Lunardi has M as 1 Seed in West
Not sure how much he worries about location rather than just seeding but Joe has Mich in Anaheim as the one seed and Gonzaga as the 2. Interesting he has Texas Tech as the 5 seed in the same division. Thinking that would be a first to 50 wins type sweet sixteen match-up...
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology
February 1st, 2019 at 9:58 AM ^
too early
February 1st, 2019 at 2:01 PM ^
All these " bracketologists" have a great gig going. They get paid to throw shit against the wall and call it scientific. If possible these are worse than NFL mock drafts.
February 1st, 2019 at 2:22 PM ^
I like mock drafts and tournament projections for their entertainment value. Think there's more to it than throwing shit against the wall. If I'm not interested in something or think it has little merit, I generally bypass it. Perhaps you could consider the same.
February 1st, 2019 at 2:41 PM ^
I do bypass these things. But I check out every message board post for its entertainment value.
February 1st, 2019 at 3:06 PM ^
I hate mock drafts almost as much as bracketology bull shit.
February 1st, 2019 at 4:39 PM ^
With all the bullshit in the world... you choose to hate... bracketology?
In that spirit, I am going to choose to start hating all the fancy sanding blocks with the weird patterns and the sharp angles. If you can't get the job done with just a rectangular, old school sanding block, then you're a punk ass and I hate you too. I hate them almost as much as I hate... umm... those magazine inserts with the cologne samples.
February 1st, 2019 at 7:00 PM ^
February 1st, 2019 at 9:59 AM ^
Michigan is currently the last 1 seed on BracketMatrix with Gonzaga as a 2 so that would check out. I'd rather be a 2 anywhere else honestly.
February 1st, 2019 at 10:02 AM ^
I'm okay with a 2 anywhere but Duke's region if they're a 1. They always get to play about 500 yards from campus.
And if M and MSU are 1s and/or 2s, there had better be no chance we meet until championship Monday.
February 1st, 2019 at 10:08 AM ^
If Duke’s region is DC, I’d be happy to be the #2. We’d have a good turnout here, myself included!
February 1st, 2019 at 12:46 PM ^
I'LL SHOW UP FOR THAT
February 1st, 2019 at 12:56 PM ^
If we're not a top 2 overall seed, the West is definitely our most preferred region, IMO. Especially if we are a 2 seed because that would probably mean Gonzaga is the 1 and that's well worth avoiding Duke or UVA. I know people around here don't trust UVA but they're more talented than usual and I trust the numbers to a large extent. They are dominating like no other team.
Michigan absolutely owned Staples Center last year. It was Crisler West. It would be the same situation in Anaheim. And note that Gonzaga was in that regional as well.
The semi's were ~70% Michigan fans, ~20% Gonzaga, and ~5% FSU and ~A&M each. The regional finals were probably 85/15. I realize the math changes if there's a UK or UNC in the region but it would be closer to even out west whereas, we'd probably be a minority fanbase in any other regional with a UK or UNC.
Michigan has a huge presence in Southern California, there are no PAC12 teams even close to being good enough to be put in this region, so literally no team within 500 miles will be there, and Gonzaga would still be outnumbered by M, significantly.
We were the Champions of the West last year. I say do it again.
February 1st, 2019 at 1:14 PM ^
Isn't there some stat about how the number one out of state alma mater for Californians is Michigan?
February 1st, 2019 at 1:26 PM ^
I'm sure it's very high up there, if not number one.
February 1st, 2019 at 2:25 PM ^
Why would it check out? Were you at either of the games at Staples last year? Did you even watch either game?
I was at both and the Michigan fan support was insane. Your post is way off. Please put Michigan in the west against anyone.
February 1st, 2019 at 3:10 PM ^
He's saying it checks out as a legitimate projection by Lunardi. The bracket matrix agrees that M is the 4th 1 seed right now which would almost certainly mean the West region and Gonzaga would be the first 2 seed which per the S curve would put them in the West as well.
The comment that he'd rather be a 2 seed anywhere else was separate and yes, very much ignorant to how good Anaheim would be for Michigan. Having attended the games at Staples last year, I agree with you that would be an ideal scenario for Michigan to be in Anaheim with Gonzaga again.
February 1st, 2019 at 10:01 AM ^
I already completed my bracket.
February 1st, 2019 at 10:30 AM ^
I had MSU to go through to the round of eight but they lost in the first round--how did you do?
February 1st, 2019 at 10:01 AM ^
I would argue that being in the West would be an advantage to Michigan excluding thoughts about jet lag from the players.
Staples Center was rocking last year, we come out on the West Coast because we rarely have a chance to see Michigan out here. The teams we play from the East coast and South won’t travel and Gonzaga has a significantly smaller alumni base than Michigan. Besides the Midwest, I think the West might be our best bracket.
February 1st, 2019 at 10:05 AM ^
As a Newport Beach resident, I support this.
February 1st, 2019 at 10:08 AM ^
My wife and I went to the FSU game last year. The streets were packed with M fans and it felt like around an 85/15 split inside the arena. So much fun.
February 1st, 2019 at 10:24 AM ^
Staples was rocking but Wichita was decidedly not rocking. Sometimes I feel like playing in a sleepy venue with no real interest in the teams playing can lead to some ugly basketball, and that is going to happen more often if you play a long way from home in the first two rounds. The Sweet 16 and Elite 8 atmospheres last year were fantastic but the first two rounds were brutal.
February 1st, 2019 at 11:06 AM ^
Very true. I forgot that Wichita is considered "West". That might be tricky depending on the locations of the first couple rounds.
February 1st, 2019 at 11:40 AM ^
First couple of rounds are decoupled from region. Michigan could be in East and still play in Columbus.
A little worried if we get the Columbus pod that it would be like a road game environment.
February 1st, 2019 at 6:11 PM ^
At this point if Michigan and MSU are 1 or 2 seeds aren’t one or both headed to Columbus for first weekend?
February 1st, 2019 at 2:49 PM ^
That's why we'd rather not be in Tulsa or Des Moines in the first round (honestly none of the first round locations are great). But, yes please to Anaheim in a potential regional. We'd have huge support there.
February 1st, 2019 at 2:21 PM ^
That A&M game was so much fun, although I felt like I was at Crisler for a minute when the guys behind us told us to sit down. Never been to Honda Center for basketball so I would like to see them in the West.
February 1st, 2019 at 2:43 PM ^
I responded to post above with the same comment. Apologize for "up-commenting" you. You nailed it, good sir.
February 1st, 2019 at 10:03 AM ^
Lundardi is killing it this year. Love his analysis.
February 1st, 2019 at 10:08 AM ^
Chuck - thanks for the link. When we gonna get some OPs with skills?
February 1st, 2019 at 10:13 AM ^
Thanks, wasn't aware the link wouldn't be clickable.
February 1st, 2019 at 10:15 AM ^
What's funny is that the travel out West wouldn't be the issue. I'd be more concerned with playing in Columbus where I wouldn't trust anybody in the food preparation business that weekend.
February 1st, 2019 at 10:33 AM ^
They'll bring their own subs.
February 1st, 2019 at 11:02 AM ^
That’s crazy
February 1st, 2019 at 10:29 AM ^
Just keep winning
February 1st, 2019 at 12:54 PM ^
Just keep swimming too.
Love, Dory
February 1st, 2019 at 10:33 AM ^
Whew. I know it's hypothetical at this point but that East Regional would be murderers row!
Duke, LSU, Buffalo, Purdue, Kentucky....hard pass on that region! lol
I'm also curious how folks feel about us potentially playing in Columbus? I get it that it's the closest location for the 1st and 2nd rounds but I could see a lot of OSU trolls coming out to root against us. I'd almost prefer Des Moines but I feel like that arena is going to be a ghost town / same problem we had in Wichita last year.
February 1st, 2019 at 10:42 AM ^
I think Columbus would be fine. Tickets are expensive enough that I doubt there will be a ton of people who just go to troll. What would be interesting is if both UM and MSU are in Columbus.
It's kind of a weird year for first weekend locations where the pretty clear top 5 teams (on bracketmatrix at least) are closest to two locations (Columbus and Columbia SC) so someone is going to get sent to a farther location while being a top 5 seed.
February 1st, 2019 at 11:02 AM ^
I understand your concern, but I'm trying to think about this scenario in reverse and I just don't see it.
Would I, or anybody I know, buy NCAA opening round tickets at Little Caesar's Arena if Michigan weren't involved? I probably wouldn't, but I know enough sports fans where I'm sure a few would just for the atmosphere. If somebody had an extra, I'd go.
When the high-seeded Buckeyes rolled out onto the court to demolish some happy-to-be-there 15-seed mid-major, am I going to spend any energy hooting and hollering against them while 9-seed Michigan is playing tomorrow in Des Moines? Probably not. Maybe a little bit sarcastically at the start of the game, but that would get old fast. And I would most definitely be in the minority compared to the thousands who would drive up from Columbus for legitimate rooting purposes.
I know Buckeyes are a different animal, but not for basketball. Nobody's coming out just to yell at Michigan for 2 hours. I rule that this concern is invalid and I hereby approve the Columbus site.
/bangs gavel
February 1st, 2019 at 11:07 AM ^
You vastly underestimate the irrationality of the denizens of Columbus, Ohio.
February 1st, 2019 at 1:06 PM ^
Truth. I could see a bunch of Columbus, knuckle dragging residents at the game who are "tosu football, but Kentucky basketball fans" (or, pick a front running bball team of your choice who happens to be playing at that site). Those folks are going to squarely anti-Michigan and I could easily envision a number of them at those games.
February 1st, 2019 at 2:55 PM ^
You vastly overestimate the disposable income of the irrational denizens of Columbus, Ohio.
February 1st, 2019 at 11:14 AM ^
It depends, would that 15 seed mid-major score 90(!) points (without two starters) and literally kick the living shit out of the high-seed Buckeyes or is that just an MSU thing?
Asking because it is funny.
February 1st, 2019 at 1:09 PM ^
You’d be surprised. Mich played a first-round game in Milwaukee back in the 90s (a loss to Texas) and they booed the Victors every time it played.
It’s not so much that people are buying tickets to troll. There’s just always going to be a sizable number of locals, and in the Midwest (not just Columbus) those people are going to root against Michigan.
February 1st, 2019 at 1:22 PM ^
Do you mean a second round win against Texas in Wichita?
February 1st, 2019 at 10:48 AM ^
The fact that Indiana is still in the tournament (granted, last 4 in) after a 7 game losing streak tells me its a very soft bubble this year.
With that said, a lot of the potential 8/9 winners could be scary if we're a 1 seed. NC State & Syracuse have as much talent as anybody, they are just inconsistent.
February 1st, 2019 at 11:10 AM ^
I would strongly prefer not seeing Tyus Battle the first weekend.
February 1st, 2019 at 11:33 AM ^
Why can't they just let the season be completed? Predicting seeds is so stupid, especially at this point in the season. With a couple of games left, it makes sense to predict seeding.
February 1st, 2019 at 12:11 PM ^
Because its fun to debate and talk about?
If you've got better content to share, please, by all means.....