FEB 14TH USCHO BRACKETOLOGY..

[AZSIOUX]

http://www.uscho.com/news/2005/02/15_009961.php

Minneapolis:

Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Minnesota

Ohio State vs. Cornell

Grand Rapids:

Northern Michigan vs. Colorado College

New Hampshire vs. Michigan

Amherst:

Sacred Heart vs. Denver

North Dakota vs. Harvard

Worcester:

Bemidji State vs. Boston College

Boston University vs. Wisconsin

1 Denver

2 Boston College

3 Colorado College

4 Minnesota

5 Michigan

6 Cornell

7 Wisconsin

8 New Hampshire

9 North Dakota

10 Harvard

11 Ohio State

12 Boston University

13 Dartmouth

14 Massachusetts-Lowell

15 Bemidji State

16 Sacred Heart

Conference Breakdown

WCHA - 5

HEA - 4

CCHA - 3

ECACHL - 2

AHA - 1

CHA - 1

[jk]

I have no problem with stuff like this being posted and discussed, so that's not my point here. What I would like to point out is that this stuff is completely meaningless with five weekends of hockey left to play. UND is tied for 9th in the PWR with three other teams, which is another way of saying they are tied for 9th through 12th. 12th, when attempting to qualify for a tournament with a field of 12 or 13 teams (considering autobids) is not a comfortable place to be.

Adding bonus points might give UND a little extra cushion, but then again Maine also has to play a lot of hockey yet, and if Maine slips just a bit then UND has no bonus points.

If the Sioux don't start winning more games than they lose, all the bracket analysis will be meaningless, because I don't think they will make the tournament. Most of the PWR comparisons with the teams just above and below UND are pretty close, so a slightly different RPI or TUC record could swing some of them either way. We just don't know until more hockey is played.

And ... if they do make the tournament, I don't care who is in their bracket or where it is. I'll take my chances to win two games against anyone.

[AZSIOUX]

i hear you..this does not mean much at all right now but its interesting to see where the sioux stand from a reliable source being the PWR on uscho..

you are correct, we need to win bottom line! get wins in the last 3 weeks and these tourney predictions will take care of themselves.

will also say i will take my chances with the sioux winning 2 games in any region?

[#1Hakfan]

How come Minnesota keeps LOSING and LOSING and LOSING to BAD teams and it drops in all the polls, except the pairwise. They must have created this system. They get all the regionals at home, Final 5 in their back yard, I suppose by next year they will figure out a way to get a buy to the title game.

[jimdahl]

Since you asked... while it's true that so pronounced a late-season swoon usually has a much more deleterious effect on tournament seeding, the Gophers have won the right the games this year. By going an amazing 17-9 against teams currently under consideration, they win that point in almost every PWR comparison. It's quite intentional (and sound, IMHO) that teams that win against tough competition are ranked higher than teams with similar records but mostly losses against the elite competitors. Combine that with an RPI bolstered by arguably the toughest schedule in the nation, and they certainly deserve to be in the tournament.

They similarly don't seem to deserve a #1 seed at this point, and there's a fair chance they'll lose it by the end of the regular season because of their falling RPI from having to finally play the "weaker" WCHA teams (I had the exact magnitude of the drop projected and posted on POI, but don't care to repeat the exercise). If they manage to turn it around and win out or do well in the conference tournament to lock up the 1-seed, it will have been well-earned.

Any coach who wants a good seed should be paying attention to their coincidental mediocrity and great ranking -- if you want a good tournament seed, schedule tough competition and beat them; then you can afford a few slipups against the Tech's and AA's.

[sagard]

Without a strong showing at the Final Five the Gophers will not hold onto the last #1 seed. Depending who finishes as a TUC and what the RPI bonus ends up being, they could easily still lose comparisons to UMich, UW, UNH, Cornell and BU.

Granted they probably won't lose all those comparisons, but I'm guessing they won't win them all either.

The Gophers have a lot more to worry about than their NCAA seeding right now anyways. They now appear to be healthy, but their performance has not improved.

If I'm a UND fan right now, I'd actually consider rooting for the Gophs. The Gophers getting the last #1, would give the Sioux their only chance at staying in the Mariucci regional where I assume you'd all be thrilled to have them.

[NorthDakotaHockey]

If I'm a UND fan right now, I'd actually consider rooting for the Gophs.  The Gophers getting the last #1, would give the Sioux their only chance at staying in the Mariucci regional where I assume you'd all be thrilled to have them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is the Pope Jewish? I, for one, would never cheer for the Gophers, under any circumstances. Tried that once as a young man and now I've got a 500,000 year Purgatory sentence to show for it.

It's preordained that the Sioux will be rocking The John on March 25, and again on March 27. It'll be doubly special if we get the Reelin' Rodents in either of the two games.

[siouxnami]

Without a strong showing at the Final Five the Gophers will not hold onto the last #1 seed.  Depending who finishes as a TUC and what the RPI bonus ends up being, they could easily still lose comparisons to UMich, UW, UNH, Cornell and BU. 

Granted they probably won't lose all those comparisons, but I'm guessing they won't win them all either. 

The Gophers have a lot more to worry about than their NCAA seeding right now anyways.  They now appear to be healthy, but their performance has not improved.

If I'm a UND fan right now, I'd actually consider rooting for the Gophs.  The Gophers getting the last #1, would give the Sioux their only chance at staying in the Mariucci regional where I assume you'd all be thrilled to have them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No way, send us out East. Stick us in a bracket with #1 Cornell and #2 Harvard. See you at the frozen four. I think that it is absolute crap that the WCHA can have 5 (or 6) teams in the tourney and only participate in 3 backets. This BS favors the 5 lesser conferences.

[WPoS]

[siouxnami]

Didn't you get the memo on the vast Gopher/WCHA conspiriacy?  This way the Gophs can be more assured of the Frozen Four spot having a weak opponent to smash in the Championship game.  

Ahhh, the conspiracy, I forgot...

[#1Hakfan]

I dont think Minnesota should get a number one seed or should care about getting a #1 seed, because they are on their home ice. I know they would get a little easier game, but the main thing is they are on their home Ice, like we finally will have the chance to do next year.

[sagard]

I dont think Minnesota should get a number one seed or should care about getting a #1 seed, because they are on their home ice.

[Sioux_Hab-it]

Good news for the Sioux this evening. MTU tied NMU which dropped NMU to 14th in the PWR. Good things continue to happen now the Sioux need to take care of business against AA.

[redwing77]

[sagard]

Uh, I think DU could beat Michigan, to be honest with you.  Michigan has had a bunch of problems with consistency in every part of their game all year long.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think they could and so could UND if that were a 1st round matchup with Michigan. The problem is that it never seems to work out that way for WCHA teams who face Michigan in Michigan.

[bigmrg74]

I really don't want to see DU again this year, let them go to Grand Rapids and have another heartbreaker with Michigan.  Or better yet, maybe your guys can knock them and Michigan off in GR. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hell, I'm just hoping that UND gets GR so I can roadtrip for cheap. That and to laugh my bum off when I drink Diggler under the table.