2015 NCAA Tournament

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

They bring in extra seating and thus their minimum when they fill out paperwork with the NCAA is far higher.

[Ralph Turner]

They bring in extra seating and thus their minimum when they fill out paperwork with the NCAA is far higher.

  Possibly the etiology phrase, "cheap seats" ...

[Pat Coleman]

From Babson's website:

"Staake Gymnasium is home of the Babson basketball and women's volleyball teams. Named after Babson Athletics Hall of Fame member and former Athletics Director Paul C. Staake, this beautiful facility features two full basketball courts, six hoops, and bleacher seating for 650 people."

neverwas -- did you finish reading the page or just stop there?

The bleachers at Staake Gymnasium seat up to 650 people while additional standing room areas and alternate seating options can accommodate up to 1500 total spectators. Areas for handicap seating are also available near each entrance. There are no admission fees for any of Babson's regular season contests in Staake Gymnasium, although admission fees may aply for NEWMAC, ECAC, and NCAA Tournament games. Those fees will be advertised on the front page of the athletics site when applicable.

[Greek Tragedy]

Home teams were 13-3 in the first round. Washington U., Whitewater and St. Norbert lost.

Home teams were 12-2 in the 2nd round with both bye teams winning. Richard Stockton lost to Bates and William Paterson lost to Virginia Wesleyan.

Augustana,  Babson, Randolph Macon and Stevens Point all host.

I think Point has the toughest opening game as a host, playing Emory.

[neverwas725]

Pat, I read the overview from the Webster center part of their website. I need to learn to investigate further before posting here. Thanks!!

[Pat Coleman]

Pat, I read the overview from the Webster center part of their website. I need to learn to investigate further before posting here. Thanks!!

I recognized it because I'd read the same page. But I knew the committee wouldn't put a sectional there if that was all there had, so I kept reading. The paragraph I quoted is from the bottom of the same page.

[Just Bill]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2015/03/09/women-men-ncaa-tournament-airplane-travel/24662287/

The jigsaw puzzle has gotten more complicated over the past two years because of a pronounced drop in the availability of charter airplanes large enough to accommodate NCAA tournament travel parties, which typically include school administrators, families, pep bands and cheerleaders.

San Diego State coach Steve Fisher railed on the NCAA at his postgame news conference, calling it disgraceful that a better travel situation couldn't have been found given the massive revenues generated by the tournament each year.

[Mark] Lewis [NCAA vice president for championships], however, was adamant that the issue with New Mexico State and any subsequent problems that may come up this year have nothing to do with money, noting the NCAA has spent as much as $250,000 chartering a jumbo-sized 747 to take a team home. It's simply a problem of supply and demand, both for planes and pilots.

"We have standards for safety we'll never drop below, but anyone that's in that pool of operators and equipment; if they have a solution for us, we'll put it on the table," Lewis said. "We've put deposits down earlier than ever before. We've pre-paid for use of aircraft just to make sure we have as much availability as we could. We've never refused an opportunity because of cost."

Let me add on to the end of that quote, ".... in Division I."

Those poor D-I basketball programs. There's just not enough chartered airplanes for everyone! And they can't fit their administrators, pep bands and cheerleaders on the planes! My heart weeps.

We live on the same planet, but we are living in different worlds, man.

[Greek Tragedy]

Yeah. It's tough. With all that money schools make (and the NCAA), why don't they just buy their own planes? 

[Greek Tragedy]

According to Massey

Augie 59%
Mt. Union 41%

St. Olaf 62%
Marietta 38%

Babson 63%
Johns Hopkins 38

Bates 53%
Trinity 47%

Randolph-Macon 69
St. John Fisher 31%

Virginia Wesleyan 65%
Dickinson 35%

East Texas Baptist 72%
Northwestern 28%

Stevens Point 74%
Emory 26%

[Team First]

Anyone else reflexively want to root against the computer?

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Anyone else reflexively want to root against the computer?

I'll take Dickinson, Marietta, Northwestern, and Emory - the computers can go 4-4 like the rest of us.

[Greek Tragedy]

I'm surprised most about the St. Olaf pick and the gap between Point and Emory.

[Greek Tragedy]

Updated Massey ratings

Augie 6
Mount Union 10

St. Olaf 2
Marietta 7

Babson 3
JHU 13

Bates 20
Trinity 38

RMC 4
SJF 25

Dickinson 18
VWU 8

Northwestern 59
ETBU 14

Stevens Point 1
Emory 11

[Greek Tragedy]

13 of 16 teams are ranked in the last d3hoops.com poll.

#20 SJF at  #1 Randolph Macon
#15 JHU at #4 Babson
#19 Mount Union at #6 Augustana
#11 Emory at #8 Stevens Point
#9 Virginia Wesleyan vs #10 Dickinson
#24 St. Olaf vs #12 Marietta
Northwestern vs #24 ETBU
Bates vs Trinity (CT)

[Gregory Sager]

Virginia Wesleyan 75
Dickinson 65