Bracket Projections Week 2

Current PWR

1. Quinnipiac
2. St. Cloud State
3. North Dakota
4. Michigan
5. Boston College
6. Providence
7. Harvard
8. Boston University 
9. Nebraska Omaha 
10. Notre Dame
11. Lowell
12. Denver
13. Yale
14. RPI
15t. Dartmouth 
15t. Cornell
17. Mankato (WCHA)
21. Robert Morris (AHA) 

Every league in the NCAA must have one team in the field and I am assuming the highest rated team in the PairWise has won their respected conference tournament. So, Robert Morris and Mankato get in, Cornell and Dartmouth are out. 

Field of 16

1. Quinnipiac
2. St. Cloud State
3. North Dakota
4. Michigan
5. Boston College
6. Providence
7. Harvard
8. Boston University 
9. Nebraska Omaha 
10. Notre Dame
11. Lowell
12. Denver
13. Yale
14. RPI
15. Mankato (WCHA)
16. Robert Morris (AHA) 

The field is then broken into four groups or the four regional with the goal of "bracket integrity", i.e 1vs16, 2vs15 and so on. There can not be inter-conference match-ups in the first round and hosts of regionals must be placed in their host city no mater what their ranking is. Holy Cross hosts in Worcester, Union in Albany, Minnesota in St. Paul and Miami in Cincinnati. Teams can also be moved to "boost attendance" (see Providence playing in Providence last year). 

Worcester
1. Quinnipiac vs 16. Robert Morris 
8. Boston University vs 9. Nebraska Omaha

St. Paul
2. St. Cloud State vs 15. Mankato  
7. Harvard vs 10. Notre Dame

Cincinnati
3. North Dakota vs 14. RPI
6. Providence vs 11. Lowell

Albany
4. Michigan vs 13. Yale 
5. Boston College vs 12. Denver 

So there is one inter-conference matchup, Providence-Lowell. Lowell should get moved because they are the lower seed. First, we should try and keep them as a three seed. Moving them to Albany is a no because they would face BC. Lowell to St. Paul would work, but that would send Notre Dame to Cincinnati and then we are right back to where we started. Moving the River Hawks to Worcester would also not work because they would play BU. That all being said, the only thing we can really do is to ship them to Albany and essentially make them a four seed. With that, Lowell faces Michigan and Yale is sent to Cincinnati to play Providence. 

How about attendance… I think its pretty good this week.    

Final Bracket 

Worcester
1. Quinnipiac vs 16. Robert Morris 
8. Boston University vs 9. Nebraska Omaha

St. Paul
2. St. Cloud State vs 15. Mankato  
7. Harvard vs 10. Notre Dame

Cincinnati
3. North Dakota vs 14. RPI
6. Providence vs 13. Yale

Albany
4. Michigan vs 11. Lowell 
5. Boston College vs 12. Denver  

New this week: RPI, Mankato
Out from last week: Bowling Green, Cornell