NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

[Zephon]

Thought maybe because of the interest we have shown in college basketball that the tournament deserved it's own thread. 

MIZZOU got a 3 seed, having to go out to Boise, ID for their first games.  KU got a 3 seed, having to go to Minneapolis.  OU gets a 2 seed, getting to play in KC.  OSU got a 9 seed, also getting to play in KC.  Texas gets an 8 seed, playing in Greensboro, NC.  Texas A&M gets a 10 seed, going to Minneapolis.

If Mizzou makes it to the sweet sixteen, they will likely face Memphis.  A tough opponent.  Good luck Missouri!

[Zephon]

Here's the bracket:



MIDWEST REGIONAL
1 Louisville (28-5)
16 Alabama St./Morehead St. play-in

8 Ohio St. (22-10)
9 Siena (26-7)

5 Utah (24-9)
12 Arizona (19-13)

4 Wake Forest (24-6)
13 Cleveland St. (24-10)

6 West Virginia (23-11)
11 Dayton (26-7)

3 Kansas (25-7)
14 N. Dakota St. (26-6)

7 Boston Coll. (22-11)
10 Southern Cal. (21-12)

2 Michigan St. (26-6)
15 Robert Morris (24-10)

EAST REGIONAL
1 Pittsburgh (28-4)
16 E. Tenn. St. (21-10)

8 Oklahoma St. (22-11)
9 Tennessee (21-12)

5 Florida St. (25-9)
12 Wisconsin (19-12)

4 Xavier (25-7)
13 Portland St. (23-9)

6 UCLA (25-8)
11 Virginia Commonwealth U (24-9)

3 Villanova (26-7)
14 American (24-7)

7 Texas (22-11)
10Minnesota (22-10)

2 Duke (28-6)
15 Binghamton (23-8)

WEST REGIONAL
1 Connecticut (27-4)
16 Chattanooga (18-16)

8 BYU (25-7)
9 Texas A&M (23-9)

5 Purdue (25-9)
12 Northern Iowa (23-10)

4 Washington (25-8)
13 Mississippi St. (23-12)

6 Marquette (24-9)
11 Utah St. (30-4)

3 Missouri (28-6)
14 Cornell (21-9)

7 California (22-10)
10 Maryland (20-13)

2 Memphis (31-3)
15 CS Northridge (17-13)

SOUTH REGIONAL
1 North Carolina (28-4)
16 Radford (21-11)

8 LSU (26-7)
9 Butler (26-5)

5 Illinois (24-9)
12 Western Ky. (24-8)

4 Gonzaga (26-5)
13 Akron (23-12)

6 Arizona St. (24-9)
11 Temple (22-11)

3 Syracuse (26-9)
14 S. F. Austin (24-7)

7 Clemson (23-8)
10 Michigan (20-13)

2 Oklahoma (27-5)
15 Morgan St. (23-11)

[Swoosh]

[sdcforever]

I watch the NCAA tournament mainly for the mid-majors; only four at-larges from mid-majors and the Big East gets 7 total bids.  No Creighton or St. Mary's.  But the likes of Arizona, BYU, Wisconsin, and Michigan got at-larges.  3 Big East schools get 1 seeds.  Louisville and Pittsburgh I can understand, but...Connecticut?

I also don't understand how OU can get a 2 seed and play in KC while Mizzou gets a 3 seed and has to play in Boise.   OU definitely deserved a 3 seed.  If anything, I'd argue KU deserving the 2 seed over OU; KU played a slightly tougher schedule and won the Big 12.  Plus OU was 2-4 down the stretch.

Here are the top 8 teams with the highest RPIs left out of the tournament:  San Diego St, Creighton, UAB, Illinois St, St. Mary's, Niagara, George Mason, and Tulsa.  Hmmmm...none of those teams are BCS members...

Obviously the tournament is all about ratings and attendance (attendance=ticket sales=$$$), and attendance and ratings go down when small market teams (like George Mason) make deep runs in the tournament.  I like watching the mid-majors play against the BCS schools, though.  But the NCAA wants to keep CBS happy.  Perhaps they should dispense with all pretense and let CBS pick all of the teams.

[sdcforever]

Here's an interesting look at how far the top 4 seeds have to travel for their first round games.

MIDWEST BRACKET:
1- Louisville: 152 miles
2- Michigan State: 628 miles
3- Kansas: 480 miles
4- Wake Forest: 810 miles


WEST BRACKET:
1- UConn: 238 miles
2- Memphis: 522 miles
3- Missouri: 1,498 miles
4- Washington: 148 miles


EAST BRACKET:
1- Pitt: 256 miles
2- Duke: 53 miles
3- Villanova: 12 miles
4- Xavier: 1,946 miles


SOUTH BRACKET:
1- N. Carolina: 52 miles
2- Oklahoma: 362 miles
3- Syracuse: 1,417 miles
4- Gonzaga: 354 miles

Additionally, you have Ohio State, which is an 8 seed, going to Dayton, 71 miles away.  How come we had to be one of the 3 teams out of the 16 to have to travel so far?  Makes it hard on the fans to support their team!

Anyway, I'm done complaining.  What a great season, and the 3 seed is fantastic compared to preseason expectations!  If we can win our first two games and get past likely opponent Memphis in the Sweet Sixteen I think we have a real shot at the Final Four!!!

[Zephon]

^Yah, that sucks big time.  There are a few of the lower seeded teams that have to travel clear across country.  Seems like they could do a better job, but it's like this every year.   

[Zephon]

Thanks for the bracket, Swoosh.  I couldn't figure out how to get a picture of it on here.

[Swoosh]

Mizzou has sold out its allotment of tickets for the Boise games.

[Zephon]

That's terrific.  We need a large contingent of fans out there supporting them.

[Zephon]

Congrats to MIZZOU, and the rest of the Big 12.  6 - 0 through the first round.  Marquette is up next for MU.  They had a tough time against Utah St. but never take Marquette for granted.

GO MIZZOU!!!

[Zephon]

After the 1st round--

[sdcforever]

Marquette has Dominic James back.  That's going to make it a tougher game for Mizzou.  I think this will be a hard fought, close game.

[sdcforever]

MIZZOU!!!

Whew, that was definitely a hard fought, close game!  Onto Glendale, AZ, and a date with Mighty Memphis.  My heart wants Mizzou to win against Memphis, but my rational and logical mind says Memphis will win.  (My rational and logical mind also filled out my bracket and has Memphis over Mizzou).   You don't make it to the Elite Eight in 2006 and 2007 and be NCAA Runner Up in 2008 without knowing a thing or two about playing your best in the biggest games.  That kind of experience is crucial, and Mizzou doesn't have that experience.  Also I think Memphis is more talented than Mizzou.  Stranger things have happened though (and that's why you play the games), but I'm not getting hopeful expecting a Mizzou victory.

[Swoosh]

Ah, but Memphis never really played anyone last year until they played kU and we know what happened there.  Mizzou has a very similar offense/defense and I think that the Memphis kitty kats are going to have fits with Mizzou most of the night.  Also (to me) it does not look like Memphis is as deep as Mizzou.  It's going to be a tough game for both teams.

[KBCraig]

That was a good game. So was Siena/Louisville. Most of the rest have been pretty one-sided.