2012 Division III NCAA Tournament

[BBGUY]

I see that SPoint is not hosting. There was a piece that said something about the "Stevens Point" rule. Does anyone know what that means? I see that the women's SPoint team also won the conference and they are hosting. Does D3 prohibit 2 teams from the same school hosting? Doesn't it seem odd that Point, ranked # 4 in the nation would not host??

[Bucket]

Yes, both teams cannot host the opening weekend, and this year the women's side has first priority. Next year, it will be the men, etc.

[Ralph Turner]

Yes, the Handbook deals with that problem, because there are about a dozen schools in the country who have programs that could host for men and women.

D-III decided to take the issue and deal with it.  One tourney, one Athletic department to focus the experience on the four teams who are competing in that bracket.

For 2011, the women host in the first weekend; the men can host in the second.

In 2012, the men will host in the first weekend; the women in the second.  

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/champ_handbooks/basketball/2011/11_3_mbasketball.pdf

[Just Bill]

If you saw it called the "Stevens Point Rule" that references 2004. Both the UWSP men and women were selected to host a sectional. With no rule against it, the two NCAA committee chairs discussed the feasibility of allowing Point to host them both simultaneously. Point was willing to do both, but the chairs ultimately decided that it was not feasible to do both equitably.

At that point, the chairs asked UWSP to choose which one they would rather host. Then-AD Frank O'Brien wisely had no interest in picking one team over the other and he refused to name a preference, insisting UWSP was capable of hosting both.

Ultimately the decision rested on the two committee chairs. They decided that since the women were seeded higher than the men, they would get the right to host. The men were shipped to Puget Sound. (Lawrence would have been the preferred geographical choice, but their gym does not meet sectional standards.)

Both teams won their sectionals with the men winning their first national title and the women placing fourth and missing out on two titles in three years. The next year the NCAA put in the current rotation system.

[Greek Tragedy]

Ranked teams as of last weeks rankings-games through Feb. 20

Whitworth regional
Whitworth #2
Chapman #15

Marietta regional
Marietta #13

Wooster regional
Wooster #5

Cabrini regional
None

Willliams regional
Williams #1
Becker #23

VWU regional
VWU #10
Franklin and Marshall #19

WPI regional
WPI #12
Amherst #7

Oswego regional
Oswego #24

McMurry regional
None

Augustana regional
Augustana #6

Concordia regional
Concordia #21
UWSP #4
St. Norbert #20

St. Thomas regional
St. Thomas #9
UWRF #22

Ramapo regional
Ramapo #25

St. Mary's regional
St. Mary's #18
Randolph-Macon #8

Ithaca regional
Rochester #14

Western Connecticut regional
Western Connecticut #17
Middlebury #3

Missed tourney
#11 EMU
#16 Wabash

[Kenleen]

I think the four brackets are as balanced as I can recall.  Whitworth and Wooster in one, Williams, Amherst, VWU in a second, Stevens Point, Augustana, St. Thomas in a third, and Middlebury and Randolph-Macon in the fourth ... sets up at least the possibility of an Elite Eight with all top-ten caliber teams, which is pretty unusual.  It seems like most years there is a top-notch team with an easy path to the Final Four, but not this year, although I do like the chances of Amherst (despite playing on the road), Whitworth, Augustana, and Midd to make the Elite Eight. 

I agree that EMU got the shaft.  An elite eight team, with everyone back, who puts up a fairly guady record in a top-four conference, without any really bad losses, they should be in for sure. 

I agree about EMU, but (despite the howls of anguish all around the boards) note that every single thing you mentioned (excepts arguably the gaudy record) applies equally to IWU.

BTW, I also agree that this is the best balance of brackets I can ever recall. 

If you were playing in the ODAC you would cry foul!  Note that 4 teams got in from the ODAC last year and all 4 made it to the sweet 16.  VA Wesleyan-16; EMU-8; Guilford and RMC -final 4.  The ODAC deserved at least 3 bids.  With 7 seniors back from the final 4 team, why is it a surprise that RMC beat EMU 3 times.  EMU had all 5 seniors back from the elite 8 and despite a slow start they were on a nine-game winning streak when RMC ended it in the tournament semis.  Talk about Hot!  Also note that EMU beat VA Wesleyan the one time they played them at home, and they repaid Randolph and W&L with decisive victories at home to make up for their earlier losses.   Someone needs to add the national rankings to the mix so teams like #11 EMU and #16 Wabash aren't left at home. 

[Pat Coleman]

Now No. 15 and No. 19.

[magicman]

I think that you have 2 geographic byes...
Whitworth/Chapman/Redlands

and TBA/McMurry/UT-Dallas

That was a pretty good thought Ralph, Plus K.

[magicman]

No RUST???  WTF?!?!

Plus K Ethelred!

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Just realized that if Middlebury and Randolph-Macon both make the sweet sixteen, neither one can host.  Interesting.

[nescac1]

Will there be a thread again for folks to give capsule summaries of the various tourney teams?  I thought that was a good one last year. 

[nwhoops1903]

Hoops Fan:  Why is that?

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Hoops Fan:  Why is that?

Distance.  More than 500 miles between them.  Likely the Ithaca-Rochester winner will host.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Um... if Ramapo came out.. they could host this... also, one team would fly to either location... so Middlebury and RMC are still in the mix for hosting.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Um... if Ramapo came out.. they could host this... also, one team would fly to either location... so Middlebury and RMC are still in the mix for hosting.

Wait, maybe I'm missing something.  Would the NCAA really pay for a flight just to give either RMC or Middlebury the hosting gig?  I was just assuming one of the teams in the middle would host.  Rochester, Ramapo, Ithaca, or even Gwynedd Mercy could host without a flight.

I was just pointing out that the two best teams in the bracket (Midd and RMC) would not be hosts if both came out.  The only way one of them could host is if the other lost in the first two rounds (or the NCAA got generous with the plane tickets).