March Madness Tickets Went On Sale at Noon Today

[sutomcat]

If you want in, here is the info you need to order:

http://ncaa.com/mbbtickets

Use code MMADNESS to order today (the general public can't order for a few more days).

They have some funky bugs with the system, you have to play around to get your order to take, but a determined individual can order tickets from both venues, right now.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

If you want in, here is the info you need to order:

http://ncaa.com/mbbtickets

Use code MMADNESS to order today (the general public can't order for a few more days).

They have some funky bugs with the system, you have to play around to get your order to take, but a determined individual can order tickets from both venues, right now.

I wasn't able to order them until 7:00 pm tonight and DC was already sold out. I got Philly but not great seats. But like I always say, at least I am in the house.

 

[Toronto Cuse]

Thanks tomcat !!! Locked in tickets to every round. You are the man !

p.s. make sure you don't buy tickets to Final Four through the packages section. Those are a 3rd party site that marks up tickets. They just happen to be affiliated with NCAA so it looks legit. That is not face value though.

 

[jncuse]

No guarantee that Philadelphia will work out. We may need to play above our pre-season rankings which is certainly a good possibility.

There are no sites in the southeast, which means ACC teams may come up to Philly especially when we consider an influx of teams in the Midwest may take up Lexington

 

[bballbeadle]

If you want in, here is the info you need to order:

http://ncaa.com/mbbtickets

Use code MMADNESS to order today (the general public can't order for a few more days).

They have some funky bugs with the system, you have to play around to get your order to take, but a determined individual can order tickets from both venues, right now.

Wait. How do you order tickets for the Final Four without it being a package?

 

[suttree]

Just grabbed two for the rounds of 64 and 32 here in Austin. I know everybody likes SU to launch from close to home after 2003, but the sun doesn't rise and set over the East Region. Nor over the corner grocery, said Gale Snoats.

Time to fire up the engines, folks. Another great season of SU Basketball lies ahead. Jump on board.

 

[sutomcat]

No guarantee that Philadelphia will work out. We may need to play above our pre-season rankings which is certainly a good possibility.

There are no sites in the southeast, which means ACC teams may come up to Philly especially when we consider an influx of teams in the Midwest may take up Lexington

Good post. You make some good points.

There are indeed no guarantees in NCAA seeding. but I think it is a near lock that Syracuse gets pod seeded in Philly if they are ranked in the top 16 at the end of the regular season. I like our chances to finish in the top 16.

Here is the preseason top 25, based on combined rankings, put together by Bleacher Report:

No. 1 Indiana (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 1, ESPN No. 1, Sports Illustrated No. 1, Yahoo! Sports No. 1)
No. 2 Louisville (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 2, ESPN No. 2, SI No. 2, Yahoo! Sports No. 3)
No. 3 Kentucky (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 4, ESPN No. 3, SI No. 4, Yahoo! Sports No. 2)
No. 4 (tie) Michigan (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 5, ESPN No. 5, SI No. 9, Yahoo! Sports No. 6)
No. 4 (tie) NC State (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 9, ESPN No. 6, SI No. 5, Yahoo! Sports No. 5)
No. 4 (tie) UCLA (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 11, ESPN No. 7, SI No. 3, Yahoo! Sports No. 4)

No. 7 Ohio State (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 3, ESPN No. 8, SI No. 7, Yahoo! Sports No. 12)
No. 8 Kansas (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 12, ESPN No. 4, SI No. 8, Yahoo! Sports No. 10)
No. 9 Florida (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 16, ESPN No. 12, SI No. 6, Yahoo! Sports No. 7)
No. 10 UNC (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 13, ESPN No. 13, SI No. 12, Yahoo! Sports No. 8)
No. 11 Baylor (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: ESPN No. 11, SI No. 13, Yahoo! Sports No. 11)*
No. 12 Syracuse (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 7, ESPN No. 10, SI No. 17, Yahoo! Sports No. 15)
No. 13 Duke (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 6, ESPN No. 15, SI No. 14, Yahoo! Sports No. 16)
No. 14 Arizona (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 8, ESPN No. 17, SI No. 24, Yahoo! Sports No. 9)
No. 15 Missouri (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 10, ESPN No. 24, SI No. 10)*

No. 16 Memphis (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 15, ESPN No. 14, SI No. 16, Yahoo! Sports No. 19)
No. 17 (tie) Creighton (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 14, ESPN No. 18, SI No. 19, Yahoo! Sports No. 18)
No. 17 (tie) Gonzaga (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 21, ESPN No. 20, SI No. 15, Yahoo! Sports No. 13)
No. 17 (tie) Michigan State (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 22, ESPN No. 9, SI No. 18, Yahoo! Sports No. 20)
No. 20 Notre Dame (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 24, ESPN No. 19, SI No. 11, Yahoo! Sports No. 17)
No. 21 San Diego State (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 19, ESPN No. 16, SI No. 23, Yahoo! Sports No. 14)
No. 22 Wisconsin (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 17, ESPN No. 22, SI No. 20, Yahoo! Sports No. 25)
No. 23 UNLV (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 20, ESPN No. 23, SI No. 21, Yahoo! Sports No. 24)
No. 24 VCU (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 25, SI No. 22, Yahoo! Sports No. 22)*

No. 25 Teams included in only one or two of the four rankings used: Texas (ESPN No. 21, Yahoo! Sports No. 21), Cincinnati (Sporting News No. 18), Marquette (SI No. 25), Minnesota (ESPN No. 25), Murray State (Sporting News No. 23), Tennessee (Yahoo! Sports No. 23)Even if the NCAA puts NC State, Duke and UNC in Philly,

As you can see, Syracuse is the only team from the Northeast expected to be in the top 25 (and it is close to concensus that Syracuse will finish in the top 16).

Even if the NCAA put NC State, Duke and UNC in Philly, and all finished in front of Syracuse, I still see SU headed to the City of Brotherly Love.

There is unlikely going to be an influx of teams from the Midwest to Lexington either. Have to believe UL is a near lock to get seeded there (UK can't since they are hosting). Memphis has a great chance too. The venues in Auburn Hills and Dayton are much better fits for Michigan and Ohio State than Lexington as well. Michigan State would surely be seeded in Auburn Hills if they end up in the top 16, as would ND (Auburn Hills is closest for them, followed by Dayton).

If anyone in the Northeast finishes ahead of SU in the rankings, it is going to be Pittsburgh (they are really underrated at this point), and Pittsburgh is about 50 miles closer to Dayton than it is to Philadelphia, so if they finish in the top 16 (a good possibility), they are not a threat to take SU's slot in Philly either.

Regarding ACC schools getting seeded in Philly instead of Lexington, you are correct, there will be ACC schools assigned there, in part because Northeast basketball is so weak this year and in part because there are no first round sites in ACC country this year.

However, I will point out that Google says Raleigh is 398 miles from Philadelphia and 495 miles from Lexington. Not much difference. When you factor in the notorious traffic issues between DC and Philly, you can argue it will be easier and shorter for fans from NC to drive to Lexington. Assuming form holds, I think one of NC State, UNC and Duke will be seeded there instead of Philly, but all 3 could get there.

I think college basketball in the Northeast is going to be the weakest it has been in many years this season (at least if you are looking at it from the perspective of top 25 teams). When was the last time only one school from the NE was in the top 25 at the start of the season?

Source Link

 

[armory]

Duke, UNC or SU will be in Philly. The tickets will not be a bad investment regardless.

 

[jncuse]

Good post. You make some good points.

There are indeed no guarantees in NCAA seeding. but I think it is a near lock that Syracuse gets pod seeded in Philly if they are ranked in the top 16 at the end of the regular season. I like our chances to finish in the top 16.

Here is the preseason top 25, based on combined rankings, put together by Bleacher Report:

No. 1 Indiana (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 1, ESPN No. 1, Sports Illustrated No. 1, Yahoo! Sports No. 1)
No. 2 Louisville (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 2, ESPN No. 2, SI No. 2, Yahoo! Sports No. 3)
No. 3 Kentucky (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 4, ESPN No. 3, SI No. 4, Yahoo! Sports No. 2)
No. 4 (tie) Michigan (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 5, ESPN No. 5, SI No. 9, Yahoo! Sports No. 6)
No. 4 (tie) NC State (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 9, ESPN No. 6, SI No. 5, Yahoo! Sports No. 5)
No. 4 (tie) UCLA (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 11, ESPN No. 7, SI No. 3, Yahoo! Sports No. 4)

No. 7 Ohio State (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 3, ESPN No. 8, SI No. 7, Yahoo! Sports No. 12)
No. 8 Kansas (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 12, ESPN No. 4, SI No. 8, Yahoo! Sports No. 10)
No. 9 Florida (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 16, ESPN No. 12, SI No. 6, Yahoo! Sports No. 7)
No. 10 UNC (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 13, ESPN No. 13, SI No. 12, Yahoo! Sports No. 8)
No. 11 Baylor (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: ESPN No. 11, SI No. 13, Yahoo! Sports No. 11)*
No. 12 Syracuse (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 7, ESPN No. 10, SI No. 17, Yahoo! Sports No. 15)
No. 13 Duke (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 6, ESPN No. 15, SI No. 14, Yahoo! Sports No. 16)
No. 14 Arizona (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 8, ESPN No. 17, SI No. 24, Yahoo! Sports No. 9)
No. 15 Missouri (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 10, ESPN No. 24, SI No. 10)*

No. 16 Memphis (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 15, ESPN No. 14, SI No. 16, Yahoo! Sports No. 19)
No. 17 (tie) Creighton (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 14, ESPN No. 18, SI No. 19, Yahoo! Sports No. 18)
No. 17 (tie) Gonzaga (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 21, ESPN No. 20, SI No. 15, Yahoo! Sports No. 13)
No. 17 (tie) Michigan State (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 22, ESPN No. 9, SI No. 18, Yahoo! Sports No. 20)
No. 20 Notre Dame (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 24, ESPN No. 19, SI No. 11, Yahoo! Sports No. 17)
No. 21 San Diego State (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 19, ESPN No. 16, SI No. 23, Yahoo! Sports No. 14)
No. 22 Wisconsin (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 17, ESPN No. 22, SI No. 20, Yahoo! Sports No. 25)
No. 23 UNLV (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 20, ESPN No. 23, SI No. 21, Yahoo! Sports No. 24)
No. 24 VCU (Top 25 preseason ranking positions: Sporting News No. 25, SI No. 22, Yahoo! Sports No. 22)*

No. 25 Teams included in only one or two of the four rankings used: Texas (ESPN No. 21, Yahoo! Sports No. 21), Cincinnati (Sporting News No. 18), Marquette (SI No. 25), Minnesota (ESPN No. 25), Murray State (Sporting News No. 23), Tennessee (Yahoo! Sports No. 23)Even if the NCAA puts NC State, Duke and UNC in Philly,

As you can see, Syracuse is the only team from the Northeast expected to be in the top 25 (and it is close to concensus that Syracuse will finish in the top 16).

Even if the NCAA put NC State, Duke and UNC in Philly, and all finished in front of Syracuse, I still see SU headed to the City of Brotherly Love.

There is unlikely going to be an influx of teams from the Midwest to Lexington either. Have to believe UL is a near lock to get seeded there (UK can't since they are hosting). Memphis has a great chance too. The venues in Auburn Hills and Dayton are much better fits for Michigan and Ohio State than Lexington as well. Michigan State would surely be seeded in Auburn Hills if they end up in the top 16, as would ND (Auburn Hills is closest for them, followed by Dayton).

If anyone in the Northeast finishes ahead of SU in the rankings, it is going to be Pittsburgh (they are really underrated at this point), and Pittsburgh is about 50 miles closer to Dayton than it is to Philadelphia, so if they finish in the top 16 (a good possibility), they are not a threat to take SU's slot in Philly either.

Regarding ACC schools getting seeded in Philly instead of Lexington, you are correct, there will be ACC schools assigned there, in part because Northeast basketball is so weak this year and in part because there are no first round sites in ACC country this year.

However, I will point out that Google says Raleigh is 398 miles from Philadelphia and 495 miles from Lexington. Not much difference. When you factor in the notorious traffic issues between DC and Philly, you can argue it will be easier and shorter for fans from NC to drive to Lexington. Assuming form holds, I think one of NC State, UNC and Duke will be seeded there instead of Philly, but all 3 could get there.

I think college basketball in the Northeast is going to be the weakest it has been in many years this season (at least if you are looking at it from the perspective of top 25 teams). When was the last time only one school from the NE was in the top 25 at the start of the season?

Source Link

Only two top 16 teams per pod, not 4, so you can't have all of UNC, NC, Duke and SU at one location. That kind of kills most of your assessment.

Also, highest ranked teams always have first dibs at their closest pod. Doesn't matter if SU is closer. If a 2 seed has "Philly" as their closest pod, and the 3 seeded SU does as well. the 2 seed will get it... even if Syracuse is closer and has no other close alternative. Within the 3 seed line, the committee may or may not treat all the teams the same.

And if Pitt takes a spot, it will be Philly as well, because Indiana and Kentucky have dibs on Dayton.

Using the consolidated rankings and giving sites based on rankings:

Indiana - Dayton
Louisville - Lexingston
Kentucky - Dayton
Michigan - Auburn Hills
NC State - Philly
UCLA - San Jose
Ohio State - Lexington
Kansas - Kansas City

Once again the NCAA has one unnecessary pod out west.


If they treat all three seeds alike... then Syracuse gets Philly. If they give preference to the highest 3 seed on the S curve, then both Florida and UNC would get Philly before Syracuse - a team like Florida getting Philly above Syracuse seems absurd, but if they are seeded above Syracuse, and Lexington and Dayton are used up by those teams, that would happen.


And if Syracuse is a 4 seed its going out west for the first round - 100% certainty. The top three seeds take everything from Kansas City going east.

 

[jncuse]

Duke, UNC or SU will be in Philly. The tickets will not be a bad investment regardless.

Indeed.

 

[sutomcat]

Only two top 16 teams per pod, not 4, so you can't have all of UNC, NC, Duke and SU at one location. That kind of kills most of your assessment.

Also, highest ranked teams always have first dibs at their closest pod. Doesn't matter if SU is closer. If a 2 seed has "Philly" as their closest pod, and the 3 seeded SU does as well. the 2 seed will get it... even if Syracuse is closer and has no other close alternative. Within the 3 seed line, the committee may or may not treat all the teams the same.

And if Pitt takes a spot, it will be Philly as well, because Indiana and Kentucky have dibs on Dayton.

Using the consolidated rankings and giving sites based on rankings:

Indiana - Dayton
Louisville - Lexingston
Kentucky - Dayton
Michigan - Auburn Hills
NC State - Philly
UCLA - San Jose
Ohio State - Lexington
Kansas - Kansas City

Once again the NCAA has one unnecessary pod out west.


If they treat all three seeds alike... then Syracuse gets Philly. If they give preference to the highest 3 seed on the S curve, then both Florida and UNC would get Philly before Syracuse - a team like Florida getting Philly above Syracuse seems absurd, but if they are seeded above Syracuse, and Lexington and Dayton are used up by those teams, that would happen.


And if Syracuse is a 4 seed its going out west for the first round - 100% certainty. The top three seeds take everything from Kansas City going east.

Thanks for the correction. Your analysis looks good to me. Would be very disappointed if we ended up in Salt Lake City again, with Florida in Philly.

Salt Lake City is a nice place but I have been there twice in the last 8 years and that is more than sufficient for the rest of my life. If we went to San Jose, I could at least have a chance to play Pebble Beach.

 

[jncuse]

Syracuse will be a 2 seed or above and they won't have to worry about it.

Some straight out of my ass probabilities:
If 1 seed - 100%
If 2 seed - 95%
If 3 seed - 60%
If 4 seed - 5%