NCAA Selection Show Thread

[tommy]

Here's my first prediction: No matter what region Duke is in, who else is in that region, as soon as that region is posted, Seth Davis will predict that we will be beaten, probably early -- round 2 or Sweet 16 -- and make a point of being very certain about it. And seem kinda happy about it too.

Why? Because this is what he always does.

[Bob Green]

I predict we will be a #3 Seed this year. Why? I don't know! It just seems to me this team is a #3.

[NashvilleDevil]

Here's my first prediction: No matter what region Duke is in, who else is in that region, as soon as that region is posted, Seth Davis will predict that we will be beaten, probably early -- round 2 or Sweet 16 -- and make a point of being very certain about it. And seem kinda happy about it too.

Why? Because this is what he always does.

Is he this generation's Feinstein?

[dukelifer]

I predict we will be a #3 Seed this year. Why? I don't know! It just seems to me this team is a #3.

I agree. Duke is a high 3 seed and probably has been all year. A couple of quality wins but a good not a great team. Still - a run is indeed possible but it will take more than just talent. This teams needs to play with a purpose and unity. Guards need to be better.

[jipops]

Hopefully we match up with teams that are almost as bad on D as us.

[gurufrisbee]

Lunardi has us as the 3 with Nova and Wichita State. That would be as sweet of a 3 seed as you could wish for.

[J4Kop99]

Please let us be in the East. I may or may not have already purchased east regional tickets... :o

[_Gary]

Lunardi has us as the 3 with Nova and Wichita State. That would be as sweet of a 3 seed as you could wish for.

I'll take that. And that's not a knock on Wichita State at all. They are legit. But if we have to be a 3 seed (and that's my guess) then give me Nova as a 2 every day and twice on Sundays. There are too many other teams I'd rather not see in our bracket.

[Troublemaker]

Agree that we're a 3 seed.

The 6 seed obviously is a key to whether it's a good bracket or not. Don't focus too much on the 1 and 2 and ignore the 6.

I'm hoping to avoid Kentucky, UConn, Ohio St and New Mexico as the 6 seed and Tennessee as the 11 seed. (Yes, Tennessee would be a pain.)

We didn't set ourselves up to receive a nice bracket. If you told me right now we could advance to the Elite 8 to face Florida, I'd take it in a heartbeat. The 1 seed is almost irrelevant when you're a 3.

[SCMatt33]

Is it too much to ask that we get the 3 in the East with Nova as our 2? Seem's like we don't deserve it right now

[J4Kop99]

Does it get any better than Seth Davis AND Doug Gottlieb??????

[El_Diablo]

Yay, Stanford.

[duke4ever19]

'Cuse in with Kansas and Florida. Yikes.

[rolm]

South is a very tough bracket. Florida got no favors for being the overall #1

[J4Kop99]

'Cuse in with Kansas and Florida. Yikes.

Cuse as a 3 and Kansas as a 2... I kinda think we may get a 2.

[jipops]

Phew. South region looks brutal.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Did I miss them announcing the four 1s?

-jk

Seems a different format this ear

[-jk]

Did I miss them announcing the four 1s?

-jk

[SCMatt33]

Not jealous of Cuse right now. Though if cuse and OSU both make it through the first round, I expect that game to end up somewhere in the 40's

[El_Diablo]

I missed the first 2-3 minutes...did they say all the #1 seeds already? I forget what they have done in the past (announce all #1 seeds and then go bracket by bracket, or just dive into the brackets).

[BlueDevilBrowns]

So far so good. Avoided Kansas and Florida.

'Cuse still being a 3 means we may have a shot at a 2 seed still.

[Troublemaker]

Did I miss them announcing the four 1s?

-jk

Nope. Not announced yet.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

Doesn't 2 seem high for Kansas? I thought 3.

[turnandburn55]

Phew. South region looks brutal.

No doubt. UCLA is pretty hot right now for a 4-seed...

[BlueDevilBrowns]

Did I miss them announcing the four 1s?

-jk

Nope. Didn't do it this year. Just going region by region.

[arnie]

I'll take that. And that's not a knock on Wichita State at all. They are legit. But if we have to be a 3 seed (and that's my guess) then give me Nova as a 2 every day and twice on Sundays. There are too many other teams I'd rather not see in our bracket.

2nd that comment. Hope he's right and we've ducked fla/kansas

[kshepinthehouse]

Pitt as a 9 seed. If I was Florida I wouldn't want to have to play them second round.

[vick]

Phew. South region looks brutal.

Really? The #2 seed, who knows if one of their best players will play, the #3 seed is tumbling. I don't think that's particularly loaded. Having Pomeroy #9 as your 2 and #15 as your 3 is pretty favorable, actually.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Doesn't 2 seem high for Kansas? I thought 3.

And some thought a #1. Lots of opinions out there!

[Nugget]

Agree that we're a 3 seed.

The 6 seed obviously is a key to whether it's a good bracket or not. Don't focus too much on the 1 and 2 and ignore the 6.

I'm hoping to avoid Kentucky, UConn, Ohio St and New Mexico as the 6 seed and Tennessee as the 11 seed. (Yes, Tennessee would be a pain.)

We didn't set ourselves up to receive a nice bracket. If you told me right now we could advance to the Elite 8 to face Florida, I'd take it in a heartbeat. The 1 seed is almost irrelevant when you're a 3.

This. Really hope not to see UK as our 6. 99 percent we will

[Dukehky]

So far so good. Avoided Kansas and Florida.

'Cuse still being a 3 means we may have a shot at a 2 seed still.

CBS has us dropping to a four, which would be preposterous.

2 of the 5 teams I want no part of (KU and Florida) are out of the way early. The remaining ones are OK ST, Michigan State, and Louisville.

[El_Diablo]

And some thought a #1. Lots of opinions out there!

Well, Clark Kellogg doesn't count.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Gonzaga/OSU sounds fun...

[duke4ever19]

Arizona has a tough meeting, perhaps, in the second game OK St if both win.

[flyingdutchdevil]

No Louisville. No Louisville.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

CBS has us dropping to a four, which would be preposterous.

2 of the 5 teams I want no part of (KU and Florida) are out of the way early. The remaining ones are OK ST, Michigan State, and Louisville.
If Syr is a 3, we have to be.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

5 pac 12 teams already? Is that even possible?

[El_Diablo]

East or Midwest for us.

[Dukehky]

Gonzaga/OSU sounds fun...

For Oklahoma State... Okay, out of this bracket too. This is good, we are in good shape right now, regardless of seed line I think. Because I think we're on the same seed line as Louisville.

[BlueDevilBrowns]

Well, we're either in the East or MW. I like it.

Likely a 3 now that Wisconsin is a 2.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Hearing all these multiple bids from other conferences with just Pitt ans Syracuse in so far makes me recognize our conference was not great this year.

[ChrisP]

Yeah, if Cuse and Creighton are 3's then I'm betting we're at least that, if not a 2 somewhere. Just glad it's not in South or West.

[rolm]

West is significantly easier than the South bracket

[SCMatt33]

For Oklahoma State... Okay, out of this bracket too. This is good, we are in good shape right now, regardless of seed line I think.

Not in a Thursday regional. I like that.

[jipops]

Big disparity between south and west. Atleast according to eye test.

[fisheyes]

Looking good for Raleigh, no?

[Ky-Dukie]

I think a 3 seed in east. Betting Ky is in our bracket. We know how they like to do these brackets.

[Dukehky]

Big disparity between south and west. Atleast according to eye test.

Our bracket last year with Louisville, Duke, and Michigan State was one of the hardest that I can remember. That thing was brutal.

I would like to second the above hope of "no louisville, no louisville"

[Udaman]

We are a 3 seed with Louisville the 3

[duke4ever19]

We've avoided Kansas, Arizona and Florida. I'm grinning so far. :D

[Troublemaker]

Updated AVOIDS (for me):

No Sweet 16 Matchup with Louisville or Michigan St

No Kentucky or UConn as a 6 seed

No Tennessee as 11 seed.

I never hit them all and don't expect to here. Something bad will happen.

[El_Diablo]

Still have these as the likely top 3 seeds for the remaining two brackets:

UVA
Michigan
Duke
Villanova
Louisville
Michigan State

[gumbomoop]

UL, UK, Iowa State, Mich St not yet on board. Nor is Duke.

[BlueDevilBrowns]

Looking good for Raleigh, no?

The only other Raleigh competition could be Louisville.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

I think a 3 seed in east. Betting Ky is in our bracket. We know how they like to do these brackets.
Heels and cats in with us??? That would be nuts.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Well, we are 50/50 of getting Wichita State as our top seed.

[arnie]

CBS has us dropping to a four, which would be preposterous.

2 of the 5 teams I want no part of (KU and Florida) are out of the way early. The remaining ones are OK ST, Michigan State, and Louisville.

A 4-seed is a slap at ACC and Duke. Might happen. Wellman won't help.

[Udaman]

I mean Louisville the 2

[BlueDevilBrowns]

Still have these as the likely top 3 seeds for the remaining two brackets:

UVA
Michigan
Duke
Villanova
Louisville
Michigan State

Give me UM and Nova. Please!

[Dukehky]

I'm hoping one of the brackets will have Louisville, UVA, and MSU. That would leave us with Wichita State and Villanova....

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Still have these as the likely top 3 seeds for the remaining two brackets:

UVA
Michigan
Duke
Villanova
Louisville
Michigan State

So, split Duke and UVa, split MSU and Michigan...

Hate to say, I agree we could fall to a 4.

[Udaman]

We are going to be a 4.

[El_Diablo]

Kentucky vs. WSU in the second round.

[duke4ever19]

UK vs. Wich St. I'm not happy if I'm Wich St.

[J4Kop99]

NC State is in the building

[Dukehky]

I'm hoping one of the brackets will have Louisville, UVA, and MSU. That would leave us with Wichita State and Villanova....

YES No UK for us early!!!

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Wow.... Kentucky as an 8. Makes sense, but wow.

[El_Diablo]

State!

[duke4ever19]

NC State!!

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Wow! Go Pack! Awesome! UL as 4.... holy moly.

[BlueDevilBrowns]

State!!! L'ville!!!

Get ready for Duke hate tsunami?

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

Whoa! Ville a 4!

[J4Kop99]

wow! Louisville a 4! That is incredible! Exclamation point!

[turnandburn55]

WOW... Louisville as a 4? We may be a 7... kidding. (sort of)

[Dukehky]

NC State!!

This is the craziest, not hardest, bracket I can remember seeing. Way to go STATE!!!!

We are also going to be the 3 seed here I bet.

[dukelifer]

WOW... Louisville as a 4? We may be a 7... kidding. (sort of)

Wow is right - just gonna make them mad!

[El_Diablo]

Okay, okay. Not terrible for us.

[J4Kop99]

3 midwest... vs. Mercer. Umass as the 6.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

How does PAC-12 get 6 teams???

[duke96]

Oh god

[77devil]

Whoa! Ville a 4!

That's what happens when you have the weakest NCSOS among the top 25.

[ChrisP]

Not thrilled at our bracket at first glance, but...we just didn't get it done against the top teams this year and so we got a 3 seed. Seems about right, but would have loved to have been a 2.

[Dukehky]

Oh god

We were one away from skating man...

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Wichita pulls UK, Louisville, and Duke or Michigan. Ouch.

[El_Diablo]

So I guess East will be UVA/Villanova/MSU.

[J4Kop99]

Craziest bracket I may have ever seen. (hyperbole, I know... but still)

[duke96]

We were one away from skating man...

Seriously

[BlueDevilBrowns]

Well, this is interesting.

[Troublemaker]

That's why you trust the Matrix that had Louisville as a 3 or 4 and not a 1 or 2.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

Well, whatever. Gotta play the games. Onward.

[BlueDevilBrowns]

We were one away from skating man...

And UNC just did.

The East is WEAK.

[El_Diablo]

UNC must be the East 6 or 7 then.

[Udaman]

Brutal. Wichita state. Louisville. Michigan. Kentucky. 3 of 4 from last years final four. Brutal.

[Duvall]

And UNC just did.

The East is WEAK.

Someone will take advantage of the weak East, but it ain't gonna be UNC. They *are* the softness.

[arnie]

And UNC just did.

The East is WEAK.

As an 8 seed I hope.

[Dukehky]

And UNC just did.

The East is WEAK.

UNC is going out in the first weekend. This is a fair bracket. Duke and Michigan are interchangeable, and Louisville is probably more like a 1, WSU more like a 4, and UK is more like a 5, so it kinda works out I like our Michigan match-up reasonably well, still. Hopefully somebody knocks the Ville out for us because Russ would go russdiculous against us, maybe not enough to win, but the dude is phenomenal.

[Troublemaker]

Tennessee as the 11 seed play-in is the real problem for Raleigh.

Hopefully either Iowa or UMass can knock them off.

[gumbomoop]

We could lose first game, of course, but if we win, no UK at 6-seed, nor Iowa St/Mich St in our half of bracket. If play well, no UL until EE. Can't complain, at first glance.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Brutal. Wichita state. Louisville. Michigan. Kentucky. 3 of 4 from last years final four. Brutal.

Well, we don't have to play all those teams... WSU has one helluva path. If they get to the Final Four, they earned it.

I like our chances to get to the sweet 16.

[Udaman]

Congrats Virginia!!!!

[SCMatt33]

UVA the one. Praying for UNC 6 and MSU 3. They need another shot at the holes.

[Duvall]

Craziest bracket I may have ever seen. (hyperbole, I know... but still)

Joe Alleva strikes again.

[J4Kop99]

Damn, we were playing for the #1 in the east...

[Dukehky]

Congrats Virginia!!!!

No UNC in Raleigh which means we won't have to play a road game....

[ice-9]

Midwest is crazy hard for Wichita St. What a reward for going undefeated.

I'll take this bracket though. Our first round game won't be easy, but if we want to compete we have to expect to get past the first round. We can beat UMass, though I worry a bit about Tennessee who can be explosive. We've beaten Michigan before though of course we're both better teams now. The Elite 8 will be tough if it's Louisville is waiting for us on the other side, but you never know. At least we won't face a strong 1-seed.

Congrats to UVA getting the 1-seed, and to NC State on making the field.

[duke4ever19]

Uh, no Clark, UVA did NOT beat Duke twice this year. What a buffoon.

Now half of America thinks we lost twice to Virginia.

[ChrisP]

Uh, no Clark, UVA did NOT beat Duke twice this year. What a buffoon.

[77devil]

Brutal. Wichita state. Louisville. Michigan. Kentucky. 3 of 4 from last years final four. Brutal.

But only Michigan is in our side of the bracket and we already beat them.

[MCFinARL]

Brutal. Wichita state. Louisville. Michigan. Kentucky. 3 of 4 from last years final four. Brutal.

Brutal bracket overall, but actually I am not too unhappy with Duke's draw through the 2-3 game. Our 2 seed is Michigan, whom we beat once already. And our 6 seed is UMass, which almost lost to George Mason twice.

[arnie]

So I guess East will be UVA/Villanova/MSU.

Clark thinks UVA beat us twice. Guess he's doing carryovers from past years.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

What if UNC doesnt make it?

I know, I know....

[Troublemaker]

UVA gets MSU as a 4 seed tho. Tough potential S16 matchup. Happy we avoided that.

[NYBri]

I like where we are.

[arnie]

Brutal bracket overall, but actually I am not too unhappy with Duke's draw through the 2-3 game. Our 2 seed is Michigan, whom we beat once already. And our 6 seed is UMass, which almost lost to George Mason twice.

Heels will get MSU. Bet Roy loves that- he owns them.

[Dukehky]

Heels will get MSU. Bet Roy lives that- he owns them.

They are not beating Iowa State, and may not beat Providence.

[arnie]

Heels will get MSU. Bet Roy loves that- he owns them.

Uh. I was wrong as usual

[MaxAMillion]

I think the East is very competitive. Not sure how anyone could call it easy.

[ChrisP]

Other than MSU, the East looks like a cakewalk to me for UVA. They should have no trouble making it to S16, at least.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Still shocked by NCSU. Amazing.

[ChrisP]

I think the East is very competitive. Not sure how anyone could call it easy.

Jinx! :cool:

[CDu]

Other than MSU, the East looks like a cakewalk to me for UVA. They should have no trouble making it to S16, at least.

MSU and Iowa State are VERY good teams. UVa should certainly get to the Sweet 16, but that second weekend could be brutal.

[NYBri]

Other than MSU, the East looks like a cakewalk to me for UVA. They should have no trouble making it to S16, at least.

UVA does not beat MSU.

[J4Kop99]

Now it's time to go win my Billion dollars.

[Dukehky]

Only two things that could have gone more in our favor was for Iowa State to switch with UL and for Michigan to swap with Nova. Can't get all the bounces. If we play well, strong to chance to make the EE, and depending who we meet there, good chance to hit the Final Four. Gotta beat good teams in the tournament, but at least we don't have to go through the best teams early.

[gumbomoop]

I think Kellogg meant, and may even have half-mumbled as a quick add-on, that UVA beat Duke both as regular season #1 and for ACCT champion.

[duke4ever19]

Methinks either UVA or Wich St. will be first 1-seeds to go down.

[dukelifer]

Other than MSU, the East looks like a cakewalk to me for UVA. They should have no trouble making it to S16, at least.

Isn't that expected for a 1 seed?

[Ky-Dukie]

As much as I hate to say it , if we make it out to the elite 8 , look like we'll play uk. They seem to be a different team. With the size match ups and how they like to drive, I just don't like that game.

[NYBri]

UVA goes down to MSU.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Now it's time to go win my Billion dollars.

Guess we are going to split it.

[ChrisP]

Isn't that expected for a 1 seed?

Well of course, but it doesn't always work out that way. I think that, even as a #1, once you get past that first game (which, let's face it, is usually against a team that's just not that good) then it immediately gets really tough. I may have spoken too early about the East - and haven't given IA St enough credit - but it still looks like one of the easier brackets to me. I hope UVA goes really far, too.

[gumbomoop]

As much as I hate to say it , if we make it out to the elite 8 , look like we'll play uk. They seem to be a different team. With the size match ups and how they like to drive, I just don't like that game.

Both teams have to win 3 to get that far. I'm pleased Duke won't have to play UL, UK, SLU, or Wich St until EE, should we make it that far. If a team makes it to EE, have to figure a tough, tough opponent, no matter the region.

[jipops]

Brutal bracket overall, but actually I am not too unhappy with Duke's draw through the 2-3 game. Our 2 seed is Michigan, whom we beat once already. And our 6 seed is UMass, which almost lost to George Mason twice.

We beat uva and that didn't work out today

[77devil]

West is weakest by far, top 4 seeds in particular.

[CDu]

Aside from being a #3, I actually like our region (for us) quite a bit. We don't have an overly scary first weekend. And aside from Villanova, we get the best possible option for a #2 seed in Michigan. The elite-8 game (if we're fortunate enough to get there) is going to almost certainly be tough. But facing Louisville in the Elite-8 would not be the end of the world.

[Troublemaker]

As much as I hate to say it , if we make it out to the elite 8 , look like we'll play uk. They seem to be a different team. With the size match ups and how they like to drive, I just don't like that game.

Are you really going to be concerned with a Duke-UK Elite 8 matchup, coming out of THIS region? Who wouldn't sign up for that right now?

[Black Mambo]

Aside from being a #3, I actually like our region (for us) quite a bit. We don't have an overly scary first weekend. And aside from Villanova, we get the best possible option for a #2 seed in Michigan. The elite-8 game (if we're fortunate enough to get there) is going to almost certainly be tough. But facing Louisville in the Elite-8 would not be the end of the world.

Umm...2013?

[FerryFor50]

Umm...2013?

No Deng. No Siva. No Ware compound fracture to motivate their team.

This ain't 2013... (Though Harrell has gotten much better)

[arnie]

We beat uva and that didn't work out today

I think our bracket is fine, but don't think we make it out. Collection of very good players and a great one, but not a great team. Things just didn't jell this year and don't see happening now.

[El_Diablo]

Oh, dear lord, we now have to hear the Louisville lamentations from ESPN for the next week.

[hurleyfor3]

Please continue discussions of individual games and regions in the the thread for those regions.

I'll keep this open to facilitate discussion of the bracket in general.

[NashvilleDevil]

Wow is right - just gonna make them mad!

Or they'll be upset and not play as well

[duke96]

Are you really going to be concerned with a Duke-UK Elite 8 matchup, coming out of THIS region? Who wouldn't sign up for that right now?

Only thing about this region that bothers me is Louisville as 4 seed. But that is probably the one team I would have picked in addition to Florida that I don't want to see in our bracket. Real, real tough game the way they are playing.

[Dukehky]

Switched over to ESPN coverage. They asked Seth Greenberg to make all the picks for the round of 64 games. I guess he has a lot more experience watching since he could never get in.

Also, he is awful. If I was running an Enterprise Rent-A-Car, I wouldn't hire him to vacuum out the the 2000 Ford Taurus

[sagegrouse]

There are two teams from Northwest District of Columbia in the NCAAs, and neither one is Georgetown University. American U. walloped top-seeded Boston University to win the Patriot League, and the George Washington Colonials qualified for the NCAAs by placing third in the tough A-10 with an overall 24-8 record.

[duke4ever19]

An interesting side note on just how quickly misinformation spreads....

A couple of us posted in protest when Kellogg pointed out (erroneously) that Duke lost to Virginia "twice."

Within a few minutes I was traveling in the car and heard not one , but two separate national sports radio station hosts mention that Virginia had a good season and even defeated Duke twice. I think it is highly unlikely that two separate stations just happened to have messed up our head-to-head record vs. Virginia within minutes of watching the brackets come out.

It's no big deal in the record book, of course, but I found it rather irritating seeing as how we just lost to them. Now, in the eyes of several national sports jockeys and millions of sports fans who will never bother to double check that information, we lost to the 'Hoos twice.

[FerryFor50]

Holy cow.

Greenburg picked Duke to advance to the finals.

Bilas has Duke advancing to the Elite 8 and losing to L'ville.

Not sure if this is good or bad...

[CDu]

Holy cow.

Greenburg picked Duke to advance to the finals.

Bilas has Duke advancing to the Elite 8 and losing to L'ville.

Not sure if this is good or bad...

Digger also picked us to go to the Finals.

And all of the analysts picked Duke to the elite-8.

[Dukehky]

I think all the Big 10 love is hilarious. They've won 3 titles in he past thirty years, and 1 in the past 15.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

There are two teams from Northwest District of Columbia in the NCAAs, and neither one is Georgetown University. American U. walloped top-seeded Boston University to win the Patriot League, and the George Washington Colonials qualified for the NCAAs by placing third in the tough A-10 with an overall 24-8 record.
And I'm guessing this is the first time there have ever been two teams in the NCAA from downtown Durham!

[arnie]

And I'm guessing this is the first time there have ever been two teams in the NCAA from downtown Durham!

And 4 from the Triangle.