SMITH: Cyclones nab No. 7 seed, head to Durham

[IanSmith]

Fanatics,

The wait is over. After watching all the other brackets get filled out, Iowa State finally found out its destination on Monday. The Cyclone earned the No. 7 seed and will face Marist (30-2) in the first round on Saturday at 10 a.m.

Here's my story with notes about the Red Foxes, a quick turnaround and Cameron Indoor Stadium.

http://www.cyclonefanatic.com/basketball/cyclones-nab-no-7-seed-head-to-durham

 

[tm3308]

Iowa and ISU both get tough draws. Marist is ranked #19 in the AP and draws a 10 seed, Gonzaga is ranked #20 and draws an 11 seed. WTF?

 

[cyclones500]

I was at work and couldn't watch the Selection Show -- checked the seeds a couple hours later.

I was braced for the Sisters getting an 8 seed. Glad to see it landed at 7, because I knew a 6 was a stretch.

Would've preferred Xavier to Duke (expected UCLA as a 2, not a 3). Have to get past Marist, but I think Bill will get it done.

Whether it was 6-7-8, I don't expect a Sweet 16 — but an 8/9 is 50-50 and a 1 seed is a certain out. At least in a 2-7, I hold hope for a shocker.

For the second straight year, the team played above my preseason expectations leading up to the tournament. A little extra gravy would be nice. :yes:

 

[pulse]

Marist & Gonzaga didn't have great RPIs, so that is reflected in their seeds.

 

[mred]

Marist & Gonzaga didn't have great RPIs, so that is reflected in their seeds.

They obviously liked the major conference schools this year. Texas was considered a bubble team and got a 9 seed. KSU got an 8 seed. We got a 7 seed. Those were all higher than anyone expected.

 

[Cyhart]

They obviously liked the major conference schools this year. Texas was considered a bubble team and got a 9 seed. KSU got an 8 seed. We got a 7 seed. Those were all higher than anyone expected.

I think deservedly so. I could be totally off-base here, but there isnt near as much parity in Women's hoops as Men's correct? I think playing a Big 12 schedule is worth a extra bump in the seeding.

 

[Three4Cy]

I was at work and couldn't watch the Selection Show -- checked the seeds a couple hours later.

I was braced for the Sisters getting an 8 seed. Glad to see it landed at 7, because I knew a 6 was a stretch.

Would've preferred Xavier to Duke (expected UCLA as a 2, not a 3). Have to get past Marist, but I think Bill will get it done.

Whether it was 6-7-8, I don't expect a Sweet 16 — but an 8/9 is 50-50 and a 1 seed is a certain out. At least in a 2-7, I hold hope for a shocker.

For the second straight year, the team played above my preseason expectations leading up to the tournament. A little extra gravy would be nice. :yes:

First off, you should feel lucky you didn't have to sit through the selection show. What an absolute joke, took an hour to do about 10 minutes worth of work.

I am ok with our seed, yes I would have preferred a 6 but I'll take the 7 seed. We just have to play ball and see what happens. You only have to be good enough for one game on one day to beat a team, so if we get to play Duke that's the attitude you have to take.

 

[Wesley]

Score predition: 45-44?

 

[Sloup]

As far as hopes that we get to the Sweet 16 again, I don't like that we'll have to play Duke at their place to pull it off.

As a band member, I'm glad I'll get to see Coach K Court. Should be a fun trip.

 

[Three4Cy]

Iowa and ISU both get tough draws. Marist is ranked #19 in the AP and draws a 10 seed, Gonzaga is ranked #20 and draws an 11 seed. WTF?

Ranking has nothing to do with seeding or even selection into the NCAA tourney.

Look at their RPI, Strength of Schedule, Wins over top 50 RPI teams, and how they finished the season. They both play in conferences where they dominate, and the rest of the teams are terrible. In the WCC, 6 of the 8 teams have an RPI lower than 190, and in the MAAC, all the teams except Marist are outside the top 100, and Niagara is # 339.

 

[ARSON]

I was at work and couldn't watch the Selection Show -- checked the seeds a couple hours later.

I was braced for the Sisters getting an 8 seed. Glad to see it landed at 7, because I knew a 6 was a stretch.

Would've preferred Xavier to Duke (expected UCLA as a 2, not a 3). Have to get past Marist, but I think Bill will get it done.

Whether it was 6-7-8, I don't expect a Sweet 16 — but an 8/9 is 50-50 and a 1 seed is a certain out. At least in a 2-7, I hold hope for a shocker.

For the second straight year, the team played above my preseason expectations leading up to the tournament. A little extra gravy would be nice. :yes:

I honestly like playong Duke instead of Xavier. Now playing them there is the deathknell but X would be a really tough out. 2 active twin towers of theirs would have overworked Pop and no one else can bang with them like they do it!
Gonzaga is a very good team and Iowa will find that out.
Iowa's guards have faced no one like Vandersloot!

 

[Tornado man]

Ranking has nothing to do with seeding or even selection into the NCAA tourney.

Look at their RPI, Strength of Schedule, Wins over top 50 RPI teams, and how they finished the season. They both play in conferences where they dominate, and the rest of the teams are terrible. In the WCC, 6 of the 8 teams have an RPI lower than 190, and in the MAAC, all the teams except Marist are outside the top 100, and Niagara is # 339.

This is why I wonder if the committee really watches lots of games, and knows their basketball, or just relies on the data. The RPI of teams was really followed closely.
If just looking at numbers is the trick, then have a computer do the brackets, or gather some math whizzes from Snedecor Hall to do it. You don't even have to know the game.

 

[twistedredbird]

You have to give Marist credit, but at the same time, other than Louisville and Houston, they have no other wins to teams inside the top 100 in RPI. I think Marist is an excellent program, but I don't think their resume deserves much higher of a seed. Actually, a 10 seed, means 37-40, so that is 2 seeds higher than their RPI.

 

[Nomar33]

You have to give Marist credit, but at the same time, other than Louisville and Houston, they have no other wins to teams inside the top 100 in RPI. I think Marist is an excellent program, but I don't think their resume deserves much higher of a seed. Actually, a 10 seed, means 37-40, so that is 2 seeds higher than their RPI.

Honestly anywhere from 7-10 is a curse having to face #1 or #2 in round 2. And you have to go beyond the RPI ranking and do a sight test - yeah Marist's RPI was dragged down due to a very weak year in the MAAC but then you look at what they did to those teams ... pretty much destroyed each one of them (which if you are supposed to be a top 25 team you should)

The talk of them being a 5 or 6 seed is silly (you beat St. Bonnies and beat Ariz. St - game was canceled - maybe you can talk) But 8/9/10 is the range they should have been in.

 

[RedFoxesFan]

Honestly anywhere from 7-10 is a curse having to face #1 or #2 in round 2. And you have to go beyond the RPI ranking and do a sight test - yeah Marist's RPI was dragged down due to a very weak year in the MAAC but then you look at what they did to those teams ... pretty much destroyed each one of them (which if you are supposed to be a top 25 team you should)

The talk of them being a 5 or 6 seed is silly (you beat St. Bonnies and beat Ariz. St - game was canceled - maybe you can talk) But 8/9/10 is the range they should have been in.

Statistically 8's and 9's fare worse than 10's so I'm good with 10.

 

[RedFoxesFan]

Statistically 8's and 9's fare worse than 10's so I'm good with 10.

When 15th Is Better Than 8th: The Math Shows the Bracket Is Backward - NYTimes.com

 

[twistedredbird]

When 15th Is Better Than 8th: The Math Shows the Bracket Is Backward - NYTimes.com

Interesting article, showing statistics to back up what many have thought for a long time. I wonder though, my guess is this is based on men's ball, and I imagine the chances of lower seeds having a better chance at the sweet sixteen, elite eight, and final four are much lower than the mens.

8/9 is definitely the death knell in WBB.

 

[Tornado man]

Interesting article, showing statistics to back up what many have thought for a long time. I wonder though, my guess is this is based on men's ball, and I imagine the chances of lower seeds having a better chance at the sweet sixteen, elite eight, and final four are much lower than the mens.

8/9 is definitely the death knell in WBB.

I agree, I'd like to see a historical breakdown of the women's tournament.
Last year, all the 8's - Temple, Dayton, Iowa, UCLA - beat the 9's.