Bracketology - The Home Stretch

[OldPhiKap]

Just looked at Lunardi's brackets. He still has Duke as a #1 seed in the West in today's version. I'm just saying. UNC is a #2 in the Southwest.

IIRC, Foxsports had us a #2 in Kansas' bracket.

If we run the tables in Greensboro, we have a good shot at a #1. But I would not be surprised if BYU or a BE team grabs one and knocks us down, either.

Not sure it matters a whole lot.

[rsvman]

Of course nobody would expect this new BYU team to make the E8 but the point is would you rather play the 3 seed or the 2 seed. If the bracket is Duke/BYU, they probably get the top 3 seed but I would much rather see Purdue or Florida than Texas or ND in the E8.

Not me. I'd much rather face Texas than Purdue.

[sporthenry]

Not me. I'd much rather face Texas than Purdue.

Purdue doesn't scare me. Duke beat them with and without Hummel and I just don't see how they are any different. Nolan and Moore are a wash at best for the Boilermakers. So Duke just has to stop Johnson which I know is easier said then done but last year he had 23 and they still lost.
Meanwhile, Texas has a player very similar to Singler in Hamilton, a defensive stopper in Balbay, an underrated guard in Joseph, and their own big man in Thompson. Sure its Rick Barnes and they could fold but it was only 2 weeks ago that this team was the 'favorite' to win it all and if Texas gets to the E8 it means they are probably back to playing good basketball.

[Im4howdy]

(I vaguely remember seeing a thread on this so if so, let's update.)

I think Kansas and Ohio State are locks for #1 seeds and the winner of San Diego St. and BYU in their tournament will be a 3rd #1 (given their RPI and SOS).

If Notre Dame or Pitt win the Big East (a big if) they will get the 4th #1 seed.

If they both lose and Duke wins their tournament, Duke will get the 4th #1.

If Pitt, Notre Dame and Duke lose and UNC and Texas win, I think the heels will probably get the nod over Texas.

Any dissenting opinions?

[Duke of Nashville]

Purdue doesn't scare me. Duke beat them with and without Hummel and I just don't see how they are any different. Nolan and Moore are a wash at best for the Boilermakers. So Duke just has to stop Johnson which I know is easier said then done but last year he had 23 and they still lost.
Meanwhile, Texas has a player very similar to Singler in Hamilton, a defensive stopper in Balbay, an underrated guard in Joseph, and their own big man in Thompson. Sure its Rick Barnes and they could fold but it was only 2 weeks ago that this team was the 'favorite' to win it all and if Texas gets to the E8 it means they are probably back to playing good basketball.

Last years game was a battle. The toughest team was going to prevail and our points per possession was outrageous. Purdue has almost the same squad as last year and we do as well. Revenge game for sure and we all know Purdue has a few games to look back on for that. I wouldn't want to see a matchup with Purdue. If I had to pick a Big Ten opponent I'd much rather see Wisconsin.

[Kedsy]

Any dissenting opinions?

Yes.

[ns7]

(I vaguely remember seeing a thread on this so if so, let's update.)

I think Kansas and Ohio State are locks for #1 seeds and the winner of San Diego St. and BYU in their tournament will be a 3rd #1 (given their RPI and SOS).

If Notre Dame or Pitt win the Big East (a big if) they will get the 4th #1 seed.

If they both lose and Duke wins their tournament, Duke will get the 4th #1.

If Pitt, Notre Dame and Duke lose and UNC and Texas win, I think the heels will probably get the nod over Texas.

Any dissenting opinions?

Duke would be the 3/4th #1 over BYU/SDST if we win the ACCT. Most likely we'll have to beat VaTech/FSU and UNC/Clemson to win it and that would be a nice boost to our SOS (much more so than BYU/SDST).

[1 24 90]

(I vaguely remember seeing a thread on this so if so, let's update.)

I think Kansas and Ohio State are locks for #1 seeds and the winner of San Diego St. and BYU in their tournament will be a 3rd #1 (given their RPI and SOS).

If Notre Dame or Pitt win the Big East (a big if) they will get the 4th #1 seed.

If they both lose and Duke wins their tournament, Duke will get the 4th #1.

If Pitt, Notre Dame and Duke lose and UNC and Texas win, I think the heels will probably get the nod over Texas.

Any dissenting opinions?

Don't forget that Texas beat UNC and the BIG 12 is a higher rated conference so if Texas wins the BIG 12 I think they would get it over UNC. Also, I think someone from the Big East will get a #1 since it is rated the best conference. This may be contradictory to what I just said about conference ratings and since the RPI loves BYU & SDSU but looking at their profiles, I just don't see either getting a 1 seed.

[tommy]

OK so Pitt loses its first game in the BET in a close one to U-Con. Of course there is lots of tournament action left, there will be more upsets, and Duke has to take care of its own business.

Not so sure that, if the favorites win and Duke wins the ACCT, that Pitt's loss will end up to be good for us. My goal at this point is to get Duke out west with BYU or even San Diego St. as our #2. If Notre Dame wins the Big East, I believe they'll get a #1 and Pitt will not. So if OSU, Kansas, Duke, and Notre Dame are the #1s, who between Notre Dame and Duke goes to New Orleans and who goes out west?

And if Notre Dame goes down and we win the ACCT, we'd almost have to be the overall #3, meaning New Orleans, and not the west, right?

[tommy]

OK here we go again. BYU is down at the half to TCU. If they lose that, I think that'll have a major impact on their seeding, given it would be their second upset loss in the 3 games since the suspension.

[-bdbd]

OK here we go again. BYU is down at the half to TCU. If they lose that, I think that'll have a major impact on their seeding, given it would be their second upset loss in the 3 games since the suspension.

I think Duke beats out BYU for a #1 even if we both win out... b/c (1) Higher ranking (they are #8 now, I think); (2) The committee also considers late-season personnel changes such as Irving returning (would boost Duke potentially) and BYU losing their starting Center (potentially hurts their seeding); and (3), as was just stated, Duke winning out vs MD, FSU and NC, for example, is more impressive than them beating TCU, Nevada, SDSU, etc.

I'm more interested in making sure that Duke wins out - almost impossible to get a #1 w/o at least getting to the ACCT finals (and very possibly needing to win the ACCT) - and watching the BET where Pitt and ND threaten our #1 seed status. That said, Pitt may have fallen behind us by losing their first BET game to #21 UCONN. Brey's boys could still beat us out for a #1 though. Just win baby!!

[superdave]

Looks like Kansas and Ohio State are your #1 seed locks.

Duke has a very good chance at a #1 if they reach the ACCT finals and definitely if they win the ACCT. Unc could get a #1 if they beat Duke convincingly a 2nd time. ND could get a #1 if they win the BET, otherwise Pitt could back into a #1 if neither ND or Unc steps up, or if Duke lays an egg.

[1 24 90]

Remember that Syracuse still got a #1 seed last year after losing in the quarters but winning the Big East regular season. I think Connecticut did the same 2 years ago. Pitt should still be rewarded for an excellent season in my opinion.

[superdave]

Remember that Syracuse still got a #1 seed last year after losing in the quarters but winning the Big East regular season. I think Connecticut did the same 2 years ago. Pitt should still be rewarded for an excellent season in my opinion.

I think ND is the only team that could take away Pitt's #1. Also, I think Unc is the only team that could take Duke's #1.

[obsesseddukefan]

Am I the only one that isn't sold on the media blitz of BYU? I am sorry I am not sold on them what so ever. Don't get me wrong the facts about BYU do not lie, but I still would love Duke to be matched up with them so we can shut the "experts" up once and for all about this team. In my opinion, I think we blow BYU out of the water. Again just my opinion.

I think Jimmer is an amazing ball player, but I think the talent on our team wouldn't have an issue with BYU.

[CDu]

Am I the only one that isn't sold on the media blitz of BYU? I am sorry I am not sold on them what so ever. Don't get me wrong the facts about BYU do not lie, but I still would love Duke to be matched up with them so we can shut the "experts" up once and for all about this team. In my opinion, I think we blow BYU out of the water. Again just my opinion.

I think Jimmer is an amazing ball player, but I think the talent on our team wouldn't have an issue with BYU.

I think you're a bit late on the media love BYU - I think the media has started to turn on BYU with the recent loss of their best interior player. I think that, combined with the recent loss, probably buried their chances at a #1 seed.

I'd love for them to be the #2 to our #1 (or the #3 to our #2), because it means that if we're fortunate enough to get to the Elite 8 (or Sweet-16 if it's a 2/3 matchup), it very possibly/probably will not be BYU that we see. That said, I do think we'd beat BYU in a head-to-head. Smith and Fredette might cancel each other out, and our surrounding players are better.

But I think the odds of a Duke/BYU matchup are going to be slim - even if we're put in the same region.

[Rogue]

Win the ACCT and we can be a ONE.

BYU,, I think they'll be lucky to get a 3 seed, and more likely a 4-5 seed. I just remember how Cinn lost it's #1 seed when Martin when down, and what happened to Purdue last year,,

[ajgoodfella7]

I think ND is the only team that could take away Pitt's #1. Also, I think Unc is the only team that could take Duke's #1.

I agree with this statement for the most part. Except I think perhaps Pitt and ND could both end up as #1's if neither Duke nor UNC win the ACCT.

[pfrduke]

BYU will have to get by New Mexico tomorrow, a team that has, quite simply, owned the Cougars this season, sweeping by a total of 27 points.

[Kedsy]

BYU will have to get by New Mexico tomorrow, a team that has, quite simply, owned the Cougars this season, sweeping by a total of 27 points.

Yeah, but as a wise poster once said, it's awful hard to beat a team three times in a season...