University of North Texas Athletics
Green Gang: Tournament Possibilities
3/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Return to Play
By Steven Bartolotta, March 10, 2010, 5:44 p.m.
Now that the confetti is finally out of everything I own, it's time to start thinking ahead to potential opponents for the Mean Green in the tourney. Current bracketologist Joe Lunadi has the Mean Green as a 15 seed playing Purdue in the New Orleans.
Now if the NCAA "Pod" system really works, it will be either New Orleans or Oklahoma City for North Texas. What the heck is that? Real quick explanation. A few years back, the NCAA came up with this system for first and second round games to help teams play closer to home. So originally a site, say Oklahoma City, would host first and second round games specifically from a region, say the West.
What the system does now is place a potpourri of teams into a site, where first and second round games could be from every region but those games are more geographically friendly for most teams.
Bolded for a reason, because that normally is the case for higher seeded teams. Just ask Western Kentucky about going to Portland last year.
The Mean Green was probably placed in 2007, but don't get upset if it doesn't happen this year, but I'm thinking it shouldn't be too hard to put North Texas in OKC or New Orleans.
The bigger question is can North Texas move up from the current No. 15 seed most seem to think. Maybe. For North Texas to grab possibly a No. 14 seed, which is the highest anyone really should think this team will be, so upsets need to happen. Not in the big leagues, in the remaining mid-major conference tourneys. The more teams with lower RPI's than North Texas that sneak in, it will simply push the rest upwards.
Here's a fan guide for who to root for the rest of the week.
American East- Boston U
Big Sky - Montana
Big West- Anyone but Long Beach State or Pacific
The MAC- Buffalo or Eastern Michigan
MEAC- Delaware State
NEC- Robert Morris
Patriot League- Lafayette
Southland- Texas A&M-CC
As for who are possible opponents as a No. 15 or 14 seed. I'm thinking it will be one of these four teams here, here, here, and here.
I'm basing these off who I think is going to be considered and who I think will have the best or worst weekend in conference tourneys.
And no, there isn't a soul in the athletic department that knows when, where, or who North Texas could play. The secret envelope isn't opened until Sunday at 5 p.m.
