📄 2035 Dance Partners, Building a Better Bracket w/ EC Hood: Part 3 Mar 9th

We’re in the middle of championship week, so it’s time to take a look around the leagues and see how things are falling into place in the latest version of Dance Partners.

Two big upsets stand out as a couple of bracket busters – Vermont’s win over Bryant (29-3, 25 NET) in the America East Championship game and Ohio’s win over Kent State (25-6, 20 NET) in the Mid-American semis. Right now we have both Bryant and Kent State in as at-large teams, meaning hearts are breaking out there as two small-conference teams earn at-large bids that would otherwise go to high-major schools. Another major game is taking place in the next sim: Evansville (25-6, 36 NET) battles Belmont for the Missouri Valley title. Evansville, with a loss, could still get into the dance as an at-large team. Anyone on the bubble should be watching this one closely.

A few other spots worth looking at in the next few sims:

• Charleston (21-10, 47 NET) is probably on the outside looking in if it loses to Hampton in the Colonial title game.
• Georgia Southern (23-7, 26 NET) is an 11 seed in this bracket and will be 25-7 if they win out in the Sun Belt tournament. However, a loss to either Lousiana-Lafayette in the semis, or to Old Dominion or Southern Miss in the final, would likely crush the hopes and dreams of yet another high major. Troy’s loss to Southern Miss in the quarters likely ended any hopes of a trip to the dance for the Trojans.
• Santa Clara could make a huge statement to the committee with a win over Saint Mary’s in the WCC semis.
• Houston and Memphis both lost in the quarters of the American tournament to SMU and Tulsa, respectively. Watch this tournament closely. The winner of Central Florida-Wichita State is the heavy favorite to represent the AAC, but a tournament title for either SMU or Tulsa would wreak havoc on the bracket even more.

IN GAME DATE: Mar 9th