NCAA hosting precedent

[CyRox98]

I was doing some research the other day about conferences that got more than 3 hosting bids for 1st and 2nd round NCAA games. Hope this isn't something that has been discussed elsewhere already in Hoopscoop because I guess that would mean I missed it.

In 1997, the SEC had 5 teams host subregionals (seeds in parenthesis): Tennessee(3), Alabama(2), Georgia(2), LSU(4) and Florida(3).

Four times since 1990 has one conference had as many as four teams hosting first round games (all were SEC, natch). As recently as 2000, they had LSU(3), Tennessee(1), Georgia(1) and Mississippi State(3). However, it should be noted that MSU was unable to host that year and Oregon, the 6th seed, held the subregional.

In 1996, the SEC had Alabama(4), Georgia(2), Tennessee(1) and Vanderbilt(3), with those same four teams hosting in 1995. Finally, back in 1991, the SEC had Tennessee, Auburn, Georgia and LSU as home sites.

Ok, probably overload on the details. But for all of us wondering about the NCAA deciding if four or more teams hosting from a single conference is too much, clearly those sites will be awarded if they are deserved. Is the Big 12 going to get 5 home sites? Pretty unlikely. Will we get 4? I think that is a definite possibility. Oklahoma and Kansas State are locks to host. The other three most likely to see home games in the NCAAs are Baylor, Colorado and Iowa State. I think Tech and Texas have dug themselves too deep of a hole this year. There is always a chance, depending on if they win out their games and perform very well in the Big 12 tourney. Of the three toss-ups, I would say Baylor is probably the least likely to host simply because of a low strength of schedule (54th, which is improving)and the lowest RPI (20) of those five teams.

This also means that Colorado must continue to play well and rebound from the loss to ISU. ISU must work to avoid a letdown after playing so well for the last five games, especially with Baylor wrapping up the regular season here in Ames. For Baylor to host, they will have to continue to improve their SOS, which should happen for them, win or lose, and make it to at least the semifinals in Kansas City.

Bottom line: the Big 12 SHOULD get four teams in the top 16 seeds this year. I think it would be a huge injustice if it doesn't happen.

[schooner2]

So hard to say. So many things can still happen. You just never know exactly what the selection committee is thinking.

For Tech not to host would be a bit of a shocker if you said so at the beginning of the season. Does the selection committee easily overlook their 12,000+ fans? Hmmmmm.....

If one could go back and look at the rankings prior to the NCAA Tourney (after the regular season ended), I wonder if the SEC had 7 teams sitting in the Top 16 or 17 in the nation. I bet they didn't. So the Big 12 is doing something never done before. Does that mean they will do something never done before in having more than 4 host seeds? Hmmmmmmm.....

[CyRox98]

Supposedly, the NCAA does NOT take attendance into consideration (ask New Mexico about that). Sometimes you wonder, but I guess that must be at least partially true or teams like LSU, Georgia and Duke in past years might not have received host sites. They regularly draw very poorly, especially LSU. I think the last time they hosted, they didn't even get 4000 COMBINED for their subregional. But more often than not, if a team is drawing well, chances are they are also winning a good chunk of games.

And as my previous post mentioned, the SEC has already had five teams host (1997), but this was the only instance I could find. Again, not saying it's not a possibility, just less likely than having four teams.

[SMSuperFAN]

Thought I would chime in on this one.

First off, all first and second round NCAA games before 1995 were held on the home court of the higher seed, so there were no subregionals until that time.

Secondly, I firmly believe after last season that attendance does not factor into their decision for seeding. I mean we here at SMS have been drawing for 10 years and last season were getting 8400 fans per game, yet we didn't get to host even though we were on the bubble for that with teams like NC State, Utah, Xavier, etc...all of whom have pitiful fan support and all of whom got to host.

[This message has been edited by SMSuperFAN (edited 02-10-2002).]

[dem]

I think one of the Fox Sports commentators today (Brenda Van Langen?) said that the Big 12 would get "at least" five teams as host sites. Now, I don't know if she really knows what she's talking about, but I don't suppose she would say it if there wasn't some kind of chance it was true.

[schooner2]

Originally posted by dem:
I think one of the Fox Sports commentators today (Brenda Van Langen?) said that the Big 12 would get "at least" five teams as host sites. Now, I don't know if she really knows what she's talking about, but I don't suppose she would say it if there wasn't some kind of chance it was true.

Yep, heard it too. I think there's a chance. Just have to wait and see cuz a couple more losses by some of the top 7 can hurt.

She also said a couple weeks ago that the Big 12 had a chance at more than 7 getting into the NCAA because she thought Missouri, NU, or OSU had a chance if they got a couple key victories. Still don't see this happening even with NU beating KSU today.

[Daddo]

Hey, we can still hope, can't we? ;-)
Maybe not. What a nightmare...Mizzou hosts a game and draws 1100 people, while they continue to run TV commercials for the mens team which is sold out and has been for months. Grumble gripe gripe grumble.

Originally posted by schooner:
Yep, heard it too. I think there's a chance. Just have to wait and see cuz a couple more losses by some of the top 7 can hurt.

She also said a couple weeks ago that the Big 12 had a chance at more than 7 getting into the NCAA because she thought Missouri, NU, or OSU had a chance if they got a couple key victories. Still don't see this happening even with NU beating KSU today.