MONDAY MUSINGS: Daydreaming about March

[clone52]

The only way I can see ISU getting Des Moines first-weekend and placed in KC region is climbing to a 1 seed (or maybe a 2 seed, if stars align). We're a long way from that. But as CW said, it's daydreaming, no big deal.

Pretty sure a 2 seed would be a high probability of Des Moines. The biggest factors are how high Michigan and Michigan St are. If they are ahead of us, we need them to take the Columbus locations. Des Moines would be the second choice for both of them.

DSM would be the 1st choice for Wisconsin, Marquette
DSM would be the 1st or 2nd choice for Kansas.
DSM would be the 2nd choice for MSU, Michigan, Purdue, Texas Tech
DSM would be the 3rd choice for Kentucky, Louisville

If Iowa State would be a 2 seed, things would have to go wrong for them to not get DSM. Something like this would have to happen which is plausible.

1. Tennessee (Columbia)
2. Duke (Columbia)
3. Kentucky (Columbus)
4. Virginia (Columbus)
5. Michigan (DSM)
6. Michigan St (DSM)
7. Iowa State (Tulsa)

This is the best I could do, realistically, to get Iowa State to DSM.
1. Tennessee (Columbia)
2. Virginia (Columbia)
3. Michigan St. (Columbus)
4. Gonzaga (Salt Lake City)
5. Michigan (Columbus)
6. Duke (Jacksonville)
7. North Carolina (Jacksonville)
8. Virginia Tech (Hartford)
9. Houston (Tulsa)
10. Kansas (Tulsa)
11. Kentucky (DSM)
12. Nevada (Salt Lake City)
13. Iowa State (DSM)

It is a crazy stretch to think Iowa State could get there as a 4 seed. I'd say 50/50 if they are a 3 seed and probably an 80% chance if they are a 2 seed.

 

[clone52]

Assuming the top 16 seeds are as follows, they would be assigned to first weekend sites as follows in priority order and closest available:
1. Tennessee (Columbus OH)
2. Duke (Columbia SC)
3. Virginia (Columbia SC)
4. Michigan (Columbus, OH)
5. Michigan State (Des Moines)
6. Gonzaga (Salt Lake City)
7. North Carolina (Jacksonville)
8. Kentucky (Des Moines)
9. Purdue (Tulsa)
10. Houston (Tulsa)
11. Virginia Tech (Jacksonville)
12. Kansas (Salt Lake City)
13. Louisville (Hartford CT)
14. Wisconsin (Hartford CT)
15. Iowa State (San Jose)
16. Nevada (San Jose)

With two #2 seeds in DSM (Michigan State and Kentucky), the two pods in DSM will be 2/7/10/15 seeds. And if Iowa is a #7 seed and doesn’t play another B10 team in their bracket until the Sweet 16 or Regional Final, they could end up in Kentucky’s pod in DSM.

Technically, in that scenario, Tennessee gets Columbia while Virginia gets Columbus. However, if you swap Virginia and MSU, that helps. MSU then gets Columbus while Virginia gets Hartford. If that happens, its not too hard to see Iowa State jump a few teams to grab the second Des Moines spot.

For Iowa State, the rankings being like this would be ideal, although I don't think it would happen.
1. Tennesee (Columbia)
2. Michigan (Columbus)
3. MSU (Columbus)
4. Kentucky (Columbia)
5. Duke (Jacksonville)
6. Virginia (Hartford)
7. Gonzaga (SLC)
8. UNC (Jacksonville)
9. Va Tech (Hartford)
10. Purdue (DSM)
11. Kansas (Tulsa)
12. Houston (Tulsa)
13. Iowa State (DSM)

You could then have Iowa State finish anywhere from 10-13 and get DSM.

 

[cyclones500]

Those scenarios look good for Des Moines possibilities.... I didn't have time to parse the what-ifs.

I do want to clarify my previous post was about likelihood to get placed in DM plus get slotted in Midwest region in KC.

 

[Cycsk]

Assuming the top 16 seeds are as follows, they would be assigned to first weekend sites as follows in priority order and closest available:
1. Tennessee (Columbus OH)
2. Duke (Columbia SC)
3. Virginia (Columbia SC)
4. Michigan (Columbus, OH)
5. Michigan State (Des Moines)
6. Gonzaga (Salt Lake City)
7. North Carolina (Jacksonville)
8. Kentucky (Des Moines)
9. Purdue (Tulsa)
10. Houston (Tulsa)
11. Virginia Tech (Jacksonville)
12. Kansas (Salt Lake City)
13. Louisville (Hartford CT)
14. Wisconsin (Hartford CT)
15. Iowa State (San Jose)
16. Nevada (San Jose)

With two #2 seeds in DSM (Michigan State and Kentucky), the two pods in DSM will be 2/7/10/15 seeds. And if Iowa is a #7 seed and doesn’t play another B10 team in their bracket until the Sweet 16 or Regional Final, they could end up in Kentucky’s pod in DSM.

What a massive headache to try to put these brackets together for real!

 

[Cycsk]

Assuming the top 16 seeds are as follows, they would be assigned to first weekend sites as follows in priority order and closest available:
1. Tennessee (Columbus OH)
2. Duke (Columbia SC)
3. Virginia (Columbia SC)
4. Michigan (Columbus, OH)
5. Michigan State (Des Moines)
6. Gonzaga (Salt Lake City)
7. North Carolina (Jacksonville)
8. Kentucky (Des Moines)
9. Purdue (Tulsa)
10. Houston (Tulsa)
11. Virginia Tech (Jacksonville)
12. Kansas (Salt Lake City)
13. Louisville (Hartford CT)
14. Wisconsin (Hartford CT)
15. Iowa State (San Jose)
16. Nevada (San Jose)

With two #2 seeds in DSM (Michigan State and Kentucky), the two pods in DSM will be 2/7/10/15 seeds. And if Iowa is a #7 seed and doesn’t play another B10 team in their bracket until the Sweet 16 or Regional Final, they could end up in Kentucky’s pod in DSM.

Purdue and Houston as the featured teams in Tulsa. Blech!

 

[ComCY]

Those scenarios look good for Des Moines possibilities.... I didn't have time to parse the what-ifs.

I do want to clarify my previous post was about likelihood to get placed in DM plus get slotted in Midwest region in KC.

Yeah I'm not sure if the first locations are hardset to what 2nd weekend cities they feed into? From all the mock stuff, I haven't seen a Des Moines -> Kansas City path yet.

 

[jcyclonee]

Assuming the top 16 seeds are as follows, they would be assigned to first weekend sites as follows in priority order and closest available:
1. Tennessee (Columbus OH)
2. Duke (Columbia SC)
3. Virginia (Columbia SC)
4. Michigan (Columbus, OH)
5. Michigan State (Des Moines)
6. Gonzaga (Salt Lake City)
7. North Carolina (Jacksonville)
8. Kentucky (Des Moines)
9. Purdue (Tulsa)
10. Houston (Tulsa)
11. Virginia Tech (Jacksonville)
12. Kansas (Salt Lake City)
13. Louisville (Hartford CT)
14. Wisconsin (Hartford CT)
15. Iowa State (San Jose)
16. Nevada (San Jose)

With two #2 seeds in DSM (Michigan State and Kentucky), the two pods in DSM will be 2/7/10/15 seeds. And if Iowa is a #7 seed and doesn’t play another B10 team in their bracket until the Sweet 16 or Regional Final, they could end up in Kentucky’s pod in DSM.

San Jose? Parking an RV in downtown San Jose has got to cost a fortune.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Daydreaming is a great part of being a fan.

If there's one thing that I learned from our '00 team, it's that you should just try to enjoy the ride. I spent most of that year (especially '00) expecting a let down of some sort, and I really feel like I missed out on the full enjoyment of what they accomplished.

 

[IlliniCy]

San Jose? Parking an RV in downtown San Jose has got to cost a fortune.

It's California. There's a tax on breathing.

 

[jcyclonee]

It's California. There's a tax on breathing.

I'd try not breathing if I went to the game in San Jose but I think there's a tax on not breathing too.

 

[intrepid27]

Thanks Chris. Now I've got to walk around like this all day.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

Thanks Chris. Now I've got to walk around like this all day.

View attachment 62069

Wearing a dress?

 

[cykadelic2]

Technically, in that scenario, Tennessee gets Columbia while Virginia gets Columbus. However, if you swap Virginia and MSU, that helps. MSU then gets Columbus while Virginia gets Hartford. If that happens, its not too hard to see Iowa State jump a few teams to grab the second Des Moines spot.

For Iowa State, the rankings being like this would be ideal, although I don't think it would happen.
1. Tennesee (Columbia)
2. Michigan (Columbus)
3. MSU (Columbus)
4. Kentucky (Columbia)
5. Duke (Jacksonville)
6. Virginia (Hartford)
7. Gonzaga (SLC)
8. UNC (Jacksonville)
9. Va Tech (Hartford)
10. Purdue (DSM)
11. Kansas (Tulsa)
12. Houston (Tulsa)
13. Iowa State (DSM)

You could then have Iowa State finish anywhere from 10-13 and get DSM.

Good catch on Tennessee's assignment. I have had Duke and UVa as locks for Columbia since the season started. For ISU, the bottom line is this IMO, they need to win the regular season B12 title to guarantee (or close to it) a spot in DSM. Otherwise, the only way they get to DSM is with a high degree of bracketing luck as a 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 seed.

 

[madguy30]

Daydreaming is a great part of being a fan.

If there's one thing that I learned from our '00 team, it's that you should just try to enjoy the ride. I spent most of that year (especially '00) expecting a let down of some sort, and I really feel like I missed out on the full enjoyment of what they accomplished.

I really just thought of them as a nice team but as the year went on and they closed in on March it became apparent that they were legit.

I remember a friend of mine thinking they were going to get smoked by UCLA who had lit up Maryland in the 2nd round, and I just couldn't see ISU letting that happen...for once I was right.

 

[Sigmapolis]

I still want Columbus, Columbia, or Hartford. Easier flights for me.