Bracketology - The Home Stretch
Mods, of course feel free to move/merge this into something existing, but other than the Lunardi thread, I didn't see anything really dedicated to this topic of obvious interest to everyone, and our discussion of it shouldn't be tied to Lunardi, right?
In any event, Lunardi and most others do still have us as a #1, in the west. Lunardi's got BYU as our #2, with a 4-5 matchup of Louisville-Arizona. Syracuse is the 3.
I don't think we could realistically expect any better draw than that, and I would welcome it. There's not much question in my mind that, should the matchup materialize, we would have a much better chance against BYU than against teams like Pitt, Kansas, OSU, and some other Big East teams.
In order for this scenario to occur, unless I'm mistaken, what we need to do is of course win the ACC Tournament, and then hope that perhaps BYU loses in the finals of their tournament to San Diego State. If they lose earlier, they could drop to a 3. It would also help if Notre Dame lost in the BET to foreclose any chance of their jumping us as a #1 seed.
Also, for those more in the know, correct me if I'm wrong as to this: Our chances to be paired with BYU in the west are far better with us as the #1 and them as the #2 than vice versa, because if we're a #2 the committee would do us the "favor" of keeping us closer to home and likely put us in New Orleans, presumably against Pitt, rather than do the simple S-curve thing and put us, as the overall #5, against presumed overall #4 BYU. Is that right?
Don't sweat the ones and twos
I'm not terribly optimistic about being in the same bracket with BYU, because I'm convinced that BYU won't make it to the Elite 8, so Duke wouldn't have a chance to square off. There will be no easy road to the final four, regardless of match-up. I'd rather Duke be a #2 to a perceived world-beater like Ohio State or Pitt, and assume the "underdog" role in the bracket.
I do, however, want to see my two least favorite teams - UNC and Kansas in the same bracket: 1 - So Roy has to play his old team again and 2) so that at least one of them is guaranteed to not make the final four. Hate UNC and Kansas. C'mon committee, stick them togther.