What's with the "home court" advantage?

[smilesid]

Is it just me, or aren't Florida playing in Orlando (an hour off campus) and Wisconsin playing in Milwaukee essentially home games? I thought that the NCAA required that in those cases, that in the first round, they play in the other regional site.

In any case, it did turn out to be a huge advantage to both UF and Wisc. Both were tight games and the huge home crowd made a difference down the stretch.

At least for Duke, in hostile Raleigh, proximity was actually a detriment with all the NC faithful.

 

[podsox]

Syracuse in buffalo. it has been like that for awhile. high seeds get to play close to home usually

 

[Red_Alert]

Wisconsin got home cookin'.

No way they win that game on a neutral court.

 

[dcZONAfan]

Is it just me, or aren't Florida playing in Orlando (an hour off campus) and Wisconsin playing in Milwaukee essentially home games? I thought that the NCAA required that in those cases, that in the first round, they play in the other regional site.

In any case, it did turn out to be a huge advantage to both UF and Wisc. Both were tight games and the huge home crowd made a difference down the stretch.

At least for Duke, in hostile Raleigh, proximity was actually a detriment with all the NC faithful.

huh? you know that Duke is in NC right? why would there be lots of UNC faithful at that game if UNC was playing in San Antonio?

 

[BigAppleBadger]

High seeds always get sites close to home.

 

[apachef4]

Teams are not allowed to play on their home court. The NCAA defines a home court as a court you play a home game at X times a year (I'm not sure of the actual number, 5 rings true, but not sure).

 

[apachef4]

[/B]

huh? you know that Duke is in NC right? why would there be lots of UNC faithful at that game if UNC was playing in San Antonio?

Yeah, I get what he's saying though. In NC, UNC and State fans far outnumber Duke fans (or so I've always been told). A relatively small number can actually travel with the teams. Some of the rest are bound to show up and watch some tournament basketball in their back yard, and I'll be damned if they're going to root for Duke.

 

[Smart]

The committee always puts the highest seed as close to their school as possible. That's why it's essential that you be one of the top two teams in your region. Michigan, MSU, and Us were fighting for Milwaukee all year, and MSU's struggles at the end got us there.

It's even bigger for the top seeds overall because they get it for multiple rounds. Last year, Louisville played in Lexington and Indy. Syracuse was the #2 overall seed two years ago when we lost by one in NYC. That's why you win in the regular season.

 

[broncosmitty]

I think Mark Hollis actually worked the committe for Spokane. MSU wanted to play with Jud in the house. No foolin'.

 

[smilesid]

I notice that the Badger fans are quick to the defense. It was a big win, all praise to the red, but on a truly neutral floor, it outcome might have been different. But I get it, and I also get that if that game was played in Portland, Oregon, the Badger fans would have been complaining, such is human nature.

 

[BigAppleBadger]

I notice that the Badger fans are quick to the defense. It was a big win, all praise to the red, but on a truly neutral floor, it outcome might have been different. But I get it, and I also get that if that game was played in Portland, Oregon, the Badger fans would have been complaining, such is human nature.

Hypotheticals... if Oregon hadn't hit just about every free throw or Young hadn't been unconscious shooting most of the game, Wisconsin wouldn't have been down 12 at the half.

 

[Smart]

I notice that the Badger fans are quick to the defense. It was a big win, all praise to the red, but on a truly neutral floor, it outcome might have been different. But I get it, and I also get that if that game was played in Portland, Oregon, the Badger fans would have been complaining, such is human nature.

I wouldn't be complaining because we earned it. It's not random. We were in Milwaukee because we won big game after big game all year. And I absolutely think Oregon would have won on a neutral floor, yet alone a pro-Oregon court. It is what it is. On a neutral court, we beat Syracuse in 2012 and play an OSU team we just beat in Columbus for a trip to the Final Four. Syracuse was better than us in the regular season, so they earned it.

 

[TrollyMcTroller]

Is it just me, or aren't Florida playing in Orlando (an hour off campus) and Wisconsin playing in Milwaukee essentially home games? I thought that the NCAA required that in those cases, that in the first round, they play in the other regional site.

In any case, it did turn out to be a huge advantage to both UF and Wisc. Both were tight games and the huge home crowd made a difference down the stretch.

At least for Duke, in hostile Raleigh, proximity was actually a detriment with all the NC faithful.

Yeah, I don't understand the question. The tournament has been like this for as long as I can remember. The committee has always tried to reward teams with the best resumes by giving them higher seeds and less travel.

As mentioned above "home" games (in the eyes of the NCAA) have nothing to do with proximity and everything to do with the number of times you played on that court, that season.

And if you never noticed, there are first round games somewhere in North Carolina pretty much every year, and you can bet that either UNC or Duke will be playing there.

 

[smilesid]

I am breaking out my Atlas, and trying to figure out what geography book considers Buffalo to be in the "South" region. Kind of like when Boise State and SDSU were ready to join the Big East or Maryland and Rutgers going to the Big Ten.

Just color me confused.

 

[cane_man]

Watch the tourney 1 or 2 moar times. Youll catch on eventually.

 

[podsox]

I am breaking out my Atlas, and trying to figure out what geography book considers Buffalo to be in the "South" region. Kind of like when Boise State and SDSU were ready to join the Big East or Maryland and Rutgers going to the Big Ten.

Just color me confused.

the regions are based on where the games are next wkend. the first wkend they try to get teams to play somewhat close to home

 

[Hitman Hart]

Its been like this for a very long time. Its a way to reward the top seeds for having a great season.

and as someone that is from NC, you would be correct in saying that UNC and State fans outnumber Duke fans in North Carolina. At this year's ACC Tournament (that was played in Greensboro), the crowd between UVA/Duke was split 50/50.

 

[BigAppleBadger]

I am breaking out my Atlas, and trying to figure out what geography book considers Buffalo to be in the "South" region. Kind of like when Boise State and SDSU were ready to join the Big East or Maryland and Rutgers going to the Big Ten.

Just color me confused.

The early round games aren't really in the designated regions.

 

[TrollyMcTroller]

the regions are based on where the games are next wkend. the first wkend they try to get teams to play somewhat close to home

Yeah, the first round locations have absolutely nothing to do with the 4 Regions.

If the OP will notice, there are games being played in Buffalo from teams in the South and the East regions.

 

[JuiceTheGator]