[CTcard]

 However, in practice, Alabama was seeded #5 in this tourney. We know a bit about Alabama beating them in Tuscaloosa last year. Their performance this year in the SEC, their RPI metrics etc. said they weren't a #5 national seed. 
... 
A team like Northwestern getting possibly sent to Tuscaloosa if chalk holds is far worse of an outcome than getting sent to a program that is still building its softball culture and has essentially only been competing for 5 years.

An interesting dichotomy.

[CTcard]

 However, in practice, Alabama was seeded #5 in this tourney. We know a bit about Alabama beating them in Tuscaloosa last year. Their performance this year in the SEC, their RPI metrics etc. said they weren't a #5 national seed. 
... 
A team like Northwestern getting possibly sent to Tuscaloosa if chalk holds is far worse of an outcome than getting sent to a program that is still building its softball culture and has essentially only been competing for 5 years.

An interesting dichotomy.