[Cracked Sidewalks] March Travel Plans

[brewcity77]

Marquette has moved up on the S-Curve and instead of talking about if, we're talking about where. Cracked Sidewalks looks at the four most likely NCAA sites Marquette could end up playing at, along with the first weekend opponent that might put a favored seed at a geographical disadvantage. We also have that new S-Curve and bracket, with Marquette's path featuring nothing longer than a 7-hour drive.

https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2023/02/march-travel-plans.html

[tower912]

All of this while still finding time to be a dad and a hero.

[🏀]

Geographical Nightmare Draw: No one wants to be a 3-seed headed to Columbus to play the Dayton Flyers. The NCAA doesn't allow protected seeds to play any school within 50 miles of the site, but Dayton's campus is 70 miles from Nationwide Arena. Flyer fans would pack that venue and have all the hometown fans on their side.

Typically, ABD.

But unnatural carnal knowledge Dayton, bring them on.

[real chili 83]

Let's win out!

[QPSS70]

Thanks, Brew.  Did I read somewhere that 3 seeds automatically play at a Friday/Sunday first round site or does it not matter? 

[We R Final Four]

I do not want to see Northwestern in round of 32. Something about that team.

[brewcity77]

Thanks, Brew.  Did I read somewhere that 3 seeds automatically play at a Friday/Sunday first round site or does it not matter?

No, and I think they would prefer at least one of them be Thursday/Saturday because they usually keep the at-large play-in teams on the 11-seed line. I had to move Charleston up to an 11 to allow Mississippi State/Wisconsin to be a play-in.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

I do not want to see Northwestern in round of 32. Something about that team.

Don't worry.  Stevie and Oso will keep us competitive in the academic portion, and we'd more than make up the difference in the basketball portion.

[MU90620]

I do not want to see Northwestern in round of 32. Something about that team.

Personally, I would prefer to see them than any of the other 6s in that scenario. You're going to most likely be playing a top 25 team. I would rather play Northwestern who is appropriately seeded there than the other 3 teams who are probably under seeded because of injuries.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Typically, ABD.

But unnatural carnal knowledge Dayton, bring them on.

1) Dayton has to win the A-10 tournament first.

2) Dayton would more likely be a 12 or 13 than a 14.

3) A 12, 13, or 14 seed getting that type of geographic advantage would be a travesty.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Brew, does your S-Curve assume that the reveal factored in K-State's loss to Oklahoma? That wasn't clear to me when they did the reveal. If it didn't, would you put them behind MU?

[pbiflyer]

Jimmy Mac and I are still pissed MU is doing well enough to move off the 4 seed line and a game at Orlando!   
But since I may have a meeting in Albany that week......

[mubb3434]

Jimmy Mac and I are still pissed MU is doing well enough to move off the 4 seed line and a game at Orlando!   
But since I may have a meeting in Albany that week......

I'm in SW Florida for work that whole following week so Orlando would have been just fine for me as well haha. Guess a pit stop to Columbus on the way will have to work!

[SaveOD238]

Jimmy Mac and I are still pissed MU is doing well enough to move off the 4 seed line and a game at Orlando!   
But since I may have a meeting in Albany that week......

I'm going to be in Florida the following week, so no help to me either.

Kinda hoping we make the regionals in Louisville and I can convince my wife to stop in the drive down.

And maybe drive through Houston on the way back to Milwaukee the following weekend.

[wisblue]

I do not want to see Northwestern in round of 32. Something about that team.

Of all the teams that are potential 6 seeds that I wouldn't want MU to face in the second round, Northwestern wouldn't be near the top of the list.

I understand that MU (like almost everyone) could lose to a 6 seed. But I can't get too concerned about a team that lost twice to Michigan, including getting blown out on their home court. I would rather see MU play a team like that than one with raw athleticism.

[panda]

I do not want to see Northwestern in round of 32. Something about that team.

COLE

There is nothing about Northwestern. If they run into a decent team, they'll be one and done.

[wisblue]

Marquette has moved up on the S-Curve and instead of talking about if, we're talking about where. Cracked Sidewalks looks at the four most likely NCAA sites Marquette could end up playing at, along with the first weekend opponent that might put a favored seed at a geographical disadvantage. We also have that new S-Curve and bracket, with Marquette's path featuring nothing longer than a 7-hour drive.

https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2023/02/march-travel-plans.html

Your excellent write up includes something I have never seen before.

You mention a 3 seed facing a 14 seed Dayton in Columbus as a "nightmare scenario"

I have never seen that the NCAA will not allow a protected seed to face a team located within 50 miles of the site in the first round. All I have seen from the NCAA site is a statement that:

"To recognize the demonstrated quality of such teams, the committee shall not place teams seeded on the first four lines at a potential "home-crowd disadvantage" in the first round."

I have not seen any specific definition of "home crowd disadvantage", but it should be clear that allowing Dayton to play in Columbus would violate that principle.

Has the NCAA provided more specific guidelines than those published on the NCAA.com website?

[We R Final Four]

COLE

There is nothing about Northwestern. If they run into a decent team, they'll be one and done.

Hope so.

[panda]

Hope so.

i know so

[We R Final Four]

i know so

Ok champ.

[94Warrior]

Didn't we play the Murray St Ja Morants in their own backyard? 

Were we a 4 or 5 seed that year?

[brewcity77]

It came up in a discussion recently and now I can't find the source. I'll dig around and see if I can find it.

[panda]

Ok champ.

[pbiflyer]

Didn't we play the Murray St Ja Morants in their own backyard? 

Were we a 4 or 5 seed that year?

5. Yes.

[wisblue]

Didn't we play the Murray St Ja Morants in their own backyard? 

Were we a 4 or 5 seed that year?

The game against Ja Morant was in 2019. MU was a 5 seed and the game was played in Hartford, CT so no home crowd advantage either way.

MU did play Murray State in Louisville in 2012 in a second round 3 vs 6 game. If the NCAA had the current home crowd advantage principle in 2012 it would not have applied. I was at that game and, between the Murray State fans and the UK fans there to see the Cats in the second game, MS had a huge home crowd advantage, but MU overcame it.