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Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

I also don't think being 7 in a bracket with BU and BC as a potential semi foe is such a bad fate. I'd rather play the stronger opponent the first weekend.
 
Re: Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

dave1381 said:
One further comment on the Minnesota-UMD comparison:

The biggest differences between the teams are:
(1) UMD was better against North Dakota
(2) Minnesota was better by 1 point in the overall WCHA schedule + QFinals + Semi, against a tougher quarterfinal opponent too, who were all common opponents
(3) Minnesota played in the WCHA game and lost
(4) Minnesota went 5-0 against a schedule that included two games against RPI top 12 Harvard, while UMD went 2-0 against UConn

To me it's clear Minnesota has a higher RPI because (2) and (4) matter more than (1) and (3) there, and any advantage UMD gets in the record vs. RPI top 12 because of (1) is nullified to some degree by (4), and that Minnesota should win the comparison.

Of course any normal person looking at the teams would just say Minnesota won the WCHA semifinal and should be seeded higher, but that's not what the NCAA does.
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Dave, Just like to a say a big thanks for all your detailed postings and analysis. Simply fantastic for the less initiated on this subject. Learning lots.

OnMAA
 
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Re: Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

ARM said:
No, UMD was the #2 seed.
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Forgive my memory, but who was it from the WCHA that travelled East last year and beat either BC or UNH ?. Or was that two years ago ?.
 
hockeyfan111 said:
perhaps another consideration surrounding a bc/bu matchup is that it insures representation from Hockey East in the Frozen 4. Need to continue to grow the sport and breadth is as important as depth.
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I don't think that'll motivate them. Note BU and Cornell are already first time quarterfinal hosts and possibly BC as well. That's plenty of growth already, coming naturally.
 
Re: Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

OnMAA said:
Forgive my memory, but who was it from the WCHA that travelled East last year and beat either BC or UNH ?. Or was that two years ago ?.
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UMD was 5th in 2009 and won at UNH. They won at Erie in 2007 when the Lakers were #1.
 
Re: Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

OnMAA said:
Dave, Just like to a say a big thanks for all your detailed postings and analysis. Simply fantastic for the less initiated on this subject. Learning lots.

OnMAA
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I'd like to express the same sentiment, dave1381. You're ability to crunch data is stunning.

Question... you always hear about bracket integrity but is there anything to suggest (as I've heard from some on the street) that they may schedule two WCHA teams together in the quarters to keep the WCHA from world domination? It feels a little conspiracy theorist to me but I thought I'd throw it out there.
 
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Re: Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

I do wish that there was way to limit the subjectivity / grassy knollism. Hypothetically of course, if Alaska-Fairbanks needs to play at Miami of Florida based on objective criteria, then they should go...... and if Minnesota should play Duluth and/or BC playing BU, then so be it.... not saying I think these are the right pairings this year, just saying I wish it was a more objective process.
 
Re: Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

IceIsNice said:
.... and if Minnesota should play Duluth and/or BC playing BU, then so be it...
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The problem I have with that is that it just doesn't feel like much of a national tournament then. Any opponent that Mercyhurst draws will be something different for you. But if Syracuse was roughly equivalent to MC, then you wouldn't want the Lakers and Orange to be matched for a 6th time in your first NCAA game. How does one grow the sport if many of the marquee games taste like leftovers.
 
Re: Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

As a Dartmouth fan, I would rather see our team play top-ranked Wisconsin rather than Cornell a fourth time for travel considerations. I realize there's a greater likelihood of getting pummeled, but so be it. I don't want to watch an ECAC play-in game.
 
Re: Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

I've already expressed this sentiment but yes, agree with the two previous posters. I'm sure we'd all like to see some of the other talented players that we normally don't get a chance to see.
 
Re: Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

Bumbles said:
I've already expressed this sentiment but yes, agree with the two previous posters. I'm sure we'd all like to see some of the other talented players that we normally don't get a chance to see.
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Agree with that as well. As much as possible go with matchups outside of your own conference, even if it means moving teams up or down a notch or two to accomplish this. IMHO, as long at the first and second seed are in opposite brackets, you can accomplish the other stuff with moving parts were needed, specially if the spread on absolute ranking numbers is small.
 
Re: Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

I understand these sentiments. I really do. And no, I wouldn't want to see the Lakers play the Orange a sixth time, keeping with ARM's example.... but for the sake of creating unique pairings, you risk "fixing" the tournament, or at least the potential for such an interpretation. When women's D-1 hockey grows to 50 or 60 teams, this will be less of an issue but for now, it just seems to go with the territory.
 
Re: Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

As a BC fan, I would much, much rather play a struggling BU on their home ice and the avoid Wisconsin until the finals than play Minnesota at BC and then face Wisconsin in the semis.
 
Re: Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

How has the committee screwed up, let me count the ways...failure to reward the #1 team, rematch of ECAC final (4th time they've played), very little diversity in quarterfinal matchups...what else?
 
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Re: Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

Ice - you must be pretty happy - you just "saved" a whole tank full of money:)
 
Re: Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

Dave - my thought is that without poulin, BU was shaky and shes still getting her timing back, so a home crowd will be helpful were they to play BC. I was at the Beanpot game, and worried about a first round game @BC.

Now that I see BU hosting Mercyhurst, this will be an interesting challenge. Potential revenge for last year.
 
Re: Alright....so how do NCAA invitations shake out?

What an absolute bunch of crap!!!!!!! Clearly there is no integrity in the selection process and the folks in the East are afraid of the WCHA. What a flippin joke!!!
 
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