THE FOUR #1 SEEDS WILL BE
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 12:08 pm
UConn........Notre Dame.........Tennessee..........Stanford
Lousville could be considered for the final #1 seed, considering their higher ranking and that three of their losses were to UConn.
However:
Stanford has a better Strength of Schedule rating even with the bad losses to Washington and the PAC12 Tourney loss
Geography: With both Stanford and Louisville as hosts for Regional Championships, this makes the call even tougher. However, having all four #1 seeds from east of the Mississippi River would look bad in the eyes of the committee when it could be prevented. HOWEVER, this means a #1 Seed would have to play on a lower seeded team's home court for a shot at the Final Four. (Regional are at Louisville, Notre Dame, Stanford and Lincoln, Nebraska where Nebraska is looking like a #3 seed). So UConn could go to Lincoln and end up playing a true away game for the opportunity to advance to the final four while Tennessee could face a #2 seeded Louisville at Louisville while Notre Dame and Stanford stay at home to play the regionals. So even as a #2 seed, Louisville would come out with a clear shot. Stanford would likely host a #1 Seeded Tennessee if they fall to the #2 slot and Louisville moved to the #1 seed. So basically, Tennessee could have a tough route to the FINAL FOUR either way.... playing at Louisville or Stanford as a true away game!
So here is how I see it:
#1 Seeds
UCONN at Lincoln, Nebraska
NOTRE DAME at South Bend, Indiana
TENNESSEE at Louisville, Kentucky
STANFORD at Palo Alto, California
#2 Seeds
Louisville at Louisville
Baylor at Lincoln
Duke at South Bend
South Carolina at Palo Alto
However, the committee will let us know come Monday!
Lousville could be considered for the final #1 seed, considering their higher ranking and that three of their losses were to UConn.
However:
Stanford has a better Strength of Schedule rating even with the bad losses to Washington and the PAC12 Tourney loss
Geography: With both Stanford and Louisville as hosts for Regional Championships, this makes the call even tougher. However, having all four #1 seeds from east of the Mississippi River would look bad in the eyes of the committee when it could be prevented. HOWEVER, this means a #1 Seed would have to play on a lower seeded team's home court for a shot at the Final Four. (Regional are at Louisville, Notre Dame, Stanford and Lincoln, Nebraska where Nebraska is looking like a #3 seed). So UConn could go to Lincoln and end up playing a true away game for the opportunity to advance to the final four while Tennessee could face a #2 seeded Louisville at Louisville while Notre Dame and Stanford stay at home to play the regionals. So even as a #2 seed, Louisville would come out with a clear shot. Stanford would likely host a #1 Seeded Tennessee if they fall to the #2 slot and Louisville moved to the #1 seed. So basically, Tennessee could have a tough route to the FINAL FOUR either way.... playing at Louisville or Stanford as a true away game!
So here is how I see it:
#1 Seeds
UCONN at Lincoln, Nebraska
NOTRE DAME at South Bend, Indiana
TENNESSEE at Louisville, Kentucky
STANFORD at Palo Alto, California
#2 Seeds
Louisville at Louisville
Baylor at Lincoln
Duke at South Bend
South Carolina at Palo Alto
However, the committee will let us know come Monday!