We’ve seen all six conference tournaments completed and here are both Jayson’s and Jim’s fields, as well as how they place them into regionals.
It’s amazing how controversial this year has been but how close Jayson and Jim are with their final fields. How they move teams around, though, is very much different.
Jayson: Here are the locks for the tournament thus far in my eyes – 14 teams.
AIC
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Michigan
Quinnipiac
St. Lawrence
Boston College
Massachusetts
North Dakota
St. Cloud State
Minnesota Duluth
Minnesota State
Bemidji State
Lake Superior State
Now let’s look at the true bubble teams. I count eight of them looking for two spots.
Army
Notre Dame
Boston University
Providence
Connecticut
Denver
Omaha
Bowling Green
Last week I thought that Army, Providence, Connecticut and Bowling Green would be at the bottom of the bubble. That doesn’t change.
That leaves four teams for two spots.
I want to apply some numbers to what I am looking at here. Let’s take a look at some of the records of these teams against locks or bubble teams that are above them in seedings or standings.
Notre Dame (0-3-1 vs Wisconsin, 2-2 vs Minnesota, 2-2 vs Michigan)
Omaha (2-4-0 vs North Dakota, 1-1 vs SCSU, 0-1-1 vs UMD)
Denver (2-5 vs NoDak, 0-2 vs SCSU, 0-2 vs UMD)
BU (1-1 vs BC, 2-0 vs UMass)
My ranking of the four bubble teams at this moment.
Boston University
Omaha
Notre Dame
Denver
The only change I have made is Denver. After looking at it, the overall record doesn’t support Denver being so high. Therefore, I have put them last on this bubble.
Taking the top two on the list, my 16 teams are:
AIC
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Michigan
Quinnipiac
St. Lawrence
Boston College
Massachusetts
Boston University
North Dakota
St. Cloud State
Minnesota Duluth
Omaha
Minnesota State
Bemidji State
Lake Superior State
Let’s rank the teams.
My top four teams are:
North Dakota
Boston College
Minnesota
Wisconsin
My second band includes:
Minnesota State
St Cloud State
Quinnipiac
Minnesota Duluth
My third band includes:
Michigan
Massachusetts
Omaha
Boston University
My fourth band includes:
Lake Superior
Bemidji State
AIC
St. Lawrence
Let’s bracket.
Fargo – North Dakota
Bridgeport – Boston College
Albany – Wisconsin
Loveland – Minnesota
Second Band:
Fargo – Minnesota State
Bridgeport – Quinnipiac
Albany – St. Cloud
Loveland – Minnesota Duluth
Third Band:
Fargo – Omaha
Bridgeport – Boston University
Albany – Massachusetts
Loveland – Michigan
Fourth Band
Fargo – Bemidji State
Bridgeport – AIC
Albany – St. Lawrence
Loveland – Lake Superior
My brackets:
Fargo
Bemidji State vs North Dakota
Omaha vs. Minnesota State
Albany
St. Lawrence vs. Wisconsin
Massachusetts vs. St. Cloud
Bridgeport
AIC vs. Boston College
Boston University vs. Quinnipiac
Loveland
Lake Superior vs. Minnesota
Michigan vs. Minnesota Duluth
And that would be my bracket.
Jim: I see a lot of similarity to your bracket. I am going to seed mine, though:
1. North Dakota
2. Minnesota
3. Boston College
4. Massachusetts (major difference from Jayson)
5. Wisconsin
6. Minnesota State
7. St. Cloud State
8. Minnesota Duluth
9. Quinnipiac
10. Michigan
11. Bemidji State
12. Boston University
13. AIC
14. Lake Superior
15. Connecticut
16. St. Lawrence
My only difference between your field and mine is Connecticut vs. Omaha. And for me, it is hair splitting. I think the committee will have a difficult time. Which conference deserves the extra team – Hockey East or NCHC.
So I need to make a comparison:
At 10-11-2, UConn doesn’t look impressive. But they also played UMass three times at 0-2-1, Boston College four times going 1-1-2, Boston University once getting a tie and Providence four times, going 2-2-0. Decent against the best of the best.
Omaha, at 14-10-1 was excellent as well. They were 2-4-0 vs. North Dakota, 0-1-1 vs. Minnesota Duluth, 2-3-0 vs. Denver and 1-1-0 vs. St. Cloud State. UConn played 12-of-23 games (52.1%) vs. the top teams in their conference and Omaha played 15-of-25 (60%). But UConn’ winning percentage was .417 while Omaha’s was .366.
So, my last spot goes to UConn, the only difference in our field.
Now, our rankings are a little off.
But here is my field. I am having a difficult time placing Connecticut outsaid their home state, but to make the top seed, North Dakota, play a lower seed is fine, and I avoid UConn facing Boston College in Bridgeport.
Here we go:
Fargo Regional:
Connecticut vs. North Dakota
Bemidji State vs. Minnesota Duluth
Loveland Regional:
Lake Superior vs. Minnesota
St. Cloud State vs. Michigan
Albany Regional:
AIC vs. Massachusetts
Boston University vs. Minnesota State
Bridgeport Regional:
St. Lawrence vs. Boston College
Quinnipiac vs. Wisconsin
That’s what we both have right now. We will see what is realistic at 7 p.m. EST Sunday when the selections are announced on ESPNU.
