Bracketology

[Doge McDermott]

I look forward to the 'but actually' post on why getting 8 teams in the Tournament is a bad thing.

"Yeah, but they're all 8-9 and PIG seeds. Their path to the second weekend is going to be steep. You're better off having a few top teams grab high seeds and some bottom feeders eating up losses, just like the AAC."

[GumbyDamnit!]

I look forward to the 'but actually' post on why getting 8 teams in the Tournament is a bad thing.

"Yeah, but they're all 8-9 and PIG seeds. Their path to the second weekend is going to be steep. You're better off having a few top teams grab high seeds and some bottom feeders eating up losses, just like the AAC."

Yep. Death. Taxes. Stever.

His quote from another thread: "However, perception if the league beats the tar out of each other, while ACC has say Duke finish at 16-2, or Big Ten if Michigan St finishes 16-2, etc. is going to get hurt."

[marquette]

I look forward to the 'but actually' post on why getting 8 teams in the Tournament is a bad thing.

"Yeah, but they're all 8-9 and PIG seeds. Their path to the second weekend is going to be steep. You're better off having a few top teams grab high seeds and some bottom feeders eating up losses, just like the AAC."

Yep. Death. Taxes. Stever.

His quote from another thread: "However, perception if the league beats the tar out of each other, while ACC has say Duke finish at 16-2, or Big Ten if Michigan St finishes 16-2, etc. is going to get hurt."

It's on the previous page. I've been busy today so it took me a minute to check in but you guys pretty much nailed it.

[kayako]

Bracketville 12/26:

https://bracketville.wordpress.com/bracketology/

Being a sensible bracketologist, SJU is easily in.

2 Butler
4 Nova
6 Creighton
7 Marquette
7 Xavier
8 DePaul
9 Georgetown
9 Seton Hall
10 St. John's

[Savannah Jay]

I look forward to the 'but actually' post on why getting 8 teams in the Tournament is a bad thing.

That's an easy one. seeds. Yeah get 8 teams but only 2 above the 7 line.

And it's pretty close to impossible to get 8 teams. going to take 8-10 records bare minimum to get in and for some 9-9.

It'd be much better for the league to get 6 teams in but have much stronger seeds. The goal of the season isn't to just make the tournament.

Jane, you ignorant slut (I just watched a rerun of a classic SNL). Let's assume we get 8 teams in, all of them seeded between 7 and 10. A little pessimistic, but play along. As a purported college basketball fan, which of the teams would you currently put in the #1 (or 2) seed today? Of those, which should any Big East team be terrified to meet in the second round?

Duke lost at home to Stephen F Austin
Kansas has already been "Nova'd"
Ohio State...maybe, they were strong against Nova a month ago but just lost at Minny (whose played some good teams but lost to all of them except OSU); even so, only one of the 8 BEast teams would play them in the second round.
Louisville...Nice win over Michigan but lost to a Texas Tech team that's already been beaten by DePaul and Creighton (Ramsey didn't play in any of those games, FYI)
Gonzaga...has some nice wins to date (Oregon, Arizona, Washington)…again, only one of us would have to plan them in the second round.

The point is, which I am sure I need to explain, is that no team has exhibited the kind of dominance that makes one think, "shit, hope we don't see them in March." (though I am quite sure that some teams think that about Butler...or will think that about SHU once they are healthy...or always think that about Nova). Can you imagine getting a number #1 seed and then find out SHU is the #8 seed in your region because they lost some games while their two best players were hurt? Perhaps things will change between now and selection Sunday but, based on the results of teams that have been ranked #1 so far this year, the tournament appears to be as wide open as ever. While a team seeded 6-11 can make a run any year (and have), this year seems particularly ripe for that to happen. So getting 8 teams in the tournament would be phenomenal. PHENOMENAL.

Quit being such a Debbie Downer (more SNL!) and show some common (and basketball) sense.

[ChestRockwell85]

Bracketville 12/26:

https://bracketville.wordpress.com/bracketology/

Being a sensible bracketologist, SJU is easily in.

2 Butler
4 Nova
6 Creighton
7 Marquette
7 Xavier
8 DePaul
9 Georgetown
9 Seton Hall
10 St. John's

9 TEAMS! Can you imagine that? That is absurd. Let's not forget that yes, Providence disappointed early on, but they DESTROYED a 9-1 (now 9-2) Texas team and could easily turn it on and make a run. Even in the old days of the Big East when you had 7 or 8 teams ranked, you always had a few doormats to help soften the blow of conference play and give you a few more Ws to add to the resume. THERE ARE NO DOORMATS THIS YEAR! Crazy, and a compliment to the league.

[TheBasketballOpinion]

I think it would be great for Georgetown to be a high seed upsetting teams in March. Would help make up for how much of this decade went the other way when the roles were reversed.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

Lunardi 12/23: http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

2 Butler
5 Nova

7 Seton Hall
7 Xavier
7 Marquette
9 DePaul
11 Georgetown
11 Creighton

Bracketville 12/26: https://bracketville.wordpress.com/bracketology/

2 Butler
4 Nova

6 Creighton
7 Marquette
7 Xavier
8 DePaul
9 Georgetown
9 Seton Hall
10 St. John's

The 2020 Bracket Matrix - BracketMatrix.com – updated December 26, 2019

3 Butler
5 Villanova

7 Marquette
7 Creighton
8 Seton Hall
8 Xavier
9 Georgetown
10 DePaul

NCAA Tournament Odds by Seed - BetFirm.com - March 12, 2019

Second Round

The second round is where you start to find a lot of variation versus what you would expect based strictly on seeding. Number nine seeds have been terrible in their second game, while ten seeds win their second round games over 40% of the time.

SEED No. • WIN %

2 • 66%
3 • 61%
4 • 59%
5 • 52%

6 • 49%
7 • 32%

8 • 19%
9 • 10%

10 • 44%
11 • 43%
12 • 43%

With no disrespect for the Big East Conference, I think seven NCAA bids is the realistic ceiling for a 10-team conference when you take into consideration the many BE conference games that will be lost during the next 2½ months. If it is assumed that Butler and Villanova are already locks for bids, then seven good teams (Creighton, Marquette, Xavier, DePaul, Georgetown, Seton Hall, and St. John's) will be fighting for five NCAA bids. This should be another very interesting conference-game season for the Big East.

[scoscox]

Not sure Nova is a 100% lock. Probably are, but not as much of a sure thing as Butler at this point

[ecasadoSBU]

No one is a lock at this point!

Lock means that you can lose every game the rest of the way till March and still be in. Unless you guys have your own definition of "Lock"...

Any use of "Lock" right now assumes that Butler or Nova will win a certain amount of games in league play.