News:

Thank you for your patience during the Forum downtime while we upgraded the software. Welcome back and see this thread for some new features and other changes to the forum.

Main Menu

March Madness 2018 and Conference Tournaments

Started by CNGL-Leudimin, February 27, 2018, 11:50:31 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

CNGL-Leudimin

It's about time! March is around the corner, and the conference tournaments have already begun. The Atlantic Sun tournament started yesterday, and four teams have already taken out from the contest for their auto berth. Today the Big South and Patriot tournaments follow suit. There are four teams that existed in 1948 that have never made it into the March Madness: Army, The Citadel, St. Francis Brooklyn and William & Mary (Northwestern was also in this list until they got an at-large berth last year). Three teams cannot make the March Madness due to failure to meet the required Academic Progress Rate: Alabama A&M, Grambling State and SE Missouri State (originally Savannah State was also banned, but they got a waiver; next year they will play their last Division I season). Finally, I now consider March Madness 2013 to have never taken place :bigass:.


I now proceed to announce the names I'll know each of the venues. As we know, I refuse to recognize naming rights as the companies who purchased them don't pay me (changed names are in bold):
First Four:
Dayton: UD Arena

First and Second Rounds:
Pittsburgh: Penguins Arena
Wichita: Sedgwick County Arena
Dallas: Mavericks Arena
Boise: BSU Pavillion
Charlotte: Charlotte Bobcats Hornets Arena
Detroit: Detroit Events Center
Nashville: Nashville Arena
San Diego: Aztec Bowl Arena

Regional Semifinals and Finals (the finals a.k.a. "quarter-finals" by me):
Los Angeles: L.A. Arena
Atlanta: Hawks Arena
Boston: Boston Garden
Omaha: Omaha Arena and Convention Center

Final Four:
San Antonio: Alamodome

I've already selected my full roster for my spoof, which consists of association football teams :sombrero:. I'll do the seeding after next weekend but before Selection Sunday, and then place the teams in the corresponding placements once Selection Sunday is done.
Supporter of the construction of several running gags, including I-366 with a speed limit of 85 mph (137 km/h) and the Hypotenuse.

Please note that I may mention "invalid" FM channels, i.e. ending in an even number or down to 87.5. These are valid in Europe.


Buck87

The Big Ten Tournament is being held a week earlier than normal this year so that it can be played at Madison Square Garden, and it begins tomorrow. This will be the 21st B1G Tournament, and only the 2nd not held in either Chicago or Indianapolis (last year's was held in Washington, DC.)


Alps

Quote from: Buck87 on February 27, 2018, 12:10:24 PM
The Big Ten Tournament is being held a week earlier than normal this year so that it can be played at Madison Square Garden, and it begins tomorrow. This will be the 21st B1G Tournament, and only the 2nd not held in either Chicago or Indianapolis (last year's was held in Washington, DC.)


They said they're not going to do it again a week early. Go Blue.

Brandon

Quote from: Alps on February 27, 2018, 07:29:28 PM
Quote from: Buck87 on February 27, 2018, 12:10:24 PM
The Big Ten Tournament is being held a week earlier than normal this year so that it can be played at Madison Square Garden, and it begins tomorrow. This will be the 21st B1G Tournament, and only the 2nd not held in either Chicago or Indianapolis (last year's was held in Washington, DC.)

They said they're not going to do it again a week early. Go Blue.

It would be better to rotate it between Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, and Indy, IMHO.
Go Green.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

Alps

Quote from: Brandon on February 27, 2018, 07:38:25 PM
Quote from: Alps on February 27, 2018, 07:29:28 PM
Quote from: Buck87 on February 27, 2018, 12:10:24 PM
The Big Ten Tournament is being held a week earlier than normal this year so that it can be played at Madison Square Garden, and it begins tomorrow. This will be the 21st B1G Tournament, and only the 2nd not held in either Chicago or Indianapolis (last year's was held in Washington, DC.)

They said they're not going to do it again a week early. Go Blue.

It would be better to rotate it between Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, and Indy, IMHO.
Go Green.
I think you're going to see the East Coast in regular rotation between Pen* State, Maryland, and Rutgers. At least add Philadelphia into your list, if not Baltimore and/or NYC switching off occasionally. I'd also add Des Moines or Omaha (maybe switching off every rotation) to represent Iowa and Nebraska.

1995hoo

Don't forget the Barclays Center in Brooklyn is another option that's a more likely addition to the Big Ten rotation than MSG (simply because the Big East is so entrenched there). Not this year because the ACC is at Barclays, but the ACC Tournament is heading back to Charlotte next year and Greensboro in 2020.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

hbelkins



Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

ET21

Quote from: Alps on February 27, 2018, 08:00:52 PM
Quote from: Brandon on February 27, 2018, 07:38:25 PM
Quote from: Alps on February 27, 2018, 07:29:28 PM
Quote from: Buck87 on February 27, 2018, 12:10:24 PM
The Big Ten Tournament is being held a week earlier than normal this year so that it can be played at Madison Square Garden, and it begins tomorrow. This will be the 21st B1G Tournament, and only the 2nd not held in either Chicago or Indianapolis (last year's was held in Washington, DC.)

They said they're not going to do it again a week early. Go Blue.

It would be better to rotate it between Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, and Indy, IMHO.
Go Green.
I think you're going to see the East Coast in regular rotation between Pen* State, Maryland, and Rutgers. At least add Philadelphia into your list, if not Baltimore and/or NYC switching off occasionally. I'd also add Des Moines or Omaha (maybe switching off every rotation) to represent Iowa and Nebraska.

Furthest east it should honestly go is maybe DC or Detroit. Big 10 is mainly a mid-western conference with 2 outliers in Rutgers and Maryland and an outskirt in Penn State
The local weatherman, trust me I can be 99.9% right!
"Show where you're going, without forgetting where you're from"

Clinched:
IL: I-88, I-180, I-190, I-290, I-294, I-355, IL-390
IN: I-80, I-94
SD: I-190
WI: I-90, I-94
MI: I-94, I-196
MN: I-90

SP Cook

There is only one blue, and it is Big Blue.

Anyway, having the Big 10 in NYC is silly, and, judging by the early crowds, not working out so well.  The natural place for the Big 10 is Indy, the "crossroads of America" and a college basketball region. 

Similarly it is dumb to have the ACC in Brooklyn.  Belongs in Greensboro, or Charlotte, or Atlanta.  I really don't get why the SEC is in St. Louis.  Nashville seems the most logical place right now.

BTW, the Big 10 in NYC joins the Pac 12, WAC, West Coast (all in Las Vegas), Big Sky (Reno), and Big 12 (Kansas City) in holding a tournament in a state that none of its teams are actually located.


hbelkins

Quote from: SP Cook on March 01, 2018, 02:28:28 PM
I really don't get why the SEC is in St. Louis.

St. Louis -- and Nashville too, for that matter -- is convenient for all those UK fans out in the western part of the state for whom either of those locations are closer than Lexington. The UK fans who attend the conference tournament are typically those who don't get to go to games in Rupp Arena. Trust me, the Purchase area is just as much Big Blue country as the Bluegrass region or the mountains.

I don't know if having the tourney in STL was some sort of bone thrown or promise made to Mizzou for joining the SEC or what. We'll know if the tournament ends up in some Texas city in a few years, because that would indicate A&M got the same deal.

Nashville, Atlanta, even Birmingham; all are logical sites for the SEC tournament. Nashville is marginally closer than Atlanta (a couple of hours) and UK's had a lot of success in Atlanta, but most of the people I've talked to who have attended tournaments in both places say they prefer Nashville for a variety of reasons.

I'd love to see it played in Louisville sometime, but the rest of the conference would go ballistic. Perhaps the Yum Center management would be more inclined to submit a bid now that Pitino and Jurich are out of the picture.

Is STL a one-shot deal, or are they scheduled to host any future tournaments? I honestly don't keep up with that stuff.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

SP Cook

Quote from: hbelkins on March 01, 2018, 10:45:44 PM

I'd love to see it played in Louisville sometime, but the rest of the conference would go ballistic. Perhaps the Yum Center management would be more inclined to submit a bid now that Pitino and Jurich are out of the picture.

Is STL a one-shot deal, or are they scheduled to host any future tournaments? I honestly don't keep up with that stuff.

The fake math that Louisville used to finance the YUM Center has become a huge dead weight to both the city-county and the Commonwealth.  With the FBI hauling off the Louisville athletic department and your governor's dropping the hammer on the arena management, the building is much less under UL's control now.

As to the SEC Tournament, it is signed for Nashville next year through 2025, with the exception of 2022 when it will be at Tampa.

1995hoo

It'd be hard to beat that game in Louisville last night!
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

NWI_Irish96

I've always thought that conferences should try to use Final Four sites for conference tournaments to give their teams experience playing there and potentially an experience advantage should they make it that far.  For example, the Big 12 should be playing in the San Antonio this year, the BIG in Minneapolis next year, the SEC in Atlanta in 2020, and the BIG in Indy in 2021
Indiana: counties 100%, highways 100%
Illinois: counties 100%, highways 61%
Michigan: counties 100%, highways 56%
Wisconsin: counties 86%, highways 23%

Eth

Quote from: hbelkins on March 01, 2018, 10:45:44 PM
Nashville, Atlanta, even Birmingham; all are logical sites for the SEC tournament. Nashville is marginally closer than Atlanta (a couple of hours) and UK's had a lot of success in Atlanta, but most of the people I've talked to who have attended tournaments in both places say they prefer Nashville for a variety of reasons.

I'd be fine with y'all sticking to Nashville. :)

(signed, an increasingly bitter alumnus of an Atlanta-based ACC school set to miss the tournament for something like the 8th year in a row)

HazMatt

Quote from: Eth on March 02, 2018, 01:14:24 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on March 01, 2018, 10:45:44 PM
Nashville, Atlanta, even Birmingham; all are logical sites for the SEC tournament. Nashville is marginally closer than Atlanta (a couple of hours) and UK's had a lot of success in Atlanta, but most of the people I've talked to who have attended tournaments in both places say they prefer Nashville for a variety of reasons.

I'd be fine with y'all sticking to Nashville. :)

(signed, an increasingly bitter alumnus of an Atlanta-based ACC school set to miss the tournament for something like the 8th year in a row)

Didn't stop you from beating my Wolfpack again.  I'm glad Lammers graduates this year.

pianocello

Quote from: Brandon on February 27, 2018, 07:38:25 PM
Go Green.

Go White.

Thank God they've got a shot at a tournament run this year. The other fan bases I've found myself around (Valpo and Iowa State) are just about done with their respective rebuilding seasons.
Davenport, IA -> Valparaiso, IN -> Ames, IA -> Orlando, FL -> Gainesville, FL -> Evansville, IN

hbelkins

Quote from: SP Cook on March 02, 2018, 09:28:05 AM

The fake math that Louisville used to finance the YUM Center has become a huge dead weight to both the city-county and the Commonwealth.  With the FBI hauling off the Louisville athletic department and your governor's dropping the hammer on the arena management, the building is much less under UL's control now.

Everybody knows that I'm probably the biggest supporter that former Gov. Ernie Fletcher ever had. What was done to him by the attorney general at the time was an abomination. (And because I work for the Transportation Cabinet and because I'm related to someone who figured prominently in what happened, I know a lot more about that situation than what ever got publicly reported in the press.)

That being said, the two biggest mistakes he made were moving forward with the building of that arena in Louisville (Freedom Hall was just fine as it was/is) and changing the Kentucky parkway route markers.

Back on the subject, I still don't understand why mid-major conferences like the Ohio Valley (where my alma mater plays) have tournaments. They can't be making any money playing in half-empty arenas, and TV is only going to carry the final game, not the preliminary rounds. Plus, those conferences normally are only going to get one bid, and one would think they'd want their strongest team to make the NCAA for the possibility of some upsets. However, the top seed is prone to being upset in the conference tournament, and sometimes that can result in a team with a losing record earning the right to be the 68th seed and a date with a powerhouse in the first game.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

DandyDan

Quote from: Brandon on February 27, 2018, 07:38:25 PM
Quote from: Alps on February 27, 2018, 07:29:28 PM
Quote from: Buck87 on February 27, 2018, 12:10:24 PM
The Big Ten Tournament is being held a week earlier than normal this year so that it can be played at Madison Square Garden, and it begins tomorrow. This will be the 21st B1G Tournament, and only the 2nd not held in either Chicago or Indianapolis (last year's was held in Washington, DC.)

They said they're not going to do it again a week early. Go Blue.

It would be better to rotate it between Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, and Indy, IMHO.
Go Green.
I would add Cleveland to that list as well, although I believe the MAC has a stranglehold on Cleveland.
MORE FUN THAN HUMANLY THOUGHT POSSIBLE

Buck87

Quote from: hbelkins on March 02, 2018, 10:02:57 PM
Back on the subject, I still don't understand why mid-major conferences like the Ohio Valley (where my alma mater plays) have tournaments. They can't be making any money playing in half-empty arenas, and TV is only going to carry the final game, not the preliminary rounds. Plus, those conferences normally are only going to get one bid, and one would think they'd want their strongest team to make the NCAA for the possibility of some upsets. However, the top seed is prone to being upset in the conference tournament, and sometimes that can result in a team with a losing record earning the right to be the 68th seed and a date with a powerhouse in the first game.

Yeah, my least favorite part about College Basketball is the concept of the conference tournament...or at least the idea that a conference's auto bid should be the tournament champion. I always consider the regular season champion the true champion of any conference.

CNGL-Leudimin

IMO there should be no at-large berths, as they are almost exclusively handed over to teams from major conferences. I think both the regular season and the tournament champions (or if both are the same, the tournament runner-up) should qualify. Since this adds up to 64 teams, the First Four can be scrapped altogether.
Supporter of the construction of several running gags, including I-366 with a speed limit of 85 mph (137 km/h) and the Hypotenuse.

Please note that I may mention "invalid" FM channels, i.e. ending in an even number or down to 87.5. These are valid in Europe.

Alps

Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on March 03, 2018, 07:59:12 AM
IMO there should be no at-large berths, as they are almost exclusively handed over to teams from major conferences. I think both the regular season and the tournament champions (or if both are the same, the tournament runner-up) should qualify. Since this adds up to 64 teams, the First Four can be scrapped altogether.
a) What about regular season winners who also win the conference?
b) Why should two teams from a weak conference get in over three teams from a strong conference?

hotdogPi

#21
Quote from: Alps on March 03, 2018, 02:57:58 PM
b) Why should two teams from a weak conference get in over three teams from a strong conference?

Conferences shouldn't matter. If a team doesn't make it solely because its conference is weak (especially if it's a strong team in a weak conference), that's equivalent to discrimination. It's not as much of a problem in basketball, but in football, where only 4 teams qualify, a team can go undefeated without anyone even considering them qualifying, just because they are in a bad conference.

I don't follow college sports at all, but it just seems really unfair.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

Alps

Quote from: 1 on March 03, 2018, 03:15:02 PM
Quote from: Alps on March 03, 2018, 02:57:58 PM
b) Why should two teams from a weak conference get in over three teams from a strong conference?

Conferences shouldn't matter. If a team doesn't make it solely because its conference is weak (especially if it's a strong team in a weak conference), that's equivalent to discrimination. It's not as much of a problem in basketball, but in football, where only 4 teams qualify, a team can go undefeated without anyone even considering them qualifying, just because they are in a bad conference.

I don't follow college sports at all, but it just seems really unfair.
Teams have plenty of chances to play non-conference games in the first half of the season. If they do well there, chances are they'll have a good in-conference year as well, and would probably earn a bid even if they should somehow fall in the conference tournament. If a team from a weak conference goes, say, 2-12 against non-conf opponents and then 16-2 in house for a regular season title, I still don't think highly enough of them to award them an auto berth. That's what the NIT is for.

hbelkins

Showing my age again, I remember when the NCAA tourney had a lot fewer teams than it does now.. The conferences were sorted geographically into the four regions, and there were a limited number of bids available for independents. In the Mideast Region, Notre Dame usually got a bid. The conferences that played in the Mideast were the SEC, OVC, Big Ten and Missouri Valley. Only the conference champion made it, and very few conferences had tournaments. A slow expansion started in the late 70s or early 80s, but they still did things geographically. At one point, the higher-seeded teams in each region got a first-round bye. The NCAA set up Kentucky and Louisville to play in 1982, with Louisville getting a bye, but Middle Tennessee from the OVC beat UK in the first-round game because UK was overlooking MTSU for U of L.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

CNGL-Leudimin

#24
Okay, the first few auto bids are in! They are...
A-Sun: Lipscomb (First March Madness appearance!)
Big South: Radford
Big Ten: Michigan
MVC: Loyola (IL) (Ending a 33 year drought)
OVC: Murray State

I forgot to say that this year all teams (except those penalized due to APR) were eligible for the March Madness, as up to four teams have ended their transition and are can now qualify. They are Abilene Christian, Grand Canyon, Incarnate Word, and 1's College (i.e. UMass Lowell). As of now, only Grand Canyon can match Northern Kentucky's feat last year, as both Abilene Christian and Incarnate Word failed to qualify for their conference's tournament, and UMass Lowell has been eliminated (as well as Northern Kentucky, a No. 1 seed which has been surprised by Cleveland State).

I've also conducted my own Selection Sunday, one week before the official one :sombrero:. All 68 teams of my choice are now seeded, and the top 4 teams are already placed in my bracket. Once the official Selection Sunday is done I'll fill the rest of the bracket (as every other team can be literally in any of the four sides).
Supporter of the construction of several running gags, including I-366 with a speed limit of 85 mph (137 km/h) and the Hypotenuse.

Please note that I may mention "invalid" FM channels, i.e. ending in an even number or down to 87.5. These are valid in Europe.



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.