2013 Division III NCAA Tournament

[Ralph Turner]

One piece of the puzzle can be solved by having UMHB and Trinity TX win their tourneys and no Pool C being given to CTX or UT-Dallas.  That was either an orphan game or 2 flights.

[Ralph Turner]

Another orphan game will be the SCIAC champ and Whitworth as NWC champ.

I don't think that Whitman gets a Pool C bid.

[algernon]

I would imagine that even though they won't be using 'pods' they will still seed or group teams together in sensible travel pods to avoid flights in the 2nd round.

Do you think they will be looking at "travel pods" of 8 teams, with the hope of avoiding plane flights as much as possible for the first 3 rounds on the March Saturdays of 3/2, 3/9, and 3/16?

[gordonmann]

Mr. Ypsi:

Pat and Dave hopefully can answer your question. Honestly I haven't followed those kinds of issues as closely this year as in the past.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I think we're only going to see two flights before Salem.  SCIAC champ to Whitworth and then the winner to someplace else (or maybe someone else to Whitworth).

They usually figure out a way to make those Texas teams drive somewhere in the second round - it'll just be easier with more host teams this year.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

They aren't going to reseed - that flies in the face of so many things like a traditional bracket that they aren't going to do it.

However, don't be surprised if you see teams shipped to the islands for games (since a flight is going to be necessary anyway) and teams shipped out of those islands to avoid those traditional battles in early rounds. They have the ability to make these moves.

They also have the ability to maybe balance out or shift where is playing who later in the tournament since 8 teams are traveling to Salem. This could set-up some great match-ups in Salem to determine the final four and then the championship game. I think this where we could really see some great creativity. It still might mean teams close to each other or within 500 miles playing in the Sweet 16, but if it means an Amherst-Illinois Wesleyan game in the Elite 8... I will take it.

From what I have gathered, the NCAA is not punishing the committee with the flights needed to Salem because of the unique nature of the tournament. In other words, they aren't going to hamstring them in the earlier rounds per flights just because up to six or seven flights will be needed for Salem. However, there is also the knowledge that they could say no on games the committee really wants - there isn't necessarily going to be an open book on flights.

I am not a huge fan of the drawn out nature of the tournament... but I am a huge fan of what the possibilities could really be with the single-round games at individual sites the first three weekends before eight teams get to Salem to decide the championship game.

[Ralph Turner]

I think we're only going to see two flights before Salem.  SCIAC champ to Whitworth and then the winner to someplace else (or maybe someone else to Whitworth).

They usually figure out a way to make those Texas teams drive somewhere in the second round - it'll just be easier with more host teams this year.

I think that there will be at least three flights for the first round and for the Round of 32/16.

NWC-SCIAC Pool A's game
ASC Pool A versus Trinity as SCAC Pool A winner to Round of 32/16.
NWC/SCIAC winner to Round of 32/16.

If Colorado College wins that SCAC Pool A, then there will be three flights in the first round and as least 2 flights in the second round.

The bean-counters are hoping that Colorado College does not win the SCAC Pool A bid.

[Ralph Turner]

I agree with Dave on this one.  Having 32 playoff games on D-3 campuses in the first round is a real winner!

That is likely 16 more schools that get to host a playoff game!

[Greek Tragedy]

62 teams = 2 teams with byes and waiting two weeks to play, right?

[Pat Coleman]

62 teams = 2 teams with byes and waiting two weeks to play, right?

That's correct -- it's really 30 campuses with home games but that's the most we've had since 1997, I believe. I'm excited for all those schools that get to host games this year who otherwise wouldn't. I liked that setup better than the pods.

[Ralph Turner]

Sorry for the mathematical imprecision...       

I agree with Pat. Under the old system, you had about 16 teams that should have just been glad to be in the playoffs, 16 teams good enough to deserve a  home game, and 16 teams that earned a first round bye, before hosting a game.

IMHO, the best 30-odd teams in the country deserve to host a playoff game, especially because i don't see that much diffference between #16, the last team to host a 4-team tourney and #17 or even #30 who goes on the road.  I think that the quality starts to fall off this next tier at about #30 to #33.

[Greek Tragedy]

I like that half the tourney teams get to host, but like many of us, it really drags on!  I'm sure it's nearly impossible, but a Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday would be great. 

[Hugenerd]

I like that half the tourney teams get to host, but like many of us, it really drags on!  I'm sure it's nearly impossible, but a Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday would be great.

Its going to drag on either way in this format.  The championship game is being played at the D1 final four, which means the championship won't be played until April 7. Thats 5 weekends between the start of the tourney and the championship game.  If you tried compressing it more, you would just have an even longer break between the national semis and championship game (which is already two weeks):

http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2012/07/2013-tournament-spread-out

[madzillagd]

It's definitely going to be a drag on the marriage as I have so many weekends that I have to convince my wife to let me watch basketball instead of going out somewhere.  Still trying to figure out how I can tastefully watch Round 1 next weekend while sitting in my uncle's funeral.   

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

IMHO, the best 30-odd teams in the country deserve to host a playoff game, especially because i don't see that much diffference between #16, the last team to host a 4-team tourney and #17 or even #30 who goes on the road.  I think that the quality starts to fall off this next tier at about #30 to #33.

Well the best 30 teams won't host... remember New Jersey .