Huge Disappointment In NCAA Selection Process

[the_cynic]

People can whine about who got the #1 seeds and who didn't but possibly the most upsetting thing in this years selection is that #22 nationally ranked Utah State Aggies (25-3) didn't make this years tourney. All of this because they didn't win their conference championship. It's like the NCAA is saying that they don't respect anyone seriously in the Big West conference because only the conference winner gets to go. So no matter what happens, only one team from that conference can ever go! This is the most absurd thing I've heard in a long time. Something seriously needs to be changed with all the NCAA selections!

ESPN Article

Deseret News Article

Salt Lake Tribune Article

[vicfurth]

I guess corporate NCAA stupidity isn't just confined to football anymore. What if they were ranked in the top 15, or the top 10? *shaking head*

[Notch Novelty]

No, it's not. Maybe they should of gotten in but they really didn't deserve to get in not winning their tourney. Pacific was 17-1 as well. Only 3 teams were over .500 overall in the Big West......You're trying to tell me the WAC only should get one team when half their conference is over .500 They lost to Utah. UTEP deserved it more than Utah St. Richmond went out and actually played teams on the road, Utah St didn't and that is why they rewarded Richmond not Utah St

The NCAA Selection Committee made the right choice

[slapshot]

Similar thing happened to Boston University. BU was the best team all season in the America East (20+ wins, I think). The league tournament was even hosted by BU. But BU lost in the opening round of it tournament to Stony Brook. Vermont ended up winning the league championship, and the NCAA bid (#15 Phoenix/West). BU is one of the top 65 teams in the country, but for the same reason Utah State isn't in the bracket, neither is BU.

Hello, NIT (non-invited tournament)

[NJTank]

I agree Utah State got screwed

Richmond did not deserve to go they are from a medicore confrence. No way the A-10 should have gotten 4 teams.

[Notch Novelty]

Richmond went on the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Point is Utah States record means 17-1 is the same as Pacific's 17-1 record.

[NJTank]

Well I like seeing smaller confernce get their shot and Utah States record was quite impressive.

They didnt make many mistakes this year and overall the selction comitte did a great job this year but every year there is at least 1 team who should be there and 1 who shouldn't.

[the_cynic]

No, it's not. Maybe they should of gotten in but they really didn't deserve to get in not winning their tourney. Pacific was 17-1 as well. Only 3 teams were over .500 overall in the Big West......You're trying to tell me the WAC only should get one team when half their conference is over .500 They lost to Utah. UTEP deserved it more than Utah St. Richmond went out and actually played teams on the road, Utah St didn't and that is why they rewarded Richmond not Utah St

The NCAA Selection Committee made the right choice

You're kind of missing the point! Utah State was nationally ranked, Richmond wasn't!

[paynomind]

I think the problem here is the automatic bid. Why does winning the West Northern American South East Division mean you are one of the best 64 teams in the country? The tourney should be the top 64 teams. Period.

Guranteed bids from nobody conferences for nobody teams is what causes BS like the #15 team getting left out. If i was them, I'd be unholy pissed.

When is the last time a #16 won a game? Never. Stop letting in patsies.

[NJTank]

I like the automatic bid for each conference it gives teh little guys something to play for. Those small confernce make championship week and if one of them makes a run they will be legends forever.

One of the days a 16 seed will win could be this year cough Liberty cough, and it will be a memorable event forever.

[the_cynic]

But who's to say that the Big West won't have two of the top 20 or top 10 teams in college? Yes they're small conferences in small parts of the country but they still have really great teams. Utah State knocked off North Carolina in the first round a couple years ago. Weber State, another local Utah school knocked them off too! I'm not saying that the "whole" process is missed up but in cases like this, I think the process should be reviewed a little bit. Hell, Utah State didn't even get invited to the "Play-in" games.

[-kj]

Liberty will not beat St. Joe's, you're on crack.

Taking away the smaller confereces' bids is ridiculous.

Utah State got jobbed, especially if they were already being recognized in the national polls.

It's tough to leave Richmond out, since they played a strong schedule, fared well in their conference (which isn't as weak as y'all want to make it out to be), and did things like beat Kansas on the road. (Big 8+4 teams have enough problems winning in Lawrence, let alone so-called-cupcakes!)

[NJTank]

Hey I like to make bold predictions and since I think Bobby Knight is going to teh Sweet 16, I decided to go for the ultimate bold pick, if Im worng hey Ive been wrong before.

As for teams in the tourney I think they shoudl add 3 teams to the mix, and have 4 16 vs 17 games like the 1 play in game they are having Tuesday.

If they do this you get 3 other at large teams in the mix, and will be able to invite more mid majors like Utah State, while giving the real small teams a chance to actually win a game beofre meeting their makers aginst the top seed.

[lucky]

I think the problem here is the automatic bid. Why does winning the West Northern American South East Division mean you are one of the best 64 teams in the country? The tourney should be the top 64 teams. Period.

Guranteed bids from nobody conferences for nobody teams is what causes BS like the #15 team getting left out. If i was them, I'd be unholy pissed.

When is the last time a #16 won a game? Never. Stop letting in patsies.

No offense, but you might be the only person in the world who thinks the 16 seeds are bad for college basketball. If you're not good enough to be one of the at-large teams selected, then you probably have just as much chance in the tournament as the #16 seeds. Instead of being unholy pissed about the "nobody teams", try winning a couple more games. Substitute Utah St, Georgia, Michigan etc. for the Valparaisos, Monmouths and Murray States of the world and you know what you have? The same exact final four (and probably elite 8) teams and a whole lot less excitement.

[the_cynic]

I think the problem here is the automatic bid. Why does winning the West Northern American South East Division mean you are one of the best 64 teams in the country? The tourney should be the top 64 teams. Period.

Guranteed bids from nobody conferences for nobody teams is what causes BS like the #15 team getting left out. If i was them, I'd be unholy pissed.

When is the last time a #16 won a game? Never. Stop letting in patsies.

No offense, but you might be the only person in the world who thinks the 16 seeds are bad for college basketball. If you're not good enough to be one of the at-large teams selected, then you probably have just as much chance in the tournament as the #16 seeds. Instead of being unholy pissed about the "nobody teams", try winning a couple more games. Substitute Utah St, Georgia, Michigan etc. for the Valparaisos, Monmouths and Murray States of the world and you know what you have? The same exact final four (and probably elite 8) teams and a whole lot less excitement.

Lies, lies, lies! It's called "Cinderella Teams" my friend. Nobody thought Utah would have gone to the Finals in '98. Although the big schools like Kentucky, North Carolina, & Duke are automatic favorites there are big surprises that happen. It might not be on a Final Four level every year but eveytime one of these schools shocks the country, their recruiting sky rockets. It's a know fact that most b-ball players would like to play for a "tournament team" than a "non-tournament team".

[-kj]

Speaking of Utah, it seems ironic, at least in my mind, that Utah's win in the MWC tournament may have been what kept Utah State out.

[paynomind]

I'm not unholy pissed by any means. I'm fine with it as it is, but my point was, the 64 teams should be the BEST 64 teams, not Obscure Conference Winner with Deal to Get In No Matter What.

If you substitute Utah St, Georgia, Michigan etc. for the Valparaisos, Monmouths and Murray States of the world what you get are BETTER teams in the mix, MORE chance for an upset, thereby MORE excitement. Will the Final Four be the same no matter what? maybe. But the best teams should be in the playoffs, no matter what league, no matter what format, no matter what sport.

Lets take your arguement another direction; In the NHL playoffs, lets let in the Blackhawks and the Rangers. They may not be the best teams this year, but the Avs will probably win it all anyway, so who cares.

---RIDICULOUS. Let in the best teams, let them play.

If you want in small eams, have them play Duke, Syracuse, etc, etc.. get ranked... otherwise, look forward to winning the Southern Mountain Plains Coast Conference Championship and be done with it.

[jkrdevil]

Is it me or is college sports very flawed. You are these people you decide which teams are good and which teams are bad?? I think the human element should be takien out of the process in all ncaa sports. Just go by record and conference champioships.

To me the idea of having polls and people who decides who the best teams are turns me off from the college game.

[NJTank]

Then whats the point in these small teams playing then they deserve some reward they are division 1 its a great story when they win, by you logic Gonzaga would never be invited either.

[the_cynic]

Why not have like 5 different NCAA tournaments? You could handle it very much like high school sports.....5-A Divsion, 4-A Division, 3-A Division, 2-A Division, & 1-A Division. That way you would never have to worry about small schools not being able to win championships.