Only one Big Ten team got in the NCAA tournament as expected. Michigan is in and will be the No. 2 regional seed and will welcome Arizona as the top seed as well as Kentucky and Eastern Michigan to Ray Fisher Stadium this weekend. The Wovlerines will play Kentucky in their first game on Saturday. Arizona meets Eastern Michigan. The winner of the four-team, double-elimination regional will face the winner of the Coral Gables Regional (Miami/Fla., Missouri, Mississippi and Bethune Cookman).
NCAA Tournament Bracket
I know there was a lot of discussion by Purdue fans thinking they would get in, but you need a much better resume to make it in. The program has been making great strides the last few seasons but is not quite there yet. It would have been great to have seen them surprise Michigan this past weekend so the Big Ten could have gotten two teams in. Instead they go from three teams in last season to just one.
Michigan is the first Big Ten team to play host to a regional since Ohio State hosted in 2001. I wonder if they can get past Arizona and likely Miami. That is a tall order.
I was disappointed that two-time defending champion Oregon State did not get in. Of course a 28-24 overall record won't help much, but the still managed some impressive wins. It is the first champion to in the tournament since Georgia did not make the 1991 field. I was upset to see Arkansas get the nod. Ohio State had them on the ropes in College Station and I wasn't overly impressed with them. I have always said you should have to play in your conference tournament to qualify for the NCAA tournament. Arkansas did not qualify for the SEC tournament.
I am always glad to see Rice make the field. I spent the early part of my career in sports information working with the Owls and have great respect for their coach Wayne Graham. They go in as the No. 6 national seed. I am glad their 2-and-out effort in the Conference USA tournament didn't cost them a national seed. Clemson, another one of my former schools, did not get in this year for the first time in a very long time.
Eight teams from Texas qualified for the tournament. Rice and Texas A&M will play host to regionals. Hopefully I can make it out to see a few college games this weekend.
I'd love to hear what you have to say about the NCAA tournament selections, how you think Michigan will do and which team you think will win the championship.
3 comments:
Nice to see a northern school host a regional.
Michigan had a great year and it will be a neat weekend in AA. They deserve this.Fetter and Putnam are studs.If they lose that is where i don't know if they can play with these guys.The Big Ten does not have the pitching depth the PAC 10/ SEC does.
Arizona is a good team.I guess they are upset they are not hosting this thing. They have a 1B with 19 HR and SP Preston Guilmet was 12-2 last yr. with 146 K. They just took 2/3 from ASU this past weekend. Very soild baseball team.
Don't know much about Kentucky.42-17,16-14 in SEC. 28-6 at home.C.Cowgill is the top hitter with 18 Hr and 57 RBI. Their SP for Friday is LHP Chris Rusin 6-2 on the yr,82 Ip,65 K. He played his HS ball at Devin Child in Canton,MI.
The draft is next week also. This is a fun time in college baseball.
Colin Cowgill is a transfer from ASU.
A lot of Kentucky people have been procliaming their team as great, they started out like 18-0 and was one of the last 2 remaining undefeated teams, ASU lasted the longest. Kentucky really did nothing in the SEC to merit much discussion.
Arizona was the #1 team in the country at the beginning of the season in a few polls. Saw them play ASU on FCS way back when in the early season, solid team but nothing special. Not that being nothing special is a bad thing, I would lump NC State, Georgia, and TAMU as comparable teams, but those 3, and everyone else are behind Miami, Florida State, UNC, and ASU.
More interesting than who will make it to Omaha will be who wins the Golden Spikes.
Personally believe it should be Gordon Beckham, have a feeling Brett Wallace will get it though. Justin Smoak, Aaron Crow, and Yondor Alonso will be up there.
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