We’re coming off a couple of interesting weeks in terms of looking at the PairWise Rankings and trying to develop the brackets that would best represent what the committee might do if the NCAA field were seeded today.
Two weeks ago we were dealing with likely having a conference matchup between Hockey East teams in the Springfield, Mass., regional. Last week, we still had the challenge of making sure host UMass played in Springfield without compromising too much integrity of the actual bracket.
This week, things couldn’t be simpler.
The reality is with UMass being swept last weekend by Boston College, the Minutemen have fallen below the tournament cut line and actually are the first team out of the current tournament. Good thing there are three weeks of regular-season play and postseason tournament games for the Springfield host to potentially make up lost ground.
But with UMass out, none of the four hosts (Brown, UMass, Omaha or Lindenwood) are in the NCAA field currently. So there isn’t a need to force one team into a certain region to allow a host to play in their home region.
Thus, here are the 16 teams for the field as of this week. The two conferences not currently represented in the field – Atlantic Hockey and the CCHA – will have their places held by the current team with the top winning percentage in the standings.
1. Boston College
2. Boston University
3. North Dakota
4. Michigan State
5. Denver
6. Wisconsin
7. Maine
8. Quinnipiac
9. Minnesota
10. Western Michigan
11. Colorado College
12. Providence
13. St. Cloud State
14. Cornell
15. RIT
16. Bemidji State
So let’s place these 16 teams into brackets before we assign regions.
1. Boston College
8. Quinnipiac
9. Minnesota
16. Bemidji State
2. Boston University
7. Maine
10. Western Michigan
15. RIT
3. North Dakota
6. Wisconsin
11. Colorado College
14. Cornell
4. Michigan State
5. Denver
12. Providence
13. St. Cloud State
We look at these four brackets and realize there are zero interconference matchups in the first round, so for now, there is nothing to change. Let’s assign regions.
Providence, R.I.
1. Boston College
8. Quinnipiac
9. Minnesota
16. Bemidji State
Springfield, Mass.
2. Boston University
7. Maine
10. Western Michigan
15. RIT
Sioux Falls, S.D.
3. North Dakota
6. Wisconsin
11. Colorado College
14. Cornell
Maryland Heights, Mo.
4. Michigan State
5. Denver
12. Providence
13. St. Cloud
When we look at each region, I think attendance will be strong. Maybe you could try to force Providence (not the host) to the Providence regional, but with Boston College and Quinnipiac already there, we don’t see that much of an attendance bump to place a non-host closer to campus. Were Providence to excel to a higher seed, maybe it would be appropriate.
So, believe it or not, there are no further changes to be made. The simplest bracket ever to be assembled.
Until next week, of course.
