2021 NCAA Tournament

[WuDrWu]

The NICV bracket is out. There are only 31 teams - could not get a reasonable taker for the 32nd spot?

Arkansas and Arizona are the only schools from P5 conferences.

With Lambo's comments about injuries and practice time, the Shocker's decision is not surprising. Take the time to get everyone healthy for the spring.

Considering Loyola is the best team in the MVC and they aren't in, but Evansville, Bradley, Indiana State and Valpo are in, it would appear many, many teams, including WSU, declined the invitation.

A quick glance has UE at 125, ISUb 126 and Tulsa 146 on the RPI.

Arizona was 95, WSU 71.

[flyingMoose]

Last four in were Iowa State, Kansas State, South Carolina and West Virginia. Last four out were Arkansas, Cincinnati, Houston and Syracuse (no particular order).

A Committee representative gave those Last Four In and First Four Out?

[WuDrWu]

A committee representative gave those Last Four In and First Four Out?

Yes. It was at the very end of the show. She was quick to add "in no particular order".

[1972Shocker]

Yes. It was at the very end of the show. She was quick to add "in no particular order".

I am sure that made the last 4 out feel so much better.

[1972Shocker]

Apparently, the NIVC has very little cache at this point. I'm thinking it's days may be numbered.

[flyingMoose]

Apparently, the NIVC has very little cache at this point. I'm thinking its days may be numbered.

As I understand the NIVC, you pay your own expenses. If you host, there is a gate guarantee of some description for you to meet. With so many athletic departments still recovering from COVID, it is not terribly surprising that schools would decline to play.

Georgia Tech used the NIVC championship last year as a springboard toward this year's NCAA tournament. Perhaps Arkansas has a similar scenario in mind.

BTW, Boston College is also in a P5 conference, the ACC.

[1972Shocker]

As I understand the NIVC, you pay your own expenses. If you host, there is a gate guarantee of some description for you to meet. With so many athletic departments still recovering from COVID, it is not terribly surprising that schools would decline to play.

Georgia Tech used the NIVC championship last year as a springboard toward this year's NCAA tournament. Perhaps Arkansas has a similar scenario in mind.

BTW, Boston College is also in a P5 conference, the ACC.

Georgia Tech may have used last year's Covid shortened season as a springboard to the NCAA Tournament but i don't see this NIVC Tournament as much a springboard to anything. Plus I don't think they held the NIVC last year. It certainly doesn't have the same cache as the NIT Basketball Tournament for example.

I am sure finances were probably the key factor for WSU and they aren't drawing crowds (butts in the seats, not tickets sold) anywhere close to what they were pre-Covid and I doubt the NIVC would be enough of a draw to change.that at this point.

[flyingMoose]

Georgia Tech may have used last year's Covid shortened season as a springboard to the NCAA Tournament but i don't see this NIVC Tournament as much a springboard to anything. Plus I don't think they held the NIVC last year.

You're right. Georgia Tech beat South Dakota in 2019. But if you are young and want the "tournament experience" for your team and have some football money, I could see a program using the NIVC.

[flyingMoose]

Two misses by the bracketologist. He had Syracuse and USC in; the NCAA had K-State and Ole Miss.

[flyingMoose]

First Round

(Thu)
#14 Creighton 3-0 Ole MIss

Oregon 0-3 Kansas

(Fri)
UCF 3-1 Pepperdine
Melville: 25-3-68 for .324
Ahrens, the equivalent for the Waves: 29-6-59 for .390

Florida State 3-0 Kansas State


Second Round

(Fri)
#14 Creighton 1-3 Kansas
The first National Seed to go home

[WuDrWu]

A few interesting upsets and close calls. Purdue almost got beat by Dayton. Good luck to UCF

[flyingMoose]

It looks to me like Tulsa is the only AAC team playing in the 2021 NIVC

https://www.womensnivc.com/news/officials-announce-selections-for-2021-nivc

I guess that means Houston, Cincinnati, SMU, WSU and Tulane must have declined to participate.

Tulsa 1-3 UTEP
18, (21), 17, 19

[flyingMoose]

Second Round

(Fri)
#14 Creighton 1-3 Kansas
The first National Seed to go home

Jaela Zimmerman, the All-American for the Bluejays, tore her ACL in the First Round match against Ole Miss.

[flyingMoose]

Second Round

(Sat)
UCF 2-3 #13 UCLA
(25), 13, (19), 22, 7
Melville: 14-14-63 for .000

#7 Kentucky also does not make it the Regionals Weekend, falling to Illinois

[flyingMoose]

Regionals Weekend -

Louisville Regional

#1 Louisville v #16 Florida
#8 Georgia Tech v #9 Ohio State

Madison Regional

#4 Wisconsin v #13 UCLA
#5 Baylor v #12 Minnesota

Pittsburgh Regional

#3 Pittsburgh v Kansas
#6 Purdue v #11 BYU

Austin Regional

#2 Texas v #15 Washington
Illinois v #10 Nebraska


EDIT: These matches are Thursday/Saturday. There are just a couple of them on ESPN+ with the rest on ESPNU.