NCAA Selection Committee - Storylines

[FerryFor50]

I know a lot of people don't think the committee takes storylines into account when they select for regions, but there seem to be more "coincidental" matchups every year for that to be the case. There aren't a ton this season, but these stuck out to me...

First round:

L'ville - Minnesota: Richard Pitino against his dad's old team, seeking vengeance? Other teams that could have played L'ville in the east besides Minny were Iowa, Seton Hall, Florida. L'ville was the top 7 seed. Minnesota was the 3rd 10 seed. Florida probably should have been the pick here in the East.

Marquette - Murray St.: A first round battle of two of the best players in college (Ja Morant and Markus Howard)? How'd that "accidentally" happen in the west? Marquette was the top 5 seed. Murray St. was the second 12 seed. Liberty was the last 12 seed, and probably should have been Marquette's opponent. Oregon would have made sense here, too.

Buffalo - potentially ASU: If ASU gets past St John's, then it's Bobby Hurley vs. his old Buffalo team. Kind of remarkable that ASU and St. John's are having to play the play-in game when they were ranked higher in seeding than Murray St.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-bas...acket-rankings

45. Arizona State
46. Murray State
47. St. John’s
48. Oregon
49. New Mexico State
50. Liberty

For potential second round matchups:

Duke - UCF: Do we really think the committee wasn't thinking about a Zion vs. Tacko Fall matchup here? Why not Oklahoma, Baylor or Washington as the 9 seeds? As the top seed, why not Baylor as a potential matchup as the last 9 seed?

Other potential storylines that could have been avoided:

UNC - Kansas in Kansas City:

[UrinalCake]

Tacko Fall is UCF’s best player. In episode 3 of Earn Everything, the duke players met with a nutritionist and they all made tacos. Clearly the Committee thinks that Duke has been preparing for this matchup all season!

Seriously, the storylines are fun but there is no conspiracy here. You could take 68 teams and randomly place them anywhere and we’d be able to create narratives. It’s just the nature of the game, and when your head coach has been around for 40-ish years then he’s going to have crossed paths with pretty much everybody.

[FerryFor50]

Tacko Fall is UCF’s best player. In episode 3 of Earn Everything, the duke players met with a nutritionist and they all made tacos. Clearly the Committee thinks that Duke has been preparing for this matchup all season!

Seriously, the storylines are fun but there is no conspiracy here. You could take 68 teams and randomly place them anywhere and we’d be able to create narratives. It’s just the nature of the game, and when your head coach has been around for 40-ish years then he’s going to have crossed paths with pretty much everybody.

Eh, I pointed out in each storyline how the committee could have easily avoided any storyline, but actually went against their own seeding to choose a matchup.

I don't think storylines are *bad* per se, but I do think they can be a little unfair to some teams. Like, I would have liked to see Markus Howard and Ja Morant both have a chance to advance past the first round, but now, we only get to see one.

[brevity]

Buffalo - potentially ASU: If ASU gets past St John's, then it's Bobby Hurley vs. his old Buffalo team. Kind of remarkable that ASU and St. John's are having to play the play-in game when they were ranked higher in seeding than Murray St.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-bas...acket-rankings

45. Arizona State
46. Murray State
47. St. John’s
48. Oregon
49. New Mexico State
50. Liberty

I like a good conspiracy theory, and would never disregard or even underestimate the deviousness of the Selection Committee, but the 11 seed play-in games are for the last at-large teams in the field. Murray State won the Ohio Valley Conference tournament and got an automatic bid. (Fellow OVC member Belmont did not, and is in the other 11 seed play-in game.)

It’s a weird quirk that Murray State is ranked in the 1-68 list ahead of St. John’s, and goes to show how the First Four is an unnatural fit for this tournament.

[FerryFor50]

I like a good conspiracy theory, and would never disregard or even underestimate the deviousness of the Selection Committee, but the 11 seed play-in games are for the last at-large teams in the field. Murray State won the Ohio Valley Conference tournament and got an automatic bid. (Fellow OVC member Belmont did not, and is in the other 11 seed play-in game.)

It’s a weird quirk that Murray State is ranked in the 1-68 list ahead of St. John’s, and goes to show how the First Four is an unnatural fit for this tournament.

Ah, thanks for that. Makes more sense.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I suspect that if you look long enough, you can find storylines for most match ups.

[flyingdutchdevil]

I suspect that if you look long enough, you can find storylines for most match ups.

Agreed. Matt Norlander and Gary Parrish on their podcast said that, because of all the coaching changes, you can easily link schools to one another.

I do believe the committee doesn't fish for stories. But then again, I find more conspiracy theories to be exactly that: theories.

[sagegrouse]

I suspect that if you look long enough, you can find storylines for most match ups.

Yes, you can, but it is really easy for Duke this year. Possible home-town match-up with NCCU in our first game; then K vs. J.D. in the second (or rematch with VCU who beat us in 2007). One of our five losses in the regional semis vs. a full-strength VT, etc. etc.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Yes, you can, but it is really easy for Duke this year. Possible home-town match-up with NCCU in our first game; then K vs. J.D. in the second (or rematch with VCU who beat us in 2007). One of our five losses in the regional semis vs. a full-strength VT, etc. etc.

Or... it's really easy US to do for Duke because we know where K's old players coach, what other teams are in Durhams, and who Duke lost to 12 years ago.

[UrinalCake]

Swap us with Gonzaga as the #1 in the West and you could create the following storylines:
- rematch with Syracuse who beat us once earlier this season
- rematch with Baylor who we beat in 2010
- Marquette and Wojo
- Ja Morant vs. Zion made-for-TV matchup. Couldn’t possibly be a coincidence.
- FSU rematch from the ACCT final
- AZ State and Hurley
- Texas Tech rematch from earlier this season
- Michigan fab/5 storyline. Jalen Rose would be all over this.

Swap us with UVA/South:
- possible S16 rematch with Oregon who beat us there in 2016
- E8 matchup with Jay Wright who some think has surpassed Coach K as the best current coach/program
- Wisconsin rematch from the 2015 title game

CHeats/Midwest:
- Kentucky and Duke get put in the same region every single year!!!
- rematch with Auburn who we beat earlier this season
- rematch with Kansas who beat us last year
- Wofford as the mid-major darling who gets a chance to be David vs. Goliath

No matter what, fans will be able to create a storyline to justify how the selection committee went out of their way to screw them.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Swap us with Gonzaga as the #1 in the West and you could create the following storylines:
- rematch with Syracuse who beat us once earlier this season
- rematch with Baylor who we beat in 2010
- Marquette and Wojo
- Ja Morant vs. Zion made-for-TV matchup. Couldn’t possibly be a coincidence.
- FSU rematch from the ACCT final
- AZ State and Hurley
- Texas Tech rematch from earlier this season
- Michigan fab/5 storyline. Jalen Rose would be all over this.

Swap us with UVA/South:
- possible S16 rematch with Oregon who beat us there in 2016
- E8 matchup with Jay Wright who some think has surpassed Coach K as the best current coach/program
- Wisconsin rematch from the 2015 title game

CHeats/Midwest:
- Kentucky and Duke get put in the same region every single year!!!
- rematch with Auburn who we beat earlier this season
- rematch with Kansas who beat us last year
- Wofford as the mid-major darling who gets a chance to be David vs. Goliath

No matter what, fans will be able to create a storyline to justify how the selection committee went out of their way to screw them.

It's almost like Duke has a long and storied history!