Davidson is scooting up the national rankings, and that might mean more than just a number in a few weeks.
The Wildcats finished 27th in the Associated Press poll Monday, one week after not getting a vote. Davidson is 29th in the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll.
Davidson has two games this week, and the Wildcats could hop into the Top 25 with wins in both games. And, a national ranking would bolster the Wildcats' hopes for an at-large berth.
Since the NCAA Tournament field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, only one currently ranked team has been left out of the field. Utah State went 25-3 in 2004, but did not get chosen.
If Davidson is ranked after this week, the Wildcats won't drop out before Selection Sunday as long as they win their first two games in the Southern Conference tournament. The Southern Conference tournament championship game will be a few hours after the polls come out March 10, so that game would have no bearing on the rankings the committee sees.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Ranking would boost Davidson at-large hopes
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2 comments:
If Davidson were to win out --including the tournament-- & ends up a Top 25 team, what does that say about NCAA Tournament seeding? It would seem like a national ranking of 25 would translate into a number seven seed but somehow I don't think it works like that. Would somebody please explain the seeding system to me? So Utah State was 25-3 & nationally ranked & didn't make it in the tourney? Did they fall out of the ranking before the tournament actually got underway?
The seeding system can't be explained because it's ultimately not scientific at all.
I think the basic idea is that Davidson would get a somewhat 'harmless' seed like a 12 or 11, as such a seeding would prevent the Wildcats from killing any "big" team like Duke or Xavier. After playing tough against Maryland and Ohio State in their last two tournament appearances, Davidson likely won't be put in position to destroy any Big 10/ACC/Big East egos this time around.
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