Comments on: NCAA

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:13:43 +0000

^^ In 2006

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:13:23 +0000

High seeds get their first round games as close to home as possible, regardless of the region. That’s how Villanova and UConn both played opening round games in Philadelphia, while competing in different regions.

By: John M

John M — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 22:36:26 +0000

As others have noted, Butler didn’t play nearly as tough a schedule this year. Last year, Butler beat Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Gonzaga in the non-conference. This year, Butler’s noteworthy wins were against the likes of Ohio State, Virginia Tech, and Florida State, decent teams all, but not great and not NCAA Tournament teams. Butler may have had 10 wins against the RPI top 100, but since when is that a standard? They won only won one game against the RPI top 50 (#49 Ohio State) and lost a home game to the only team they played ranked higher than #49 (#10 Drake). For what it’s worth, IU (which didn’t even play a very tough schedule this year) won only 8 games against the RPI top 100 but 5 against the top 50. Arkansas won 9 games against the top 100 and 6 against the top 50. Both teams are seeded below Butler.

I like Butler and hope the Bulldogs do well, but all the Committee can do is judge Butler’s performance against the schedule the Bulldogs played, not based on guesswork re: what they would have done against a schedule like last year’s.

By: COD

COD — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:27:28 +0000

//They also gave champion Florida it’s toughest game of the tournament last year//

That was Purdue that did that. They led against FL well into the 2nd half last year in the round of 32.

I was shocked this AM when I realized I could go see Purdue play. It didn’t occur to me that west region games would be played in DC. Now to find tickets…

Now if the Big 10 would wake up and get back to a round robin schedule. Purdue and IU playing only once in the regular season is a travesty.

By: KBCraig

KBCraig — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:06:14 +0000

How about the crazy SEC? Georgia, 4-12, won it all by beating unranked Arkansas, which had beaten Vanderbilt (17) and Tennessee (4). How the heck do you seed those 4 teams?

By: Tokin42

Tokin42 — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 10:11:03 +0000

You have to love a team like Butler. Their AD seems to find great coaches everywhere he turns. If IU were smart they’d hire the entire AD staff to help them find a coach who’s actually worth a damn.

That said, I don’t think Butler actually played anyone any good this year. Kravitz, in the Indy Star, mentions that they only played one team that made the tourney this year and they lost at home.

By: Cogswell

Cogswell — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 07:55:49 +0000

The NCAA developed something called the ‘pods’ or something like that a couple of years ago. Where the first weekend games are not held in their ‘region’.

They did it to reduce travel and increase ticket sales. I’m sure you can recall those events in Boise – with 4 teams from east of the Mississippi.

Speaking of being a homer – what about Notre Dame getting to play Southern Alabama… IN Alabama.

They did no favors to us (IU) an 8. With a second round against UNC.

By: dave smith

dave smith — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 05:38:36 +0000

I don’t know…maybe the commitee just decided they hated the Volunteers. How’s that for a second round matchup?

I am an alumi of OU, but I don’t know how OU is a 6.