After a week off, I'm re-energized and ready for another addition of NCAA hockey bracketology. The story continues to revolve around the CCHA who once again has seven teams in the field including two number 1 seeds.
As for the WCHA, since we've last done this, Minnesota-Duluth has elevated themselves into a number one seed. Minnesota had previously held the #1 seed in St. Paul. That's shaping up for a potentially awesome regional final between the Gophers and Bulldogs at the Xcel Energy Center.
As it stands right now the only other WCHA team in the tournament is Colorado College. Wisconsin has a lot of work to do if they want to put themselves in consideration.
Step 1: Pick the 16 tournament teams
1. Ohio State
2. Minnesota-Duluth
3. Boston College
4. Notre Dame
5. Boston University
6. Minnesota
7. Western Michigan
8. Merrimack
9. Northern Michigan
10. Michigan State
11. Ferris State
12. UMass-Lowell
13. Colgate
14. Lake Superior State
15. Colorado College
16. --Atlantic Hockey Champion (Air Force)
Bubble teams (in order): Cornell, Michigan, Union, Miami, Northeastern.
Step 2: Assign the seeds
No. 1 seeds: Ohio State, Minnesota-Duluth, Boston College, Notre Dame
No. 2 seeds: Boston University, Minnesota, Western Michigan, Merrimack
No. 3 seeds: Northern Michigan, Michigan State, Ferris State, Lowell
No. 4 seeds: Colgate, Lake State, Colorado College, Air Force
Step 3: Place host teams in regionals
This week we have only one host school that is currently projected to be in the tournament. Minnesota is hosting the West Regional at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Step 4: Place number 1 seeds in Regionals
Number 1 seeds are placed based on proximity to regional site.
No. 1 Ohio State is placed in the Midwest Regional in Green Bay.
No. 2 Minnesota-Duluth is placed In the West Regional in St. Paul.
No. 3 Boston College is placed in the Northeast Regional in Worcester.
No. 4 Notre Dame is placed in the East Regional in Bridgeport.
Step 5: Place the other 12 teams avoiding intra-conference match ups if possible. Begin by filling each bracket by banding groups. Remember that teams are not assigned to the regional closest to their campus sites by ranking order within the banding.
If this is the case, then the committee should seed so that the quarterfinals are seeded such that the four regional championships are played by No. 1 v. No. 8, No. 2 v. No. 7, No. 3 v. No. 6 and No. 4 v. No. 5.
Number 2 seeds:
No. 8 Merrimack is placed in No. 1 Ohio State's Regional, the Midwest.
No. 7 Western Michigan is placed in No. 3 BC's Regional, the Northeast.
No. 6 Minnesota (host) is placed in No. 2 Minnesota-Duluth's Regional, the West.
No. 5 Boston University is placed in No. 4 Notre Dame's Regional, the East.
Number 3 seeds:
No. 9 Northern Michigan is placed in No. 8 Merrimack's Regional, the Midwest.
No. 10 Michigan State is placed in No. 7 Western Michigan's Regional, the Northeast.
No. 11 Ferris State is placed in No. 6 Minnesota's Regional, the West.
No. 12 Lowell is placed in No. 5 Boston University's Regional, the East.
Number 4 seeds:
No. 13 Colgate is placed in No. 4 Notre Dame's Regional, the East.
No. 14 Lake State is placed in No. 3 Boston College's Regional, the Northeast.
No. 15 Colorado College is placed in No. 2 Minnesota-Duluth's Regional, the West.
No. 16 Air Force is placed in No. 1 Ohio State's Regional, the Midwest.
Our bracket as we have it set up:
Midwest Regional (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
1 Ohio State vs. 16 Air Force
8 Merrimack vs. 9 Northern Michigan
West Regional (St. Paul, Minnesota)
2 Minnesota-Duluth vs. 15 Colorado College
6 Minnesota vs 11 Ferris State
Northeast Regional (Worcester, Massachusets)
3 Boston College vs. 14 Lake Superior State
7 Western Michigan vs.10 Michigan State
East Regional (Bridgeport, Connecticut)
4 Notre Dame vs. 13 Colgate
5 Boston University vs. 12 UMass-Lowell
Our first concern is to avoid intra-conference match ups. Right now we have three. UMD and CC out in St. Paul, Western and Michigan State in Worchester, and BU and Lowell in Bridgeport.
We can easily flip CC and Lake State to correct the first one. Also, we can flip Michigan State and Lowell to correct two problems at once.
Our bracket as we have it set up now:
Midwest Regional (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
1 Ohio State vs. 16 Air Force
8 Merrimack vs. 9 Northern Michigan
West Regional (St. Paul, Minnesota)
2 Minnesota-Duluth vs. 14 Lake Superior State
6 Minnesota vs 11 Ferris State
Northeast Regional (Worcester, Massachusets)
3 Boston College vs. 15 Colorado College
7 Western Michigan vs. 12 UMass-Lowell
East Regional (Bridgeport, Connecticut)
4 Notre Dame vs. 13 Colgate
5 Boston University vs. 10 Michigan State
Is there anything that we can change right now to make the tournament better for attendance? Probably not. Any change for attendance purposes would create an intra-conference match up and that won't happen.
Besides, this isn't a bad set up. Two Minnesota schools in St. Paul, Boston College and Lowell in Worchester, Boston University in Bridgeport, and Northern Michigan and Ohio State in Green Bay.
So I guess this will have to do.
That's my bracket for week 5.
Week by week Wisconsin tournament tracker:
Week 1: Not even in the top 26 of the pairwise.
Week 2: Still not on the pairwise radar.
Week 3: No change after a bye week.
Week 4: No change
Week 5: No change
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