Bracketology 2024

[Trice]

Apropos of nothing, it's pretty amazing how every year ISU is either good enough to be solidly in the NCAA Tournament, or bad enough that we're certain we won't get in. Has there been a single instance in the last, say, 30 years where we were sweating it out on Selection Sunday? Even in our (relatively rare) NIT seasons I don't recall there ever being any doubt about our postseason fate.

 

[Bader]

I actually did this wrong. Creighton should go to Memphis...

Brooklyn = (2) Connecticut; (14) Illinois
Charlotte = (4) Tennessee; (5) North Carolina
Indianapolis = (1) Purdue; (7) Marquette
Memphis = (3) Houston; (9) Creighton
Omaha = (8) Iowa State; (10) Baylor
Pittsburgh = (11) Duke; (12) Kentucky
Salt Lake City = (6) Arizona; (13) Kansas
Spokane = (15) Alabama; (16) Auburn

Bama and Auburn being shipped off to Spokane together would be comedy gold

 

[CoachHines3]

Apropos of nothing, it's pretty amazing how every year ISU is either good enough to be solidly in the NCAA Tournament, or bad enough that we're certain we won't get in. Has there been a single instance in the last, say, 30 years where we were sweating it out on Selection Sunday? Even in our (relatively rare) NIT seasons I don't recall there ever being any doubt about our postseason fate.

id say our sweet 16 run we were alot closer to the bubble than people maybe realized as the 11 seed

 

[Sigmapolis]

Bama and Auburn being shipped off to Spokane together would be comedy gold

Victims of there only being one "western" team (defining "western" as something like west of I-25 in front of the Rockies) in the top 16 right now. But you're right that is pretty funny.

Being a #15 or #16 on the weave means you get dumped the places nobody else wanted.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Apropos of nothing, it's pretty amazing how every year ISU is either good enough to be solidly in the NCAA Tournament, or bad enough that we're certain we won't get in. Has there been a single instance in the last, say, 30 years where we were sweating it out on Selection Sunday? Even in our (relatively rare) NIT seasons I don't recall there ever being any doubt about our postseason fate.

Just guessing from seed lines...

#13 in 1985
#12 in 1988
#10 in 2013 (I remember a bit of sweating on here before our number came)
#11 in 2022 (we were pretty sure we were safe but only just so)

 

[alarson]

Apropos of nothing, it's pretty amazing how every year ISU is either good enough to be solidly in the NCAA Tournament, or bad enough that we're certain we won't get in. Has there been a single instance in the last, say, 30 years where we were sweating it out on Selection Sunday? Even in our (relatively rare) NIT seasons I don't recall there ever being any doubt about our postseason fate.

I want to say there was concern about being near the bubble in March a couple times but we took care of what we needed to to not worry on Sunday.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Bama and Auburn being shipped off to Spokane together would be comedy gold

Spokane is also, by far, the worst arena and city combo in the regular rotation as well. Old, nasty building in a non-exciting town that doesn't give a **** that the tournament is even there.

Portland and Seattle don't care either but at least you get an NBA level building. Spokane doesn't have that.

 

[SolterraCyclone]

id say our sweet 16 run we were alot closer to the bubble than people maybe realized as the 11 seed

If I recall, we were struggling down the stretch, but we won at Kansas State late in the year. The prevailing feeling was we were safe after that victory. But I’m pretty sure we were closer the cut line than we thought (though we still weren’t in the play-in games)

 

[Trice]

id say our sweet 16 run we were alot closer to the bubble than people maybe realized as the 11 seed

Perhaps, but finding out after the fact that the committee had you lower than you expected to be is a little different...I could be remembering incorrectly but I don't recall any doubt about whether we'd get in going into Selection Sunday.

 

[Chitowncy]

I just find it hard to believe they send a 2 from the Big XII to the South with Houston. But you're basically saying we need to beat Houston Saturday or face them.in a regional final.

Me too. If we beat Baylor and then face Houston for a third time in the Big XII Championship on Saturday, I can't imagine they stick us as a 2 seed in Houston's region. Just doesn't seem likely.

 

[SolterraCyclone]

Spokane is also, by far, the worst arena and city combo in the regular rotation as well. Old, nasty building in a non-exciting town that doesn't give a **** that the tournament is even there.

Portland and Seattle don't care either but at least you get an NBA level building. Spokane doesn't have that.

Spokane is going to be very sparsely attended unless Gonzaga gets seeded there.

Bama and Auburn aren’t known for rabid basketball fans

 

[MartyFine]

 

[Sigmapolis]

Spokane is also, by far, the worst arena and city combo in the regular rotation as well. Old, nasty building in a non-exciting town that doesn't give a **** that the tournament is even there.

Portland and Seattle don't care either but at least you get an NBA level building. Spokane doesn't have that.

Why would they even select it then...?

I get they need some western locations, but there's so many better spots/arenas.

Seattle (the old Sonics arena has some charm about it)
Portland (Blazers)
Sacramento (new Kings' arena)
San Francisco (new Dubs' arena)
LA (whatever the Staples Center is called nowadays)
Las Vegas (duh)
Phoenix (Suns' arena)
Salt Lake City (Jazz arena)
Denver (Nuggets' arena)
Boise (a nicer city with a nicer arena)

You could even throw places like Omaha, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio into the mix as being "western" enough to quality as a western location for one of the sites.

Plenty there to never have to think about Spokane again.

 

[goody2012]

This graphic is just a random group of teams?

 

[Jayshellberg]

Apropos of nothing, it's pretty amazing how every year ISU is either good enough to be solidly in the NCAA Tournament, or bad enough that we're certain we won't get in. Has there been a single instance in the last, say, 30 years where we were sweating it out on Selection Sunday? Even in our (relatively rare) NIT seasons I don't recall there ever being any doubt about our postseason fate.

I can’t recall ever watching the selection show on Sunday wondering if ISU’s name would be called or not.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Why would they even select it then...?

I get they need some western locations, but there's so many better spots/arenas.

Seattle (the old Sonics arena has some charm about it)
Portland (Blazers)
Sacramento (new Kings' arena)
San Francisco (new Dubs' arena)
LA (whatever the Staples Center is called nowadays)
Las Vegas (duh)
Phoenix (Suns' arena)
Salt Lake City (Jazz arena)
Denver (Nuggets' arena)
Boise (a nicer city with a nicer arena)

You could even throw places like Omaha, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio into the mix as being "western" enough to quality as a western location for one of the sites.

Plenty there to never have to think about Spokane again.

I'm sure it boils down to 'this is the way that we've always done it' NCAA style logic.

Also, they've completely renovated the old Sonics building for the Kraken and it's a really cool place now.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Yeah, if we get to the Elite Eight, I don't really care if it has to be in Australia

Oh I completely agree but it's still ok to prefer a Midwest seed just from a fan support and path standpoint.

 

[Cyclonepride]

This graphic is just a random group of teams?

Good point, I thought the logos were all of teams in the semifinals this year, but nope. Several of them are not. Maybe they recycled an old image?

 

[jcf817]

Arkansas?

 

[DSMCy]

This graphic is just a random group of teams?

I think the list is right (teams in the semifinals of their conference tournament) but the graphic is all messed up.
Just a quick glance and Texas, TCU, Creighton, Missouri are all done so clearly not going to make the semifinals

Edit - they said the graphic is from last year.
Also they can’t even make the list yet because the SEC and big 10 aren’t to the semis yet. So why even put this out. Just wait 24 hours lol