My biggest issue with the gauntlet at this stage is using it in the major conferences. There's at least a justification for it with the one-bid leagues. But why is the SEC not just running a pure 16-team bracket? What *possible* reason is there for the Big 10 to invite exactly 15 teams to its tournament? It's the wrong kind of madness for March!
The Gauntlet concept is just so flawed right from the beginning. In March, form and momentum are more important than any other month of the basketball calendar. You are giving the two best teams a week or so off to sit on their hands, while the other teams have been battling! It’s an absolutely head scratching decision, and of course it was made for money. The Gods of March always get theirs. Love a bit of Karmic Justice
Speaking of unconventional free throws, I just saw a Jacksonville State women's player shoot a pair from the corner of the paint, as opposed to the center of the free-throw line. Never seen that before
The logical counter to the Gauntlet is the no-tournament decades of the Ivy League, which I admittedly miss. I say this even as "upstart" second seeds now routinely wreck March havoc in recent years even when their former undefeated or unchallenged brethren did not.
I'm a Wofford fan and grad. Filewich is a great story. As someone who has seen every Wofford SoCon basketball championship, I'm very vibes oriented. When Kyler hit that second free throw, I know we would win the game.
Great minds re James Madison... I put them in my Women's Bracketology today in place of Iowa State because I think the Committee could argue Iowa State went 1-9 (10 chances) why James Madison only had 3 Quad 1 chances, all to Top 10 teams (two of which spent time at #1).
I think the committee may end up doing some mid-major on mid-major crime, putting JMU in over one of the three teams from the Ivy (likely Princeton vs. Harvard loser) projected in the field by most bracketologists. The most vulnerable team in the Ivy is Princeton (best wins are the season sweep of Harvard; other wins like JMU are over fringe bubble teams), so I do think if Princeton can't beat Harvard a third time (Harvard has a win at Indiana and a better NET than both), you might see JMU in the Field of 68.
Per Bracket Matrix, 227 bracketologists submitted a preseason bracket for MCBB, and over 100+ were updating weekly
At the time, I could only find 5 websites (not including me) that were doing weekly WCBB bracketology: ESPN's Charlie Creme (bi-weekly), The Athletic, Autumn Johnson on NCAA.com, CBS Sports, and Her Hoop Stats.
My biggest issue with the gauntlet at this stage is using it in the major conferences. There's at least a justification for it with the one-bid leagues. But why is the SEC not just running a pure 16-team bracket? What *possible* reason is there for the Big 10 to invite exactly 15 teams to its tournament? It's the wrong kind of madness for March!
The Gauntlet concept is just so flawed right from the beginning. In March, form and momentum are more important than any other month of the basketball calendar. You are giving the two best teams a week or so off to sit on their hands, while the other teams have been battling! It’s an absolutely head scratching decision, and of course it was made for money. The Gods of March always get theirs. Love a bit of Karmic Justice
Go 'Guins!!
🐧🐧🐧
Speaking of unconventional free throws, I just saw a Jacksonville State women's player shoot a pair from the corner of the paint, as opposed to the center of the free-throw line. Never seen that before
Well did they go in?????
She went 2 for 2 on the ones I saw!
The logical counter to the Gauntlet is the no-tournament decades of the Ivy League, which I admittedly miss. I say this even as "upstart" second seeds now routinely wreck March havoc in recent years even when their former undefeated or unchallenged brethren did not.
Ivies will need to rethink the tourney if Yale doesn’t make the NCAAs after winning the league by 4 games…
I'm a Wofford fan and grad. Filewich is a great story. As someone who has seen every Wofford SoCon basketball championship, I'm very vibes oriented. When Kyler hit that second free throw, I know we would win the game.
Love this!!!
Great minds re James Madison... I put them in my Women's Bracketology today in place of Iowa State because I think the Committee could argue Iowa State went 1-9 (10 chances) why James Madison only had 3 Quad 1 chances, all to Top 10 teams (two of which spent time at #1).
I think the committee may end up doing some mid-major on mid-major crime, putting JMU in over one of the three teams from the Ivy (likely Princeton vs. Harvard loser) projected in the field by most bracketologists. The most vulnerable team in the Ivy is Princeton (best wins are the season sweep of Harvard; other wins like JMU are over fringe bubble teams), so I do think if Princeton can't beat Harvard a third time (Harvard has a win at Indiana and a better NET than both), you might see JMU in the Field of 68.
https://teamusatracker.substack.com/p/mid-majors-crowd-the-bubble-and-make
Thanks for dropping this in, have been looking for WNCAA bracketology, the ratio of men’s to women’s bracketologists is like 75:1
Thanks. That number is 100% accurate.
I tried to look at the number in February
Per Bracket Matrix, 227 bracketologists submitted a preseason bracket for MCBB, and over 100+ were updating weekly
At the time, I could only find 5 websites (not including me) that were doing weekly WCBB bracketology: ESPN's Charlie Creme (bi-weekly), The Athletic, Autumn Johnson on NCAA.com, CBS Sports, and Her Hoop Stats.