Bubble Watch 2012

[UtahJazzFan88]

Are they really not called play in games? I thought they were.

It's the last four at large bids and last four automatic qualifiers, thus called the First Four and not Play-In anymore even though it's the same thing.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Would probably be crazy not to take Oregon at this point.

You are right, I got a text from my glad-hander. Oregon is NIT bound, turns out my excitement can be contained.

[All-American]

Are they really not called play in games? I thought they were.

Maybe informally, when there was just one play-in game (65 v. 64). When they started doing FOUR play-in games, they referred to them as Round One.

I think it's a bit of a bogus distinction, frankly, but you certainly can't say that a team seeded 12 or 14 didn't make it in the tournament when a team seeded 16 doesn't have to play a play-in game.

[UtahJazzFan88]

You are right, I got a text from my glad-hander. Oregon is NIT bound, turns out my excitement can be contained.

9:00 PM EST tonight on ESPNU.

[UtahDan]

Maybe informally, when there was just one play-in game (65 v. 64). When they started doing FOUR play-in games, they referred to them as Round One.

I think it's a bit of a bogus distinction, frankly, but you certainly can't say that a team seeded 12 or 14 didn't make it in the tournament when a team seeded 16 doesn't have to play a play-in game.

That makes sense. The other cool thing is that you can be 14 seed and claim a tournament win without ever playing a higher seed. That is sort of a nice feather in your cap that a 9 or 10 seed can't get.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Play-in, first four, whatever. Beats the crap out of the NIT. I am happy.

[CJF]

Wow there is such a thing as East coast bias. Why would they want to punish the PAC like this?

Does the playin game constitute getting in? I think not.

Ask Washington and your deep tournament running UCLA if the play in game is in or not.

[Clark Addison]

Like the first round? Opening round? First four?

Even before the first four format instituted last year, the loser of the play in game has always been credited with a tournament appearance.

Just to carry this a bit further. Before last year, it may have made some sense to not count the play-in game as an official tournament game, since it was between two 16 seeds. However, as Surfah said, even then it counted as a tournament game. This is why, if you look up the tournament record of, say, Arkansas Pine Bluff, they show a win, since they beat Winthrop a couple of years back.

Now, obviously, you have 12 seeds in the "First Four", or whatever they want to call it. It wouldn't make sense to have a loser of one of these games not "officially" make the tournament when you have 15 teams getting in as lower seeds than them.

[Moliere]

In the tourney is in the tourney. This isn't the BCS. Utes jealousy is palpable today.

[scottie]

Call me conservative, but I'm really not a fan of what the round of 64 has become. 68 teams? The round of 32 is now referred to as the "Third Round"? Sure, four additional teams isn't that many more, and third round instead of round of 32 isn't that big of a deal, but week one of the NCAA tourney just isn't as familiar to me as it used to be and therefore I don't like it.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Call me conservative, but I'm really not a fan of what the round of 64 has become. 68 teams? The round of 32 is now referred to as the "Third Round"? Sure, four additional teams isn't that many more, and third round instead of round of 32 isn't that big of a deal, but week one of the NCAA tourney just isn't as familiar to me as it used to be and therefore I don't like it.

I agree. Calling Thursday/Friday second round games is dumb.

[DrumNFeather]

I agree. Calling Thursday/Friday second round games is dumb.

Jay Bilas has been screaming sarcastically: "60 TEAMS GET A BYE"

[il Padrino Ute]

Jay Bilas has been screaming sarcastically: "60 TEAMS GET A BYE"

Bilas is most likely upset that his precious Puke team didn't get a 1 seed.

[FountainofUte]

I'll look forward to seeing you around.

Well, Pelado (and others I talked to on this post), I was wrong; you were right.

I'll admit, I can't believe the PAC reg season champ couldn't get in. Between what I was thinking and what you believed, something had to give. I'm here to eat my crow.

Good luck in the tourney, Cougs.

[TripletDaddy]

FountainofUte is an awesome addition to CUF.