i.e.<\/em>, the NCAA tournament starts tomorrow.<\/p>\n• I will be using the highest remaining seed of each conference’s tournament as my assumed conference tournament champion.<\/p>\n
Step one<\/h4>\n From the committee’s report, choose the 16 teams in the tournament.<\/p>\n
We break ties in the PWR by looking at how the teams rank in the Ratings Percentage Index, and add in any highest remaining conference seeds that are not currently in the top 16. There are none.<\/p>\n
From there, we can start looking at the ties and bubbles in a more detailed fashion.<\/p>\n
The ties and bubbles consist of Massachusetts-Lowell and North Dakota at 6, Notre Dame, Minnesota State and Niagara at 9, and the huge logjam at 16.<\/p>\n
We break all of our ties based upon the RPI.<\/p>\n
Therefore the 16 teams in the tournament, in rank order, are:<\/p>\n
1 Quinnipiac \n2 Minnesota \n3 Miami \n4 Boston College \n5 Yale \n6 Massachusetts-Lowell \n7 North Dakota \n8 New Hampshire \n9 Notre Dame \n10 Minnesota State \n11 Niagara \n12 St. Cloud State \n13 Denver \n14 Western Michigan \n15 Union \n16 Wisconsin<\/p>\n
Step two<\/h4>\n Now it’s time to assign the seeds.<\/p>\n
No. 1 seeds — Quinnipiac, Minnesota, Miami, Boston College \nNo. 2 seeds — Yale, Massachusetts-Lowell, North Dakota, New Hampshire \nNo. 3 seeds — Notre Dame, Minnesota State, Niagara, St. Cloud State \nNo. 4 seeds — Denver, Western Michigan, Union, Wisconsin<\/p>\n
Step three<\/h4>\n Place the No. 1 seeds in regionals.<\/p>\n
No. 1 Quinnipiac is placed in the East Regional in Providence. \nNo. 2 Minnesota is placed in the West Regional in Grand Rapids. \nNo. 3 Miami is placed in the Midwest Regional in Toledo. \nNo. 4 Boston College is placed in the Northeast Regional in Manchester.<\/p>\n
Step four<\/h4>\n Now we place the other 12 teams so as to avoid intra-conference matchups if possible.<\/p>\n
Begin by filling in each bracket by banding groups. Remember that teams are not<\/strong><\/em> assigned to the regional closest to their campus sites by ranking order within the banding (unless it is a host school, in which case it must be assigned to its home regional).<\/p>\nIf this is the case, as it was last year, then the committee should seed so that the quarterfinals are seeded such that the four regional championships are played by No. 1 vs. No. 8, No. 2 vs. No. 7, No. 3 vs. No. 6 and No. 4 vs. No. 5.<\/p>\n
But we must assign New Hampshire, a host school, first.<\/p>\n
So therefore:<\/p>\n
No. 2 seeds<\/em><\/p>\nNo. 8 New Hampshire is placed in No. 4 Boston College’s regional, the Northeast Regional. \nNo. 7 North Dakota is placed in No. 1 Quinnipiac’s regional, the East Regional. \nNo. 6 Massachusetts-Lowell is placed in No. 2 Minnesota’s regional, the West Regional. \nNo. 5 Yale is placed in No. 3 Miami’s regional, the Midwest Regional.<\/p>\n
No. 3 seeds<\/em><\/p>\nOur bracketing system has one regional containing seeds 1, 8, 9, and 16, another with 2, 7, 10, 15, another with 3, 6, 11, 14 and another with 4, 5, 12 and 13.<\/p>\n
No. 9 Notre Dame is placed in No. 8 New Hampshire’s regional, the Northeast Regional. \nNo. 10 Minnesota State is placed in No. 7 North Dakota’s regional, the East Regional. \nNo. 11 Niagara is placed in No. 6 Massachusetts-Lowell’s regional, the West Regional. \nNo. 12 St. Cloud State is placed in No. 5 Yale’s regional, the Midwest Regional.<\/p>\n
No. 4 seeds<\/em><\/p>\nOne more time, taking No. 16 vs. No. 1, No. 15 vs. No. 2, etc.<\/p>\n
No. 16 Wisconsin is sent to No. 1 Quinnipiac’s regional, the East Regional. \nNo. 15 Union is sent to No. 2 Minnesota’s regional, the West Regional. \nNo. 14 Western Michigan is sent to No. 3 Miami’s regional, the Midwest Regional. \nNo. 13 Denver is sent to No. 4 Boston College’s regional, the Northeast Regional.<\/p>\n
The brackets as we have set them up:<\/p>\n
West Regional (Grand Rapids):<\/strong> \n15 Union vs. 2 Minnesota \n11 Niagara vs. 6 Massachusetts-Lowell<\/p>\nMidwest Regional (Toledo):<\/strong> \n14 Western Michigan vs. 3 Miami \n12 St. Cloud State vs. 5 Yale<\/p>\nNortheast Regional (Manchester):<\/strong> \n13 Denver vs. 4 Boston College \n9 Notre Dame vs. 8 New Hampshire<\/p>\nEast Regional (Providence):<\/strong> \n16 Wisconsin vs. 1 Quinnipiac \n10 Minnesota State vs. 7 North Dakota<\/p>\nOur first concern is avoiding intra-conference matchups. We have Western Michigan vs. Miami and Minnesota State vs. North Dakota.<\/p>\n
Let’s take care of Western Michigan vs. Miami first.<\/p>\n
We would like to see Western Michigan in Grand Rapids. We can do that. We would like to see Union in Manchester. We can do that.<\/p>\n
So let’s swap, pushing Denver to Toledo to allow the move.<\/p>\n
West Regional (Grand Rapids):<\/strong> \n14 Western Michigan vs. 2 Minnesota \n11 Niagara vs. 6 Massachusetts-Lowell<\/p>\nMidwest Regional (Toledo):<\/strong> \n13 Denver vs. 3 Miami \n12 St. Cloud State vs. 5 Yale<\/p>\nNortheast Regional (Manchester):<\/strong> \n15 Union vs. 4 Boston College \n9 Notre Dame vs. 8 New Hampshire<\/p>\nEast Regional (Providence):<\/strong> \n16 Wisconsin vs. 1 Quinnipiac \n10 Minnesota State vs. 7 North Dakota<\/p>\nNow we move onto Minnesota State vs. North Dakota.<\/p>\n
I have some things to play with here, except that I can’t move New Hampshire.<\/p>\n
How about a straight swap of North Dakota and Massachusetts-Lowell?<\/p>\n
West Regional (Grand Rapids):<\/strong> \n14 Western Michigan vs. 2 Minnesota \n11 Niagara vs. 7 North Dakota<\/p>\nMidwest Regional (Toledo):<\/strong> \n13 Denver vs. 3 Miami \n12 St. Cloud State vs. 5 Yale<\/p>\nNortheast Regional (Manchester):<\/strong> \n15 Union vs. 4 Boston College \n9 Notre Dame vs. 8 New Hampshire<\/p>\nEast Regional (Providence):<\/strong> \n16 Wisconsin vs. 1 Quinnipiac \n10 Minnesota State vs. 6 Massachusetts-Lowell<\/p>\nThat solves the intra-conference matchup.<\/p>\n
Now let’s move onto attendance.<\/p>\n
Notre Dame to Grand Rapids would be nice. Yale coming east would be nice, but that can’t happen.<\/p>\n
But we can swap Notre Dame with Niagara.<\/p>\n
West Regional (Grand Rapids):<\/strong> \n14 Western Michigan vs. 2 Minnesota \n9 Notre Dame vs. 7 North Dakota<\/p>\nMidwest Regional (Toledo):<\/strong> \n13 Denver vs. 3 Miami \n12 St. Cloud State vs. 5 Yale<\/p>\nNortheast Regional (Manchester):<\/strong> \n15 Union vs. 4 Boston College \n11 Niagara vs. 8 New Hampshire<\/p>\nEast Regional (Providence):<\/strong> \n16 Wisconsin vs. 1 Quinnipiac \n10 Minnesota State vs. 6 Massachusetts-Lowell<\/p>\nHow about we make one more change: swap Minnesota State and Niagara.<\/p>\n
West Regional (Grand Rapids):<\/strong> \n14 Western Michigan vs. 2 Minnesota \n9 Notre Dame vs. 7 North Dakota<\/p>\nMidwest Regional (Toledo):<\/strong> \n13 Denver vs. 3 Miami \n12 St. Cloud State vs. 5 Yale<\/p>\nNortheast Regional (Manchester):<\/strong> \n15 Union vs. 4 Boston College \n10 Minnesota State vs. 8 New Hampshire<\/p>\nEast Regional (Providence):<\/strong> \n16 Wisconsin vs. 1 Quinnipiac \n11 Niagara vs. 6 Massachusetts-Lowell<\/p>\nThat looks good to me. So that is it. My bracket for the week.<\/p>\n
See you here over the weekend for the final Bracketology.<\/p>\n
Here’s a summary of everything that we have covered.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nThis week’s brackets<\/h4>\n Grand Rapids<\/strong> \n14 Western Michigan vs. 2 Minnesota \n9 Notre Dame vs. 7 North Dakota<\/p>\nToledo<\/strong> \n13 Denver vs. 3 Miami \n12 St. Cloud State vs. 5 Yale<\/p>\nManchester<\/strong> \n15 Union vs. 4 Boston College \n10 Minnesota State vs. 8 New Hampshire<\/p>\nProvidence<\/strong> \n16 Wisconsin vs. 1 Quinnipiac \n11 Niagara vs. 6 Massachusetts-Lowell<\/p>\nConference breakdowns<\/h4>\n WCHA — 6 \nECAC — 3 \nCCHA — 3 \nHEA — 3 \nAHA — 1<\/p>\n
On the move<\/h4>\n In:<\/strong> Wisconsin \nOut:<\/strong> Rensselaer<\/p>\nAttendance woes?<\/h4>\n I like it.<\/p>\n
Last week’s brackets<\/h4>\n Grand Rapids<\/strong> \n16 Union vs. 2 Minnesota \n10 Western Michigan vs. 6 Denver<\/p>\nToledo<\/strong> \n13 Niagara vs. 3 Miami \n11 Yale vs. 5 North Dakota<\/p>\nManchester<\/strong> \n14 Rensselaer vs. 4 Massachusetts-Lowell \n9 Minnesota State vs. 8 New Hampshire<\/p>\nProvidence<\/strong> \n15 Notre Dame vs. 1 Quinnipiac \n12 St. Cloud State vs. 7 Boston College<\/p>\nWhat I believe<\/h4>\n Here’s the quick take on what I believe as we head into conference championship weekend. More to come as this week progresses.<\/p>\n
Win to get in (7):<\/strong> These are teams that must win the tournament to get in. Even one win can’t help these teams.<\/p>\nMercyhurst, Canisius, Connecticut, Michigan, Ohio State, Colorado College, Brown<\/p>\n
On the bubble and playing (9):<\/strong> Teams that are on the bubble, that may or may not make it in depending on results of its games or other games. Of course, a tournament championship gets these teams in.<\/p>\nYale, Notre Dame, Minnesota State, Niagara, St. Cloud State, Union, Wisconsin, Providence, Boston University<\/p>\n
On the bubble and waiting (5):<\/strong> Teams that are on the bubble, that may or may not make it, but are depending on results from other games as it is not playing.<\/p>\nDenver, Western Michigan, Rensselaer, Alaska, Robert Morris<\/p>\n
Teams that are in (7):<\/strong> Teams will be in the NCAA tournament regardless of this weekend’s results.<\/p>\nQuinnipiac, Minnesota, Miami, Boston College, Massachusetts-Lowell, North Dakota, New Hampshire<\/p>\n
So to summarize, I believe that there are seven bids already taken. That means that there are nine spots left for 21 teams.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It’s time once again to do what we like to call Bracketology, college hockey style. It’s our weekly look at how I believe the NCAA tournament will wind up come selection time. It’s a look into what are the possible thought processes behind selecting and seeding the NCAA tournament teams. This will be the last […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":140328,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[947],"tags":[705,703,704,706,707],"coauthors":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Just days out, and there's quite a pack on the bubble - College Hockey | USCHO.com<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n