NCAA Tourney Team Selection Options

[J.D.]

FS23, BU also swept UMass. Now please stop making me defend their inclusion...

This is all actually more entertaining than talking about the PWR and everyone knowing 95% of what the actual bracket will look like before the selection show. Hell, we're talking about Army as a bubble team and the WCHA getting 3-4 teams in. If anything, Atlantic Hockey and the WCHA should be rooting for this system over the PWR. We talk about smoke filled room but as we can see there are plenty of arguments to be made for and against all of these bubble teams. Unless something nefarious happens like say both Omaha and Denver in on a wink wink compromise by the committee for Mike Kemp, this is far more interesting to discuss. Ultimately a system like the PWR is probably the best option but the unknown of this season is fun to me. I have always wanted a system that allowed some flexibility in picking the last few bubble teams but I know I am in the minority.

[J.D.]

Make the conference tournament games mean something. They should be viewed as an extension of the NCAA tournament. Omaha went 2-3 against Denver and lost the deciding game against a shorthanded Denver squad. They could have made this a whole lot easier had they just won that game. I will have no sympathy for them if left out. Denver? You went 10-13-1. No sympathy for them if left out. To me, if the NCHC gets a 4th team it should be Denver regardless of the losing record. If the committee doesn't like the optics of that, then just give the NCHC 3 bids and let them cry about it for a year.

As a Hockey East fan, Northeastern is toast. They are now below UML in KRACH. UConn had a chance to solidify their case and failed miserably. Similar to Bowling Green. To me, they should be done. If either UML or PC win their semifinal game I think those teams enter the at large equation. If they both lose? Thanks for playing, see ya next year.

[Numbers]

FS23, BU also swept UMass. Now please stop making me defend their inclusion...

This is all actually more entertaining than talking about the PWR and everyone knowing 95% of what the actual bracket will look like before the selection show. Hell, we're talking about Army as a bubble team and the WCHA getting 3-4 teams in. If anything, Atlantic Hockey and the WCHA should be rooting for this system over the PWR. We talk about smoke filled room but as we can see there are plenty of arguments to be made for and against all of these bubble teams. Unless something nefarious happens like say both Omaha and Denver in on a wink wink compromise by the committee for Mike Kemp, this is far more interesting to discuss. Ultimately a system like the PWR is probably the best option but the unknown of this season is fun to me. I have always wanted a system that allowed some flexibility in picking the last few bubble teams but I know I am in the minority.

I've always wanted a system which is objective as to who gets in, but much more subjective in the seeding of the tournament. And, my argument goes like this:
Anything can happen in ONE hockey game. So, every team in has a chance, and therefore, objectivity is necessary in choosing the field.

However, once the field has been chosen, it is simply NOT true that there is any real meaning in one team having an RPI .0002 better than another team. (This is true in choosing the field as well, but you need to be objective.) There are often times in which swapping the 4th and 5th overall seeds, or the 7th and 9th, would make a better balanced tournament. And, there is no statistical reason not to do so. The committee has itself rigidly locked in to one or two bracket possibilities by the PWR and the "4 seed bands" rubrics. But, maybe that's what they want, because subjective choices would be very difficult.

[Numbers]

Make the conference tournament games mean something. They should be viewed as an extension of the NCAA tournament. Omaha went 2-3 against Denver and lost the deciding game against a shorthanded Denver squad. They could have made this a whole lot easier had they just won that game. I will have no sympathy for them if left out. Denver? You went 10-13-1. No sympathy for them if left out. To me, if the NCHC gets a 4th team it should be Denver regardless of the losing record. If the committee doesn't like the optics of that, then just give the NCHC 3 bids and let them cry about it for a year.

As a Hockey East fan, Northeastern is toast. They are now below UML in KRACH. UConn had a chance to solidify their case and failed miserably. Similar to Bowling Green. To me, they should be done. If either UML or PC win their semifinal game I think those teams enter the at large equation. If they both lose? Thanks for playing, see ya next year.

Let's play.....
Mass and BC win.
Now, how do you make a tourney?
You've given us 4 teams from the NCHC (although you don't really like Denver, but will allow it)
3 teams from B10
3 teams from HEA
That's 10 teams.

Who are the other 4?
AHA winner
ECAC winner
Mankato
WHCA runner up

That makes 14 teams.
You have to choose 2 more.....
A 3rd from WCHA?
A 4th from WCHA?
At large from AHA?

Who is it?

[lakersparty]

I see the pros and cons of both systems, but I do agree that this year is more fun. Also this board has done a great job being entertaining with various posters doing their own bracketology. I've kind of been disappointed in the major sites not doing regular bracket projections right now. It's almost like they are afraid to upset certain teams/fan bases or something.

[J.D.]

Let's play.....
Mass and BC win.
Now, how do you make a tourney?
You've given us 4 teams from the NCHC (although you don't really like Denver, but will allow it)
3 teams from B10
3 teams from HEA
That's 10 teams.

Who are the other 4?
AHA winner
ECAC winner
Mankato
WHCA runner up

That makes 14 teams.
You have to choose 2 more.....
A 3rd from WCHA?
A 4th from WCHA?
At large from AHA?

Who is it?

To me, the loser of Bemidji/LSSU should be in. WCHA gets 3 in.

[J.D.]

Numbers, it very well might come down to one team from a group of teams I have "eliminated". All I mean by that is pick out of a hat at that point. None of those teams will have a real complaint.

[J.D.]

With the ECAC only fielding 4 teams I thought they should have gone back to the old 12 team field for a year with two super regionals or maybe 14 and figure out a format.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

FS23, BU also swept UMass. Now please stop making me defend their inclusion...

This is all actually more entertaining than talking about the PWR and everyone knowing 95% of what the actual bracket will look like before the selection show. Hell, we're talking about Army as a bubble team and the WCHA getting 3-4 teams in. If anything, Atlantic Hockey and the WCHA should be rooting for this system over the PWR. We talk about smoke filled room but as we can see there are plenty of arguments to be made for and against all of these bubble teams. Unless something nefarious happens like say both Omaha and Denver in on a wink wink compromise by the committee for Mike Kemp, this is far more interesting to discuss. Ultimately a system like the PWR is probably the best option but the unknown of this season is fun to me. I have always wanted a system that allowed some flexibility in picking the last few bubble teams but I know I am in the minority.

No, I want you to be the BU spokesperson at the committee selection meeting. ; - p

To some extent, I agree that it is entertaining to discuss things. However, we have no real idea how the committee sees things. Maybe Army is a bubble team...maybe they are a lock...maybe they have to win the Atlantic Hockey tournament. We just have absolutely no idea. Arguments can be made, but until the rest of the games are played and the field is announced, we have no real idea. Same is true with the WCHA. Perhaps the committee will treat the conference like the old WCHA and give them 4-5 bids. Perhaps they only get 2. Again, arguments could be made for either, but we have no real idea how the committee sees things. Hell, maybe they will just follow the broken Pairwise:

1	Minnesota State	50	.6211	1	.0085	20-3-1 (2-1)	.8354	.8499
2	Boston College	49	.5788	2	.0047	17-4-1 (3-2)	.7750	.7663
3	North Dakota	48	.5742	3	.0007	20-5-1 (2-1)	.7712	.7738
4	Minnesota	47	.5709	4	.0026	22-6-0 (0-0)	.7857	.7606
5	American Int'l	46	.5708	5	.0058	13-3-0 (1-0)	.7844	.7630
6	Massachusetts	45	.5556	6	.0020	14-5-4 (1-1)	.6957	.6909
7	Wisconsin	44	.5547	7	.0051	20-8-1 (1-1)	.7069	.6918
8	Bemidji State	43	.5535	8	.0111	15-8-3 (3-2)	.6173	.6036
9	Army	42	.5518	9	.0031	15-5-1 (3-2)	.7167	.7023
10	Quinnipiac	40	.5490	10	.0045	17-6-4 (2-1)	.6870	.6686
11	Lake Superior	40	.5483	11	.0049	15-6-3 (3-2)	.6688	.6436
12	Bowling Green	40	.5477	12	.0041	18-10-1 (0-2)	.6690	.6653
13	St. Cloud State	38	.5426	13	.0036	17-9-0 (3-3)	.6538	.6583
14	Canisius	37	.5424	14	.0000	10-5-0 (1-1)	.6667	.6811
15	Boston University	36	.5391	15	.0079	10-4-1 (3-1)	.6400	.6361
16	Clarkson	35	.5387	16	.0038	11-7-4 (2-3)	.6114	.6212
17	Michigan	34	.5310	17	.0055	15-10-1 (1-0)	.5788	.5711

You could make that argument too, and if they went with that, would it be horribly unfair? I don't think so.

In any event, has it been fun charting our way into the unknown? Yes, definitely. But I do prefer having a more known criteria in place for picking the field. If you want to have a bunch of flexibility for seeding/swapping teams around within the field, go for it.

[lakersparty]

To me, the loser of Bemidji/LSSU should be in. WCHA gets 3 in.

The way the polls have gone, I feel like the perception is that it’s only true that Bemidji will be in if they lose. The pollsters seem to be harder on Lake State, and I am concerned that if LSSU loses, BGSU may be the third team from the WCHA.

Lake State seems to be hovering around 17 in the recent human polls with Bowling Green ahead of them at 16.

[J.D.]

If the committee uses that broken PWR to pick Canisius over UMD...

[Fighting Sioux 23]

If the committee uses that broken PWR to pick Canisius over UMD...

Going 8-5-0 in Atlantic Hockey is like going 24-0-0 in the NCHC. AND, Canisius didn't lose five times to St. Cloud State! : - p

[J.D.]

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/ratings/power16.php

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Where I think things currently stand with the committee...
Bubble:
Denver

Just so I know I'm not missing something. You're talking about the Denver team that is now three games under 0.500? The team that barely beat Omaha in the QF? The team that if it were it not for UND tipping a DU pass into their own goal would have been shut out last night? That's the Denver team you still think is on the bubble? Really?

Maybe if DU had beaten Sue by 3 and went on to beat Cindy by 4 or 5 today you might have a case that they were coming on late and deserved consideration. Where it not for the UND blunder and Chrona standing on his head last night that game could have been 5-0. Omaha might barely squeak into the field and they are four games OVER 0.500.

I'm sorry, but talking DU in the tourney at this point is straight up delusional. What committee member is going to have the stones to make the case to put a team three games under 0.500 into the tourney field? I'm sorry the NCHC can't get all eight teams in the tourney every year like they think they deserve, but c'mon... seriously. Just a touch of reality would make this discussion so much more credible.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Just so I know I'm not missing something. You're talking about the Denver team that is now three games under 0.500? The team that barely beat Omaha in the QF? The team that if it were it not for UND tipping a DU pass into their own goal would have been shut out last night? That's the Denver team you still think is on the bubble? Really?

Maybe if DU had beaten Sue by 3 and went on to beat Cindy by 4 or 5 today you might have a case that they were coming on late and deserved consideration. Where it not for the UND blunder and Chrona standing on his head last night that game could have been 5-0. Omaha might barely squeak into the field and they are four games OVER 0.500.

I'm sorry, but talking DU in the tourney at this point is straight up delusional. What committee member is going to have the stones to make the case to put a team three games under 0.500 into the tourney field? I'm sorry the NCHC can't get all eight teams in the tourney every year like they think they deserve, but c'mon... seriously. Just a touch of reality would make this discussion so much more credible.

I really miss not having emoticons. This post deserves a bunch of them. : - P

I'm only going to say it was fun knowing you JohnsonsJerseys...I am now adding you to my ignore list. I cannot stand people making strawman arguments, and that is all you do. Enjoy your life! : - )