Maybe it's just a snap reaction on my part, but it seems the selection committee wants to create interesting storylines above all else this year.
Not just with Crean vs. Izzo, but a possible Howland vs. Pitt in the Sweet 16, possible second-round game between Illinois and Southern Illinois (Bruce Weber's old team), OSU vs. Xavier (i.e. the Matta Bowl) in the second round, etc.
it's called "selling tickets." The NCAA is sick of staging regional games with 2,000 people in the stands, so they have to devise ways of getting people interested.
That may be true .. but please, no more than 8 people will say "oh, Izzo vs. Crean? This I gotta see!" and buy tickets (in Winston-Salem.)