cornell would be very happy to remove their losses against the Minutemen. UMass is also in the race for the final playoff spot in Hockey East. It very well could be that they remain a TUC but fail to make the HEA tournament, thus all but guaranteeing that they remain a TUC in the final rankings.
#27 Northeastern vs #5 Boston University: Lots of teams would be disappointed to see the Huskies fall from TUC status. BC is 4-0, Merrimack is 2-0-1, Lowell and Maine are 2-1. On the other hand, Michigan (0-1), Minnesota (0-1) and Notre Dame (0-2) would love to get those black marks off their TUC record. Anything but a sweep and Northeastern is safe. However, a sweep at the hands of Boston College awaits them if they qualify for the HEA playoffs which will definitively knock them from the ranks of the TUC. Again, the best bet for teams that want them to remain a TUC is one tie this weekend and then miss the league tournament.
#29 New Hampshire at #10 Maine (Saturday): A Maine win puts the Wildcats right on the bubble (.5001 excluding other games) so which way they fall is critical. BC (3-0), BU (3-0), Lowell (2-1) and Maine (2-1) would very much like them to stay a TUC. If Harvard (1-0) or St Cloud (1-0-1) are going to make moves up the pairwise, they need New Hampshire to stay above the magic line. Union (0-1) is the only team that would benefit if UNH falls. A victory by UNH guarantees that they will be a TUC on Selection Sunday, even with a first-round sweep in the HEA playoffs.
#35 Michigan Tech at #21 Colorado College: Tech needs to sweep to become a TUC. If they were to get four points on the road, it would be a big boost to Northern Michigan (2-0), BC (1-0), Michigan State (1-0) and Minn-Duluth (2-1-1). But that seems unlikely... Their best bet is to get a couple of points this weekend, grab home ice and knock off UNO or CC in the WCHA first round. They are a longshot though.
Games that have meaning to pairwise this weekend:
#13 Denver at #30 Nebraska-Omaha: Denver sits on the bubble of making the tournament whereas UNO is on the bubble for being a TUC. Losing them as a TUC would be bad news for Minnesota (2-0) and Denver (currently 1-0-1 vs UNO). To remain a TUC through the weekend, UNO needs at least one tie. A sweep would boost Denver's RPI enough that even losing the Mavs as a TUC would bump them into the top 10 in the pairwise.
#15 Merrimack vs #32 UMass-Amherst: Merrimack is another team sitting on the bubble. UMass needs one win to remain a TUC. Their status is vital to Lowell (3-0) and Maine (2-1-1). On the other hand, BC and Cornell would be very happy to remove their losses against the Minutemen. UMass is also in the race for the final playoff spot in Hockey East. It very well could be that they remain a TUC but fail to make the HEA tournament, thus all but guaranteeing that they remain a TUC in the final rankings.
#27 Northeastern vs #5 Boston University: Lots of teams would be disappointed to see the Huskies fall from TUC status. BC is 4-0, Merrimack is 2-0-1, Lowell and Maine are 2-1. On the other hand, Michigan (0-1), Minnesota (0-1) and Notre Dame (0-2) would love to get those black marks off their TUC record. Anything but a sweep and Northeastern is safe. However, a sweep at the hands of Boston College awaits them if they qualify for the HEA playoffs which will definitively knock them from the ranks of the TUC. Again, the best bet for teams that want them to remain a TUC is one tie this weekend and then miss the league tournament.
#29 New Hampshire at #10 Maine (Saturday): A Maine win puts the Wildcats right on the bubble (.5001 excluding other games) so which way they fall is critical. BC (3-0), BU (3-0), Lowell (2-1) and Maine (2-1) would very much like them to stay a TUC. If Harvard (1-0) or St Cloud (1-0-1) are going to make moves up the pairwise, they need New Hampshire to stay above the magic line. Union (0-1) is the only team that would benefit if UNH falls. A victory by UNH guarantees that they will be a TUC on Selection Sunday, even with a first-round sweep in the HEA playoffs.
#35 Michigan Tech at #21 Colorado College: Tech needs to sweep to become a TUC. If they were to get four points on the road, it would be a big boost to Northern Michigan (2-0), BC (1-0), Michigan State (1-0) and Minn-Duluth (2-1-1). But that seems unlikely... Their best bet is to get a couple of points this weekend, grab home ice and knock off UNO or CC in the WCHA first round. They are a longshot though.
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