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Post by StuffU on Nov 21, 2006 16:42:07 GMT -5
I agree with the top 5, though I'm not sure about the order. Until we know the outcome of Washington at Stanford and Texas at Nebraska of course, nobody's sure about the order. But then, that doesn't matter. We'll have the same teams in the top 4 regardless of those matches; we just don't know the order. I don't buy USC being seeded that low. No poll or ranking I can find has them lower than #7. On the other hand, Utah seems too high; nobody has them higher than #9. I also have doubts about the number of conference matchups in the regionals. You have Nebraska at Texas, UCLA at Washington, and potentially Penn State/Minnesota and Stanford/USC on neutral ground. Maybe the committee won't go out of their way to avoid conference pairings -- and it's darn hard to avoid them with the Pac-10 in any case -- but it seems like they'd avoid having the conferences eliminate each other quite that much. The committee does not try to avoid conference matchups in Regional finals. All of my matchups avoid conference matchups in the Regional semis though. And I agree, the Washington-Stanford contest and the Nebraska-Texas contest could change the landscape. Regarding USC, you only have to look back to 2002 when #2/#3 Hawaii was given a #6 seed and sent to Nebraska to know that the committee does anything it wants to fill a bracket.
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Post by aaronic on Nov 21, 2006 18:24:10 GMT -5
I think I might be the only one who thinks the NCAA will do it's best to get Hawaii to at least the Regional Semis, and moreso the Regional Finals due to the whole $$ issue. I see Hawaii getting one of the third tier seeds of the seeded teams such as #9-12... or actually #8-12 would probably make no difference either way, but I don't think they'll pit the Wahine against one of the Top 4 seeds in the Regional Semis. Of course the above is if the Wahine win out. Same with Florida, Texas, and Washington. However even though this wouldn't happen i'd love to see Nebraska at Washington. It geographically would fit... . Also Stanford at Florida would also be interesting a la 2004 style.
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Post by Mix Breed-TEXAS,HI,LBSU on Nov 21, 2006 19:41:04 GMT -5
I don't think the Huskers will be in the UT Region. Florida or Hawaii is what I'm thinking. Now everyone knows that sending Nebraska to Washington will be payback for the Husker's....LOL......... Huskies VS. Huskers ...(Rematch)...
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Post by blastingsand on Nov 21, 2006 19:43:45 GMT -5
How would Nebraska do if sent to Washington or Texas?
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Post by Mix Breed-TEXAS,HI,LBSU on Nov 21, 2006 19:48:10 GMT -5
How would Nebraska do if sent to Washington or Texas? I don't think NU will be in the same bracket as Texas but I can see them meeting up with Washington during the last night before going to the final 4....THE REGIONAL FINAL'S....!!! where NU meets UW.
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Post by Tex_VB_Fan on Nov 21, 2006 20:04:30 GMT -5
Stanford --> Hawaii Nebraska --> Florida PSU/UCLA --> Austin Washington --> Seattle (obviously)
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Post by Ye Olde Dawg on Nov 21, 2006 21:53:15 GMT -5
How would Nebraska do if sent to Washington or Texas? At Texas I think Nebraska would be likely to win. They did that earlier in the year, didn't they? At Washington is a different story. The most recent Pablo ranking says the top 5 teams are all close enough that the home team would be favored in a match between any two of them. These aren't last year's Huskies or Huskers; they're both good, but both beatable. For Nebraska it's a question of how well they can prepare for a team with many of the same traits as the team that beat them last year. For Washington it's a question of whether they can execute a game plan like last year's that can overcome the Huskers' talent. Plus whatever advantage having the home court can give them. I do know that both teams would be motivated, and that I'd really like to see that match! ;D
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Post by Pirate VB Fan on Nov 21, 2006 22:16:15 GMT -5
Even though it would be ludicrous for The Committee to put UNL in the Seattle bracket with UW, I do think it would give UW the best chance of winning the title this year. I would rather have to face UNL on our home court than on theirs (or just about theirs).
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Post by beachman on Nov 21, 2006 22:37:49 GMT -5
If they do that, who the heck's left for PSU to play? Well, past history of the committee is to give PSU and Florida pretty easy roads to hoe!
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Post by bigfan on Nov 21, 2006 22:46:04 GMT -5
I don't think NU will be in the same bracket as Texas but I can see them meeting up with Washington during the last night before going to the final 4....THE REGIONAL FINAL'S....!!! where NU meets UW. Sort of like when back to back defending Champs USC met Nebraska in the 2004 regionals and USC won an epic battle.
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Post by roy on Nov 21, 2006 23:10:13 GMT -5
Well, past history of the committee is to give PSU and Florida pretty easy roads to hoe! Not sure I agree with this but Penn State has underachieved for the past few years in the tournament. So even an easy draw for Penn State isn't an easy road for them.
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Post by Barefoot In Kailua on Nov 21, 2006 23:20:07 GMT -5
Regarding USC, you only have to look back to 2002 when #2/#3 Hawaii was given a #6 seed and sent to Nebraska to know that the committee does anything it wants to fill a bracket. Absolutely! excellent point. Travel should be a non Issue, after all, Hawai'i got sent first to Austin Texas, then State College PA last year in the tourney. You aboslutely cannot travel farther for a regional than that. I am personally hoping that Nebraska gets sent to Hawai'i.
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Post by GatorVball on Nov 21, 2006 23:40:43 GMT -5
Well, past history of the committee is to give PSU and Florida pretty easy roads to hoe! Not sure I agree with this but Penn State has underachieved for the past few years in the tournament. So even an easy draw for Penn State isn't an easy road for them. Since winning the title in 1999 2000-seeded 3rd in the region, lost regional final at USC 2001-unseeded, lost at home in the 2nd round to 8th seedUCLA 2002-seeded 13th, lost at home in the 2nd round to Temple 2003-seeded 11th, lost to Florida in the regional finals(upset 6th seed KState along the way) 2004-seeded 2nd, lost to UCLA(at Washington) in the sweet 16 2005-seeded 2nd, lost at home to Tennessee in the sweet 16 I'd say they've underachieved a little, or more.
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Post by beachman on Nov 22, 2006 0:14:33 GMT -5
Well, past history of the committee is to give PSU and Florida pretty easy roads to hoe! Not sure I agree with this but Penn State has underachieved for the past few years in the tournament. So even an easy draw for Penn State isn't an easy road for them. An easy road is an easy road no matter how you drive it.....whether you take full advantage of that easy road is yet another story
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Post by Chance on Nov 22, 2006 0:55:35 GMT -5
I disagree that the committee is not going to try to get Nebraska into the Final Four. The committees agenda has been to keep the Final Four at Nebraska like they do with baseball. My personal feeling is that they will want to keep the hype and atmosphere so they will push for Nebraska to make the Final Four. Nebraska in the Final Four guarantees a strong turn out and that gives the committee reasons to keep the Final Four there. Even if we assume the committee wants the final four permanently in Nebraska, I'm not sure that gives them motivation to help Nebraska make it to the final 4. Imagine 2 scenarios... 1. Nebraska loses in the elite 8. Four other teams go to the final 4 in omaha (obviously...). The event is sold out ticket wise, and about 85% actually full. The atmosphere is good, the NCAA makes lots of money, it looks good on TV, etc... 2. Nebraska goes to the final 4 and wins the NC. The place is 100% sold out and crammed to capacity... It's fairly loud, it looks great on TV, concession sales and merchandise sales are very high. The NCAA makes some more money that situation 1, but not a big amount more... Which of those situations would actually be better IF the committee wants to bring the final 4 back to omaha next year? While situation 2 looks a little better on TV, makes a little more money, etc... I think situaiton one would make it easier for them to come back next year. I think if nebraska hosts the final four, and makes it there, and ESPECIALLY if they win it, it will be very hard for the NCAA to put it there next year. There would be a lot of outcry that it gives an unfair advantage to Nebraska... Whereas if Nebraska doesnt make it to the final four, there will be less outcry against it going back there next year, allthough there will still (rightfully IMO) be some.
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