Pool C in 2016

[smedindy]

The scenario that gives me fear is the North Region keeping Mt Union ranked above Wheaton, based on reputation alone, and then Mt Union sitting at the table for the National committee and getting selected last thereby blocking Wheaton from the tournament. I know it's unlikely but its plausible and it will have me on edge today as we wait it out.

And this is why it's so important for the regional committee to get the order right.  In basketball, we have seen situations where the regional committee's order blocked a team with a strong Pool C resume from getting selected.  So had the order been A then B, A would have gotten in for sure...and B would have had an decent chance.  But by going B then A, neither gets in because B just sits there on the board forever.

I have always felt the regional committee's duty is to order their Pool C candidates in the manner that maximizes Pool C selections from that region (seems obvious to me but I have seen some head-scratchers).  In this case, they should clearly have Wheaton ahead of Mount Union.

Yes, of course, I agree, BUT...

They shouldn't monkey with the non Pool C rankings blatantly just to get a team a RR win.

[kiko]

No you can't.  If it's based on the criteria Wheaton is clearly ahead of Mt.  In fact so,is Olivet and it's close with Franklin.

Apples and oranges.  Those criteria are used to pick Pool C teams -- they are not necessarily the criteria used to formulate regional rankings, and the regional committees are not under any obligation to use the criteria for this purpose.

I think the North Committee would be smart to elevate Wheaton above Mount to maximize Pool C opportunities.  But I would have no issue if they kept Mount higher because they think that is where they deserve to be ranked.

[USee]

Actually neither committee is okiated to use the criteria but both are supposed to use it

[art76]

My 2016 mock bracket – updated after the release of week 11 Top 25

Quadrant One

1. Mary Hardin-Baylor
3. Hardin-Simmons

5. Western New England
8. Husson

6. Randolph-Macon
4. Wesley

7. Redlands
2. Linfield

Quadrant Two

1. Whitewater
8. Lakeland

7. Washington U.
4. Wheaton

5. Coe
3. St. John's

6. Wittenberg
2. Mount Union

Quadrant Three

1. St. Thomas
8. Northwestern

6. St. John Fisher
4. Hobart

3. Thomas More
7. Huntingdon

5. Monmouth
2. Oshkosh

Quadrant Four

1. North Central
8. Rose-Hullman

5. Stevenson
4. Alfred

3. Johns Hopkins
7. Bridgewater State

6. Olivet
2. John Carroll

Notes: All the previous pairings were OK for mileage and were in appropriate quadrants. The seeds are based on the latest D3 Top 25 rankings. We all know that the different committees don't care about that, but some of us have an itch to get the brackets as close as we can within the mileage limitations imposed by the NCAA.

The biggest shifting from my earlier posting this morning is that Mount Union didn't drop as far as I thought they might, so they become the #2 seed in that quadrant, so an adjustment had to be made so that if the higher seeds won that #2 would play #3 and #1 would play #4. (Of course, that line of thinking gets thrown out the window with UMHB and Hardin-Simmons, but the remainder of the quadrants that works out.)

[art76]

Huh - got four of the pairings the same as the NCAA.

[smedindy]

Platteville in over probably Muhlenberg (maybe CWRU), either SJF or Frostburg, and probably Franklin.

I have no complaints.

[SaintsFAN]

Platteville in over probably Muhlenberg (maybe CWRU), either SJF or Frostburg, and probably Franklin.

I have no complaints.

Nope.  No complaints.  And the extra flight in the UMHB bracket.  This will be fun.

[wesleydad]

Platteville in over probably Muhlenberg (maybe CWRU), either SJF or Frostburg, and probably Franklin.

I have no complaints.

Nope.  No complaints.  And the extra flight in the UMHB bracket.  This will be fun.

Love that they split up UMHB and HSU in round 1.

[art76]

For anyone who cares, I just went back through the process of ranking the teams in their quadrants by the D3 Top 25 criteria and have posted it below.

1. UMHB vs. 7. Redlands
3. Linfield vs. 4. Hardin-Simmons
5. Wheaton vs. 6. Huntingdon
2. North Central vs. 8. Rose-Hulman

1. St. Thomas vs. 8. Northwestern
5. Coe vs. 6. Monmouth
3. St. John's vs. 4. Platteville
2. Oshkosh vs. 7. Washington U.

1. Whitewater vs. 8. Lakeland
3. Thomas-More vs. 4. Wittenberg
5. Wesley vs. 6. Stevenson
2. John Carroll vs. 7. Olivet

2. Johns Hopkins vs. 6. Randolph-Macon
1. Mount Union vs. 4. Hobart
5. Western New England vs. 8. Husson
3. Alfred vs. 7. Bridgewater State.

Sure looks different than what the NCAA is using for setting the brackets. (Not that I am complaining.)

[hazzben]

How great that the last team in (assuming UWP) has a realistic shot at going on a deep run. And could also get bounced by a really good Rd 1 opponent. This is gonna be fun!

[wesleydad]

For anyone who cares, I just went back through the process of ranking the teams in their quadrants by the D3 Top 25 criteria and have posted it below.

1. UMHB vs. 7. Redlands
3. Linfield vs. 4. Hardin-Simmons
5. Wheaton vs. 6. Huntingdon
2. North Central vs. 8. Rose-Hulman

1. St. Thomas vs. 8. Northwestern
5. Coe vs. 6. Monmouth
3. St. John's vs. 4. Platteville
2. Oshkosh vs. 7. Washington U.

1. Whitewater vs. 8. Lakeland
3. Thomas-More vs. 4. Wittenberg
5. Wesley vs. 6. Stevenson
2. John Carroll vs. 7. Olivet

2. Johns Hopkins vs. 6. Randolph-Macon
1. Mount Union vs. 4. Hobart
5. Western New England vs. 8. Husson
3. Alfred vs. 7. Bridgewater State.

Sure looks different than what the NCAA is using for setting the brackets. (Not that I am complaining.)

Probably because the NCAA does not care about the D3 top 25.

[SaintsFAN]

For anyone who cares, I just went back through the process of ranking the teams in their quadrants by the D3 Top 25 criteria and have posted it below.

1. UMHB vs. 7. Redlands
3. Linfield vs. 4. Hardin-Simmons
5. Wheaton vs. 6. Huntingdon
2. North Central vs. 8. Rose-Hulman

1. St. Thomas vs. 8. Northwestern
5. Coe vs. 6. Monmouth
3. St. John's vs. 4. Platteville
2. Oshkosh vs. 7. Washington U.

1. Whitewater vs. 8. Lakeland
3. Thomas-More vs. 4. Wittenberg
5. Wesley vs. 6. Stevenson
2. John Carroll vs. 7. Olivet

2. Johns Hopkins vs. 6. Randolph-Macon
1. Mount Union vs. 4. Hobart
5. Western New England vs. 8. Husson
3. Alfred vs. 7. Bridgewater State.

Sure looks different than what the NCAA is using for setting the brackets. (Not that I am complaining.)

Mount Union wasn't a 1; they are the road team.  Looks like a 5

[wesleydad]

Hard to believe that 1 team from the East was not good enough to get into the field as a Pool C.  It would be nice to know who was first up to see why they did not get in.  Any ideas as to who would have been first up, but not good enough to get in?  Seems to me that it would be Frostburg or St. Lawrence.  D3 folk were pretty sure that if Fisher made the table they would get in.

[art76]

For anyone who cares, I just went back through the process of ranking the teams in their quadrants by the D3 Top 25 criteria and have posted it below.

Mount Union wasn't a 1; they are the road team.  Looks like a 5

We agree - the NCAA seeded them lower than the pundits on D3 Top 25 poll.

[hazzben]

Hard to believe that 1 team from the East was not good enough to get into the field as a Pool C.  It would be nice to know who was first up to see why they did not get in.  Any ideas as to who would have been first up, but not good enough to get in?  Seems to me that it would be Frostburg or St. Lawrence.  D3 folk were pretty sure that if Fisher made the table they would get in.

That's a great question. And underscores the stupidity of the unseen final RR.