Is the Selection Committee a Joke?

[Voice of Reason]

 

RPI One Seeds

1) Florida - Seed 1

2) Arizona - Seed 1

3) Kansas - Seed 2

4) Wichita State - Seed 1

 

RPI Two Seeds

5) Villanova - Seed 2

6) Wisconsin - Seed 2

7) Iowa State - Seed 3

8) Virginia - Seed 1

 

RPI Three Seeds

9) Duke - Seed 3

10) Creighton - Seed 3

11) Michigan - Seed 2

12) VCU - Seed 5

 

RPI Four Seeds

13) New Mexico - Seed 3

14) San Diego State - Seed 4

15) UCLA - Seed 4

16) Syracuse - Seed 3

 

RPI Five Seeds

17) Michigan State - Seed 4

18) Cincinnati - Seed 5

19) Kentucky - Seed 8

20) Louisville - Seed 4

 

RPI Six Seeds

21) Gonzaga - Seed 8

22) UConn - Seed 7

23) UMass - Seed 6

24) Ohio State - Seed 6

 

RPI Seven Seeds

25) Oklahoma - Seed 5

26) St. Louis - Seed 5

27) North Carolina - Seed 6

28) Oregon - Seed 7

 

RPI Eight Seeds

29) Baylor - Seed 6

30) George Washington - Seed 9

31) BYU - Seed 10

32) St. Joseph's - Seed 10

 

I think your bold were off. I redid your list. I only highlighted teams that were 2 or more seed levels off from their RPI. If the team is seeded way too high, they are in red. Way too low, they are in blue.

 

The only team off by 3 seed levels is UK.

[tcjkbt]

As Oscar Combs tweeted about, only one regional site with a dome is Indy. So the committee has UK, Duke,UL, Michigan and Witchita St in that bracket to help make sure there are plenty of people in those seats.

What's the saying...Follow the money...? Mabe that applies here.

[DragonFire]

I think your bold were off. I redid your list. I only highlighted teams that were 2 or more seed levels off from their RPI. If the team is seeded way too high, they are in red. Way too low, they are in blue.

 

The only team off by 3 seed levels is UK.

 

I bolded them if they were 4 slots or more from where they were "supposed". So Virginia at #8, while only one seed line below, was 4 spots from being a 1 seed. But to each their own.

 

I do think it shows a pretty solid correspondence between the RPI and seeds in that only 25% were 2 or more seed levels off. UK was WAY off of it.

[Bluegrasscard]

The committee seems to have pre-built responses for rationalizing any particular team. The problem is when you apply the same rationalization to another team there are issues.

 

Wichita State gets number 1 seed. But their SoS - 111. Record against top 25 0-0. But a #1 seed granted. So much for that 'schedule tough out of conference opponents' argument.

 

Kentucky gets number 8 seed. Their SoS - 2. Record against top 25 1 - 5. Two of the 6 were against a very strong Florida team. Where is that SoS/non-conference schedule argument now? Solid games against Michigan State and NC. Maybe RPI and BPI are not perfect. But Kentucky showed as 15 in one and a 10 in another. Not bad. And not a #8.

 

Kentucky gave the committee enough rope to hang an 8 on them with the South Carolina loss and 2 losses to Arkansas. And with Louisville only being 19 in the RPI that win looks less 'quality' through the RPI glasses. But Louisville is a 4 in the BPI.

 

And in the 'pairings for story lines' category the 8 seed makes great drama. An 8-9 supposedly toss-up opener, probably match-up with an undefeated in the 2nd round and then a rematch with the dreaded in-state rival. And in each round the preseason #1 ranking will be dragged out. Talk about made for ESPN. The entire mid-west seems contrived and Kentucky's seed seems to be great for story lines and for ratings. Welcome to the current day Hunger Games.

[statman]

The committee seems to have pre-built responses for rationalizing any particular team. The problem is when you apply the same rationalization to another team there are issues.

 

Wichita State gets number 1 seed. But their SoS - 111. Record against top 25 0-0. But a #1 seed granted. So much for that 'schedule tough out of conference opponents' argument.

 

Kentucky gets number 8 seed. Their SoS - 2. Record against top 25 1 - 5. Two of the 6 were against a very strong Florida team. Where is that SoS/non-conference schedule argument now? Solid games against Michigan State and NC. Maybe RPI and BPI are not perfect. But Kentucky showed as 15 in one and a 10 in another. Not bad. And not a #8.

 

Kentucky gave the committee enough rope to hang an 8 on them with the South Carolina loss and 2 losses to Arkansas. And with Louisville only being 19 in the RPI that win looks less 'quality' through the RPI glasses. But Louisville is a 4 in the BPI.

 

And in the 'pairings for story lines' category the 8 seed makes great drama. An 8-9 supposedly toss-up opener, probably match-up with an undefeated in the 2nd round and then a rematch with the dreaded in-state rival. And in each round the preseason #1 ranking will be dragged out. Talk about made for ESPN. The entire mid-west seems contrived and Kentucky's seed seems to be great for story lines and for ratings. Welcome to the current day Hunger Games.

 

Undefeated is undefeated. Even Indiana State got a #1 Seed back in 1979 out of the Missouri Valley and they didn't play much in the way of scheduling either.

[00Rocket28]

To be the best, ya gotta beat the best...so bring em on! If the can come that close to beatin Florida, they can play with anyone right now.

[MJAlltheWay24]

Wichita State gets number 1 seed. But their SoS - 111. Record against top 25 0-0. But a #1 seed granted. So much for that 'schedule tough out of conference opponents' argument.

 

Might be why I heard Dakich say they had to go through the region of death (playing off the World Cup group of death). Committee knew that they had to give them a #1 seed but wasn't going to reward them as much by giving them a really tough draw.

[00Rocket28]

Larry Bird ain't walkin' through that door Wichita State

[DragonFire]

Three 12 seeds have now won. Now, at least one wins every year. Sometimes two. But three? And the fourth only lost after a miracle hackathon + choke job. That's to say nothing of two 11s winning, one of which blew out the biggest joke overseed in years.

 

Ya done real good committee. REAL good.