Brad-ketology: Loss Moves Maryland To A Two Seed

Brad-ketology

By:    Bradley Stewart

         Resident Bracketologist

January 13, 2016

Hi everyone.  Since this is my inaugural post on my bracketology on "Smeltzer on Sports", I am going to describe what it is.  One of the most common practices held during the year is filling out a NCAA Tournament bracket.  Bracketology is the art of not-predicting who will win come March, but where the selection committee, will place the teams.  So, basically, bracketology is the art of predicting what seeds teams will receive.  For a full list of rules and seeding procedures visit: http://www.ncaa.com/content/di-principles-and-procedures-selection.    This is my fourth year doing bracketology and I am currently ranked third in the "Bracket Veterans" division on the Bracket Matrix.  The Bracket Matrix gives you points for every team you correctly seed, correctly place in the tournament, and for being one off the correct seed.  Other notable people in the Bracket Matrix is ESPN's Joe Lunardi and CBS's Jerry Palm.  The matrix also combines all the contributors into one bracket based on average seed.  For that list visit: http://bracketmatrix.com/.  For a more up to date bracket visit: bradketology.blogspot.com

We are nearly half way to Selection Sunday and the College Basketball Season is in full swing.  This season has had so much parody it is ridiculous.  Remember last year?  We were talking about the Kentucky Wildcats going 40-0.  They were the best team in the country and everyone knew it.  This year there are two remaining undefeated teams and neither of them are in the Top 5.  SMU is currently ranked 10th in the country, but are ineligible to go the NCAA Tournament, because of a post-season ban handed down from the NCAA.  The other remaining undefeated is the 15-0 South Carolina Gamecocks.  The Gamecocks did not make the tournament last year.  The primary reason they are undefeated are because they have played a very weak schedule.  Their weak schedule is a factor in their RPI rank that has them at 25.  Carolina's best win has been against the Vanderbilt Commodores, a team not even in my bracket or ESPN's Joe Lunardi's.          

The point of this is that this College Basketball season has shown more parody than we have seen in recent year.  Last year their was parody at the top, allowing for some very intriguing Elite 8 and Final 4 match-ups.  Because of that parody there was not a lot of upsets.  This year there is a lot parody between seeds 1-9.  Because of this there is no clear-cut favorite for the championship, like when Louisville and Kentucky were everyone's picks.  If I had to bet there will be at least three 1, 2, or 3 seeds knocked out of the tournament by the opening weekend.  That does not mean go and pick a three to lose in their opening game, but the six seeds (currently: USC, Pittsburgh, Louisville, and Dayton) can all defeat the 3 seeds.  There is so much parody that just last night, the number one and number three teams in the country lost.

The story line I feel is the most intriguing is the success of Southern California.  Let's start with USC.  The Trojans currently has a 14-3 record and are fresh off of a 4OT win vs #18 Arizona.  What is intriguing is the success of Head Coach Andy Enfield.  Remember Florida Gulf Coast of March Madness Past?  America's favorite team for two weeks, Dunk City upset 2-seeded Georgetown and then proceeded to defeat seven-seeded San Diego State by a combined twenty points.  The dream died there when the Eagles flee to fellow Florida inhabitant, Florida Gators.  The Gators won by twelve, but USC took notice of Andy Enfield and signed him as their new head coach.  Enfield has transported his success across the state and has the Trojans one of the hottest teams in the country.

Here is my January 13th bracket:

Thank You for reading.  Feel free to comment your thoughts!

For a more up to date bracket visit: bradketology.blogspot.com