The rankings of No. 1 seeds in the NCAA women's basketball tournament have taken a surprising turn, according to ESPN's latest Bracketology projections. In the final preseason edition, Charlie Creme, the renowned bracketologist, has made some notable adjustments to his previous assessments.
One of the most significant changes is the shift in the top four seeds across different regions. While some teams remained firmly planted at the top, others dropped or rose through the ranks. The South Region, in particular, saw a dramatic change, with the No. 1 seed in the West Region swapping places with their East Coast counterparts.
In the condensed 48-team format, where teams receive byes into the second round and automatic qualifiers are reduced, some of the top seeds continued to hold strong. However, others struggled to make an impact, highlighting the challenges posed by the new format.
The most interesting aspect of this update is the significant reduction in automatic qualifiers from 32 to 31 due to the Ivy League's decision to forgo the 2020-21 season. This change has implications not only for the tournament field but also for revenue distribution among participating schools.
Meanwhile, the smaller 16-team bracket remains a hotbed of competition, where conference champions and other top teams vie for spots in the coveted single-elimination tournaments. With conference participation capped at four teams per region, the stakes are high as these teams fight to emerge victorious and secure their place in the national picture.
Overall, this latest Bracketology update serves as a reminder that the NCAA women's basketball tournament is always full of surprises, and nothing is set in stone until the actual selections are made.
One of the most significant changes is the shift in the top four seeds across different regions. While some teams remained firmly planted at the top, others dropped or rose through the ranks. The South Region, in particular, saw a dramatic change, with the No. 1 seed in the West Region swapping places with their East Coast counterparts.
In the condensed 48-team format, where teams receive byes into the second round and automatic qualifiers are reduced, some of the top seeds continued to hold strong. However, others struggled to make an impact, highlighting the challenges posed by the new format.
The most interesting aspect of this update is the significant reduction in automatic qualifiers from 32 to 31 due to the Ivy League's decision to forgo the 2020-21 season. This change has implications not only for the tournament field but also for revenue distribution among participating schools.
Meanwhile, the smaller 16-team bracket remains a hotbed of competition, where conference champions and other top teams vie for spots in the coveted single-elimination tournaments. With conference participation capped at four teams per region, the stakes are high as these teams fight to emerge victorious and secure their place in the national picture.
Overall, this latest Bracketology update serves as a reminder that the NCAA women's basketball tournament is always full of surprises, and nothing is set in stone until the actual selections are made.
! I mean, who would've thought that the No 1 seed in the West Region would get swapped out for their East Coast counterparts? It just goes to show that anything can happen when it comes to bracketology 
. And with the Ivy League not participating this year, you'd think that'd be a huge blow to some teams... but nope! The competition is still heating up, especially in the smaller brackets 
. I'm totally on the edge of my seat waiting for the actual tournament matchups – it's gonna be a wild ride! 
. People think it's all about team strength and performance, but let's be real, a 48-team format can be super unpredictable. It's crazy how one little change, like the Ivy League opting out of last season, can have such a big impact on the whole field 
the new format is gonna shake things up big time, i'm not sure if i love or hate it lol 
still, it's interesting to see how teams adapt and whether some of these top seeds hold strong. also, gotta wonder what impact this reduction in automatic qualifiers will have on revenue distribution... might be a wild card in the tournament 
It's like they're trying to troll Charlie Creme with all these changes 
. The fact that automatic qualifiers got cut down from 32 to 31 is pretty cool, though - it makes for some intense conference championship battles 
. But can we talk about how this whole format change is gonna screw up the revenue distribution? I mean, schools are already struggling and now they're getting less dough? 
it just goes to show that even the pros can be wrong, and sometimes you gotta roll with the punches. 
I'm worried it's going to lead to some ridiculous matchups and upsets that aren't really based on skill. We'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out, but my gut is telling me this is gonna be a wild ride 
Should they just stick to the old way of doing things, or is this change for the better?