Random double-digit seeded mid-major in the Final Four?
We're due for one, we get one every five years or so (not counting Butler, who was a single digit seed for both of their runs). So whose it gonna be? 2/3 the way through the season here are some candidates:
(In alphabetical order)
College of Charleston
Cornell
Drake
Florida Atlantic
Iona
Kent State
Liberty
Oral Roberts
Seattle
Southern Illinois
Southern Miss
UC-Santa Barbara
RE: Random double-digit seeded mid-major in the Final Four?
(01-18-2023 10:30 PM)_C2_ Wrote: We're due for one, we get one every five years or so (not counting Butler, who was a single digit seed for both of their runs). So whose it gonna be? 2/3 the way through the season here are some candidates:
(In alphabetical order)
College of Charleston
Cornell
Drake
Florida Atlantic
Iona
Kent State
Liberty
Oral Roberts
Seattle
Southern Illinois
Southern Miss
UC-Santa Barbara
Whoever wins the Missouri Valley. The winner will probably be a 12 seed when all is said and done.
RE: Random double-digit seeded mid-major in the Final Four?
(01-18-2023 10:32 PM)shizzle787 Wrote:
(01-18-2023 10:30 PM)_C2_ Wrote: We're due for one, we get one every five years or so (not counting Butler, who was a single digit seed for both of their runs). So whose it gonna be? 2/3 the way through the season here are some candidates:
(In alphabetical order)
College of Charleston
Cornell
Drake
Florida Atlantic
Iona
Kent State
Liberty
Oral Roberts
Seattle
Southern Illinois
Southern Miss
UC-Santa Barbara
Whoever wins the Missouri Valley. The winner will probably be a 12 seed when all is said and done.
Historically, that's the safe bet. I don't see that capability in any of this year's teams though. It's basically an 8-team blob of 75-150 caliber teams.
RE: Random double-digit seeded mid-major in the Final Four?
It’s often a team who’s resume may not be that impressive overall, but is very good late in the season. After a team has some losses early, their record never looks that impressive. Look for those teams that are 8-2, 9-1, 10-0 in their last 10, even if they have 10 losses on the season.
(This post was last modified: 01-18-2023 11:08 PM by Todor.)
RE: Random double-digit seeded mid-major in the Final Four?
How are we not due for one? On average, we've been getting one every 5 or so years (George Mason 2006, VCU 2011, Loyola 2018) not even counting Butler, who made it back-to-back years. With parity and the lack of dominant teams compared to the past, if anything it'll happen more often.
RE: Random double-digit seeded mid-major in the Final Four?
(01-18-2023 10:35 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote: Oral Roberts looks the most like a George Mason/VCU/Wichita/Loyola to me.
Charleston too, but I think they'll be a single digit seed.
Yeah, if Charleston is lucky and the committee is generous, CoC gets the 6-line. But I don’t think they’ll get that high, and they’ll end up in the 7-10 “stew.”
Were UNCW to steal the CAA AQ…that might be interesting. UMass-Lowell was interesting for a bit, too.
Likely 1 of SIUE/UT Martin or Youngstown St/Fort Wayne
Likely 1 of UMass Lowell/New Hampshire/Maine/NJIT or Grambling/Bethune-Cookman or Utah Valley/Cal Baptist/UTRGV or Sacred Heart/St.Francis (Brooklyn)
Likely 1 of 23 others
This assumes no at-large. Utah Valley has a NET ranking of 80, all others are over 100.
(This post was last modified: 01-19-2023 09:02 PM by jimrtex.)
RE: Random double-digit seeded mid-major in the Final Four?
(01-19-2023 12:05 AM)_C2_ Wrote: How are we not due for one? On average, we've been getting one every 5 or so years (George Mason 2006, VCU 2011, Loyola 2018) not even counting Butler, who made it back-to-back years. With parity and the lack of dominant teams compared to the past, if anything it'll happen more often.
While it's true that those three made it in the most recent 16 tournaments, it's also true, unless I am mistaken, that those are the only ones to have ever done so in the history of the tournament. So it is rare.
RE: Random double-digit seeded mid-major in the Final Four?
Not Cornell. This team isn't as good as the 09-10 loaded with seniors that went to the Sweet 16 in their third straight tournament. That team was a 12 seed.
(This post was last modified: 01-19-2023 08:38 PM by whittx.)
RE: Random double-digit seeded mid-major in the Final Four?
(01-19-2023 07:49 PM)ken d Wrote:
(01-19-2023 12:05 AM)_C2_ Wrote: How are we not due for one? On average, we've been getting one every 5 or so years (George Mason 2006, VCU 2011, Loyola 2018) not even counting Butler, who made it back-to-back years. With parity and the lack of dominant teams compared to the past, if anything it'll happen more often.
While it's true that those three made it in the most recent 16 tournaments, it's also true, unless I am mistaken, that those are the only ones to have ever done so in the history of the tournament. So it is rare.
This. But also we kind of got this last year with Saint Peters anyway. They didn’t make the final four but given their seed, I’d say it was even more impressive.
RE: Random double-digit seeded mid-major in the Final Four?
(01-19-2023 07:49 PM)ken d Wrote:
(01-19-2023 12:05 AM)_C2_ Wrote: How are we not due for one? On average, we've been getting one every 5 or so years (George Mason 2006, VCU 2011, Loyola 2018) not even counting Butler, who made it back-to-back years. With parity and the lack of dominant teams compared to the past, if anything it'll happen more often.
While it's true that those three made it in the most recent 16 tournaments, it's also true, unless I am mistaken, that those are the only ones to have ever done so in the history of the tournament. So it is rare.
There have been six double-digit seeds to make the final four, but LSU 1986, Syracuse 2016, and UCLA 2022 would not be considered a mid-major. One would have to look at the distribution on #10 and #11 seeds between the P6 and other conferences.
#12 have been about as likely to reach the Sweet 16, as #10, and #11. That is likely due to the opposition. A #12 would generally face a #5 and #4, but then would go up against a #1 in the Sweet 16. 21 #12 have reached the Final Four but only 2 of the 21 have gone further.
#11 would generally face #6 and #3 and then #2. Of the 24 who have reached the Sweet 16, 9 have won to reach the Elite 8.
RE: Random double-digit seeded mid-major in the Final Four?
(01-18-2023 11:54 PM)Renandpat Wrote: We want big brands in the Final Four.
YOU may want big brands in the Final Four, but a lot of people who aren't heavily into betting/gambling (and they're by far the majority) love to see a Cinderella team advance that far.
A lot of people considered the 1979 Final Four to have been one of the classics:
Michigan State (Magic Johnson) - Indiana State (Larry Bird) - DePaul - Penn (Ivy)
(This post was last modified: 01-20-2023 04:32 AM by Milwaukee.)