Bracket Discussion

[Tugg Speedman]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/tournament/bracket

Happy with the 6 teams from the BE.  Good showing for the "new" conference.  Same number of team as the "powerhouse" ACC but the BE has 10 while the ACC has 16 teams.

The B1G and B12 had 7.  The BE were a few Seton Hall wins away from equaling them.

Additional thoughts?

[willie warrior]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/tournament/bracket

Happy with the 6 teams from the BE.  Good showing for the "new" conference.  Same number of team as the "powerhouse" ACC but the BE has 10 while the ACC has 16 teams.

The B1G and B12 had 7.  The BE were a few Seton Hall wins away from equaling them.

Additional thoughts?

Yeah--it is fine that 6 BEast team were picked--but not us. So once again: "In Buzzard we trust"

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

ISU will make it to the championship game.

[nyg]

Good for the BE.  Beginning of year, I didn't have 6 teams in.  Xavier and Butler over achieved and great for their fanbase.  

In past years have gone with hot teams when filing out pool brackets.  This year it's Arizona, 17 and 1 in last 18 games.  

[HutchwasClutch]

No one is going to care a bit how many teams we put in the field if they don't do anything with their selections and seeds.  The conference really needs a couple at least to get to the second weekend, especially when 'Nova's a one seed.  Our conference will get pounded by everyone again, and we'll hear all this the new Big East is a mid-major, etc. if our showing is as crummy as it was last year. 

[HutchwasClutch]

Granted it was just one game, but I watched Eastern Washington last night in Big Sky final, and boy, were they impressive.  They beat Montana on their home court, and came from behind late to do  it.  THey have one of the leading scorers in the country, and other guys who can score to.  They beat Indiana on the road to this year (stop snickering everybody, that's still a nice win for a program like E. Washington).  

And we all know Georgetown's recent postseason misery.  They picked up where they left off from prior seasons again on Friday night getting hammered by Xavier (Georgetown trailed by 21 before rallying at the end).  I think they're in trouble against E. Washington, hope I'm wrong.

[#UnleashSean]

Got my bracket down.

http://i.imgur.com/JxqhQCm.png

[Benny B]

I feel bad if I'm the state of Indiana.  Hey, the NCAA championship is in the Circle City this year, and you have FIVE teams in the dance!!!  Unfortunately, all of them are in the same region, and, oh yeah - almost forgot - so is UK.

Somebody must have pissed in the corn flakes at the Adams Mark.

[MarquetteDano]

No one is going to care a bit how many teams we put in the field if they don't do anything with their selections and seeds.  The conference really needs a couple at least to get to the second weekend, especially when 'Nova's a one seed.  Our conference will get pounded by everyone again, and we'll hear all this the new Big East is a mid-major, etc. if our showing is as crummy as it was last year.  

Yup.  We MUST have at least two teams in the Sweet Sixteen (and should since we have a one and four seed).  And one of those two need to make the Elite Eight as well.

If we don't do this we will have underachieved again which can hurt the conferences bids/seeding in the future.  I am really hoping we somehow pull off three Sweet Sixteen teams this year.

[NavinRJohnson]

Kentucky, Arizona, Louisville, and ISU in Final Four

Kentucky will win.

If I'm a UW-Madison fan, I am hating my likley path...Oregon, UNC, Arizona, Kentucky. I don't beleiev they make the Final Four, and I certainly don't believe the beat Kentucky (as good as UW is, I think by that point In the tournamnet, UK would beat them handily).

[RushmoreAcademy]

I'm happy with the Big East seeding. I think GTown and Xavier got some love there. What chance do any of them have of getting past the first weekend??

Butler - Tough draw with Texas, who I think is better than their record, and if they win taking on ND. Don't see it happening.
Xavier - Should be a first round win, and I think they can give Baylor a game, even though I wouldn't pick them.
Nova - #1 seed. They need to do well. I think they are perceived as the weakest #1 seed even though they are #2 overall in the seeding.  Everyone is so high on NC State, but when Nova is clicking most of the teams in the bracket cannot touch them.
Prov - I like their draw better than any of the other non-Nova teams. BSU/Dayton and then probably Oklahoma, who can definitely be beaten.
SJU - San Diego St is a tough out, and your prize for winning is Duke. Not happening.

[CTWarrior]

I'm happy with the Big East seeding. I think GTown and Xavier got some love there. What chance do any of them have of getting past the first weekend??

Butler - Tough draw with Texas, who I think is better than their record, and if they win taking on ND. Don't see it happening.
Xavier - Should be a first round win, and I think they can give Baylor a game, even though I wouldn't pick them.
Nova - #1 seed. They need to do well. I think they are perceived as the weakest #1 seed even though they are #2 overall in the seeding.  Everyone is so high on NC State, but when Nova is clicking most of the teams in the bracket cannot touch them.
Prov - I like their draw better than any of the other non-Nova teams. BSU/Dayton and then probably Oklahoma, who can definitely be beaten.
SJU - San Diego St is a tough out, and your prize for winning is Duke. Not happening.

I think Butler is a betting underdog against Texas.  I don't see them winning back to back against Texas and Notre Dame.  I think they're out in round 1.
I do like Xavier's draw.  I think they win the first game for sure and have a good chance against Baylor, but I think they will be eliminated against Baylor.
I think Villanova will move on to the Elite 8 and will have a good chance to make the Final Four.
I don't like the idea of Providence having to play Dayton an hour from Dayton, with Dayton fresh off a confidence building win in the preliminary round.  That's a tough spot for them.  I don't think they win a game.
Without Obekpa I think St. John's goes down quietly to SD State.
Georgetown getting a 4 is way too generous.  I like their chances against Utah in round 2, but given their recent history, would anybody be surprised if they laid an egg against Eastern Washington?

I don't watch as much college basketball outside the Big East as I used to, and I think I tend to over-estimate teams I haven't seen much of, but Villanova is the only Big East team I see as likely to make the second weekend.

[mattyv1908]

Yup.  We MUST have at least two teams in the Sweet Sixteen (and should since we have a one and four seed).  And one of those two need to make the Elite Eight as well.

If we don't do this we will have underachieved again which can hurt the conferences bids/seeding in the future.  I am really hoping we somehow pull off three Sweet Sixteen teams this year.

Conferences and teams are evaluated on a year by year basis.  How a team/conference performed in prior tournaments and whether or not they played to their seed is not a criteria of the selection committee.

[THRILLHO]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/tournament/bracket

Happy with the 6 teams from the BE.  Good showing for the "new" conference.  Same number of team as the "powerhouse" ACC but the BE has 10 while the ACC has 16 teams.

The B1G and B12 had 7.  The BE were a few Seton Hall wins away from equaling them.

Additional thoughts?

I was wondering about whether there was a path for Seton Hall to get in that doesn't screw up another team's chances? But I guess they have 4 bad losses near the end -- MU, Depaul (x2), and MU in the tournament. Flip those to wins and they are 20-12 (assuming they lose second tourney game) and 9-9 in conference, tied for 6th. Does that get them in? Or would they need one more win?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Percentages favor the BE though 60% of teams vs 50% for the B1G and ACC.

[Badgerhater]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/tournament/bracket

The BE were a few Seton Hall wins away from equaling them.

Additional thoughts?

But then MU would only have had 11 wins and 21 losses.

[bilsu]

My final four Kentucky, Virginia, Iowa St and Arizona St.
Georgetown is so over seeded at the 4 that they might actually win a game.

[jesmu84]

Got my bracket down.

http://i.imgur.com/JxqhQCm.png

Same Elite 8, Final 4, championship game and UK

[jesmu84]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/ncaa-tournament-selection-sunday-winners-and-losers-duke-virginia-kentucky-arizona-kansas/

Solid analysis. Big East section is pretty accurate

[brewcity77]

Kentucky, Arizona, Villanova, Iowa State. Wildcats (UK) over Wildcats (VU) in the Final.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

My final four Kentucky, Virginia, Iowa St and Arizona St.
Georgetown is so over seeded at the 4 that they might actually win a game.

I see Virginia going home early.  They are a poor offensive team without their best scorer, Justin Anderson.  Anderson does play, but he isn't even close to healthy.  While they are an elite defensive team,  I think the chances of them outscoring Nova should they both make the elite 8 is rather low.  I would't be at all shocked to see them lose to Michigan State in the round of 32, or the Providence / Oklahoma winner in the S16.  I would be SHOCKED to see them in the Final 4 without Anderson. 

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I see Virginia going home early.  They are a poor offensive team without their best scorer, Justin Anderson.  Anderson does play, but he isn't even close to healthy.  While they are an elite defensive team,  I think the chances of them outscoring Nova should they both make the elite 8 is rather low.  I would't be at all shocked to see them lose to Michigan State in the round of 32, or the Providence / Oklahoma winner in the S16.  I would be SHOCKED to see them in the Final 4 without Anderson. 

Agree. Never bet against Izzo in March.

[PGsHeroes32]

Kentucky, Arizona, Louisville, and ISU in Final Four

Kentucky will win.

If I'm a UW-Madison fan, I am hating my likley path...Oregon, UNC, Arizona, Kentucky. I don't beleiev they make the Final Four, and I certainly don't believe the beat Kentucky (as good as UW is, I think by that point In the tournamnet, UK would beat them handily).

Lots of LOLs here

[Milkshakes]

I really hope Butler gets to and beats ND.  I'd love for them to get back some of that tournament mojo and beat the Irish in the process.

[barfolomew]

My final four Kentucky, Virginia, Iowa St and Arizona St.
Georgetown is so over seeded at the 4 that they might actually win a game.

I got some money to lay that Arizona St. doesn't make the final 4...