2012 Division III NCAA Tournament

[fritzdis]

I've started a Google map of the tournament field to help think about possible pods:

http://g.co/maps/3zrzn

I've added all the teams who've clinched a spot, as well as these teams that seem to me to be locks:

Amherst / Middlebury (one A, one C)
Hartwick (C)
MHB (C)
MIT (A or C)
RIC (C)
Transylvania (A or C)
UW - River Falls / Whitewater (one A, one C)
Va. Wesleyan (A or C)
West Conn (C)
Wheaton (C)
Wittenberg (C)


I've added Penn. State-Harrisburg / Morrisville State (NY) and Trinity (TX) / Centre (KY) in yellow, but only 2 of the 4 will make it.  I'm also starting to add likely pool C teams (red) and marking likely hosts (green).  I'll do a few more tonight, but then I'll wait to see if there's agreement on other likely teams and hosts.

Let me know if I've made any mistakes.

[7express]

This won't happen, but a Western vs. Skidmore, CSI/NYU vs. Farmingdale state pod wouldn't be bad to have at Western.    Since it sounds like we'll be in the tournament, I'm hoping we can get a home game. 

[fritzdis]

Here are my thoughts so far on possible hosts (assuming sufficient facilities):

Cabrini is a near certainty, as their numbers are excellent, and they are well situated geographically.

The Amherst/Middlebury winner is likewise a great choice.  Amherst still has a very good chance with a loss, as their numbers and location are quite favorable.

With wins, Whitewater and MIT become pretty obvious hosts.  Even with losses, they've got a decent chance.

Hope's numbers definitely put them near the top of the list, and they're within a reasonable distance from quite a few teams.  Will their isolation work against them?

River Falls' solid numbers and proximity to the Minnesota Schools and Buena Vista means they'd make a fine host, especially with a win.

Va Wesleyan will have strong numbers with a win and could host the USAC champ and a couple PA teams.  I assume the committee would try to avoid putting RMC there, probably sending them to Cabrini instead.  I think Va Wes is beyond 500 miles from the KY schools.

One of Staten Island or William Paterson will probably host.  Results vs. regionally ranked opponents might swing it in favor of WP.

Wash U has good numbers and an OK location.  If Maryville is the pool B team and within 500 miles, that might help.

As always, the Texas teams present a problem.  If Trinity wins the SCAC, I wouldn't't be surprised to see Trinity vs. the ASC champ, with the winner going to MHB.

With only 2 West Coast teams, 2 flight are required unless both get byes, so they don't have to play each other.  Still, Whitworth may have earned the chance to host a round, so flying CMS up there may make sense.

I'm sure I've overlooked someone, and I'm not going to add any more hosts to the map before we get more tournament results and other people weigh in with thoughts on likely hosts.  Remaining hosts will probably depend on who ends up getting the final few pool C bids.  As an F&M fan, I'd love to see them host, but their SOS is low, and I don't know if it will make sense to have another pod so close to Cabrini.

[Just Bill]

Here is the official mileage calculation device from the NCAA. Any other mileage number you find doesn't matter. This is the one that counts...

https://web1.ncaa.org/TES/exec/miles

[mailsy]

Thanks Just Bill.  I was just thinking about this.  Now I don't have to look for it again.  +1

[wooscotsfan]

I've started a Google map of the tournament field to help think about possible pods:

http://g.co/maps/3zrzn

I've added all the teams who've clinched a spot, as well as these teams that seem to me to be locks:

Amherst / Middlebury (one A, one C)
Hartwick (C)
MHB (C)
MIT (A or C)
RIC (C)
Transylvania (A or C)
UW - River Falls / Whitewater (one A, one C)
Va. Wesleyan (A or C)
West Conn (C)
Wheaton (C)
Wittenberg (C)


I've added Penn. State-Harrisburg / Morrisville State (NY) and Trinity (TX) / Centre (KY) in yellow, but only 2 of the 4 will make it.  I'm also starting to add likely pool C teams (red) and marking likely hosts (green).  I'll do a few more tonight, but then I'll wait to see if there's agreement on other likely teams and hosts.

Let me know if I've made any mistakes.

fritzdis - great job on this map for the NCAA tourney teams! k+

There will be one Pool B team selected and it is probably going to be Maryville, TN

[Ralph Turner]

We will know the situation in Texas after the SCAC championship.  Let's assume that Centre wins.

With four travel orphans, might we see...

Whitworth hosting CMS on Thursday.

UMHB hosting a Thursday night first round game,

and then the Whitworth/CMS winner and the Texas winner meeting somewhere?

That would take four travel orphans and only have 2 flights.  Worthy teams would get to host a playoff game (UMHB and Whitworth).

[monsoon]

Nice work on the map, fritzdis.

[sac]

Hope's numbers definitely put them near the top of the list, and they're within a reasonable distance from quite a few teams.  Will their isolation work against them?

Hope has hosted before.  I have a preliminary list with 15 teams that are within the 500 mile radius/ 3 of those are probably hosts but those aren't necessarily locks to host either.  Depending on a result today and the Pool C's that could grow to 17 or 18.

[Ralph Turner]

SCAC Final:  Trinity TX 61 Centre 50

[KnightSlappy]

Geography might hamper Hope if they were one of the last few teams deserving to host, but they'll go into the tournament as one of the top two or three overall "seeds", so the committee will give them every opportunity to possibly host.

[Mr. Ypsi]

We will know the situation in Texas after the SCAC championship.  Let's assume that Centre wins.

With four travel orphans, might we see...

Whitworth hosting CMS on Thursday.

UMHB hosting a Thursday night first round game,

and then the Whitworth/CMS winner and the Texas winner meeting somewhere?

That would take four travel orphans and only have 2 flights.  Worthy teams would get to host a playoff game (UMHB and Whitworth).

Another option might be Trinity @ UMHB and CMS flown in to face the ASC winner (@ UMHB); and flying Whitworth to Minnesota or Wisconsin.

[(509)Rat]

Ypsi,

That's what happened in 07 with Whitworth going to St. Louis (Wash U) and Occidental heading to Mississippi College. Of course neither team was ranked as highly as CMS and Whitworth are this year. I think that gets Whitworth at least one home game, most likely the 1st round matchup with CMS in Spokane.

[fritzdis]

The map (http://g.co/maps/3zrzn) should now have all the pool As.  I've added a pool B candidate (Maryville), a couple more possible pool C teams (Hobart, St. Mary's) likely to at least be on the table at the end, and several really good host candidates (Amherst, Hope, MIT, MHB because of geography).  This puts me at 60 teams on the map.  I'll try to add a few more possible Cs to get over 62.  Who are the best candidates not yet on the map?

[Greek Tragedy]

Here are the conference winners...Pool A except for the GSAC, I believe.

Region	CONFERENCE	TEAM
East	AMCC	Medaille
South	ASC	McMurry
Mid-Atlantic	CAC	York (Pa)
Mid-Atlantic	CC	Franklin & Marshall
Northeast	CCC	Endicott
Midwest	CCIW	North Central
Mid-Atlantic	CSAC	Cabrini
Atlantic	CUNYAC	Staten Island
East	E8	Ithaca
Northeast	GNAC	Albertus Magnus
South	GSAC	Maryville (TN)
Midwest	HCAC	Rose-Hulman
West	IIAC	Buena Vista
Atlantic	LAND	Scranton
Northeast	LEC	Eastern Connecticut
East	LL	Skidmore
Mid-Atlantic	MACC	Messiah
Mid-Atlantic	MACF	Misericordia
Northeast	MASCAC	Salem State
Great Lakes	MIAA	Hope
West	MIAC	St. Thomas
Midwest	MWC	Carroll College
Northeast	NAC	Castleton State
Midwest	NATHCON	Edgewood
Great Lakes	NCAC	Wooster
East	NEAC	Morrisville State
Northeast	NECC	Becker
Northeast	NESCAC	Amherst
Northeast	NEWMAC	MIT
Atlantic	NJAC	William Paterson
West	NWC	Whitworth
Great Lakes	OAC	Capital
South	ODAC	Virginia Wesleyan
Great Lakes	PrAC	Bethany
South	SCAC	Trinity (TX)/Centre
West	SCIAC	Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Atlantic	SKY	Farmingdale State
Midwest	SLIAC	Westminster (Mo)
East	SUNYAC	Oswego State
Midwest	UAA	Washington U.
West	UMAC	Northwestern
South	USAC	Christopher Newport
West	WIAC	River Falls