My thoughts on the NCAA tournament bracket

[crimsonblue]

• The Midwest Region is clearly the most difficult. My Jayhawks face a very difficult opening round game versus North Dakota State, a team I predicted before the brackets came out would pull an upset. I sure hope I'm not right. Michigan State and Kansas both face difficult paths to the Regional finals, and if either team makes it that far, they will win the Region and go to the Final Four.
  
  
• Pitt faces the easiest road to the Final Four. They should easily reach the Regional Finals, and should take care of Duke to reach the Final Four.
  
  
• Memphis essentially received a 1 seed. They play a terrible team in their 1st round matchup, and face a relatively easy road to the Regional Finals.
  
  
• Arizona in no way deserved a tournament bid. They collapsed at the end of the season, and shouldn't be in the tournament.
  
  
• San Diego St and St. Mary's got screwed. Both teams should have been in ahead of Arizona and Wisconsin.
  
  
• Overall, I'm disappointed with the brackets. Last year, the brackets were probably the most fair and balanced they've ever been. This year, some Regions are MUCH more difficult than others, and some of the seedings are questionable.
  
  

[CatholicEdHead]

1. All of Wisconsin goes to Idaho

with both Wisconsin and Marquette.

Golden Gophers play Texas and then Duke in Greensboro NC.

You are correct, NDSU does have home court advantage in Minneapolis. Most of Fargo will be at the game and could fill the Metrodome. I do hope they knock off Kansas. ;)

[bigwillq]

2. I think the East (Pitt) is the toughest.

The UConn/Memphis bracket is the weakest, imo.

I was hoping St. Mary's got in.

[1gobluedem]

3. I'm happy to see Michigan in

It's been a long wait for us.

[leftyclimber]

4. I was pleased to see that Belein had worked his "fixer" magic once again.

Congratulations! :party:

[1gobluedem]

13. I really like Belein

I hope he stays a long time.

[GOPisEvil]

5. How the hell does Villanova get to play its first two rounds in Philly?

That's a travesty.

[crimsonblue]

6. I agree.

They should've moved Villanova to Miami and put Syracuse in Philly. NOBODY received mroe protection than Villanova. I thought it was against the principles and procedures of the selection process to put teams in their home cities for first round games. Guess not.

[KamaAina]

8. How the hell is Philly in the West*?

the other bracket, but Jeez. The silver lining is that 1.5 seed UConn doesn't actually have to go West until the Sweet Sixteen, assuming, of course, they manage to avoid another horrendous choke job. :eyes:

[GOPisEvil]

11. Geography doesn't come into pay until the Round of 16.

The NCAA tries to limit travel, so they have "nodal" sites that have play in multiple brackets.

[Lex]

7. Not sure what to think of UNC in the South Region.

If we stay healthy (we have had trouble with that of late), maybe we can actually actually make it to the Final Four again.

Looking forward to watching plenty of basketball this weekend.

[KamaAina]

9. The mid-major thing is, like, SO over

the recent burst of mid-majors getting good seeds and making noise in the tournament was based on the three. Now the power conference teams (and Memphis) have adjusted to the three, both on perimeter defense and having a three-point shooter on the bench.

So now St. Mary's (6 L's) and Opihi's alma mater Creighton (7) get screwn in favor of double-digit L Arizona and Michigan. :eyes:

[mvd]

10. I was hoping that Penn State would get in, but..

considering their schedule was super easy until early Jan., I can't complain much.

[av8rdave]

12. Keep your eye on the Southland Conference....

They're going places!

Axe 'Em Jacks!