Hey how do they determine who plays in the "play-in" game. This year it was Morehead State and Alabama State. How was that decided? Is it the two worst conferences in the nation (by way of RPI?) who play in this extra game?

Thanks!

I don't know but I think they need to make the play-in game the last 2 at large teams. That way you would have name opponents and high quality hoops.

(03-23-2009 10:02 AM)ETSUfan1 Wrote:  I don't know but I think they need to make the play-in game the last 2 at large teams. That way you would have name opponents and high quality hoops.

In reality they should just call this the "play out" game because all the teams are playing for is a chance to get stomped by the overall number one seed in the tourney.

(03-23-2009 10:02 AM)ETSUfan1 Wrote:  I don't know but I think they need to make the play-in game the last 2 at large teams. That way you would have name opponents and high quality hoops.

I agree. If a team wins their conference tournament and gets an automatic bid then they shouldn't be in the play-in game to see if they can get into the tournament. An automatic bid should guarantee you a spot in the field of 64 not the opportunity to play for one.

I have been saying for several years that there should be four "play-in" games ... one for each region with two played on Tuesday and two played on Wednesday ... and they should be between the #12 and #13 seeds for the right to face the #5 seeds on Thursday and Friday. This would give the fans more exciting games with possibly better known teams in the openers and it would give the media two more evenings to promote the main body of the NCAA Tournament to the general public. I would also be fine with the idea of eight "play-in" games and 72 teams making the postseason field as well.

I'd expect another play-in game to be added, possibly 1 for each bracket, when the Great West gets their autobid here in two years. The big conferences aren't going to give up an at-large just because some small schools banded together to form another conference.

originally - the committee picked the two teams in the field with the lowest RPIs. however, since that became an annual match-up between the winners of the two historically black conferences (MEAC and SWAC), they have changed that a bit. now, they pretty much take the lowest RPI team in the field and then pick the next team from among the 4-6 other lower RPI teams in the field. has nothing to do with conference and everything to do with the team. for any so-called mid-major conference that does not have its regular season champion win the tournament, they will inevitably get consideration. the committee has worked hard to not place the same teams in the game year after year. this year - morehead state was a #4 seed coming out of the ovc. (in fact - they had the highest/best RPI to ever play in that game). likely looked very hard at morehead, utc, and quite frankly etsu and any of the teams that were in the 16-15 seed lines. by the way - great west will not get an AQ in two years - in fact they will not be eligible for some time to come. most of the teams in the great west are not division I (majority are in process of reclassifying and then it take more time) do not expect more opening round/play-in games. also, many do not know that the winner of the opening round game gets an additional revenue unit which is fairly new (i think is only the second year for that). i can almost guranteee you that the people in the ovc are laughing all the way to the bank(

(04-02-2009 01:42 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  I'd expect another play-in game to be added, possibly 1 for each bracket, when the Great West gets their autobid here in two years. The big conferences aren't going to give up an at-large just because some small schools banded together to form another conference.

(04-03-2009 11:00 AM)silence dogood Wrote:  originally - the committee picked the two teams in the field with the lowest RPIs. however, since that became an annual match-up between the winners of the two historically black conferences (MEAC and SWAC), they have changed that a bit. now, they pretty much take the lowest RPI team in the field and then pick the next team from among the 4-6 other lower RPI teams in the field. has nothing to do with conference and everything to do with the team. for any so-called mid-major conference that does not have its regular season champion win the tournament, they will inevitably get consideration. the committee has worked hard to not place the same teams in the game year after year. this year - morehead state was a #4 seed coming out of the ovc. (in fact - they had the highest/best RPI to ever play in that game). likely looked very hard at morehead, utc, and quite frankly etsu and any of the teams that were in the 16-15 seed lines. by the way - great west will not get an AQ in two years - in fact they will not be eligible for some time to come. most of the teams in the great west are not division I (majority are in process of reclassifying and then it take more time) do not expect more opening round/play-in games. also, many do not know that the winner of the opening round game gets an additional revenue unit which is fairly new (i think is only the second year for that). i can almost guranteee you that the people in the ovc are laughing all the way to the bank(

(04-02-2009 01:42 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  I'd expect another play-in game to be added, possibly 1 for each bracket, when the Great West gets their autobid here in two years. The big conferences aren't going to give up an at-large just because some small schools banded together to form another conference.

Thanks! I was hoping someone would eventually answer the original question.

Peace