06-16-2022, 11:37 AM
(This post was last modified: 06-16-2022, 01:43 PM by ColoradoTree.)
And then the next two teams on the board come our way. First, #33 Florida State looked at the board and saw four #2 seeds still available (at #3 UNC, #4 Duke, #8 Pepperdine, and #13 Stanford), so presumably to avoid a repeat matchup with conference teams, they looked out west and figured they might have a better shot against us than against Pepperdine. Then, #34 Arkansas must have decided they liked their chances against FSU in the first round and potentially to beat us in the second round, so they came as the 3 seed. That makes sense, because now Arkansas is at least guaranteed a good, non-conference match out of this. No difference in being a 2 or a 3 seed, so would you rather play FSU and either get a good win or a not-so-damaging loss, or do you go as a 2 seed somewhere else and then your first-round opponent might not be as valuable, because you don't know when someone will choose to play you?
Five regions are now filled, and two were pretty early: #14 Auburn was first, with #17 ASU, #21 UCF, and #22 UCSB coming on board. (That's gonna be a banger of a region.) Then #15 Ohio State filled up with #23 Wake Forest, #24 Tennessee, and #27 Old Dominion. Then, #10 Oklahoma State filled up with #18 Michigan, #29 Kansas, and #38 Oregon. I like that for both ASU and Oregon--you're in a winnable region but with very competitive matches, and Oklahoma State is one of the more vulnerable 1 seeds, so Oregon has a shot. Cal and Miami's regions have also filled up.
Interestingly, we've seen our first pass, as #51 Ole Miss looked at the board and presumably didn't see a situation that was worth it for them.
Pepperdine just got its #2 seed, #52 Memphis, and the Waves were the last team to get a 2 seed. Remaining to be selected are the 3 and 4 at Pepperdine, and a bunch of 4 seeds. Ten spots yet to be filled. The remaining teams yet to pick are all going to be either NCAA bubble teams next spring or on the outside looking in, so now teams are picking assuming they'll lose the first match but where they might have a shot at a decent win against the other losing team in that region.
FYI, I like the situations for USC and UCLA, too--the Bruins are the 2 seed at Miami, which as mentioned above loses its #1 singles player. They get a good-but-winnable match against #35 Iowa State and a vulnerable 1 seed. Same thing for USC, the 2 seed at #12 UGA.
Stanford's regional is now full, as #56 Kansas State takes the 4 seed there. So, Stanford will take on the Wildcats and, if they win, the Arkansas-FSU winner.
There were a couple more passes, allowing #69 Washington State to sneak into the last available spot in the field, the #4 seed at UVA. So, Pac-12 teams in the field are as follows:
#11 Cal (host); #32 Georgia Tech; #36 San Diego; #42 Princeton
#13 Stanford (host); #33 Florida State; #34 Arkansas; #56 Kansas State
#17 ASU is the 2nd seed at #14 Auburn; #21 UCF and #22 UCSB fill out that regional
#19 UCLA is the 2nd seed at #9 Miami; #35 Iowa State and #43 FIU fill out that regional
#20 USC is the 2nd seed at #12 Georgia; #48 Notre Dame and #60 Stetson fill out that regional
#38 Oregon is the 4th seed at #10 Oklahoma State; #18 Michigan and #29 Kansas fill out that regional
#47 Arizona is the 3rd seed at #7 Texas A&M; #16 Florida and #66 Florida Atlantic fill out that regional
#49 Utah is the 2nd seed at #3 UNC; #50 UNC Charlotte and #64 Maryland fill out that regional
#69 Washington State is the 4th seed at #5 UVA; #28 South Carolina and #41 Northwestern fill out that regional
Five regions are now filled, and two were pretty early: #14 Auburn was first, with #17 ASU, #21 UCF, and #22 UCSB coming on board. (That's gonna be a banger of a region.) Then #15 Ohio State filled up with #23 Wake Forest, #24 Tennessee, and #27 Old Dominion. Then, #10 Oklahoma State filled up with #18 Michigan, #29 Kansas, and #38 Oregon. I like that for both ASU and Oregon--you're in a winnable region but with very competitive matches, and Oklahoma State is one of the more vulnerable 1 seeds, so Oregon has a shot. Cal and Miami's regions have also filled up.
Interestingly, we've seen our first pass, as #51 Ole Miss looked at the board and presumably didn't see a situation that was worth it for them.
Pepperdine just got its #2 seed, #52 Memphis, and the Waves were the last team to get a 2 seed. Remaining to be selected are the 3 and 4 at Pepperdine, and a bunch of 4 seeds. Ten spots yet to be filled. The remaining teams yet to pick are all going to be either NCAA bubble teams next spring or on the outside looking in, so now teams are picking assuming they'll lose the first match but where they might have a shot at a decent win against the other losing team in that region.
FYI, I like the situations for USC and UCLA, too--the Bruins are the 2 seed at Miami, which as mentioned above loses its #1 singles player. They get a good-but-winnable match against #35 Iowa State and a vulnerable 1 seed. Same thing for USC, the 2 seed at #12 UGA.
Stanford's regional is now full, as #56 Kansas State takes the 4 seed there. So, Stanford will take on the Wildcats and, if they win, the Arkansas-FSU winner.
There were a couple more passes, allowing #69 Washington State to sneak into the last available spot in the field, the #4 seed at UVA. So, Pac-12 teams in the field are as follows:
#11 Cal (host); #32 Georgia Tech; #36 San Diego; #42 Princeton
#13 Stanford (host); #33 Florida State; #34 Arkansas; #56 Kansas State
#17 ASU is the 2nd seed at #14 Auburn; #21 UCF and #22 UCSB fill out that regional
#19 UCLA is the 2nd seed at #9 Miami; #35 Iowa State and #43 FIU fill out that regional
#20 USC is the 2nd seed at #12 Georgia; #48 Notre Dame and #60 Stetson fill out that regional
#38 Oregon is the 4th seed at #10 Oklahoma State; #18 Michigan and #29 Kansas fill out that regional
#47 Arizona is the 3rd seed at #7 Texas A&M; #16 Florida and #66 Florida Atlantic fill out that regional
#49 Utah is the 2nd seed at #3 UNC; #50 UNC Charlotte and #64 Maryland fill out that regional
#69 Washington State is the 4th seed at #5 UVA; #28 South Carolina and #41 Northwestern fill out that regional