The No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament just got a huge reward
Changes coming to to NCAA Tournament include a new committee chairman and seeding procedures
Matt Norlander
Originally Posted by :
Even though the NCAA Tournament is eight months away, we've got a hefty update on some upcoming changes. One twist coming next season: The No. 1 overall seed will be able to choose the location of its first two games of the tournament. So if that team is Duke, or Kentucky, or Kansas, or whichever school gets put atop the 1-68 seed list, that program will get to pick where it plays its first and second-round games.
"Preferences would be communicated by teams in contention for the overall No. 1 seed far in advance of Selection Sunday in a process to be determined," the NCAA said in a statement.
This means a handful of teams will look at all eight first-weekend sites and let the selection committee know which one it prefers. The top-seeded program won't know which team(s) it'll be playing, but it will get dibs on digs, which is a nice little update.
Cities playing host to first and second-round NCAA tournament games next March are Buffalo, Milwaukee, Orlando, Salt Lake City, Greensboro, Indianapolis, Tulsa and Sacramento. The other teams in the field will continue to be at the mercy of the selection committee. If anything, this adds even more emphasis to overall résumé and could keep importance on league tournaments.
Speaking of that, in an effort to put more meaning on league tournament results throughout the sport, the committee -- per the request of the National Association of Basketball Coaches' newly formed ad hoc committee -- will continue to weigh a regular-season title with just as much meaning as a league postseason championship.
Remember, the NABC's ad hoc group was put into motion this year for the first time in order to keep the selection committee's process more educated on considerate of many facets of the selection, seeding and bracketing undertaking.
The NABC also wants an updated composite ranking system -- something as a substitute to RPI -- and so the NCAA says it will take a close look at altering its analytical measures in that regard. But a change there isn't coming until 2017-18 at the earliest, stating, "The basketball committee supported in concept revising the current ranking system utilized in the selection and seeding process, and will work collaboratively with select members of the NABC ad hoc group to study a potentially more effective composite ranking system."
Additionally, the NABC seems to be on track with insisting certain criteria as critical to seeding and selection. Namely, asking the selection committee to put even more emphasis on non-conference strength of schedule, road and neutral victories, quality wins and overall strength of schedule. (These practices are in place, but there is still tweaking to be done, evidenced by Monmouth's inexcusable absence from last year's field.)
Last year, for the first time, the NCAA opted to hold its selection process for the tournament in New York City. It will do so again in 2017, from March 7-12.
Personnel-wise, longtime Creighton AD Bruce Rasmussen has been named the chair for the 2018 NCAA Tournament. He'll succeed Michigan State AD Mark Hollis, who will serve his fifth and final year on the committee this upcoming season.
"I am humbled and honored to be selected by my peers for a leadership role on the Men's Basketball Committee," Rasmussen, who coached Creighton in women's basketball for 12 seasons, from 1980-1992, said."It is an incredible honor to be a part of it and see up close how meaningful it is to each of the students who are also athletes to participate in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. I never imagined that I would be able to serve the NCAA membership, our students, coaches and basketball fans as a committee member. I am excited about working with our committee, Dan Gavitt and the extremely talented and committed NCAA staff over the next two years."
Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S: The No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament just got a huge reward
Changes coming to to NCAA Tournament include a new committee chairman and seeding procedures
Matt Norlander
Does this mean they could play those games at Allen Field House? Otherwise it's pretty stupid. Every #1 seed gets the closest to home pod anyway the 1st weekend. [Reply]
Originally Posted by BWillie:
Does this mean they could play those games at Allen Field House? Otherwise it's pretty stupid. Every #1 seed gets the closest to home pod anyway the 1st weekend.
Nope. 1 of 8 locations. They get to choose instead of the committee. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Buehler445:
Nope. 1 of 8 locations. They get to choose instead of the committee.
LOL who gives a shit. KU gonna get the closest to home anyway as #1 seed. There is no tangible benefit at all. They should have made that for the regionals. [Reply]
Originally Posted by BWillie:
LOL who gives a shit. KU gonna get the closest to home anyway as #1 seed. There is no tangible benefit at all. They should have made that for the regionals.
Well in a way they could pick based on that. Pick the first location based on where they would play after those two rounds. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Prison Bitch:
If we get a 1 seed this year, we are looking at Tulsa and then KC.
Pretty sure that would be a good reason to if you were the #1 overall decline the Tulsa site. KU hasn't been very good in the state of Oklahoma lately in both the regular and postseason. [Reply]
I think if you get the #1 overall seed, you should be able to pick your opponent. If you are #1 overall, why should you have a "#2" in your bracket (that maybe got put there because of how the NCAA was distributing things around, trying not to have too many teams from the same conference in the same region, etc) that you think is harder than some of the #1s?
Or if some other region has a lot of upsets, why shouldn't you be able to play the Cinderella #5 seed instead of the #2 in your region?
I also think the media analysis over who the #1 picks would be a hoot.
I would do the same in professional sports. Some power team starts the season with their franchise player injured, but gets healthy and squeaks into the #8 seed... Why shouldn't the #1 get to choose another team? [Reply]
Originally Posted by chiefsfan987:
Pretty sure that would be a good reason to if you were the #1 overall decline the Tulsa site. KU hasn't been very good in the state of Oklahoma lately in both the regular and postseason.
There is no way we would turn down Tulsa/KC because of superstition. [Reply]
Sounds like they wanted to address issues like last year with the Chicago/Louisville thing. But they didn't. Its only the first 2 rounds, not the region. [Reply]
Any thoughts on LJWorld letting long-time KU Beat Reports Gary Bedore go? Seems like a mistake to me, especially because I know that the players and coaching staff generally like him. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RockChalk:
Any thoughts on LJWorld letting long-time KU Beat Reports Gary Bedore go? Seems like a mistake to me, especially because I know that the players and coaching staff generally like him.
I heard many others were let go too....
Screw LJW.....GB is a class act and its a shame they let him go. [Reply]