Welcome back to a new season of Bracketology.
Here we try to explain the process of seeding the NCAA Tournament and selecting which regional each of the 16 men’s Division I teams will play.
Let’s begin with the simple. Figuring out which 16 teams would make the field based on the current PairWise Rankings. Note that this is if the season ended today. Also remember, any team that wins its conference tournament is automatically in the field, and we’ll use the conference leaders based on winning percentage to occupy that spot (it gets tricky in the CCHA).
Here are the current 16 teams:
1. Boston University
2. Boston College
3. North Dakota
4. Wisconsin
5. Maine
6. Denver
7. Michigan State
8. Quinnipiac
9. Minnesota
10. Western Michigan
11. Providence
12. Massachusetts
13. St. Cloud State
14. Michigan
15. RIT (top winning percentage in AHA)
16. Minnesota State (top winning percentage in CCHA, after St. Thomas, which isn’t NCAA eligible)
Based on a pure seeding – 1 vs. 16, 2 vs. 15, etc. – here is how the regions would look:
1. Boston University
8. Quinnipiac
9. Minnesota
16. Minnesota State
2. Boston College
7. Michigan State
10. Western Michigan
15. RIT
3. North Dakota
6. Denver
11. Providence
14. Michigan
4. Wisconsin
5. Maine
12. Massachusetts
13. St. Cloud State
Now, based on what we know about having to place North Dakota is Sioux Falls and UMass in Springfield, let’s assign destinations.
Providence Regional
1. Boston University
8. Quinnipiac
9. Minnesota
16. Minnesota State
Maryland Heights, Mo., Regional
2. Boston College
7. Michigan State
10. Western Michigan
15. RIT
Sioux Falls, S.D., Regional
3. North Dakota
6. Denver
11. Providence
14. Michigan
Springfield, Mass., Regional
4. Wisconsin
5. Maine
12. Massachusetts
13. St. Cloud State
We do have one major issue and that’s the fact that Maine and UMass are lined up to play in Springfield. UMass has to be there. But none of the other teams do. How about if we switch the OTHER three seeds in that region with Maryland Heights?
Thus you get:
Maryland Heights
4. Wisconsin
5. Maine
10. Western Michigan
13. St. Cloud State
Springfield
2. Boston College
7. Michigan State
12. Massachusetts
15. RIT
Providence and Sioux Falls remains completely intact. And the other two regions, while bracket integrity is altered a bit, both have better attendance.
Do I have any concerns from here? Honestly, no. Week 1 feels a little too easy and could get more complicated as the season progresses.
So here are the final brackets:
Providence Regional
1. Boston University
8. Quinnipiac
9. Minnesota
16. Minnesota State
Maryland Heights, Mo., Regional
4. Wisconsin
5. Maine
10. Western Michigan
13. St. Cloud State
Sioux Falls, S.D., Regional
3. North Dakota
6. Denver
11. Providence
14. Michigan
Springfield, Mass., Regional
2. Boston College
7. Michigan State
12. Massachusetts
15. RIT
Teams by conference:
Hockey East – 5
Big Ten – 4
NCHC – 4
ECAC – 1
AHA – 1
CCHA – 1
