NCAA Tourney Team Selection Options

[SJHovey]

Anyone see what happens if CC can't play in the conference tourney due to Covid? As much as I'd hate to see things easier for UND, seems like it would make sense for them to get a bye in the first round and then Miami plays the #2 seed.

I really don't know what other solution there would be, other than maybe just bagging the whole tourney.

If they decided to discard Miami and just play with six teams, well then you're handing out two byes, so why not give everyone a shot and hand out just one bye. You could reduce it down to the top four teams, except that both WMU and DU are currently perceived as two teams very capable of making a run, winning the tourney and getting the autobid, so I don't think the conference wants to interfere with that.

[manurespreader]

My guess is nine teams from the west, seven from the east. In the east it will be four from HE. If the AHA and ECAC go chalk, the ninth team will be between Clarkson, maybe Army or RIT or maybe a fifth HE team.

In the west, six are pretty much locks (UND, SCSU, UMD, MSU, MN, Wis) and the last three will be between Omaha/NCHC upset autobid, Michigan/B1G upset autobid, and a big glut of WCHA teams. It wouldn't shock me to see the west go 3,3,3, especially if Omaha continues to falter down the stretch and there are no upset tourney winners.

Why does there have to be a west and east attached to any of the teams. why not pick without regard to location or league. ? If I was Omaha and some random Eastern team like say, Clarkson got in and I didn't, I'd be pretty unhappy.

[J.D.]

Even more than ever, the committee has been instructed to limit travel. My question would be, will the committee factor in geographic proximity to regional site when picking the last couple at large spots or will they just pick what they think is the best field and then figure it out.

[manurespreader]

BTW, watching the LSSU vs BSU game last night those were two very good hockey teams. Anyone who plays either one will have their hands full.

[SCSUBlackandRed]

Here's a good one for you, imagine you're on the committee and have these two blind resumes:

These teams have one common opponent, and each lost both times to that team.

Team A
16 wins
2-1 in OT
2-2 in shootouts
4 wins against teams with record of .500 or better

Team B
17 wins
2-0 in OT
0-1 in shootouts
3 wins against teams with record of .500 or better

One of these teams is considered a tourney lock. The other is considered to need a conference tourney win to get the autobid. Now without looking up the teams, figure out who makes the field and who doesn't.

You left out a lot of valuable information there. Hovey caught most of it. I'd say total wins and losses against .500 or better teams also should be considered.

And I wouldn't put Tech as needing to win their conference tourney but they better get at least a split against Mankato this weekend and I'd argue better make it to the WCHA finals, but don't think they'd have to win it. If it plays out they finish behind the other teams they are chasing in the WCHA (Bowling Green, LSSU and could be Bemidji), they aren't going to be considered. They would be on the wrong side of the head-to-heads in all of those matchups.

Five selections from the WCHA nor any other conference is happening this year. Four is unlikely for a conference that normally only gets two but I think three is a real possibility.

And I do think in a year like this one, a regular season conference champion (you get one champion AHA, don't care about your pods) even if they don't look as strong to everyone on paper, gets a bid. That's why Quinnipiac is a "lock" to get in and I'd argue AIC should be as well.

[SCSUBlackandRed]

I really don't know what other solution there would be, other than maybe just bagging the whole tourney.

If they decided to discard Miami and just play with six teams, well then you're handing out two byes, so why not give everyone a shot and hand out just one bye. You could reduce it down to the top four teams, except that both WMU and DU are currently perceived as two teams very capable of making a run, winning the tourney and getting the autobid, so I don't think the conference wants to interfere with that.

I think they should go with seven teams and give #1 (UND) the bye. That's how the Big Ten does it with seven teams and it makes sense.

I just hate seeing UND get yet another advantage but again, it's the right thing to do.

Definitely play the tourney with all the other teams. Don't penalize them because of CC's inability to stay off the Covid.

[SJHovey]

Why does there have to be a west and east attached to any of the teams. why not pick without regard to location or league. ? If I was Omaha and some random Eastern team like say, Clarkson got in and I didn't, I'd be pretty unhappy.

There doesn't have to be. I just think it will. I think I've heard that the committee as a group that is looking at eastern teams, because they will have had a chance to see more of them, and the same in the west. I don't think they'll be able to go 8-8 because this year it's basically HE out east, and a couple of other teams. But again, I also don't see them going 10-6.

[beaverhockeyfan]

I think after this last series with Lake State, you can take BSU off the list of bubble teams. The only way they get in now is to win the WCHA tournament.

[manurespreader]

I think after this last series with Lake State, you can take BSU off the list of bubble teams. The only way they get in now is to win the WCHA tournament.

The refs cost them. I would disagree, depending on how they do in the tournament. They need another quality win, but you have to realize LSSU is a lot better than people think. Yes they play the heavy game, but they have some scorers and great goaltending. They could easily end up second.

[lakersparty]

The refs cost them. I would disagree, depending on how they do in the tournament. They need another quality win, but you have to realize LSSU is a lot better than people think. Yes they play the heavy game, but they have some scorers and great goaltending. They could easily end up second.

The refs didn't cost Bemidji. The Beavers were committing a bunch of obvious penalties because they were tired coming off a really intense series with the Mavericks in a tough part of the schedule. If anything, the Lakers were screwed earlier in the year against the Beavers with that dumb faceoff protocol penalty that shouldn't even be a thing.

[John J. MacInnes]

How can you consider Clarkson for an at-large? Considering that under normal circumstances you need 6 teams to keep your autobid, I think the committee is very generous to guarantee one ECAC team makes the field. Two out of four? Especially when Clarkson has a grand total of two good wins, that's just not a good idea.

[J.D.]

They could look at how Clarkson has played Quinnipiac 6 times and dissect those games. I am not saying they should be in, I don't know. I have no clue how Clarkson stacks up with teams 2-4 in WCHA this year. With that said, weren't their next 4 games (all against SLU) called off? That hurts them. I think they will need to win the tournament to get in.

[John J. MacInnes]

They could look at how Clarkson has played Quinnipiac 6 times and dissect those games. I am not saying they should be in, I don't know. I have no clue how Clarkson stacks up with teams 2-4 in WCHA this year. With that said, weren't their next 4 games (all against SLU) called off? That hurts them. I think they will need to win the tournament to get in.

After seeing Clarkson in person 4 times last season and watching them numerous times on streams this season, I don't consider them NCAA tournament material. 2 wins in 6 games vs QU is not exactly a resume builder, especially when that team's top argument is that someone has to get in from ECAC.

ECAC is a one bid league and they should be thankful they even get that.

If you're comparing the Knights to WCHA teams, that's going to be sketchy. BG should have been a lock, but they hit the skids in the past few weeks. Lake State is coming on at the right time, but doesn't have a particularly strong resume. Bemidji has a hard time passing the eye test and dumping points at home to LSSU might have been fatal. The only way Tech gets a strong enough case is by sweeping at Mankato this weekend, and there's almost zero chance of that.

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Clarkson... I don't consider them NCAA tournament material. 2 wins in 6 games vs QU is not exactly a resume builder, especially when that team's top argument is that someone has to get in from ECAC.

Clarkson 2 wins in 6 tries vs QU (all but one game were single goal wins or decided in OT/shootout)
BGSU 2 road wins in 2 tries @ QU (4-1 and 4-2)
QU racked up 7 of their wins against Atlantic Hockey teams and LUI.

In a season with little to no play between conferences, its hard to argue against: BGSU >> QU (barely) > Clarkson

[J.D.]

You guys are forgetting that they want to limit travel even more this year. With no PWR, the committee can take Clarkson if it helps fill one of the Eastern regionals. Not for attendance obviously but because they can bus to Bridgeport and Albany. I would not rule that out as a factor.