2015 Bracketology

[ShockerPrez]

I think this year is 'Avoid UK as long as possible.' Do that and you have a favorable bracket.

[ShockerPrez]

To be honest, I don't care where the Shox are seeded. I wish the tourney started tomorrow. Just ready to get it going.

[shock-it-to-me]

To be honest, I don't care where the Shox are seeded. I wish the tourney started tomorrow. Just ready to get it going.

I feel the same, and this is a result of the crappy conference we play in. I would love to be in a league where nearly every conference game was exciting and meaningful. Is anyone excited at all to play Drake this weekend?

[shocksrbest]

Maybe, but you better believe that Kevin Pangos is still having nightmares featuring Tekele Cotton. I'd predict that he has another interesting night.

I think Pangos remembers the 3 Baker hit over him in the corner...

Would be a great matchup.

[AndShock]

I feel the same, and this is a result of the crappy conference we play in. I would love to be in a league where nearly every conference game was exciting and meaningful. Is anyone excited at all to play Drake this weekend?

At least this year we get a ranked UNI. I am excited for January 31st. Last year I wasn't excited for any Valley game, besides Senior Day and 31-0.

[Rlh04d]

To be honest, I don't care where the Shox are seeded. I wish the tourney started tomorrow. Just ready to get it going.

Shhh. It's already a long enough offseason.

[Ricardo del Rio]

Updated: January 26, 2015

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

[shocks02]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/bracketology

Update from Jerry Palm.

[Play Angry]

I love watching bracket projections, thanks to all for posting them as they come in.

My main goals have been twofold w/r/t the final bracket: (1) get the best seed possible, and (2) be in a non-Kentucky region.

A month ago, #2 was very important to me. As the year has progressed, I am less concerned with it. They are a great team and probably the best in the country, no doubt, so of course you'd prefer to avoid them in the early stages of play. However, they have not (consistently) been the juggernaut they looked like in the season's opening weeks, and I very much doubt they will bring their 'A game' (i.e., where they made Kansas look like 3rd graders playing the Globetrotters) to 6 straight NCAA Tournament games. I will not cry conspiracy or whatnot if we eventually become a 3 seed in the Midwest, for example.

That said, I would be significantly more enthused if we are placed in a region with several of the other top seed contenders.

[Shocker1976]

Palm and Lunardi both seed the Shockers at #4, but in different Regions; IMO Palm's Region would provide a more opportunistic pathway to the F4 for the Shockers, with Duke likely as Sweet 16 opponent and either VCU or Kansas as Elite 8 opponent. Lunardi establishes Gonzaga as likely Sweet 16 opponent and then either Arizona or UNC as Elite 8 opponent.

IMO a #3 seed is the best the Shockers can expect to receive as eight teams currently ranked ahead of them (Kentucky, Virginia, Gonzaga, Wisconsin, Arizona, Villanova, Utah and Notre Dame) are unlikely to lose enough games to fall behind the Shockers.

[Perezident]

I love the latest Lunardi bracket! That would be an absolute gift; not expecting it'll play out like that at all.

[Kel Varnsen]

Haha. If we get Gonzaga as our 1 seed again, I'd be happy. Again, highly unlikely.

[Heinro]

IMO a #3 seed is the best the Shockers can expect to receive as eight teams currently ranked ahead of them (Kentucky, Virginia, Gonzaga, Wisconsin, Arizona, Villanova, Utah and Notre Dame) are unlikely to lose enough games to fall behind the Shockers.

I don't really understand how Notre Dame getting such seed respect. Currently they are #35 in the RPI with an SOS of #139. I recognize they are 4-2 vs Top 50, but still, the metrics don't match up with them as a #3 seed.

[Shock Therapy]

I don't really understand how Notre Dame getting such seed respect. Currently they are #35 in the RPI with an SOS of #139. I recognize they are 4-2 vs Top 50, but still, the metrics don't match up with them as a #3 seed.

I think that there is going to be a good amount of disparity between the "expert's" seeding and where the committee slots the teams. I think that some of the "experts" are placing too much importance on the names on the jerseys and what a team has done lately. Same goes for the rankings. It seems to be worse than normal this year.

[WuShock16]

I don't really understand how Notre Dame getting such seed respect. Currently they are #35 in the RPI with an SOS of #139. I recognize they are 4-2 vs Top 50, but still, the metrics don't match up with them as a #3 seed.

Check out the non-conference SoS for the Fighting Irish:

326!!!

The committee will NOT look favorably on that. Don't believe me? See Colorado 2011 (not in), Maryland 2013 (not in), Pittsburgh 2013 (supposed to be 5 or so and dropped to 8), Oregon 2013 (projected at 8 or 9 but dropped to 12 and might not have been in without auto bid), and SMU 2014 (not in). All of these "snubs" had HEINOUS ratings in non-conference strength of schedule.