View Single Post
Old 03-26-2018, 04:35 AM   #166
Comey
College Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
Note: This was written on 10.3.15, before Northwestern actually made the real-life NCAA tournament.

Final Regular Season Poll


Duke finished the regular season 28-1, and atop the poll...where they started it. Rice started the year #2, and they end at #2. They also gained considerably votes on Duke: The Blue Devils have 54 first-place votes, while Rice has 17. Southern Cal also snagged one, despite being ranked fourth. They are 29-2, though.

George Washington finished the year at #8.

Code:
Top 25 # Team FPV Record Points Prv Conference test test test test -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Duke (54) 28-1 1771 1 Atlantic Coast Conference 2. Rice (17) 27-2 1744 2 Southwest Conference 3. Missouri 27-2 1666 3 Big Eight Conference 4. Southern California (1) 29-2 1586 4 Pacific-8 Conference 5. Texas Christian 26-3 1501 5 Southwest Conference 6. Cornell 23-4 1424 7 Ivy League 7. Brigham Young 25-5 1369 6 Western Athletic Conference 8. George Washington 28-1 1314 8 Independent 9. Kansas State 24-7 1169 13 Big Eight Conference 10. Kansas 22-7 1153 9 Big Eight Conference 11. Princeton 20-6 1043 12 Ivy League 12. Florida 29-2 968 10 Southeastern Conference 13. UTEP 23-7 911 15 Western Athletic Conference 14. Maryland 20-8 887 17 Atlantic Coast Conference 15. Pennsylvania 20-8 884 11 Ivy League 16. Baylor 19-9 734 14 Southwest Conference 17. Virginia 22-8 655 19 Atlantic Coast Conference 18. Clemson 20-9 563 20 Atlantic Coast Conference 19. Colorado State 21-7 450 18 Western Athletic Conference 20. Yale 21-8 438 16 Ivy League 21. Texas Tech 19-8 388 21 Southwest Conference 22. Illinois 25-6 340 22 Big Ten Conference 23. Oregon State 23-7 188 24 Pacific-8 Conference 24. Texas A&M 18-9 105 23 Southwest Conference 25. Nebraska 20-10 89 NR Big Eight Conference Others Receiving Votes: Bradley 24-7 26 Missouri Valley Conference East Carolina 24-9 10 Southern Conference Michigan State 22-8 9 Big Ten Conference Wake Forest 19-10 7 Atlantic Coast Conference Purdue 21-9 6 Big Ten Conference California 20-9 1 Pacific-8 Conference Davidson 23-8 1 Southern Conference



Conference Tournament Recap

ACC: Wake Forest finished in a three-way tie for last in the ACC, at 4-8. They were the last seed, #7, in the conference tournament. Their overall record was 22-10, though, and they ran through second-seed Maryland, third-seed Virginia, and toppled #1 Duke, 81-76, to claim victory. It is entirely possible, though unlikely, that all seven ACC teams reach the NCAA Tournament. Right now, five of the seven (including Wake) were already considered locks, while North Carolina (18-12) and NC State (17-12) were considered in. This should not damage Duke's #1 candidacy, but strengthen George Washington's.

Big East: The #4 seed, St. John's, will be dancing at 16-16. The Johnnies beat #2 Seton Hall (17-15), 72-64. The Johnnies knocked out top-seeded Connecticut, 79-60, to reach the final. #3 Pitt, who was considered in going into the conference tournament, may be on the outside now. They fell to sixth-seeded BC, 66-64.

ECC: If the Big East wasn't worried with their own tournament, they should be here. Tenth-seeded American, who was 3-8 in conference play, ran the table in similar fashion to Wake--beating #2 St. Joe's, #3 Lafayette, and crushing #1 La Salle (72-59)--to earn the tourney berth. The ECC was expected to get four teams in. Now, American, at 19-15, may have dropped someone out.

Ohio Valley: The hits continue, though this isn't nearly as upset. #4 Morehead State was already considered in, at 21-12. They beat #3 East TN State, 70-59, to get in. #2 Middle TN State may be hurt the most, as they lost in the first round to seventh-seed Austin Peay, 80-72.

Southern: #2 East Carolina won the Southern Conference bid, 77-66 over fourth-seeded Citadel. Both teams are considered to be in, as is #1 Davidson.


NCAA Tournament Selection Show

Rice was the top-seed in the West. That should have immediately set off alarms, especially when Southern Cal wasn't the #2 seed there. Missouri got the top seed in the Midwest, with BYU the #2. That means Southern Cal was headed east, and would be the top seed. That also meant George Washington was about to get hit, again, with an unfavorable draw.

All things considered, getting the #2 seed in the South is not the end of the world. Sure, Duke is the top seed, but GW knows it can hang with the Blue Devils already. And there are several potential trips down memory lane for Jack and company...for instance, a second-round matchup with Wake, a third-round potential matchup with Princeton, along with Yale being in the other half of the bracket...East Carolina is the #8 seed, and, of course, Duke
Here are the matchups, along with the picks:


West
1) Rice (29-2) vs 16) American (19-15)
8) Oregon State (23-7) vs 9) Loyola Marymount (22-8)
4) Pennsylvania (22-8) vs 13) Lafayette (19-13)
5) Clemson (21-10) vs 12) Arizona State (17-12)
2) Kansas State (24-7) vs 15) Pittsburgh (21-10)
7) Michigan State (22-8) vs 10) Long Beach State (20-8)
3) Colorado State (21-7) vs 14) Kent State
6) Columbia (19-12) vs 11) La Salle (19-12)

Second Round:
Rice over Oregon State, Clemson over Penn
Kansas State over Long Beach St, La Salle over Colorado State

Semifinal: Rice over Clemson; Kansas State over La Salle
Final: Rice over Kansas State


Midwest
1) Missouri (27-2) vs Western Michigan (15-13)
8) Purdue (21-9) vs 9) Washington (19-11)
4) Maryland (20-8) vs 13) Wyoming (17-12)
5) Baylor (21-9) vs 12) Citadel (20-13)
2) BYU (25-5) vs 15) Drake (18-10)
7) Nebraska (20-10) vs 10) East TN State (20-13)
3) Texas Christian (26-5) vs 14) San Jose State (18-12)
6) Illinois (25-6) vs 11) Hardin-Simmons (20-9)

Second Round:
Missouri over Washington; Maryland over Citadel
BYU over East TN State; TCU over Illinois

Semifinal: Maryland over MIssouri; BYU over TCU
Final: BYU over Maryland


South
1) Duke (29-2) vs 16) St. John's (16-16)
8) East Carolina (24-9) vs 9) Army (21-8)
4) Kansas (22-7) vs 13) NC State (17-12)
5) Yale (23-8) vs 12) Middle TN State (19-11)
2) George Washington (28-1) vs 15) Alabama (19-11)
7) Wake Forest (22-10) vs 10) Morehead State (21-12)
3) Princeton (21-7) vs 14) Delaware (19-11)
6) Texas Tech (19-10) vs 11) New Mexico (18-12)

Second Round:
Duke over ECU; Yale over Kansas
GW over Wake; Princeton over New Mexico

Semifinals: Duke over Yale; GW over Princeton
Finals: GW over Duke


East
1) Southern Cal (29-2) vs 16) Montana State (17-12)
8) Bradley (24-7) vs 9) Davidson (23-8)
4) UTEP (23-7) vs 13) Hofstra (19-12)
5) Virginia (23-9) vs 12) Loyola-Illinois (22-8)
2) Cornell (24-5) vs 15) Connecticut (21-11)
7) California (20-9) vs 10) Rhode Island (21-8)
3) Florida (29-2) vs 14) Canisius (17-12)
6) Texas A&M (20-9) vs 11) North Carolina (18-12)

Second Round:
Southern Cal over Davidson; UTEP over Virginia
Cornell over Rhode Island; Florida over UNC

Semifinals: Southern Cal over Cornell
Final: Southern Cal over Cornell

Final Four:
Southern Cal over BYU
GW over Rice

NCAA Championship: GW over Southern Cal (a fitting, idealistic end to the tale)


Notes: All seven ACC teams received berths...first-time bids: Army, Connecticut, Hardin-Simmons, Loyola-Illinois, Pittsburgh, Wyoming...Michigan State reached the NCAA for the third time, and two years removed from a 6-24 season...this is American's first berth since 1954-55...Hofstra is in the tournament for just the second time, and the second time in three seasons...Lafayette has two Elite Eight appearances (1965-66, 1967-68)...Canisius has reached the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season; they were first-timers last year...Kent State is making their first appearance since 1960-61; they are 0-2 in two appearances...Western Michigan has made four straight postseason appearances, after never reaching the second season once before 1981-82 (this year's 15-13 miracle squad won the MAC)...the MEAC has only earned three bids to the NCAA Tournament; SC State reached the last three dances, gaining a victory in the first round each time; they were relegated to the NIT, as the MEAC was shut out this year...SC State does have seven straight postseason appearances, after never once reaching the postseason...this is Cal's fifth-straight NCAA appearance; they reached the Elite Eight last year...Florida's 29-2 record is, far and away, the best record in school history...ECU is back in the postseason after a two-year absence...the Southland was denied entry into the tournament this year, though Texas-Arlington reached the NIT...Southern Methodist, a traditional power in the Southwest, has now gone without the postseason in three of the last year fours, and four in the last six...until 1978-79, they had never failed to reach the second season, and had reached nine straight NCAAs, and fifteen straight before that...they have four Elite Eights, and won Final Four, but with a loaded roster, could only manage a 12-17 (1-13) record in the Southwest (which may be the toughest in the nation, outside of the ACC)...Loyola Marymount has reached the NCAA for only the third time...the WAC placed six in the NCAA, including Wyoming, who is dancing for the first time...this is Rhode Island's first trip to the NCAA since 1954-55, when they went 25-6...


Teams that have never reached the NCAA:
(* denotes no postseason experience)
Boston College, Syracuse, Villanova, Gonzaga*, Idaho State*, Lehigh*, West Chester, Air Force, Ball State*, Buffalo, Butler, Cal State Los Angeles, Centenary, Charleston Southern, Charlotte, Cleveland State, Creighton, Denver, Duquesne, Fairfield, Fairleigh Dickinson, Fordham, Georgia State, Georgia Tech*, Hawaii, Houston Baptist, Indiana State*, Iona, Memphis, Mercer, Milwaukee, Navy, Niagara, Northeastern, Northern Illinois, Oklahoma City, Penn State, Portland*, Portland State, Rutgers, Saint Louis, Samford, South Alabama, St. Bonaventure, St. Francis (PA), St. Peter's*, Stetson, TX-Pan American, UC Santa Barbara, VCU, Virginia Tech, Xavier, Howard, Maryland-Eastern Shore, North Carolina A&T, North Texas* (Jack's first loss), Wichita State*, Oregon, Washington State, Georgia, Mississippi State, Furman, William & Mary*, Arkansas State, Lamar, Louisiana Tech, Boston U*, Holy Cross, Maine*, Massachusetts, New Hampshire*, Vermont

(Unlike real life, Northwestern has one NCAA experience, in 1964-65.)
__________________


Last edited by Comey : 03-26-2018 at 04:38 AM.
Comey is offline   Reply With Quote