2012 Division III NCAA Tournament

[Pat Coleman]

The NCAA announced today that the men's basketball tournament is expanding from 59 to 60 teams.

Pool C remains at 17 teams, Pool B remains at 4. The NATHC's automatic bid is the change.

Ralph, can you please check to make sure the NCAA has its math on straight?

Championships Handbook:
http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=36602

[Ralph Turner]

The NCAA announced today that the men's basketball tournament is expanding from 59 to 60 teams.

Pool C remains at 17 teams, Pool B remains at 4. The NATHC's automatic bid is the change.

Ralph, can you please check to make sure the NCAA has its math on straight?

Championships Handbook:
http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=36602

Thank you for asking.   

I think that we need 39 Pool A bids, 3 Pool B bids and 18 Pool C bids.  I have tried to reconcile my calculations with the Handbook in Pool B Message Board Post 1304.

If we round up the quotient of the access ratio calculation for 28-38 Pool B participants, then we get 4 Pool B bids.  If we truncate the quotient of that calculation for 28-38 schools, then we get 3 Pool B bids.  (The wording in other Handbooks is "truncate", and I have not heard that Basketball has used a different standard, i.e., rounding up).

[LogShow]

I like it...I am all for more teams. Even if it is just one more.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Yeah, I'm not sure how the NCAA is getting to four B's unless the previous information on provisional schools they released was incorrect.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Well, if we are lucky, the NCAA will realize their math is wrong and issue a change less than seven days prior to Selection Sunday! 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Why, d-mac, you know something like that could never happen!

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Mr. Yipsy, you are right... that could never happen!!!

I actually have a source that tells me the Basketball Championship Committee has already been emailed regarding Ralph Turner's information, especially about the "truncated" part of how Pool B "bids" are supposed to be allocated.

I suspect a change will come, or at least an explanation. Don't be surprised to see Pool B dropped to 3... or the word "truncated" changed in some manner. I truely suspect this issue isn't over.

[sac]

Why is there always an issue? 

[Ralph Turner]

Why is there always an issue? 

I think that it is a matter of priorities for us D3 fans.  The playoffs are big with us.  We want to know all aspects of the playoffs.

IMHO, the number of Pool B and Pool C bids drives our discussions.  However, I look at the perennial issues with determining the proper number of bids in the various sports and wonder if there is a deficiency of data management (as in the "Beer Game" in the book, Fifth Discipline.)  It seems that there is not a central data bank that manages conference and institutional membership and sports participation so that the work is done for the committees.  (I absolutely will defend the coaches and AD's who sit on the Championship Selection Committees.  That is not their job to generate the data elements.)

I know that schools need to declare their participation in the sport for the season.  Conferences need to confirm AQ bids.  Dual affiliates need to declare NCAA or NAIA.  When appropriate data points have been enteredinot the NCAA computer, then the list should be automatic for every sport.  I just don't think that database exists or exists to the degree that we would like.

If that list is not "do-able", then get the info out for us fans to look at it.  All we want is a fair shot and an equitable allocation of resources for "our student-athletes".   

[Just Bill]

This e-mail was sent to D-III members today...

This is to let you know there has been a slight correction to the pool numbers that are different from the memo emailed December 2.  Corrected pool numbers are listed below and also in the 2009 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Handbook (http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=36602). 

Pool A – 39
Pool B – 3
Pool C - 18

LINDA GODBY - Championships
National Collegiate Athletic Association

[Ralph Turner]

This e-mail was sent to D-III members today...

This is to let you know there has been a slight correction to the pool numbers that are different from the memo emailed December 2.  Corrected pool numbers are listed below and also in the 2009 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Handbook (http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=36602). 

Pool A – 39
Pool B – 3
Pool C - 18

LINDA GODBY - Championships
National Collegiate Athletic Association

YES!!!   

[Ralph Turner]

Pool B projections for 2009-10...

Thirty-four Pool B teams in 2008-09,

Plus two new members in 2009-10 going to Pool B (Mitchell in the NECC and Presentation in the UMAC) make 36 Pool B's.

Minus 8 Landmark members going to Pool A equals 28.

The Access ratio is 9.30 (and may not change very much)

28 divided by 9.3 = 3.01 which truncates to 3 bids.

[magicman]

Pool B projections for 2009-10...

Thirty-four Pool B teams in 2008-09,

Plus two new members in 2009-10 going to Pool B (Mitchell in the NECC and Presentation in the UMAC) make 36 Pool B's.

Minus 8 Landmark members going to Pool A equals 28.

The Access ratio is 9.30 (and may not change very much)

28 divided by 9.3 = 3.01 which truncates to 3 bids.

Ralph,

Perhaps you should send that info to the NCAA so they won't make the same mistake next year. Or they can just put you on the committee!!

[bballa1615]

Now that we are 8 games into the Division III Mens Basketball season, who do you think will make a run at the title? Wash. U?

[bouttime]

It is way too early in the season to make any solid predictions being that most schools are only a game or 2 into their conference schedule and some haven't had a conference game at all yet. This should be interesting to see what people say on this board.