2019 NCAA Tournament

Started by Greek Tragedy, October 06, 2018, 10:57:39 PM

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SaintPaulite

I don't see this fitting anywhere else, and I'm on a bus in a snowstorm and bored, so I wanted to start some talk about host sites.

In an ideal world, the top 16 teams would host and this would be easy. Hahahahaha! Yeah, right.

First, I am assuming that St. Thomas, UW-Oshkosh, and Amherst will be hosting women's tournament games.

I hope everyone can agree that Whitman, Nebraska Wesleyan, Augustana, Randolph-Macon, Wooster, MIT, Marietta, and Williams will host if logistically possible. That's half the host sites.

Based on the combination of geography, facility and ability, it seems likely that Swarthmore will host. It would probably be helpful to the committee if Hamilton at least notionally earned a spot. I think Christopher Newport has a good case and a lot of teams can travel to them even from PA and NJ. Either North Central or Loras, but probably not both, seem like strong candidates to host as a UWO replacement in that region. Capital would make 3 hosts in Ohio, but is more accessible from points west than the other two, and still pretty accessible from the east. That's 13.

After this I have no idea. Would the east get another host, maybe Nichols? Maybe New Jersey City? Oswego? I'm kind of out of ideas now, and I'm almost to my stop. :)

kiltedbryan

Quote from: SaintPaulite on February 05, 2019, 07:22:00 PM
I hope everyone can agree that Whitman, Nebraska Wesleyan, Augustana, Randolph-Macon, Wooster, MIT, Marietta, and Williams will host if logistically possible. That's half the host sites.

Based on the combination of geography, facility and ability, it seems likely that Swarthmore will host. It would probably be helpful to the committee if Hamilton at least notionally earned a spot. I think Christopher Newport has a good case and a lot of teams can travel to them even from PA and NJ. Either North Central or Loras, but probably not both, seem like strong candidates to host as a UWO replacement in that region. Capital would make 3 hosts in Ohio, but is more accessible from points west than the other two, and still pretty accessible from the east. That's 13.


Too soon in the Great Lakes Region, I think, to be this confident about who would host. If one of these three run-the-table from here on out, they would be strong candidates to host. But running the table is a *big* if. Capital and Marietta both still travel to Wilmington and Mount Union, the current #3 and #4 teams in the OAC, plus the OAC conference tournament is famous for unexpected upsets. Wooster and Wabash both have games left with current NCAC #3 Witt and #4 DuPauw, too.

Probably one or two of those four emerge as good host candidates, but it's pretty easy for the committee to ship them elsewhere if their resumes falter down the stretch.

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh

Some of your hosts have to consider geography as well. There is a chance Whitman could be hosting on the women's side as well.

The problem with "agreeing" as to who will host is there are still three weeks of games to be played - and pretty much guarantee nearly everyone, if not everyone, will lose games. Anything is possible and I can't tell you how many predictions before the first regional rankings are revealed just don't stand up.

I usually wait to see how the first rankings shake out and go from there.
Host of Hoopsville. USBWA Executive Board member. Broadcast Director for D3sports.com. Broadcaster for NCAA.com & several colleges. PA Announcer for Gophers & Brigade. Follow me on Twitter: @davemchugh or @d3hoopsville.

SaintPaulite

Quote from: kiltedbryan on February 05, 2019, 09:49:26 PM
Quote from: SaintPaulite on February 05, 2019, 07:22:00 PM
I hope everyone can agree that Whitman, Nebraska Wesleyan, Augustana, Randolph-Macon, Wooster, MIT, Marietta, and Williams will host if logistically possible. That's half the host sites.

Based on the combination of geography, facility and ability, it seems likely that Swarthmore will host. It would probably be helpful to the committee if Hamilton at least notionally earned a spot. I think Christopher Newport has a good case and a lot of teams can travel to them even from PA and NJ. Either North Central or Loras, but probably not both, seem like strong candidates to host as a UWO replacement in that region. Capital would make 3 hosts in Ohio, but is more accessible from points west than the other two, and still pretty accessible from the east. That's 13.


Too soon in the Great Lakes Region, I think, to be this confident about who would host. If one of these three run-the-table from here on out, they would be strong candidates to host. But running the table is a *big* if. Capital and Marietta both still travel to Wilmington and Mount Union, the current #3 and #4 teams in the OAC, plus the OAC conference tournament is famous for unexpected upsets. Wooster and Wabash both have games left with current NCAC #3 Witt and #4 DuPauw, too.

Probably one or two of those four emerge as good host candidates, but it's pretty easy for the committee to ship them elsewhere if their resumes falter down the stretch.

I disagree. It will be very, very difficult to put together a bracket without them. It's already not going to be easy.

But yes, obviously the season is not over. But it would be a pretty pointless exercise if it was.

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh

The committee will put together a bracket with hosts - that do include what they feel are the top sixteen teams based on NCAA criteria - they can. It is not perfect as we clearly saw last year and geography could force them to have to give hosting to other teams and take it away from one of the top 16.

I talk to the committee chairs multiple times a year on Hoopsville. Just had the chairs on Thursday. Very insightful and they do provide plenty of information. They can't give it all, of course, but it is helpful.

Great Lakes will depend on if hosts are needed, but any team sitting three down on regional rankings is on the outside in for hosting. Not that it won't happen, it just gets less likely. I will even say that the number two teams are not guaranteed hosting. The committee may feel a three or even four ranked team in another region is more worthy via criteria than a two in region. That has happened before and probably will happen again.

And the women's teams hosting the first weekend is a major factor. St. Thomas, Oshkosh, and some others are going to throw a monkey wrench into a lot of things (I don't think Amherst is going to be a factor at all in the men's bracketing) - Whitman as I mentioned could also make things interesting. They wouldn't necessarily shift it to the next deserving host. They will find a team that is a lower seeded team to host where they can still get everyone to the bracket properly and keep the high-ranked team in that pod treated as such (playing a lesser ranked team in the first game and not having a ridiculous second round game - if possible). In other words, they wont shift it straight to the third ranked team in a region necessarily.

It can get pretty complicated.
Host of Hoopsville. USBWA Executive Board member. Broadcast Director for D3sports.com. Broadcaster for NCAA.com & several colleges. PA Announcer for Gophers & Brigade. Follow me on Twitter: @davemchugh or @d3hoopsville.

SaintPaulite

#35
Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 05, 2019, 11:00:13 PM
The committee will put together a bracket with hosts - that do include what they feel are the top sixteen teams based on NCAA criteria - they can. It is not perfect as we clearly saw last year and geography could force them to have to give hosting to other teams and take it away from one of the top 16.

I talk to the committee chairs multiple times a year on Hoopsville. Just had the chairs on Thursday. Very insightful and they do provide plenty of information. They can't give it all, of course, but it is helpful.

Great Lakes will depend on if hosts are needed, but any team sitting three down on regional rankings is on the outside in for hosting. Not that it won't happen, it just gets less likely. I will even say that the number two teams are not guaranteed hosting. The committee may feel a three or even four ranked team in another region is more worthy via criteria than a two in region. That has happened before and probably will happen again.

And the women's teams hosting the first weekend is a major factor. St. Thomas, Oshkosh, and some others are going to throw a monkey wrench into a lot of things (I don't think Amherst is going to be a factor at all in the men's bracketing) - Whitman as I mentioned could also make things interesting. They wouldn't necessarily shift it to the next deserving host. They will find a team that is a lower seeded team to host where they can still get everyone to the bracket properly and keep the high-ranked team in that pod treated as such (playing a lesser ranked team in the first game and not having a ridiculous second round game - if possible). In other words, they wont shift it straight to the third ranked team in a region necessarily.

It can get pretty complicated.

Holy buckets dude did you even read my post? I literally called out as granted those women's hosts from the start (and how do you say "it's too early" and then say "Amherst won't be a factor"?). I don't think you're right about Whitman, I think a Texas site will be favored, but whatever.

I've also literally referenced the conversation with Sam on these boards. You make it sound like I'm totally clueless when I've clearly covered several of the things you call out.

This is really not that complicated, to be honest, not to me, anyway.

If you had the right constraints, a computer program could probably bracket this thing with no human involvement whatsoever. Just rank the teams in the field 1 through 64 with a binary grid for whether or not one school is within 500 miles of another and constraints to keep conference teams from playing each other or whatever. Or you just let it run without that and then switch teams to avoid matchups as needed. Give the computer an objective function (say, give me as close to a ranking total of 130 -- the aggregate of a true snake bracket's ordinal values) and away you go. Obviously it wouldn't get close, and in the cases where you know you don't have enough within 500 miles there would need to be a contingency for that too, but it would do its best. I'm pretty sure I've done more complicated operations.

I bet you'd get some interesting matchups this way that no one ever even thought of, and a much more balanced tournament, to be honest. Like has anyone even thought of Baruch going to Marietta? 499 miles. Found that out just looking at likely "4 seeds" and slotting them into "top 8 host" matchups.

So you can either respond or not or agree or not, but I'd appreciate keeping the "Dave-splaining" to a minimum.

sac

We don't even have to go back that far in history to see what the NCAA might do.  In 2017 we ran into a similar problem.  WashU were in line to host on the men's side but couldn't because their women's program was hosting.   https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/5/c/wiqcwti9wk13rx/mbb-bracket-2017.pdf

The West region ended up with one host, Whitman.  Hardin-Simmons, from Texas, was used in the opposite bracket as a defacto Western host site from the South Region.    The West Region in 2017 was "weaker" than it is this year where I think you can make a case for Whitman, NWU and St. Thomas as host worthy, maybe even Lora.  In 2017 it was Whitman and then no one else really.

In the Central Region, UW-River Falls and WashU were in line to host.  The CCIW was a little bit of a mess so a second host site went to UW-Whitewater ranked #3.  WashU was sent to Hope from the Great Lakes Region as the "1" seed.  Hope was ranked #4 in the Great Lakes Region that year.  Hosting was a geography pick "a Chicago pod".

The Great Lakes hosts were Marietta and Hanover.  Marietta's pod was put together with a pod from Rochester, Whitman and Hardin-Simmons....the "fly-in" Sectional.  The Hanover pod went with Hope, River Falls and Whitewater.


I'd draw a big circle within 3 hours of Chicago, there always seems to be a need for one or two pods somewhere in that zone.   Somewhere like North Central or Wabash even Loras could pick up that pod if needed even if they aren't #1 or #2 in the region.  I'd say anyone who falls outside the #1 or #2 slot in the Central or Great Lakes region but is within 3 or 4 hours of Chicago is in play as a host site as long as there is someone who may not be able to host.



2017 we ended up with 6 Great Lakes/Central/West host sites.  We've had years where we had 7




Dave 'd-mac' McHugh

Quote from: SaintPaulite on February 05, 2019, 11:17:18 PM
Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 05, 2019, 11:00:13 PM
The committee will put together a bracket with hosts - that do include what they feel are the top sixteen teams based on NCAA criteria - they can. It is not perfect as we clearly saw last year and geography could force them to have to give hosting to other teams and take it away from one of the top 16.

I talk to the committee chairs multiple times a year on Hoopsville. Just had the chairs on Thursday. Very insightful and they do provide plenty of information. They can't give it all, of course, but it is helpful.

Great Lakes will depend on if hosts are needed, but any team sitting three down on regional rankings is on the outside in for hosting. Not that it won't happen, it just gets less likely. I will even say that the number two teams are not guaranteed hosting. The committee may feel a three or even four ranked team in another region is more worthy via criteria than a two in region. That has happened before and probably will happen again.

And the women's teams hosting the first weekend is a major factor. St. Thomas, Oshkosh, and some others are going to throw a monkey wrench into a lot of things (I don't think Amherst is going to be a factor at all in the men's bracketing) - Whitman as I mentioned could also make things interesting. They wouldn't necessarily shift it to the next deserving host. They will find a team that is a lower seeded team to host where they can still get everyone to the bracket properly and keep the high-ranked team in that pod treated as such (playing a lesser ranked team in the first game and not having a ridiculous second round game - if possible). In other words, they wont shift it straight to the third ranked team in a region necessarily.

It can get pretty complicated.

Holy buckets dude did you even read my post? I literally called out as granted those women's hosts from the start (and how do you say "it's too early" and then say "Amherst won't be a factor"?). I don't think you're right about Whitman, I think a Texas site will be favored, but whatever.

I've also literally referenced the conversation with Sam on these boards. You make it sound like I'm totally clueless when I've clearly covered several of the things you call out.

This is really not that complicated, to be honest, not to me, anyway.

If you had the right constraints, a computer program could probably bracket this thing with no human involvement whatsoever. Just rank the teams in the field 1 through 64 with a binary grid for whether or not one school is within 500 miles of another and constraints to keep conference teams from playing each other or whatever. Or you just let it run without that and then switch teams to avoid matchups as needed. Give the computer an objective function (say, give me as close to a ranking total of 130 -- the aggregate of a true snake bracket's ordinal values) and away you go. Obviously it wouldn't get close, and in the cases where you know you don't have enough within 500 miles there would need to be a contingency for that too, but it would do its best. I'm pretty sure I've done more complicated operations.

I bet you'd get some interesting matchups this way that no one ever even thought of, and a much more balanced tournament, to be honest. Like has anyone even thought of Baruch going to Marietta? 499 miles. Found that out just looking at likely "4 seeds" and slotting them into "top 8 host" matchups.

So you can either respond or not or agree or not, but I'd appreciate keeping the "Dave-splaining" to a minimum.

You have to consider that I am not always responding to you. I am responding to your comment but understanding there are many people who read these, so I do talk generically for those who may find it interesting.

BTW - Texas schools can host and still have a NW team host. That was the plan last year. They are islands and a lot of the time they need both to host. It usually, but always, remove one of the top 16 teams from hosting. We have also seen when Emory has had to host to make it three "islands" and removed another hosting opportunity from someone we thought would host. Even Rhodes has hosted (I think more on the women's side) because it allows teams to get to them within 500 miles. However, it once again removes a host we all thought would get one the opening weekend.

Per Amherst, fair point. I don't think Amherst will be in the mix for a hosting opportunity, but you are right that if I am saying it is too soon ... then I shouldn't guess/state that either.

Per the computer idea, if they could rank out the teams that might be interesting. They do use computers to check on previous match-ups, mileage, and other things. The real challenge comes down to who has put in to host (as we learned last year, not everyone actually puts in to host as we have assumed to some degree over the years). Once that blows things up, they might as well just do it themselves.

That said, as you know, ranking the teams 1-64 isn't exactly something that works in DIII. Hell, I'd argue it doesn't really work in DI, either, but in DIII we just don't have enough cross-pollination nor does the mileage restrictions allow it. I know we at D3hoops have tried to "seed" how we think it was seeded in the past and it starts to become a massive headache and time consuming. I think Pat ends up doing it to some degree when we write up the previews, but that's thanks to a few days of thinking on it.

Again ... SaintPaulite, don't take posts especially on this board and others as if I am only talking to you. We have a lot of new people on these boards (who may not post) every singe year who are reading and trying to understand what happens in DIII. I have found in the past that if the topics don't explain generic details some of us obviously know, then we are asked about them later in some forum and we go back and explain them anyway. I take advantage of situations where I think it is helpful to remind people in general how things work. Heck, the other day I reminded a long-time poster about something that had been forgotten. I even forget things.

It is a complicated set-up and sometimes it is okay to explain things over again to be helpful. Those times aren't directed at you, SaintPaulite.
Host of Hoopsville. USBWA Executive Board member. Broadcast Director for D3sports.com. Broadcaster for NCAA.com & several colleges. PA Announcer for Gophers & Brigade. Follow me on Twitter: @davemchugh or @d3hoopsville.

SaintPaulite

Quote from: sac on February 06, 2019, 01:30:18 AM
We don't even have to go back that far in history to see what the NCAA might do.  In 2017 we ran into a similar problem.  WashU were in line to host on the men's side but couldn't because their women's program was hosting.   https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/5/c/wiqcwti9wk13rx/mbb-bracket-2017.pdf

The West region ended up with one host, Whitman.  Hardin-Simmons, from Texas, was used in the opposite bracket as a defacto Western host site from the South Region.    The West Region in 2017 was "weaker" than it is this year where I think you can make a case for Whitman, NWU and St. Thomas as host worthy, maybe even Lora.  In 2017 it was Whitman and then no one else really.

In the Central Region, UW-River Falls and WashU were in line to host.  The CCIW was a little bit of a mess so a second host site went to UW-Whitewater ranked #3.  WashU was sent to Hope from the Great Lakes Region as the "1" seed.  Hope was ranked #4 in the Great Lakes Region that year.  Hosting was a geography pick "a Chicago pod".

The Great Lakes hosts were Marietta and Hanover.  Marietta's pod was put together with a pod from Rochester, Whitman and Hardin-Simmons....the "fly-in" Sectional.  The Hanover pod went with Hope, River Falls and Whitewater.

I'd draw a big circle within 3 hours of Chicago, there always seems to be a need for one or two pods somewhere in that zone.   Somewhere like North Central or Wabash even Loras could pick up that pod if needed even if they aren't #1 or #2 in the region.  I'd say anyone who falls outside the #1 or #2 slot in the Central or Great Lakes region but is within 3 or 4 hours of Chicago is in play as a host site as long as there is someone who may not be able to host.

2017 we ended up with 6 Great Lakes/Central/West host sites.  We've had years where we had 7

Thanks, this is much more what I was hoping to get for a response. And I'm thinking along similar lines. It seems hard to make it all work without Loras or North Central (maybe both) since you don't have Oshkosh or St. Thomas, and I think it would be a horrible injustice if Nebraska Wesleyan didn't host. One thing I don't know is if North Central will even be available. They apparently have a men's volleyball team and scheduled home games for that weekend. So maybe UW-Lax is in this too? I also had a crazy idea that you could pod at St. Norbert as a stand in for Oshkosh, since they're so close together. I have no idea if that would be considered. I think Capital is stronger than Wabash, so I'm hoping that works well enough for a "western" GL site.

6 sitings for 3 regions seems par, really. That should be the minimum expectation for the strongest part of the country. It might not happen some years because of St. Thomas's women's team. A St. John's pod doesn't look very likely, bc most of the teams that could get there you're going to need to get to NWU. so it's Loras or nothing, really. UW-Lax would be pretty close to a west region pod though. I also think the GL sites are going to be needed to get teams out from back east (though Randy Mac and CNU could be good for that as well). Without them you have a really really hard time gluing the country together, I think.

I'd also love to see Pomona Pitzer and Emory fly into weaker pods to strengthen them up a bit. Like an Oswego or some "well, we need 2 more sites" pick from back east -- like NJ City maybe. Pomona is absolutely no doubt flying somewhere, and it doesn't really matter where. And Emory is flying unless either they host, or someone wild like Centre hosts purely for geography. I don't think they can get to either Randy Mac or CNU.

I'm as much or more a geography nerd as basketball, so that's why I get into this maybe earlier than some!

SaintPaulite

#39
Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 06, 2019, 01:03:05 PM

You have to consider that I am not always responding to you. I am responding to your comment but understanding there are many people who read these, so I do talk generically for those who may find it interesting.
(snip)

It is a complicated set-up and sometimes it is okay to explain things over again to be helpful. Those times aren't directed at you, SaintPaulite.

Oh no no no no no, you are not getting away with that.

This was you.
Re: 2019 NCAA Tournament
« Reply #32 on: Yesterday at 10:48:04 pm »
Quote
Some of your hosts have to consider geography as well. There is a chance Whitman could be hosting on the women's side as well.

The problem with "agreeing" as to who will host is there are still three weeks of games to be played - and pretty much guarantee nearly everyone, if not everyone, will lose games. Anything is possible and I can't tell you how many predictions before the first regional rankings are revealed just don't stand up.

I usually wait to see how the first rankings shake out and go from there.
--------
So who is "your" if not a direct reference to me? Of course I had already demonstrated that I have considered geography, hell the whole thing is geography, otherwise you'd just snake draft from the selections (and flip to avoid conference matchups)!

You then quote me directly in the next paragraph and effectively say that my post was a waste of time because too much can happen, and because you usually wait, everyone should.

So no, you can't get away with "oh I was making a general statement" for the good of everyone...because it's obvious that's just not true. You were responding, directly, to me.

I won't respond to the rest of your post because I didn't read it. I'm not sure why you'd have anything else to say on the topic after you already said you don't see any value in talking about it before the regional rankings. But I won't patronize and give you my thoughts without reading yours.

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh

I was responding to your example, but speaking in a general way. Yes, I can do that. You cited an example, but I wasn't speaking directly to you. I was trying to explain a larger thing.

Sorry if you don't like that.
Host of Hoopsville. USBWA Executive Board member. Broadcast Director for D3sports.com. Broadcaster for NCAA.com & several colleges. PA Announcer for Gophers & Brigade. Follow me on Twitter: @davemchugh or @d3hoopsville.

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh

Host of Hoopsville. USBWA Executive Board member. Broadcast Director for D3sports.com. Broadcaster for NCAA.com & several colleges. PA Announcer for Gophers & Brigade. Follow me on Twitter: @davemchugh or @d3hoopsville.

SaintPaulite

Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 06, 2019, 02:31:13 PM
I was responding to your example, but speaking in a general way. Yes, I can do that. You cited an example, but I wasn't speaking directly to you. I was trying to explain a larger thing.

Sorry if you don't like that.

LOL you literally quoted me. With quotation marks. And used a second person form of address. If you weren't talking directly to me, it sure as heck would be hard for a reasonable person to know it.

Tell ya what, to avoid this in the future, if you are talking directly to me -- quote the post to which you're replying. Otherwise, I'll assume you're just gracing us with your "wisdom" and ignore it. Solved.

Sorry if you don't like me wanting to talk about things before you're ready, and generally being right about most of it.  8-)

sac

Quote from: SaintPaulite on February 06, 2019, 01:28:32 PM
Quote from: sac on February 06, 2019, 01:30:18 AM
We don't even have to go back that far in history to see what the NCAA might do.  In 2017 we ran into a similar problem.  WashU were in line to host on the men's side but couldn't because their women's program was hosting.   https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/5/c/wiqcwti9wk13rx/mbb-bracket-2017.pdf

The West region ended up with one host, Whitman.  Hardin-Simmons, from Texas, was used in the opposite bracket as a defacto Western host site from the South Region.    The West Region in 2017 was "weaker" than it is this year where I think you can make a case for Whitman, NWU and St. Thomas as host worthy, maybe even Lora.  In 2017 it was Whitman and then no one else really.

In the Central Region, UW-River Falls and WashU were in line to host.  The CCIW was a little bit of a mess so a second host site went to UW-Whitewater ranked #3.  WashU was sent to Hope from the Great Lakes Region as the "1" seed.  Hope was ranked #4 in the Great Lakes Region that year.  Hosting was a geography pick "a Chicago pod".

The Great Lakes hosts were Marietta and Hanover.  Marietta's pod was put together with a pod from Rochester, Whitman and Hardin-Simmons....the "fly-in" Sectional.  The Hanover pod went with Hope, River Falls and Whitewater.

I'd draw a big circle within 3 hours of Chicago, there always seems to be a need for one or two pods somewhere in that zone.   Somewhere like North Central or Wabash even Loras could pick up that pod if needed even if they aren't #1 or #2 in the region.  I'd say anyone who falls outside the #1 or #2 slot in the Central or Great Lakes region but is within 3 or 4 hours of Chicago is in play as a host site as long as there is someone who may not be able to host.

2017 we ended up with 6 Great Lakes/Central/West host sites.  We've had years where we had 7

Thanks, this is much more what I was hoping to get for a response. And I'm thinking along similar lines. It seems hard to make it all work without Loras or North Central (maybe both) since you don't have Oshkosh or St. Thomas, and I think it would be a horrible injustice if Nebraska Wesleyan didn't host. One thing I don't know is if North Central will even be available. They apparently have a men's volleyball team and scheduled home games for that weekend. So maybe UW-Lax is in this too? I also had a crazy idea that you could pod at St. Norbert as a stand in for Oshkosh, since they're so close together. I have no idea if that would be considered. I think Capital is stronger than Wabash, so I'm hoping that works well enough for a "western" GL site.

6 sitings for 3 regions seems par, really. That should be the minimum expectation for the strongest part of the country. It might not happen some years because of St. Thomas's women's team. A St. John's pod doesn't look very likely, bc most of the teams that could get there you're going to need to get to NWU. so it's Loras or nothing, really. UW-Lax would be pretty close to a west region pod though. I also think the GL sites are going to be needed to get teams out from back east (though Randy Mac and CNU could be good for that as well). Without them you have a really really hard time gluing the country together, I think.

I'd also love to see Pomona Pitzer and Emory fly into weaker pods to strengthen them up a bit. Like an Oswego or some "well, we need 2 more sites" pick from back east -- like NJ City maybe. Pomona is absolutely no doubt flying somewhere, and it doesn't really matter where. And Emory is flying unless either they host, or someone wild like Centre hosts purely for geography. I don't think they can get to either Randy Mac or CNU.

I'm as much or more a geography nerd as basketball, so that's why I get into this maybe earlier than some!

Another way to think of this might be the "replacement host" should probably be within 500 miles of the host being replaced.  That way you don't mess up the seedings to badly.   So anyone within 500 miles of Oshkosh with good criteria could be a potential host site.

With St. Thomas and Oshkosh both being so far North it could be difficult to find a new host site for both if St. Thomas were to get into position to host somehow.  Then seedings would probably take a hit somewhere.

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh



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- Bob Amsberry, No. 15 Wartburg women's coach

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Host of Hoopsville. USBWA Executive Board member. Broadcast Director for D3sports.com. Broadcaster for NCAA.com & several colleges. PA Announcer for Gophers & Brigade. Follow me on Twitter: @davemchugh or @d3hoopsville.