NCAA Tourney Team Selection Options

[SiouxFanatic]

This is all nice and all, but Minnesota teams couldn't even beat the Upper Peninsula schools to get to the WCHA final.

Love this. Good luck to Lake State!

[captain beefheart]

This is all nice and all, but Minnesota teams couldn't even beat the Upper Peninsula schools to get to the WCHA final.

Word.

[lakersparty]

I predicted this exact situation soon after hearing that PSU was going Div 1 meaning the creation of a B1G conf, the breaking up of the CCHA and the creation of the NCHC, effectively dividing up the old WCHA's teams into 3 different conferences, transforming one conference that was basically too good for it's own good, and another that struggled to compete, into 2 conferences almost perfectly balanced for maximizing their potential to get teams into the tourney and a 3rd almost as good as the old CCHA. Fans of B1G schools coming out of the WCHA were not very happy about their having to now be in the B1G vs the WCHA, so individually, Gopher fans most particularly, feel this did not help their team, and they are right, made it much easier for other Minnesota based teams to recruit against UMn and UW, so now we see ALL FIVE Minnesota based teams in the NCAA tourney, something that was basically impossible in the old format. And not only are they all in the Tourney field, they are spread out in a way that there could end up being an all Minnesota Frozen Four. It'd be a long shot with the top 2 Mn based teams in the same Region, but it's very realistic to imagine 3 getting in, so the only miracle that might be needed would be Bemidji's getting by 2 higher seeded teams. I think sh1t like this makes the tourney a bit more interesting.

This is all nice and all, but Minnesota teams couldn't even beat the Upper Peninsula schools to get to the WCHA final.

[beaverhockeyfan]

I predicted this exact situation soon after hearing that PSU was going Div 1 meaning the creation of a B1G conf, the breaking up of the CCHA and the creation of the NCHC, effectively dividing up the old WCHA's teams into 3 different conferences, transforming one conference that was basically too good for it's own good, and another that struggled to compete, into 2 conferences almost perfectly balanced for maximizing their potential to get teams into the tourney and a 3rd almost as good as the old CCHA. Fans of B1G schools coming out of the WCHA were not very happy about their having to now be in the B1G vs the WCHA, so individually, Gopher fans most particularly, feel this did not help their team, and they are right, made it much easier for other Minnesota based teams to recruit against UMn and UW, so now we see ALL FIVE Minnesota based teams in the NCAA tourney, something that was basically impossible in the old format. And not only are they all in the Tourney field, they are spread out in a way that there could end up being an all Minnesota Frozen Four. It'd be a long shot with the top 2 Mn based teams in the same Region, but it's very realistic to imagine 3 getting in, so the only miracle that might be needed would be Bemidji's getting by 2 higher seeded teams. I think sh1t like this makes the tourney a bit more interesting.

The Beavers have done it before...

[FredsDeadFriend]

They will now go on to win the whole thing

I sure in the heck hope not! lol Never been a fan of Notre Dame, and only will cheer for them if they end up going up against BC/BU or Mich/Wisc. Crazy thing is the way this tourney is set up, I could end up cheering for Notre Dame 3 or 4 times?

[FredsDeadFriend]

ELEVEN Former WCHA Teams made the NCAA Tournament. That's insane.

1. North Dakota
3. Minnesota
4. Wisconsin
6. Minnesota State
7. St. Cloud State
8. Michigan
9. Minnesota Duluth
12. LSSU
13. Bemidji State
14. Nebraska Omaha
15. Notre Dame

I predicted this exact situation soon after hearing that PSU was going Div 1 meaning the creation of a B1G conf, the breaking up of the CCHA and the creation of the NCHC, effectively dividing up the old WCHA's teams into 3 different conferences, transforming one conference that was basically too good for it's own good, and another that struggled to compete, into 2 conferences almost perfectly balanced for maximizing their potential to get teams into the tourney and a 3rd almost as good as the old CCHA. Fans of B1G schools coming out of the WCHA were not very happy about their having to now be in the B1G vs the WCHA, so individually, Gopher fans most particularly, feel this did not help their team, and they are right, made it much easier for other Minnesota based teams to recruit against UMn and UW, so now we see ALL FIVE Minnesota based teams in the NCAA tourney, something that was basically impossible in the old format. And not only are they all in the Tourney field, they are spread out in a way that there could end up being an all Minnesota Frozen Four. It'd be a long shot with the top 2 Mn based teams in the same Region, but it's very realistic to imagine 3 getting in, so the only miracle that might be needed would be Bemidji's getting by 2 higher seeded teams. I think sh1t like this makes the tourney a bit more interesting.

[mookie1995]

Concerning Wodon and Moy....

Usually Wodon overthinks things, and that was true this year also. Usually Moy is more 'by the book'. In recent years, the committee has usually gone for "start by the book, and then make easy changes to get better attendance."

While they are bubba’s, at least they are 2 guys who talk about it and give us something to read.....
otherwise..

[Nick Papagiorgio]

North Dakota has said that they did not play a role in picking the time Friday, so I assume ESPN.

Speaking of television slots... You would think for television purposes they would have jumped at the chance to put Notre Dame on Saturday night but that one got slotted at 1 pm on a Saturday afternoon.

[Blackheart]

It's also times like these that show the lameness of people like Adam Wodon and Jason Moy claiming any great prognostication skills when it comes to setting the bracket. I was getting a little tired of Moy beginning all of his bracketology columns with "I've picked the bracket right 19 straight years." Yeah, when a computer is doing it for you, you're great. When not, you're a blind monkey throwing poo in the air.

Classic!

[Blackheart]

Congratulations to Adam Wodon for showing both his ignorance and hate for the WCHA in the same false statement.

"After all, the WCHA has yet to win an NCAA Tournament game since the big split in 2013."

2016 - Ferris State beat 2nd overall seed St. Cloud State 5-4 in overtime.

Let's see how long it takes him to transfer that hate to the CCHA.

Well, wouldn't want to let the facts get in the way of a good comment.

[minnesotaprideonice46]

While glancing through some previous post, a scenario I have yet to see mentioned. Could end up being an all B10 final four. Stranger things have happened.. Just sayun'

[Numbers]

Concerning Wodon and Moy....

Usually Wodon overthinks things, and that was true this year also. Usually Moy is more 'by the book'. In recent years, the committee has usually gone for "start by the book, and then make easy changes to get better attendance."

[Numbers]

Its times like these that show how glad I am they have computer systems instead of committees to select this tournament.

I'm curious as to why?

It seems to me like the committee did a good job in trying to choose the best 16 teams. At the end, that last 3 or 4 spots came down to very close calls.

Have you ever looked at the actual RPI numbers in the range of 12-16 in a season ending PWR? They are usually VERY VERY close. Close enough that in some cases, you could change a game result from November for a conference mate of one of the teams (not even one of the teams in question in the game, but just a conference mate, so you are adjusting the OppWin% and the OppOppWin%), change from a win to a draw, and you get a different order. That's very close. It tells you that the RPI is probably NOT actually able to distinguish between those teams. Why? Because, in reality, nothing is able to distinguish the teams.

We've come to trust the computers, but the computers can't really tell us what we want to know, so all we get is Scooby's "simple math". I like it that it's very subjective. But, in a year like this, I think we need to applaud the committee because they had to make a serious judgement call or two themselves. Their answer is no better or worse than the PWR.

It could have been very bad. For example...they could have said, "We want east/west balance." and then chosen BC and UMass as #1s. And, QU as a #2. And, for travel, heaped Fargo high with NCHC teams. They could have done a number of things differently, in which we all would wonder, "What?!?!"

The fact that we can see what they did, and it makes sense, even if we disagree on some particular choices, suggests they did well.

To me, examples are:
Who got the #4 overall? Wisc did, but UMass, and Mankato could also have been possibilities. Everyone commenting here would agree that parsing that out was one choice the committee had to make.
Again: Where to put QU? And, LSSU? Most of us had these as #3s, and the committee agreed.
Finally, if the final 3 spots came down to Bemidji, Omaha, Notre Dame, Providence, and Denver.....well, we all agreed about that, too. We may have chosen differently. We may have felt that 4 B10 teams is too many. But, in the end, we would all have to agree that these were the difficult choices we all expected.

So, one must admit that the committee did a good job.

Even though we all hope for a full season with lots of OOC games and a fully operational PWR next year.

[SJHovey]

Moy should step away from the keyboard after having UMass as a 3 seed. But really in the absence of PWR, I don't think we could have expected the committee to do any better than this. They put together a good bracket.

I agree. I was worried the committee might think like Wodon and go with the minimal travel approach over bracket integrity.

[IronRange]

So, will the hockey tournament be as crazy as the basketball tournament has been? I've got an AIC-Quinnipiac final. *smilie*

I'll try my best to not take that personally, yet I am an Iron Ranger. We get ****ed easily. I always love the Mn teams, yet have a personal commitment to QU. Not saying anything about anything. I'm just happy we are playing, and anything can happen. Always willing to buy a beer after.