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[QUOTE="PoppyHart, post: 201496, member: 515"]
I don't think this is true. In order to get the benefit of playing in a favorable environment, you need to be highly seeded.   I don't have the data in front of me, but I don't think Duke or UNC were playing in front of partisan crowds as 4, 5, and 6 seeds.
 
Being a four seed, which was our penchant in many years, only gets you a protected seed if you are not already bumped by better teams from your geographic region, and the East/Northeast has been traditionally strong.
 
Until 2009, we had been seeded 1st, 2nd, or 3rd only once (2003) dating back to 1991 I believe.
 
Beginning in 1985 (64 teams), most years in which we were ranked 1st-3rd (1987, 1989, 1990, 2003, 2009, 2010), we made the Sweet 16 anyway, so its hard to argue we were somehow harmed. (And we did play in Syracuse in 1987 and Buffalo in 2010)
 
So, really 1986, 1988, 1991 and 2011 are the years to contest. In 1986 we played in the Carrier Dome. The ultimate home game.  In 1991 we lost to a 15 seed in College Park, making CBB history. There was no excuse for that loss, even if it had been played in Richmond.
 
Now we're left with 1988 (URI) and 2011.  Would we have reached the Sweet 16 by playing URI and Marquette in Albany, Buffalo, or Long Island? Perhaps.
 
Bottom line: The Duke-UNC argument is a red herring.  If you're not good enough (or don't play a strong enough schedule) to warrant a top-3 seed, you'll almost never be rewarded with a pseudo home-game.
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