NCAAT Selection Discussion Thread

Once again, this means nothing to us Pack fans, personally. But it’s still one of the most interesting sports days of the year. This thread will be updated with more analysis once the regions are revealed. Please use the comments to discuss your reactions and add your own analysis.

FWIW, I expect one ACC bubble team (FSU) to make it outright, one (Clemson) to play in one of the Tuesday/Wednesday “limbo” preliminary games, and two (VT, BC) to be left out entirely. VT and Clemson could easily switch places, but I doubt both will make it, and I’m certain the ACC won’t get 6 dance cards punched. 3-5 bids would be plausible, but I’m betting on 4.

Duke will get a #1 seed and a ridiculously weak #2 (either Notre Dame or San Diego State – just watch). UNC will get a #3 seed, and hopefully a much stronger #2 (but likely either weak #2 listed above that Duke doesn’t get).

About BJD95

1995 NC State graduate, sufferer of Les and MOC during my entire student tenure. An equal-opportunity objective critic and analyst of Wolfpack sports.

10-11 Basketball

52 Responses to NCAAT Selection Discussion Thread

  1. Wufpacker 03/13/2011 at 6:38 PM #

    Florida a 2 surprises me as well. If they had beaten Ky I would understand, but losing to them and still get the 2? Would they have gotten a 1 if they had beaten Ky?

    I figured them to be a 3 at best (more likely a 4) after losing.

  2. choppack1 03/13/2011 at 6:41 PM #

    I’ve gotta give credit to Vitale here. He usually says, X and Y should be in, but fails to tell us who shouldn’t. This time, he named names – thanks Vitale.

    (On a personal note, I’ve run into him a couple of times, and he’s probably more friendly than any celebrity I’ve ever met.)

  3. Wufpacker 03/13/2011 at 6:41 PM #

    “Wouldn’t shock me to see Greenburg lobby hard for our job through back channels.”

    Just shoot me now if that fat bald frick has even a remote chance of being our coach (nothing against baldies or fatties). I really can’t stand him and I think I’d actually consider suicide to avoid that debacle.

  4. Wufpacker 03/13/2011 at 6:45 PM #

    I’ve met Vitale in person as well chop, and I agree that he surprisingly personable. Ran into him in Vegas a few years back (I was there for a CE conference, he was there for some ESPN special or another). Respectfully introduced myself while he was signing autographs and thanked him for his support of Valvano. He stopped signing after learning I was an NCSU grad from the 80’s and talked literally for 4 or 5 minutes about the old days (this conversation would have taken place around Feb. ’03, 20 years post ’83 and 10 years after V’s death).

    He was literally choked up at one point. He annoys me to listen to him, but one on one he really is a pretty good guy. And his enthusiasm is not faked….at least if it is, he fakes it off camera as well.

  5. BJD95 03/13/2011 at 6:48 PM #

    I like that poor OOC SOS is being punished severely. Bama lost quite a few games OOC as well.

    Of all the snubs, Saint Mary’s probably has the most legit beef.

  6. wufpup76 03/13/2011 at 6:51 PM #

    I don’t entirely agree, chop. All of these bubble teams had tons of chances, starting with scheduling, right on up through the regular season and a final opportunity in their conference tournaments.

    I think you can make a case for Colorado and VT, but they actually had chances as opposed to college football where there is a realistic chance that journalists and computers will decide stuff for you.

  7. Wufpacker 03/13/2011 at 7:05 PM #

    Is the NCAA still trying to get the NCAA field up to 96? (or was it 128?) Or has that fallen by the wayside at this point?

  8. wufpup76 03/13/2011 at 7:08 PM #

    ^Another expansion of the tournament is on the backburner for a few years, thankfully.

    I believe until this current tv contract expires. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong.

  9. RickJ 03/13/2011 at 7:09 PM #

    Sean Miller got one of the fun match-ups by the committee. Memphis is coached by Josh Pastner, the former ace recruiter for Lute Olsen at Arizona. Some folks at Arizona wanted to hire Pastner instead of Miller.

    The other game like this that jumped out immediately was UNLV and Illinois. Lon Kruger took Illinois to the Final Four some years ago.

  10. BJD95 03/13/2011 at 7:16 PM #

    Ha, maybe we can give that faction of the Wildcat faithful what they want, in an indirect way.

  11. 61Packer 03/13/2011 at 7:31 PM #

    The more teams they add, the greater the number of deserving teams that they leave out each season. Not only do I not like seeing Colorado, Va Tech, Alabama and St. Mary’s left out, I don’t like seeing 3 undeserving Big Ten teams get in. PSU, MSU and Illinois had no business being in.

    This shows you what happens to basketball when it’s run by non-basketball people, but then being from NCSU, we know all too well how bad that can be.

    Colorado got the biggest screw I’ve seen since the field went to 64 teams. Beat K-State 3 times, beat Texas, won 21 and played in nation’s 2nd-best league, but left out while Penn State, Michigan State, Illinois, VCU, Tennessee, George Mason and Georgia got in, among others. You know this is has become more of an entertainment spectacle when you note that they made sure Bruce Pearl got in, Michigan State played UCLA, yadda yadda.

    Clemson beat no one who was good this season; at least Virginia Tech beat Duke and FSU. Alabama lost 2 to Georgia, and St. Mary’s out west didn’t get in.

    I know that the supposed coaching targets are going to be tied up awhile in the NCAA, but has anyone looked at the Colorado coach?

  12. 61Packer 03/13/2011 at 7:33 PM #

    I meant to say that Alabama beat UGA twice but got left out while the Dawgs went on.

  13. Lunatic Fringe 03/13/2011 at 7:41 PM #

    Honestly, the bracket is about as good as you could expect from a NC State perspective. Worst case scenario is Barnes and Miller face each other before end of the weekend so one of them will be available soon. It is not beyond a reasonable for Memphis to slip up and win against both of them.

    A&M plays FSU (who is a tough match up due to defense and length) and would go on to play ND in first weekend. A tough 2 games in first weekend.

    Grant, at Alabama, is not even in the tournament.

  14. Wulfpack 03/13/2011 at 8:22 PM #

    Georgia as a 10 seed is an absolute joke. Seriously? Georgia?

  15. Wulfpack 03/13/2011 at 8:31 PM #

    I really like the addition of Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley to the set. That’s going to be a lot more fun than listening to Seth Davis and Clark Kellog all weekend long.

  16. MP 03/13/2011 at 9:29 PM #

    Yes, I like that too. I’m all good with Kenny the Jet. And Barkley cracks me up. I remember a few years ago when he was describing players on Portland… I think… and one after another, it was “he’s a BEAST!”

  17. pnasty21 03/13/2011 at 9:29 PM #

    @Wolfpup76: “Another expansion of the tournament is on the backburner for a few years, thankfully.

    I believe until this current tv contract expires. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong.”

    The tv contract with CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV is for 14 years! I think getting this deal with more channels is what the NCAA wants so it can make the tournament bigger sometime in the near future and get most of the games on tv. I bet, NCAA chose to go with the 4 channel lineup of CBS rather than the 2 or 3 of ESPN(yes ESPN has like 8 but a half of people only get 2 for basic cable) with expanding the tournament in mind.

    I personally wanted the tournament to stay at 65. It’s gotta mean something to get into the tourney!

  18. pnasty21 03/13/2011 at 10:04 PM #

    Even the NCAA bracket on NCAA.com has the format ready for a extra set of games.
    http://i.turner.ncaa.com/dr/ncaa/ncaa/release/sites/default/files/images/mmod/2011/bracket/2011NCAA_MensBracket.pdf

  19. Prowling Woofie 03/14/2011 at 8:06 AM #

    Can someone explain to me why the extra play-in game is not for the 15th seed ?

    I don’t get them having to play for the 11th/12th seed ?

  20. Wufpacker 03/14/2011 at 8:46 AM #

    ^ Actually I was about to ask something similar. It’s different with each one, and one region has two play ins, while one had zero. What gives? Were there any preset rules as to where those play ins would occur or did they just wing it?

  21. Wufpacker 03/14/2011 at 8:47 AM #

    ^ and by where, I don’t mean the location where the game is actually played, but rather where in the bracket. I guess that was probably clear.

  22. wolfman1959 03/14/2011 at 10:13 AM #

    Man, Va Tech is the Rodney Dangerfield of college basketball for the last 2 years….they just get no respect at all !! I am sure as BJD95 said, Seth Greenberg’s head must be exploding AGAIN !!

  23. HPWolf 03/14/2011 at 10:37 AM #

    I know this is off topic but what does everyone think about Scott Drew of Baylor as our possible next head coach?

  24. Prowling Woofie 03/14/2011 at 10:42 AM #

    Wouldn’t touch Scott Drew with a 10 ft pole. Bad odor around the guy, IMO.

  25. HPWolf 03/14/2011 at 10:47 AM #

    Scott pulled baylor out of a really bad place but if he cheated to do it I would not want him either.

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