A Grip on Sports: When the NCAA bracket is announced Sunday, there is a good chance we will all learn, once again, the NCAA’s duplicity
A GRIP ON SPORTS • For some reason the NCAA always seems to fail when it tries to introduce transparency or logic to its business model. Case in point: How the organization’s Division I tournament selection committee reaches its decisions. Why the failures? Because the NCAA announces and publicizes criteria that it knows will never be followed. It is all a smoke screen.
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• A few years back, the NCAA decided it needed a more analytically based ranking system to help its basketball selection committees fill out the organization’s tournament. Makes sense. At the Division I level, it turned away from its criticized Ratings Percentage Index and instituted what it called the NET ranking. The NCAA Evaluation Tool. Cute acronym. Simple name. Wasted time. And probably a lot of money, because, you know, the NCAA.
Wasted? Really? We are going to find out Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. And the proof will be in whatever seed the committee gives the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Every bracketologist – another cool name that has popped up in the somewhat recent past – worth their paycheck has the 25-8 Zags locked into a seven-to-nine seed. Pretty typical for a non-Power Four school that didn’t win its conference regular season.
But Gonzaga has not been typical for a quarter century. And this year the Zags are the canary in the coal mine.
Mark Few’s team played a stacked nonconference schedule. Faced multiple foes either headed to the NCAA Tournament or were expected to be there and faded. And the Zags came up nearly empty. But they were this close.
Every one one of their high-profile early losses came either in overtime or were within a basket or two as time expired. They were losses, sure, but seemingly good losses.
The NET ratings concur. With a 10-8 record in Quad 1 and 2 games, Bulldogs are eighth, sandwiched this morning between the Big 12’s Texas Tech and red-hot Maryland of the Big Ten. Only Big East champion St. John’s joins GU as non-Power Four schools in the NET’s top 20.
The analytic ratings concur as well. The Zags are rated in the top dozen in the systems the committee reportedly relies upon.
So a team that should be seeded in the top four, right? Ah, sorry. Not going to happen.
It will for the aforementioned Texas Tech. The Red Raiders, who lost last night in the Big 12 semis to Arizona, will probably be a two-or-three seed – if the bracketologists are correct. After all, the Raiders are 13-8 in Quad 1 and 2 games. And will enter the NCAA with a 25-8 overall record.
The same record as GU. The same number of Quad 1 and 2 losses. More wins in those categories, sure, but also five more opportunities.
Maybe it’s the eye test. No, that can’t be it. Because the committee can’t watch every game, that’s not supposed to hold much water. Nor is the school’s conference finish. Wait. Sorry, I had to take a drink of water to stop giggling. Anyhow, everyone is supposed to be treated equally. That’s what the NET was designed to do. Level the field.
But if Tech earns a three seed and GU a, say, nine, then why have the tool anyway? Throw it into the trash. Quit telling fans it matters. Admit the big boys control basketball too. And the game is rigged to help their schools advance deeper into the tournament and reap the financial rewards.
That has as much chance of happening as a 16-seed cutting down the nets in April.
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WSU: We mentioned yesterday the NCAA committee Anne McCoy is on concerning NIL and such has already been working. And faces a daunting task. Help the NCAA bring some order to a Wild-West-like landscape. We even linked a couple of Athletic stories about it. One of them is on the S-R website today. … So is Jon Wilner’s Friday mailbag, with lots of questions related to such issues. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Wilner has a Mercury News column that looks at the investment each school in the rebuilt Pac-12 will need to make if the House settlement is approved next month. … We pointed you toward a printable men’s bracket yesterday. If you still need one, here it is. And here is one for the women. … Here’s another story about how hard the Big Ten basketball travel was on West Coast teams. Duh. USC is reaping a huge financial reward on the backs of its athletes and staff. UCLA, Washington and Oregon? Not so much. … John Canzano has some thoughts on John Feinstein. … Washington reportedly has a men’s player in the portal. … Oregon lost to No. 8 Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament, snapping the Ducks’ eight-game winning streak. … UCLA began, and ended, its Big Ten tournament with a blowout at the hands of Wisconsin. … Arizona will face Houston for the Big 12 tournament title today. The Wildcats got there with an 86-80 win over Texas Tech. … Colorado has to improve its roster. … In the Mountain West semifinals, Boise State earned a signature semifinal win over champion New Mexico. The Broncos will face Colorado State in today’s final. The Rams held off Utah State. … The Aggies hope to make sure they can hold off suitors for their basketball coach after the season. … San Diego State will sweat out the selections tomorrow. … Who might the Oregon State women play? … In football news, Christian Caple kicks off some position overviews with a look at Washington’s quarterbacks. … Colorado had an experienced starting quarterback transfer in. … Oregon State explained next season’s ticket surcharge. … Cam Skattebo is not be attending the Big 12’s Pro Day.
EWU: It’s official. At least if you trust Cooper Kupp’s word. And we do. The former Eastern star has agreed to a three-year, $45-million contract with the Seahawks. … We have commentary on the signing in the Seahawks’ section below. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Northern Colorado held a Pro Day for its football players. … Northern Arizona has already accepted an invitation to the College Basketball Invitational tournament.
Preps: Ya, we woke up to a little snowfall today. But it won’t last. All it means is spring sports competitions began yesterday. Dave Nichols has this roundup. … Former Mt. Spokane star Tyson Degenhart set the Boise State career scoring record last night in the Broncos win over New Mexico.
Seahawks: Is signing Kupp a risk? Sure, he’s a veteran who has missed time the past few years with injuries. But it also has an upside. A big enough one to justify the signing. … Was signing Sam Darnold also a risk? Sure.
Mariners: Emerson Hancock will be in the rotation until George Kirby is healthy. Hancock threw well Friday. … One thing the M’s have become really good at is supplying excitement for those folks who focus on minor league prospects. That was the case yesterday as well. … Eddie Vedder is throwing his name behind a Vedder Cup with the Padres. Charity is the winner. … Will the M’s be better or worse this season?
Kraken: Seattle picked up a win over Utah last night, one the Hockey Club would rather forget.
Sounders: Not only did the Champions Cup fall apart for Seattle in Mexico, so did the Sounders’ health.
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• Almost didn’t put together a column this morning. For a variety of reasons. We will not have one tomorrow. Too much going on, too early in the morning, for me to get it finished. We will see you again on Monday. Until then …