NCAA Tournament field (2019)

One thing you’d think they’d avoid is SMU - UCF, again.

While college hockey has a much smaller field, they work to keep conference rivals out of brackets to the greatest degree possible.

 

Not correct, in hockey only first-round conference match-ups are avoided. Lacrosse is the same.

 

Let me reread my post to see if I said they always avoid second-round intra-conference matchups. No, it doesn’t appear I said that.

In hockey you will hear the term “bracket integrity” often. 16 teams are broken out into 4 #1’s, #2’s etc. with the top #1 playing #16 in the initial draft bracket. Then they move seeds around for a variety of reasons. They won’t make a #2 into a 3 seed but they MAY swap a 2 with another #2 if they think it creates better matchups or economics.

Anytime they choose to separate two conference rivals into different regions they have avoided both a first and second round matchup.

Those who follow college hockey know you can never say never when it comes to seeding: too many scenarios, too few strong conferences, uneven geographic distribution, host teams, “East-coast bias”, travel considerations for teams and fans, and too many seats to fill. But you can say they try to avoid conference matchups.

In a much larger field, with fewer of the considerations above it would be much easier to avoid a conference matchup early in the tourney.

Lacrosse has more of a geographic issue than hockey although it is improving. Lacrosse also has some unique conference issues.

In basketball, Duke and UNC have never met in the NCAA tournament...and that isn’t because the initial seeding never called for it.

 

But they often don't do it, even when they could. For example, last year St. Cloud State and Denver, both from the NCHC, were set to meet in the 2nd round of the West Regional, even though this could have easily been avoided with swaps allowed under the rules. The same two teams were also set to meet in the 2nd round in 2016, as were Providence and Boston College, both from Hockey East, in the East Regional. (None of these matchups actually happened, though, because of first-round upsets.)

Putting teams in nearby regionals (to improve attendance) is a bigger priority for the committee.

 

We could go through dozens of years with different examples which is why I said they work to the degree possible. When they move conference rivals to other regionals they avoid first and second round matchups.

If I had said it was an immutable rule then I would have been incorrect.

My original point of it being better for soccer to avoid conference matchups when possible still stands. This will be the third game between SMU-UCF and they just played 2 weeks ago. If the conference schedule was different they could be playing 3 games in 25 days against the same opponents. I suspect even the players would prefer to play somebody outside their conference.

If you are a fan of repeating conference matchups in the tourney, that is fine.

 

I'm not a fan of repeating matchups, and wish the committees in all sports would work harder to avoid them. My claim is that, currently, hockey is not any better than soccer at this.

 

If number of teams, number of participating conferences, absence of ‘regionals’, overall geographic distribution and lack of host school practices are considered it is harder to contend hockey and soccer are producing equal outcomes relative to avoiding intra-conference repeat matchups.

The CFP has a greater challenge given 4 teams, few power conferences and a handful of teams that reside in the top of those conferences. Basketball has a lesser challenge.

The opportunity to avoid repeats is a question of math. The actual avoidance is a question of effort and logistics.

We’ll just have to disagree that both sports are equally capable and equally effective at avoiding repeats.

 

I guess everyone thinks this year's tournament is not very interesting as the only topic of discussion here is the selection procedure …

Some predictions:

https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/mens-division-i-third-round-preview_aid47358

https://www.masseyratings.com/csoc/ncaa-d1/games

 

Am I the only one, who visualized 2 guys arguing in a bar wearing a kangaroo Zip costume and a BU terrier costume when a gaucho walked up?


Yes, welcome to a glimpse inside JSF's mind.

 

I’m not arguing and I don’t think zip was either.

Honest difference of perspective.

Used to be that was a good thing

 

I totally want one of those Kangaroo Zip costumes!

Anyway, this weekend I'm going with my current homies the Gauchos to pull off the upset, otherwise with the favorites ...

 

Statement from Virginia, beating St. John's 3-0.

 

And SMU wins it on a lovely goal 18 seconds into OT.

 

If you were thinking about upset in the UL v. Hoya match ...Gtn breaks quickly to a 2-0 lead.

 

UCSB gameplan appears to be "Let's kick Aiden". Then they get indignant when the referee shows the cheese. Gauchos gonna gaucho.

 

REVENGE FOR 2004, GAUCHOS!!

 

Perfect strike by the Gauchos takes down the Hoosiers! On the the Elite 8!

 

👀😦📽

The strike by Will Baynham that upset No. 5 Indiana and sent the Gauchos to the Quarterfinals!#NCAASoccer | @UCSBMensSoccer pic.twitter.com/iprXq2nCfG

— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) December 1, 2019

 

Feel bad for Jordan Kleyn. That's a hauntingly unfortunate way for a fifth-year senior to end their career.

Kudos to UCSB for taking advantage, however.

It's weird thinking of them as an underdog, but it's still cool when one goes on a good run like this and runs a couple of road games.

 

I wonder what the NCAA is going to do. Foot the bill for UCSB to stay in the midwest and have a short flight to Wake Forest? Or potentially pay for two more round trip cross-country flights over the next two weeks?

(Tonight from Bloomington to SB, then SB to Wake for the Elite 8 and if they upset Wake, I'd assume UCSB would stay in North Carolina for the week leading to the College Cup. Three cross country trips would be a bit much)

 

This is COLLEGE soccer, played by STUDENTS who have CLASSES during the week.

 

And THESE students, if they're fortunate enough to advance to the College Cup, shouldn't have to fly across the country three times in two weeks.