2026 NCAA Tournament

[ziggy]

First complaint, how do they put Trinity and Tufts and Wesleyan all in the same bracket. The announcer just said, it's good that Tufts and Wesleyan can't meet until elite 8, that is wrong they will meet in sweet 16 and then a potential Trinity vs Tufts/Weslyan in elite 8, makes no sense at all.

Trinity (CT), Wesleyan and Tufts are actually bracketed perfectly true to overall seeding. I understand NESCAC fans won't really like it but I take this happening as a great development.

[D3BBALL]

First complaint, how do they put Trinity and Tufts and Wesleyan all in the same bracket. The announcer just said, it's good that Tufts and Wesleyan can't meet until elite 8, that is wrong they will meet in sweet 16 and then a potential Trinity vs Tufts/Weslyan in elite 8, makes no sense at all.

Trinity (CT), Wesleyan and Tufts are actually bracketed perfectly true to overall seeding. I understand NESCAC fans won't really like it but I take this happening as a great development.

They are seeded perfectly but you don't put them all in the same bracket as only 1 of them has a chance to get to final 4, that is not right for a conference that is ranked 1st or 2nd in the country. If they put bates and or Amherst in then I get it.

[deiscanton]

First complaint, how do they put Trinity and Tufts and Wesleyan all in the same bracket. The announcer just said, it's good that Tufts and Wesleyan can't meet until elite 8, that is wrong they will meet in sweet 16 and then a potential Trinity vs Tufts/Weslyan in elite 8, makes no sense at all.

Trinity (CT), Wesleyan and Tufts are actually bracketed perfectly true to overall seeding. I understand NESCAC fans won't really like it but I take this happening as a great development.

Actually, Pat Coleman got the NPI ranking of Tufts mixed up with the NPI ranking of Endicott when he did the commentary this afternoon on the Selection Show.     Since Wesleyan is ranked #8 in NPI, and Tufts is ranked #9 in NPI, Tufts and Wesleyan can play against each other in the Sweet 16 for the right to go to Fort Wayne, IN.    Endicott is ranked #7 in NPI, so Endicott is protected, and Wesleyan is protected, but not Tufts. 

[D3BBALL]

Emory, Chicago and Wash u can all get to final four. Last year they put Trinity and tufts in same bracket and put Wesleyan in another. Which was fair. Putting 3 teams that are top 9 teams in the country from the same conference all in the same bracket just not doing the right thing for tournament. It's shortsighted and being cheap.

[rdanie03]

I do have a problem with the bracket, specifically in the Trinity region. The NESCAC has 3 of the top 10 teams in the country, and the way it is set up, a maximum of one of them can make the final four, with only two even getting to Fort Wayne. I think they should have given Tufts Endicott instead of Wesleyan, and moved both of them to a region with one of the UAA teams.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I do have a problem with the bracket, specifically in the Trinity region. The NESCAC has 3 of the top 10 teams in the country, and the way it is set up, a maximum of one of them can make the final four, with only two even getting to Fort Wayne. I think they should have given Tufts Endicott instead of Wesleyan, and moved both of them to a region with one of the UAA teams.

They got an extra flight to maintain perfect seeding for the Top 16 teams.  It does stink Wesleyan and Tufts ended up in those spots, but they are the spots they earned.

[ziggy]

First complaint, how do they put Trinity and Tufts and Wesleyan all in the same bracket. The announcer just said, it's good that Tufts and Wesleyan can't meet until elite 8, that is wrong they will meet in sweet 16 and then a potential Trinity vs Tufts/Weslyan in elite 8, makes no sense at all.

Trinity (CT), Wesleyan and Tufts are actually bracketed perfectly true to overall seeding. I understand NESCAC fans won't really like it but I take this happening as a great development.

Actually, Pat Coleman got the NPI ranking of Tufts mixed up with the NPI ranking of Endicott when he did the commentary this afternoon on the Selection Show.     Since Wesleyan is ranked #8 in NPI, and Tufts is ranked #9 in NPI, Tufts and Wesleyan can play against each other in the Sweet 16 for the right to go to Fort Wayne, IN.    Endicott is ranked #7 in NPI, so Endicott is protected, and Wesleyan is protected, but not Tufts. 

Right, that is what I was saying. If you make a perfectly seeded 1-64 bracket, Trinity (CT), Wesleyan and Tufts are exactly where they should be based on their final NPI ranking. Now that we have clear 1-64 seeding for all tournament teams based on NPI, I am exceedingly encouraged to see that show up in the bracket instead of moving off of that because 1, 8 and 9 come from the same conference.

[D3BBALL]

Emory, Chicago and Wash u can all get to final four. Last year they put Trinity and tufts in same bracket and put Wesleyan in another. Which was fair. Putting 3 teams that are top 9 teams in the country from the same conference all in the same bracket just not doing the right thing for tournament. It's shortsighted and being cheap.

It is actually worse and a real slight to the NESCAC League and should be an embarrassment to the committee. I posted above that UAA could get 3 teams to the final 4, they can actually can their top 4 teams all into the final 4, WT..... and NESCAC can only get 1. UAA Numbers 2, 5, 14, 24, yet the NESCA top 3 teams 1, 8, 9 in 1 bracket. There is ZERO justification for that!!!!

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Emory, Chicago and Wash u can all get to final four. Last year they put Trinity and tufts in same bracket and put Wesleyan in another. Which was fair. Putting 3 teams that are top 9 teams in the country from the same conference all in the same bracket just not doing the right thing for tournament. It's shortsighted and being cheap.

It is actually worse and a real slight to the NESCAC League and should be an embarrassment to the committee. I posted above that UAA could get 3 teams to the final 4, they can actually can their top 4 teams all into the final 4, WT..... and NESCAC can only get 1. UAA Numbers 2, 5, 14, 24, yet the NESCA top 3 teams 1, 8, 9 in 1 bracket. There is ZERO justification for that!!!!

The seeding is the justification.  This is how brackets work.  8 plays 9 if the seeds hold.

[sac]

Now the NESCAC can finish their double round-robin.

[D3BBALL]

First complaint, how do they put Trinity and Tufts and Wesleyan all in the same bracket. The announcer just said, it's good that Tufts and Wesleyan can't meet until elite 8, that is wrong they will meet in sweet 16 and then a potential Trinity vs Tufts/Weslyan in elite 8, makes no sense at all.

Trinity (CT), Wesleyan and Tufts are actually bracketed perfectly true to overall seeding. I understand NESCAC fans won't really like it but I take this happening as a great development.

Actually, Pat Coleman got the NPI ranking of Tufts mixed up with the NPI ranking of Endicott when he did the commentary this afternoon on the Selection Show.    Since Wesleyan is ranked #8 in NPI, and Tufts is ranked #9 in NPI, Tufts and Wesleyan can play against each other in the Sweet 16 for the right to go to Fort Wayne, IN.    Endicott is ranked #7 in NPI, so Endicott is protected, and Wesleyan is protected, but not Tufts. 

Right, that is what I was saying. If you make a perfectly seeded 1-64 bracket, Trinity (CT), Wesleyan and Tufts are exactly where they should be based on their final NPI ranking. Now that we have clear 1-64 seeding for all tournament teams based on NPI, I am exceedingly encouraged to see that show up in the bracket instead of moving off of that because 1, 8 and 9 come from the same conference.

Does it work the exact same for the 4 UAA teams? The top-rated conference in the country by NPI and 3 teams in the top 10 in the country all in the same bracket, makes ZERO sense. You just don't do that. 2 yes, just like last year, 3 that is not right to those teams or the conference. Wouldn't even be a consideration in D1 to have all 3 together. It just the cheap and easy way out, but not the right thing for d3 basketball.

[D3BBALL]

Now the NESCAC can finish their double round-robin.

They just did that in Playoffs!

[D3BBALL]

Emory, Chicago and Wash u can all get to final four. Last year they put Trinity and tufts in same bracket and put Wesleyan in another. Which was fair. Putting 3 teams that are top 9 teams in the country from the same conference all in the same bracket just not doing the right thing for tournament. It's shortsighted and being cheap.

It is actually worse and a real slight to the NESCAC League and should be an embarrassment to the committee. I posted above that UAA could get 3 teams to the final 4, they can actually can their top 4 teams all into the final 4, WT..... and NESCAC can only get 1. UAA Numbers 2, 5, 14, 24, yet the NESCA top 3 teams 1, 8, 9 in 1 bracket. There is ZERO justification for that!!!!

The seeding is the justification.  This is how brackets work.  8 plays 9 if the seeds hold.

Ryan you are being selective in looking at the seedings, it is not that way thru out the brackets. Someone in that room should have had some common sense. If the common sense was that well at least 2 of them can get to FT Wayne for the elite 8, that is not common sense.

[ziggy]

Does it work the exact same for the 4 UAA teams? The top-rated conference in the country by NPI and 3 teams in the top 10 in the country all in the same bracket, makes ZERO sense. You just don't do that. 2 yes, just like last year, 3 that is not right to those teams or the conference. Wouldn't even be a consideration in D1 to have all 3 together. It just the cheap and easy way out, but not the right thing for d3 basketball.

Yes, Emory, Chicago and WashU pods are exactly where you would expect their overall NPI rank to be in a 1-64 bracket. Just as the Trinity (CT), Wesleyan and Tufts pods are.

Diverging from true seeding because teams from the same conference could meet in the Sweet 16 would be crazy.

[D3BBALL]

Does it work the exact same for the 4 UAA teams? The top-rated conference in the country by NPI and 3 teams in the top 10 in the country all in the same bracket, makes ZERO sense. You just don't do that. 2 yes, just like last year, 3 that is not right to those teams or the conference. Wouldn't even be a consideration in D1 to have all 3 together. It just the cheap and easy way out, but not the right thing for d3 basketball.

Yes, Emory, Chicago and WashU pods are exactly where you would expect their overall NPI rank to be in a 1-64 bracket. Just as the Trinity (CT), Wesleyan and Tufts pods are.

Diverging from true seeding because teams from the same conference could meet in the Sweet 16 would be crazy.

I was just told by someone if Wesleyan had beaten Trinity yesterday, and even with them moving up NPI wise, that all 3 NESCAC's would still have been the exact same. So Trinity/Wesleyan still protected thru elite 8, but all 3 in the same bracket.