2008 NCAA Tournament - Mock Selection/Discussion

[Exile on Waveland]

Looks good bukie. I think you switched around my WKU and Davidson votes, but it wouldn't change anything. As far as setting a bracket, I think we should try to avoid rematches in the 2nd round if possible. It's not against the rules anymore, but I read somewhere that the committee tries to avoid it. Of the top of my head Kansas-Kansas State, Wisconsin-Indiana, Stanford-Arizona, and Connecticut-Marquette/Villanova could happen in the 2nd round.

 

He already said that wasn't the actual bracket, just the seeding. Conference teams can't play in the second round.

 

I know, I was just trying to point out tweaks that could be made. I know the rule used to be that you couldn't play a conference team until the elite 8, but when the Big East expanded they changed them because they could get 9 teams into the tourney. I though they allowed 2nd round matchups if absolutely necessary, but they're unnecessary anyway, so it doesn't matter.

 

I'm pretty sure the rule is now the Sweet 16. Not sure avoiding rematches was ever a bright-line rule, just something they attempted to do.

[bukie]

First attempt at a bracket:

 

East Region - Charlotte, NC                                             West Region - Phoenix, AZ
1 - North Carolina  - Raleigh, NC Pod                               Anaheim, CA Pod -    UCLA - 1
16 - Coppin State/Mississippi Valley State                                  Mount St. Mary's - 16
8 - Oklahoma                                                                         Arkansas - 8
9 - UNLV                                                                           St. Mary's - 9

4 - Notre Dame - Tampa, FL Pod                                    Tampa, FL Pod - Connecticut - 4
13 - George Mason                                                               Oral Roberts - 13
5 - Washington State                                                                  Clemson - 5
12 - Temple                                                                           Baylor - 12

2 - Georgetown - Birmingham, AL Pod                               Little Rock, AR Pod - Texas - 2
15 - Belmont                                                                            UMBC - 15
7 - Gonzaga                                                                     West Virginia - 7
10 - Kansas State                                                               St. Joseph's - 10

3 - Xavier - Washington DC Pod                                      Omaha, NE Pod - Wisconsin - 3
14 - Winthrop                                                                   CS Fullerton - 14
6 - Indiana                                                                        Vanderbilt - 6
11 - Baylor                                                                         Davidson - 11


1 - Tennessee  - Birmingham, AL Pod                             Little Rock, AR Pod - Memphis - 1
16 - Portland State                                                          Texas-Arlington - 16
8 - BYU                                                                     Mississippi State - 8
9 - Miami, FL                                                                       Texas A&M - 9

4 - Drake - Denver, CO Pod                                            Denver, CO Pod - Butler - 4
13 - Siena                                                                         San Diego - 13
5 - Marquette                                                                      Pittsburgh - 5
12 - Virginia Tech                                                          Western Kentucky - 12

2 - Kansas - Omaha, NE Pod                                             Raleigh, NC Pod - Duke - 2
15 - American                                                                    Austin Peay - 15
7 - USC                                                                            Kent State - 7
10 - South Alabama                                                                  Kentucky - 10

3 - Louisville - Washington DC Pod                                 Anaheim, CA Pod - Stanford - 3
14 - Cornell                                                                     Boise State - 14
6 - Michigan State                                                                     Purdue - 6
11 - Illinois State                                                                Villanova - 11
Midwest Region - Detroit, MI                                           South Region - Houston, TX

 

East plays Midwest, West plays South.

 

Here are the general rules:

- Unless there are more than 8, teams from the same conference must avoid each other until the regional final.

- The Pod system is set up to avoid home disadvantage for the top 4 seeds for the first round only.

- Georgetown can't be in the Washington pod, and I think Arkansas can't be in the Little Rock pod (well, if they can, they shouldn't...).

- Unless there are 8 or more teams from the conference, the conference champion should be alone in the bracket, or at the very least the top 2 teams from the same conference shouldn't be in the same bracket.

 

EDIT: Version 2 up now, fixed a Louisville/Villanova conflict by seriously messing around with a few seeds. I think it's all legit now.

Edited March 16, 2008 by bukie

[ISUCubsFan]

If you want to get technical, Butler is closer to Tampa and Notre Dame is slightly closer to Denver, but that's a pretty small nitpick. Looks great otherwise.

[bukie]

Texas-Arlington wins the Southland conference for its first ever NCAA bid.

 

UNC held on vs. Clemson for the ACC championship. I think they will be the #1 overall seed for sure now.

[snoodmonger]

First attempt at a bracket:

 

East Region - Charlotte, NC                                             West Region - Phoenix, AZ
1 - North Carolina  - Raleigh, NC Pod                               Anaheim, CA Pod -    UCLA - 1
16 - Coppin State/Mississippi Valley State                                  Mount St. Mary's - 16
8 - Oklahoma                                                                         Arkansas - 8
9 - UNLV                                                                           St. Mary's - 9

4 - Notre Dame - Tampa, FL Pod                                    Tampa, FL Pod - Connecticut - 4
13 - George Mason                                                               Oral Roberts - 13
5 - Washington State                                                                  Clemson - 5
12 - Temple                                                                           Baylor - 12

2 - Georgetown - Birmingham, AL Pod                               Little Rock, AR Pod - Texas - 2
15 - Belmont                                                                            UMBC - 15
7 - Gonzaga                                                                     West Virginia - 7
10 - Kansas State                                                               St. Joseph's - 10

3 - Xavier - Washington DC Pod                                      Omaha, NE Pod - Wisconsin - 3
14 - Winthrop                                                                   CS Fullerton - 14
6 - Indiana                                                                        Vanderbilt - 6
11 - Baylor                                                                         Davidson - 11


1 - Tennessee  - Birmingham, AL Pod                             Little Rock, AR Pod - Memphis - 1
16 - Portland State                                                          Texas-Arlington - 16
8 - BYU                                                                     Mississippi State - 8
9 - Miami, FL                                                                       Texas A&M - 9

4 - Drake - Denver, CO Pod                                            Denver, CO Pod - Butler - 4
13 - Siena                                                                         San Diego - 13
5 - Marquette                                                                      Pittsburgh - 5
12 - Virginia Tech                                                          Western Kentucky - 12

2 - Kansas - Omaha, NE Pod                                             Raleigh, NC Pod - Duke - 2
15 - American                                                                    Austin Peay - 15
7 - USC                                                                               Gonzaga - 7
10 - South Alabama                                                                  Kentucky - 10

3 - Louisville - Washington DC Pod                                 Anaheim, CA Pod - Stanford - 3
14 - Cornell                                                                     Boise State - 14
6 - Michigan State                                                                     Purdue - 6
11 - Illinois State                                                                Villanova - 11
Midwest Region - Detroit, MI                                           South Region - Houston, TX

 

East plays Midwest, West plays South.

 

Here are the general rules:

- Unless there are more than 8, teams from the same conference must avoid each other until the regional final.

- The Pod system is set up to avoid home disadvantage for the top 4 seeds for the first round only.

- Georgetown can't be in the Washington pod, and I think Arkansas can't be in the Little Rock pod (well, if they can, they shouldn't...).

- Unless there are 8 or more teams from the conference, the conference champion should be alone in the bracket, or at the very least the top 2 teams from the same conference shouldn't be in the same bracket.

 

EDIT: Version 2 up now, fixed a Louisville/Villanova conflict by seriously messing around with a few seeds. I think it's all legit now.

 

You have gonzaga twice. also, can KU play USC in the second round since they played this year? I don't know the rules.

[bukie]

That second Gonzaga was meant to be Kent State. Fixed now.

 

There can be rematches at any point during the tournament (outside of conference). Generally the committee tries to avoid it, but with 6 Big 12 teams and 8 Big East teams, it's difficult to squeeze everyone in.

[Andy]

Lunardi still has ND as a 4 seed...I'm still not sure I see it. I had ND as a 4 too, but it seems like we have the profile of a 5. If the Irish get a 4 it's because of the mass tournament crap-out of the other teams in that area.

[TruffleShuffle]

Lunardi still has ND as a 4 seed...I'm still not sure I see it. I had ND as a 4 too, but it seems like we have the profile of a 5. If the Irish get a 4 it's because of the mass tournament crap-out of the other teams in that area.

 

man they played an all-or-nothing schedule. 11 games versus top 50 rpi teams, which isn't bad, but only 3 teams in the 50-100 area, and then they were 17-0 versus teams outside the rpi top 100.

[shnsajax]

Very glad Texas is in the South and not the West, have fun Duke. Still playing Stanford as a 3 seed will be tough, but happier to be in the same region as Memphis rather than UCLA. Plus Region semi's and finals will be in Houston.

[bukie]

Again we missed just one team, and it was our last team out (Georgia in meant VT out, which I count as missing one). No love for Illinois State, but I suppose they were really only considered in because they finished second in a decent conference, and not because of any specific individual accomplishment.

 

Seeding we were really close on also, missing by more than one only on Butler and Indiana, I think.

[Exile on Waveland]

Again we missed just one team, and it was our last team out (Georgia in meant VT out, which I count as missing one). No love for Illinois State, but I suppose they were really only considered in because they finished second in a decent conference, and not because of any specific individual accomplishment.

 

Seeding we were really close on also, missing by more than one only on Butler and Indiana, I think.

 

I like both those teams (full disclosure), but I think Butler and Indiana's seeds are unfairly low.

[bukie]

BP actually picked every team right. A good set of reasoning as to each pick, and narrowing down the bubble.

[SouthSideRyan]

Sorry I wasn't able to get picks in for the final stuff, was at my sister's this weekend and her internet went to crap. For the best because I probably would've dragged our bracket down with my off the wall choices.

 

Baylor in the tourney is a great big steaming load by the way.