Serious Question Regarding the Tournament Seeding

**Swinging Johnson** · 03-13-11, 06:28 PM

Anyone?

**Swinging Johnson** · 03-13-11, 06:38 PM

Though the brackets only feature the seed numbers 1-16 in each region, the committee assembles an S-curve of teams seeded from 1-64. In theory, the teams 1-4 on the seed list will all be #1 seeds (the #1 "seed line"), 5-8 will be #2 seeds (the #2 seed line), and so on; however, bracketing rules often lead to some deviation from this. The S-curve is most important for keeping each region balanced; ideally, each region will be equally strong. For example, the committee will try to ensure that the number 1 team on the seed list, the national #1 seed, will be in the same region as the weakest #2 seed. The committee tries to ensure that the top four seeds in each region are comparable to the top four teams in every other region. For example, if one region has the best #1 seed (#1 overall), the weakest #2 seed (#8 overall), the best #3 seed (#9 overall), and the weakest #4 seed (#16 overall), its seeds add up to 34, the ideal number. But if a region has the best team for every given seed, its seeds would add up to 28, and a region with the weakest team in every seed would add up to 40, making the two regions very unbalanced. It is extremely unusual that an at-large bid can be lower than a #12 seed, but it has occurred, most recently with Bradley and Air Force being 13 seeds in the 2006 Tournament. While the seeds are almost never perfectly balanced throughout the four regions, the committee strives to ensure that they differ from each other by only a few points. The process is identical for the women's tournament, with the exception that seeding occurs to 64.

**Chandler** · 03-13-11, 07:27 PM

i'm confused about what you are asking? if it is just simply where does the best first seed play, I aways thought they usually got the closest region to their home, so they didn't have to travel as far

**Swinging Johnson** · 03-13-11, 08:07 PM

Originally posted by Chandler

i'm confused about what you are asking? if it is just simply where does the best first seed play, I aways thought they usually got the closest region to their home, so they didn't have to travel as far

That was my 2nd question and thank you for answering it. Therefore i assume the 2nd-16th seeds are seeded irrespective of geography so only the top 4 get their region. Because according to the wikipedia, the strongest 2nd seed (5th overall) goes to the weakest seeded 1st seed (4th overall) and so on.

**Powderguy** · 03-13-11, 08:08 PM

Only the four #1 seeds are placed geographically closest to their home, after that it's not a factor

**gryfyn1** · 03-13-11, 08:12 PM

after the top 4 seeds the Commitee is often more fluid the seeding, slotting teams sometimes higher and sometimes lower in order to achieve seeding regulations and to generate match ups they feel will be better or generate more interest.

So basically, no.

**opie1988** · 03-13-11, 08:28 PM

Originally posted by Swinging Johnson

Guys, this may be a stupid question for some of you and others will pretend they knew all along but how do they determine what teams go in the East, West, North & South?

I'll hypothesize that the number #1 1 Seed is East. #2 1 Seed is West. #3 1 Seed is North. #4 1 Seed is South. So do they then take the #2 seeds and do it in reverse order? Who knows the real answer here? I always think about this at this time of year and then forget about it until next year.

Justin 7.....can you shed some light or any other SBR'ers?

I've wondered this same thing, SwingingJohnson.

......and they say there's nothing of substance in PT!

**Swinging Johnson** · 03-13-11, 09:31 PM

Opster, loved the video man. You're slick, easy on the eyes and had some nice patter. But you brutalized Loshak man. I felt bad for SBR's very own Quagmire (Family Guy reference if you're not aware). He's got a fragile ego and I'm afraid after that interview he'll do something stupid like stop having sex with hot Costa Ricans for a day or two.

Seriously though, you killed it.