GoSIU88 wrote:Majik45 wrote:ahunte1 wrote:I agree with the NIT thing and I still figure there's an advantage to being the 1 or 2 and playing a team on very little rest. But yeah, it's pretty much impossible to sit down and figure out what seed gives the best path for any given team.
History says getting out of the play-in game is huge, as play-in teams are now 1-41 all time against the #1 and #2 seeds. Other than that, this is by far the widest open the tournament has been in YEARS. Per Dave Reynold's (Bradley beat reporter for Peoria Paper), this will be the first time in 111 years that the league champ has 6 losses in conference.
The play-in games didn't start until 1997. Before that only 8 teams made the tournament. I believe Wichita won as a 7 seed once and that's the only time a 1 or 2 seed didn't win their first round game.
Context is important though... How often was the 1 seed a dominant SIU/Creighton/WSU type team? None of the potential 1 seeds are top teams this year. I think that is why the play in game used to matter so much. Your prize was playing a team that was nationally good, this year your prize will definitely be playing a beatable team. As evidence by the fact that the winner of the conference this year will have the most losses in conference ever. No disrespect intended to those at the top. I think it has had little to do with playing the night before and more to do with who was waiting the next day. Put it this way, if ISUR gets the 8 seed somehow and plays Drake/Loyola/UNI/MSU I would not be surprised if ISUR was favored against all but Loyola.
